Business: 0.97662544
Fears for T N pension after talks Unions representing workers at Turner Newall say they are 'disappointed' after talks with stricken parent firm Federal Mogul.

SciTech: 0.9930663
The Race is On: Second Private Team Sets Launch Date for Human Spaceflight (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - TORONTO, Canada -- A second\team of rocketeers competing for the #36;10 million Ansari X Prize, a contest for\privately funded suborbital space flight, has officially announced the first\launch date for its manned rocket.

SciTech: 0.99767774
Ky. Company Wins Grant to Study Peptides (AP) AP - A company founded by a chemistry researcher at the University of Louisville won a grant to develop a method of producing better peptides, which are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.

SciTech: 0.9500456
Prediction Unit Helps Forecast Wildfires (AP) AP - It's barely dawn when Mike Fitzpatrick starts his shift with a blur of colorful maps, figures and endless charts, but already he knows what the day will bring. Lightning will strike in places he expects. Winds will pick up, moist places will dry and flames will roar.

SciTech: 0.959538
Calif. Aims to Limit Farm-Related Smog (AP) AP - Southern California's smog-fighting agency went after emissions of the bovine variety Friday, adopting the nation's first rules to reduce air pollution from dairy cow manure.

SciTech: 0.9828031
Open Letter Against British Copyright Indoctrination in Schools The British Department for Education and Skills (DfES) recently launched a "Music Manifesto" campaign, with the ostensible intention of educating the next generation of British musicians. Unfortunately, they also teamed up with the music industry (EMI, and various artists) to make this popular. EMI has apparently negotiated their end well, so that children in our schools will now be indoctrinated about the illegality of downloading music.The ignorance and audacity of this got to me a little, so I wrote an open letter to the DfES about it. Unfortunately, it's pedantic, as I suppose you have to be when writing to goverment representatives. But I hope you find it useful, and perhaps feel inspired to do something similar, if or when the same thing has happened in your area.

SciTech: 0.9978002
Loosing the War on Terrorism \\"Sven Jaschan, self-confessed author of the Netsky and Sasser viruses, is\responsible for 70 percent of virus infections in 2004, according to a six-month\virus roundup published Wednesday by antivirus company Sophos."\\"The 18-year-old Jaschan was taken into custody in Germany in May by police who\said he had admitted programming both the Netsky and Sasser worms, something\experts at Microsoft confirmed. (A Microsoft antivirus reward program led to the\teenager's arrest.) During the five months preceding Jaschan's capture, there\were at least 25 variants of Netsky and one of the port-scanning network worm\Sasser."\\"Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said it was staggeri...\\

SciTech: 0.9965366
FOAFKey: FOAF, PGP, Key Distribution, and Bloom Filters \\FOAF/LOAF and bloom filters have a lot of interesting properties for social\network and whitelist distribution.\\I think we can go one level higher though and include GPG/OpenPGP key\fingerpring distribution in the FOAF file for simple web-of-trust based key\distribution.\\What if we used FOAF and included the PGP key fingerprint(s) for identities?\This could mean a lot. You include the PGP key fingerprints within the FOAF\file of your direct friends and then include a bloom filter of the PGP key\fingerprints of your entire whitelist (the source FOAF file would of course need\to be encrypted ).\\Your whitelist would be populated from the social network as your client\discovered new identit...\\

SciTech: 0.91263986
E-mail scam targets police chief Wiltshire Police warns about "phishing" after its fraud squad chief was targeted.

SciTech: 0.6703435
Card fraud unit nets 36,000 cards In its first two years, the UK's dedicated card fraud unit, has recovered 36,000 stolen cards and 171 arrests - and estimates it saved 65m.

SciTech: 0.9915338
Group to Propose New High-Speed Wireless Format LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A group of technology companies including Texas Instruments Inc. <TXN.N>, STMicroelectronics <STM.PA> and Broadcom Corp. <BRCM.O>, on Thursday said they will propose a new wireless networking standard up to 10 times the speed of the current generation.

SciTech: 0.9895175
Apple Launches Graphics Software, Video Bundle LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc.<AAPL.O> on Tuesday began shipping a new program designed to let users create real-time motion graphics and unveiled a discount video-editing software bundle featuring its flagship Final Cut Pro software.

SciTech: 0.99106675
Dutch Retailer Beats Apple to Local Download Market AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Free Record Shop, a Dutch music retail chain, beat Apple Computer Inc. to market on Tuesday with the launch of a new download service in Europe's latest battleground for digital song services.

SciTech: 0.7809192
Super ant colony hits Australia A giant 100km colony of ants which has been discovered in Melbourne, Australia, could threaten local insect species.

SciTech: 0.7696795
Socialites unite dolphin groups Dolphin groups, or "pods", rely on socialites to keep them from collapsing, scientists claim.

SciTech: 0.87625736
Teenage T. rex's monster growth Tyrannosaurus rex achieved its massive size due to an enormous growth spurt during its adolescent years.

SciTech: 0.9864978
Scientists Discover Ganymede has a Lumpy Interior Jet Propulsion Lab -- Scientists have discovered irregular lumps beneath the icy surface of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede. These irregular masses may be rock formations, supported by Ganymede's icy shell for billions of years...

SciTech: 0.99691015
Mars Rovers Relay Images Through Mars Express European Space Agency -- ESAs Mars Express has relayed pictures from one of NASA's Mars rovers for the first time, as part of a set of interplanetary networking demonstrations. The demonstrations pave the way for future Mars missions to draw on joint interplanetary networking capabilities...

SciTech: 0.99736744
Rocking the Cradle of Life When did life begin? One evidential clue stems from the fossil records in Western Australia, although whether these layered sediments are biological or chemical has spawned a spirited debate. Oxford researcher, Nicola McLoughlin, describes some of the issues in contention.

SciTech: 0.93697417
Storage, servers bruise HP earnings update Earnings per share rise compared with a year ago, but company misses analysts' expectations by a long shot.

SciTech: 0.7405728
IBM to hire even more new workers By the end of the year, the computing giant plans to have its biggest headcount since 1991.

SciTech: 0.9931946
Sun's Looking Glass Provides 3D View Developers get early code for new operating system 'skin' still being crafted.

SciTech: 0.99038833
IBM Chips May Someday Heal Themselves New technology applies electrical fuses to help identify and repair faults.

SciTech: 0.9621073
Rivals Try to Turn Tables on Charles Schwab By MICHAEL LIEDTKE SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- With its low prices and iconoclastic attitude, discount stock broker Charles Schwab Corp. (SCH) represented an annoying stone in Wall Street's wing-tipped shoes for decades...

SciTech: 0.99752706
News: Sluggish movement on power grid cyber security Industry cyber security standards fail to reach some of the most vulnerable components of the power grid.\

Sports: 0.9186001
Giddy Phelps Touches Gold for First Time Michael Phelps won the gold medal in the 400 individual medley and set a world record in a time of 4 minutes 8.26 seconds.

Sports: 0.9997234
Tougher rules won't soften Law's game FOXBOROUGH -- Looking at his ridiculously developed upper body, with huge biceps and hardly an ounce of fat, it's easy to see why Ty Law, arguably the best cornerback in football, chooses physical play over finesse. That's not to imply that he's lacking a finesse component, because he can shut down his side of the field much as Deion Sanders...

Sports: 0.9997174
Shoppach doesn't appear ready to hit the next level With the weeks dwindling until Jason Varitek enters free agency, the Red Sox continue to carefully monitor Kelly Shoppach, their catcher of the future, in his climb toward the majors. The Sox like most of what they have seen at Triple A Pawtucket from Shoppach, though it remains highly uncertain whether he can make the adjustments at the plate...

Sports: 0.99958414
Mighty Ortiz makes sure Sox can rest easy Just imagine what David Ortiz could do on a good night's rest. Ortiz spent the night before last with his baby boy, D'Angelo, who is barely 1 month old. He had planned on attending the Red Sox' Family Day at Fenway Park yesterday morning, but he had to sleep in. After all, Ortiz had a son at home, and he...

Sports: 0.99963224
They've caught his eye In quot;helping themselves, quot; Ricky Bryant, Chas Gessner, Michael Jennings, and David Patten did nothing Friday night to make Bill Belichick's decision on what to do with his receivers any easier.

Sports: 0.99665326
Indians Mount Charge The Cleveland Indians pulled within one game of the AL Central lead by beating the Minnesota Twins, 7-1, Saturday night with home runs by Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

World: 0.99932325
Sister of man who died in Vancouver police custody slams chief (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - The sister of a man who died after a violent confrontation with police has demanded the city's chief constable resign for defending the officer involved.

World: 0.999186
Man Sought #36;50M From McGreevey, Aides Say (AP) AP - The man who claims Gov. James E. McGreevey sexually harassed him was pushing for a cash settlement of up to #36;50 million before the governor decided to announce that he was gay and had an extramarital affair, sources told The Associated Press.

World: 0.9993493
Explosions Echo Throughout Najaf NAJAF, Iraq - Explosions and gunfire rattled through the city of Najaf as U.S. troops in armored vehicles and tanks rolled back into the streets here Sunday, a day after the collapse of talks - and with them a temporary cease-fire - intended to end the fighting in this holy city...

World: 0.99936277
Frail Pope Celebrates Mass at Lourdes LOURDES, France - A frail Pope John Paul II, breathing heavily and gasping at times, celebrated an open-air Mass on Sunday for several hundred thousand pilgrims, many in wheelchairs, at a shrine to the Virgin Mary that is associated with miraculous cures. At one point he said "help me" in Polish while struggling through his homily in French...

World: 0.68681145
Venezuela Prepares for Chavez Recall Vote Supporters and rivals warn of possible fraud; government says Chavez's defeat could produce turmoil in world oil market.

World: 0.9988844
1994 Law Designed to Preserve Guard Jobs (AP) AP - A 1994 law strengthened job protections for National Guard and Reserve troops called to active duty. Here are major provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

World: 0.9993137
Iran Warns Its Missiles Can Hit Anywhere in Israel TEHRAN (Reuters) - A senior Iranian military official said Sunday Israel and the United States would not dare attack Iran since it could strike back anywhere in Israel with its latest missiles, news agencies reported.

World: 0.99932206
Afghan Army Dispatched to Calm Violence KABUL, Afghanistan - Government troops intervened in Afghanistan's latest outbreak of deadly fighting between warlords, flying from the capital to the far west on U.S. and NATO airplanes to retake an air base contested in the violence, officials said Sunday...

Sports: 0.99865216
Johnson Helps D-Backs End Nine-Game Slide (AP) AP - Randy Johnson took a four-hitter into the ninth inning to help the Arizona Diamondbacks end a nine-game losing streak Sunday, beating Steve Trachsel and the New York Mets 2-0.

Business: 0.9972952
Retailers Vie for Back-To-School Buyers (Reuters) Reuters - Apparel retailers are hoping their\back-to-school fashions will make the grade among\style-conscious teens and young adults this fall, but it could\be a tough sell, with students and parents keeping a tighter\hold on their wallets.

World: 0.99938893
Politics an Afterthought Amid Hurricane (AP) AP - If Hurricane Charley had struck three years ago, President Bush's tour through the wreckage of this coastal city would have been just the sort of post-disaster visit that other presidents have made to the scenes of storms, earthquakes, floods and fires.

SciTech: 0.9660491
Spam suspension hits Sohu.com shares (FT.com) FT.com - Shares in Sohu.com, a leading US-listed Chinese internet portal, fell more than 10 per cent on Friday after China's biggest mobile phone network operator imposed a one-year suspension on its multimedia messaging services because of customers being sent spam.

Sports: 0.9984993
Erstad's Double Lifts Angels to Win (AP) AP - Darin Erstad doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, lifting the Anaheim Angels to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The win pulled Anaheim within a percentage point of Boston and Texas in the AL wild-card race.

Sports: 0.9993728
Drew Out of Braves' Lineup After Injury (AP) AP - Outfielder J.D. Drew missed the Atlanta Braves' game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night with a sore right quadriceps.

World: 0.99408346
Venezuelans Flood Polls, Voting Extended CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelans voted in huge numbers on Sunday in a historic referendum on whether to recall left-wing President Hugo Chavez and electoral authorities prolonged voting well into the night.

SciTech: 0.6945477
Dell Exits Low-End China Consumer PC Market HONG KONG (Reuters) - Dell Inc. <DELL.O>, the world's largest PC maker, said on Monday it has left the low-end consumer PC market in China and cut its overall growth target for the country this year due to stiff competition in the segment.

World: 0.9993709
China Says Taiwan Spy Also Operated in U.S. - Media BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing on Monday accused a Chinese-American arrested for spying for Taiwan of building an espionage network in the United States, and said he could go on trial very soon.

Sports: 0.9960764
Another Major Non-Factor Another major, another disappointment for Tiger Woods, the No. 1 ranked player in the world who has not won a major championship since his triumph at the 2002 U.S. Open.

World: 0.9993974
US fighter squadron to be deployed in South Korea next month (AFP) AFP - A squadron of US Air Force F-15E fighters based in Alaska will fly to South Korea next month for temporary deployment aimed at enhancing US firepower on the Korean peninsula, US authorities said.

Sports: 0.9996464
Johnson Back to His Best as D-Backs End Streak NEW YORK (Reuters) - Randy Johnson struck out 14 batters in 8 1/3 innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks end a nine-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over the host New York Mets in the National League Sunday.

World: 0.9994105
Restive Maldives eases curfew after rounding up dissidents (AFP) AFP - A curfew in the capital of the Maldives was eased but parliament sessions were put off indefinitely and emergency rule continued following last week's riots, officials and residents said.

SciTech: 0.9936027
Vodafone hires Citi for Cesky bid (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The U.K. mobile giant wants to find a way to disentagle the Czech wireless and fixed-line businesses.

Business: 0.993397
Dollar Briefly Hits 4-Wk Low Vs Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar dipped to a four-week low against the euro on Monday before rising slightly on profit-taking, but steep oil prices and weak U.S. data continued to fan worries about the health of the world's largest economy.

SciTech: 0.46050087
Promoting a Shared Vision As Michael Kaleko kept running into people who were getting older and having more vision problems, he realized he could do something about it.

World: 0.9781531
India's Tata expands regional footprint via NatSteel buyout (AFP) AFP - India's Tata Iron and Steel Company Ltd. took a strategic step to expand its Asian footprint with the announcement it will buy the Asia-Pacific steel operations of Singapore's NatSteel Ltd.

World: 0.99932945
Delegates Urge Cleric to Pull Out of Najaf BAGHDAD, Iraq - Delegates at Iraq's National Conference called on radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to abandon his uprising against U.S. and Iraqi troops and pull his fighters out of a holy shrine in Najaf...

Business: 0.9984571
Treasuries Slip as Stocks Rally NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices slipped on Monday, though traders characterized the move as profit-taking rather than any fundamental change in sentiment.

Business: 0.99842024
Dollar Rises Vs Euro on Asset Flows Data NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar extended gains against the euro on Monday after a report on flows into U.S. assets showed enough of a rise in foreign investments to offset the current account gap for the month.

Sports: 0.9997104
Sutton Adds Haas, Cink to Ryder Cup Team MILWAUKEE (Sports Network) - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton finalized his team on Monday when he announced the selections of Jay Haas and Stewart Cink as his captain's picks.

Sports: 0.97614026
Haas and Cink Selected for Ryder Cup Team Jay Haas joined Stewart Cink as the two captain's picks for a U.S. team that will try to regain the cup from Europe next month.

Sports: 0.99888545
Natalie Coughlin Wins 100M Backstroke (AP) AP - American Natalie Coughlin won Olympic gold in the 100-meter backstroke Monday night. Coughlin, the only woman ever to swim under 1 minute in the event, finished first in 1 minute, 0.37 seconds. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who swims at Auburn University in Alabama, earned the silver in 1:00.50. Laure Manaudou of France took bronze in 1:00.88.

SciTech: 0.9975834
Oracle Overhauls Sales-Side Apps for CRM Suite (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) has revamped its sales-side CRM applications in version 11i.10 of its sales, marketing, partner relationship management and e-commerce application.

World: 0.99936765
UN launches 210-million-dollar appeal for flood-hit Bangladesh (AFP) AFP - The United Nations launched an appeal here for 210 million dollars to help flood victims facing "grave" food shortages after two-thirds of Bangladesh was submerged, destroying crops and killing more than 700 people.

SciTech: 0.91217256
Indian state rolls out wireless broadband Government in South Indian state of Kerala sets up wireless kiosks as part of initiative to bridge digital divide.

World: 0.9993254
Hurricane Survivors Wait for Water, Gas PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Urban rescue teams, insurance adjusters and National Guard troops scattered across Florida Monday to help victims of Hurricane Charley and deliver water and other supplies to thousands of people left homeless...

World: 0.99933004
Jackson Squares Off With Prosecutor SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Fans of Michael Jackson erupted in cheers Monday as the pop star emerged from a double-decker tour bus and went into court for a showdown with the prosecutor who has pursued him for years on child molestation charges...

Sports: 0.999602
Bobcats Trade Drobnjak to Hawks for Pick (AP) AP - The Charlotte Bobcats traded center Predrag Drobnjak to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday for a second round pick in the 2005 NBA draft.

World: 0.9993351
Suspect charged in abduction, sexual assault of 11-year-old girl (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - LANGLEY, B.C. (CP) - Police have arrested a man in the kidnapping and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl that frightened this suburban Vancouver community last week.

SciTech: 0.99634355
China's Red Flag Linux to focus on enterprise Red Flag Software Co., the company behind China's leading Linux client distribution, plans to focus more on its server operating system and enterprise customers, the company's acting president said.

SciTech: 0.9976151
AOL Properties Sign Girafa For Thumbnail Search Images AOL Properties Sign Girafa For Thumbnail Search Images\\Girafa.com Inc. announced today that the CompuServe, Netscape, AIM and ICQ properties of America Online, Inc., have signed an agreement with Girafa to use Girafa's thumbnail search images as an integrated part of their search results.\\Using Girafa's thumbnail search service, search users can...

SciTech: 0.995391
Cassini Spies Two Little Saturn Moons (AP) AP - NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spied two new little moons around satellite-rich Saturn, the space agency said Monday.

World: 0.9974546
On front line of AIDS in Russia An industrial city northwest of Moscow struggles as AIDS hits a broader population.

SciTech: 0.94099414
Nobel Laureate Decries Stem Cell Limits (AP) AP - A Nobel laureate in medicine said Monday the Bush administration's limits on funding for embryonic stem cell research effectively have stopped the clock on American scientists' efforts to develop treatments for a host of chronic, debilitating diseases.

Sports: 0.9963936
Jury Can Hear of Kobe Accuser's Sex Life (AP) AP - Prosecutors suffered another setback Monday in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, losing a last-ditch attempt to keep the NBA star's lawyers from telling jurors about the alleged victim's sex life.

World: 0.9994186
North Korea Talks Still On, China Tells Downer (Reuters) Reuters - China has said no date has been set for\working-level talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis and gave\no indication that the meeting has been canceled, Australian\Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9992199
Griffin to Anchor D-Line The Redskins expect huge things from 300-pound Cornelius Griffin, who was signed to aid the team's weakest unit - the defensive line.

World: 0.9994099
Last American defector in North Korea agrees to tell story (AFP) AFP - The last surviving American defector to communist North Korea wants to tell his story to put a human face on the Stalinist state which he believes is unfairly vilified abroad, British film-makers said.

World: 0.86371017
Live: Olympics day four Richard Faulds and Stephen Parry are going for gold for Great Britain on day four in Athens.

World: 0.999366
Kerry Widens Lead in California, Poll Finds (Reuters) Reuters - Democratic challenger John Kerry\has a commanding lead over President Bush in California of 54\percent to 38 percent among likely voters, a poll released on\Tuesday found.

Sports: 0.987364
Capacity Crowds at Beach Volleyball Rock the Joint ATHENS (Reuters) - At the beach volleyball, the 2004 Olympics is a sell-out, foot-stomping success.

Business: 0.9961532
Dollar Near Recent Lows, Awaits ZEW/CPI LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held steady near this week's four-week low against the euro on Tuesday with investors awaiting a German investor confidence survey and U.S. consumer inflation numbers to shed light on the direction.

World: 0.99293363
Venezuela vote keeps Chavez as president CARACAS -- Venezuelans voted resoundingly to keep firebrand populist Hugo Chavez as their president in a victory that drew noisy reactions yesterday from both sides in the streets. International observers certified the results as clean and accurate.

World: 0.9993963
Jailing of HK democrat in China 'politically motivated' (AFP) AFP - Hong Kong democrats accused China of jailing one of their members on trumped-up prostitution charges in a bid to disgrace a political movement Beijing has been feuding with for seven years.

Business: 0.9981998
Kmart Swings to Profit in 2Q; Stock Surges (AP) AP - Shares of Kmart Holding Corp. surged 17 percent Monday after the discount retailer reported a profit for the second quarter and said chairman and majority owner Edward Lampert is now free to invest the company's #36;2.6 billion in surplus cash.

World: 0.99908733
Fischer's Fiancee: Marriage Plans Genuine (AP) AP - Former chess champion Bobby Fischer's announcement thathe is engaged to a Japanese woman could win him sympathy among Japanese officials and help him avoid deportation to the United States, his fiancee and one of his supporters said Tuesday.

World: 0.9993253
U.S. Misses Cut in Olympic 100 Free 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...

SciTech: 0.9859321
Consumers Would Pay In Phone Proposal A proposal backed by a coalition of telephone carriers would cut billions of dollars in fees owed by long-distance companies to regional phone giants but would allow the regional companies to make up some of the difference by raising monthly phone bills for millions of consumers. -The Washington Post

World: 0.99940526
U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan KABUL (Reuters) - The United States has brokered a cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the embattled governor of the western province of Herat, Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday.

Business: 0.9917596
Sneaky Credit Card Tactics Keep an eye on your credit card issuers -- they may be about to raise your rates.

SciTech: 0.95567125
Intel Delays Launch of Projection TV Chip In another product postponement, semiconductor giant Intel Corp. said it won't be offering a chip for projection TVs by the end of 2004 as it had announced earlier this year.

Business: 0.9985838
Fund pessimism grows NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Money managers are growing more pessimistic about the economy, corporate profits and US stock market returns, according to a monthly survey by Merrill Lynch released Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99966407
Kederis proclaims innocence Olympic champion Kostas Kederis today left hospital ahead of his date with IOC inquisitors claiming his innocence and vowing: quot;After the crucifixion comes the resurrection. quot;...

Sports: 0.99971277
Eriksson doesn #39;t feel any extra pressure following scandal NEWCASTLE, England (AP) - England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said Tuesday he isn #39;t under any extra pressure in the aftermath of a scandal that damaged the Football Association #39;s reputation.

Sports: 0.99969935
Injured Heskey to miss England friendly NEWCASTLE, England (AP) - Striker Emile Heskey has pulled out of the England squad ahead of Wednesday #39;s friendly against Ukraine because of a tight hamstring, the Football Association said Tuesday.

Business: 0.99852633
Staples Profit Up, to Enter China Market NEW YORK (Reuters) - Staples Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SPLS.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">SPLS.O</A>, the top U.S. office products retailer, on Tuesday reported a 39 percent jump in quarterly profit, raised its full-year forecast and said it plans to enter the fast-growing Chinese market, sending its shares higher.

World: 0.9993237
Delegation Is Delayed Before Reaching Najaf AGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 17 A delegation of Iraqis was delayed for security reasons today but still intended to visit Najaf to try to convince a rebellious Shiite cleric and his militia to evacuate a shrine in the holy city and end...

Business: 0.9984389
Consumer Prices Down, Industry Output Up 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 in a report that suggested a slow rate of interest rate hikes is likely.

Sports: 0.9995172
Olympic history for India, UAE An Indian army major shot his way to his country #39;s first ever individual Olympic silver medal on Tuesday, while in the same event an member of Dubai #39;s ruling family became the first ever medallist from the United Arab Emirates.

Business: 0.9986104
Home Depot Likes High Oil Rising fuel prices, a bugbear for most of the retail sector, are helping Home Depot (HD:NYSE - news - research), the remodeling giant that reported a surge in second-quarter earnings Tuesday and guided the rest of the year higher.

SciTech: 0.9881075
China cracks down on quot;phone sex quot; services BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- China is carrying out a nationwide campaign to crack down on quot;phone sex quot; services, paralleling another sweeping operation against Internet pornography, Minister of Information Industry Wang Xudong said here Tuesday.

Business: 0.5953081
Surviving Biotech's Downturns Charly Travers offers advice on withstanding the volatility of the biotech sector.

World: 0.99876815
Mr Downer shoots his mouth off Just what Alexander Downer was thinking when he declared on radio last Friday that quot;they could fire a missile from North Korea to Sydney quot; is unclear. The provocative remark, just days before his arrival yesterday on his second visit to the North Korean...

Sports: 0.9990941
Edwards Banned from Games - Source ATHENS (Reuters) - World 100 meters champion Torri Edwards will miss the Athens Olympics after her appeal against a two-year drugs ban was dismissed on Tuesday, a source told Reuters.

World: 0.9993605
Stocks Climb on Drop in Consumer Prices NEW YORK - Stocks rose for a second straight session Tuesday as a drop in consumer prices allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term. With gasoline prices falling to eight-month lows, the Consumer Price Index registered a small drop in July, giving consumers a respite from soaring energy prices...

Sports: 0.9985983
Iliadis, Tanimoto win judo golds Ilias Iliadis of Greece thrilled the home crowd Tuesday, beating Roman Gontyuk of Ukraine to win the gold medal in the 81-kilogram class.

World: 0.99942493
Sudan vows to restore order to Darfur but calls for African peacekeepers (AFP) AFP - Sudan will take the lead in restoring order to its rebellious Darfur region but needs the support of African peacekeepers and humanitarian aid, Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said.

SciTech: 0.9964734
TGn Sync Proposes New WLAN Standard The battle over home entertainment networking is heating up as a coalition proposes yet another standard for the IEEE #39;s consideration.

SciTech: 0.9507373
Motorola and HP in Linux tie-up Motorola plans to sell mobile phone network equipment that uses Linux-based code, a step forward in network gear makers #39; efforts to rally around a standard.

SciTech: 0.9958299
Microsoft Pushes Off SP2 Release Microsoft will delay the release of its SP2 update for another week to fix software glitches. But not everyone is quite so eager to install the SP2 update for Windows XP. In fact, many companies have demanded the ability to prevent their...

SciTech: 0.995083
Cassini Space Probe Spots Two New Saturn Moons (Reuters) Reuters - Two new moons were spotted around\Saturn by the Cassini space probe, raising the total to 33\moons for the ringed planet, NASA said on Monday.

Sports: 0.999703
Buckeyes have lots to replace but are brimming with optimism There are remarkable similarities between the 2004 Ohio State Buckeyes and those that won the national championship just two years ago.

SciTech: 0.99800247
IBM adds midrange server to eServer lineup The new IBM Power5 eServer i5 550 also features higher performance and new virtualization capabilities that allow it to run multiple operating systems at once on separate partitions.

SciTech: 0.9966191
iPod Comparison Newsday #146;s Stephen Williams reports on seeing Sony #146;s NW-HD1 audio player in a store: #147; #145;How #146;s it compare to the iPod? #146; I asked a salesman. #145;Battery life is a lot longer, up to 30 hours, #146; he said. #145;The LCD readout is kind of dim, #146; I said. #146;Battery life is a lot longer, #146; he said. #145;I understand it can #146;t play MP3 files, #146; I said. #145;Battery life is a lot longer, #146; he said. #148; Aug 17

Business: 0.99846315
Mills Grabs \$1B Portfolio; Taubman Likely to Lose Contracts Mills Corp. agreed to purchase a 50 percent interest in nine malls owned by General Motors Asset Management Corp. for just over \$1 billion, creating a new joint venture between the groups. The deal will extend...

Sports: 0.99971503
Women stumble to silver ATHENS -- The mistakes were so minor. Carly Patterson #39;s foot scraping the lower of the uneven bars. Courtney Kupets #39; tumbling pass that ended here instead of there. Mohini Bhardwaj #39;s slight stumble on the beam.

Sports: 0.99968743
Notable quotes Tuesday at the Athens Olympics quot;It hurt like hell. I could see (Thorpe) coming up. But when I was breathing, I saw my team going crazy -- and that really kept me going. quot;...

SciTech: 0.99005353
AMD Ships Notebook Chips It wasn #39;t the first to go small, and it won #39;t be the biggest producer, but AMD #39;s (Quote, Chart) 64-bit 90-nanometer (nm) chips are expected to make waves in the semiconductor pool.

World: 0.99499005
UK charges 8 in terror plot linked to alert in US LONDON, AUGUST 17: Britain charged eight terror suspects on Tuesday with conspiracy to commit murder and said one had plans that could be used in striking US buildings that were the focus of security scares this month.

SciTech: 0.99801135
IBM Seeks To Have SCO Claims Dismissed (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has -- again -- sought to have the pending legal claims by The SCO Group dismissed. According to a motion it filed in a U.S. district court, IBM argues that SCO has no evidence to support its claims that it appropriated confidential source code from Unix System V and placed it in Linux.

Business: 0.94689554
SUVs: Live And Let Die NEW YORK - The newly released traffic crash fatality data have something for everyone in the debate about the safety of sport utility vehicles.

Sports: 0.99602747
Security scare as intruder dives in A CANADIAN husband #39;s love for his wife has led to a tightening of security at all Olympic venues in Athens.

Sports: 0.9996742
Team USA barely wins, but struggles not all players #39; fault Now that everybody in and around USA Basketball has breathed a huge sigh of relief, let #39;s not get carried away.

Sports: 0.999647
UPI NewsTrack Sports -- The United States men #39;s basketball team capped off a big day for the USA by fighting off Greece for a vital win, 77-71. quot;They played with heart, quot; said Coach Larry Brown. quot;That #39;s all you can ask. quot;...

World: 0.9993936
Peace delegation leaves Najaf empty-handed as fighting continues BAGHDAD, Iraq - A national political conference #39;s bid to end the fighting in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf appeared to have failed Tuesday.

World: 0.9993475
Georgian president calls for international conference on South Ossetia TBILISI, Georgia Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili appealed to world leaders Tuesday to convene an international conference on the conflict in breakaway South Ossetia, where daily exchanges of gunfire threaten to spark...

World: 0.999408
Shelling, shooting resumes in breakaway Georgian region (AFP) AFP - Georgian and South Ossetian forces overnight accused each other of trying to storm the other side's positions in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, as four Georgian soldiers were reported to be wounded.

Sports: 0.99967647
Youkilis, McCarty placed on 15-day disabled list BOSTON -- It was another busy day on the medical front for the Red Sox, as a series of roster moves were announced prior to Tuesday night #39;s game against the Blue Jays.

World: 0.9993795
Kerry-Kerrey Confusion Trips Up Campaign (AP) AP - John Kerry, Bob Kerrey. It's easy to get confused.

Sports: 0.9989023
Former Florida Swimming Coach Dies at 83 (AP) AP - William H. Harlan, the retired University of Florida swimming coach who led the Gators to eight conference titles, died Tuesday, school officials said. He was 83.

Sports: 0.9970823
US Men Have Right Touch in Relay Duel Against Australia THENS, Aug. 17 - So Michael Phelps is not going to match the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz. And it is too early to tell if he will match Aleksandr Dityatin, the Soviet gymnast who won eight total medals in 1980. But those were not the...

World: 0.97249043
Schrder adopts Russian orphan Three-year-old Victoria, from St Petersburg, has been living at the Schrders #39; family home in Hanover in northern Germany for several weeks.

Sports: 0.99668676
Cabrera Leads Red Sox Past Blue Jays 5-4 (AP) AP - Orlando Cabrera hit a run-scoring double off the Green Monster in the ninth inning on reliever Justin Speier's second pitch of the game, giving the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Sports: 0.9995616
United Arab Emirates trap shooter secures nation #39;s first Olympic gold Sheik Ahmed bin Hashr Al-Maktoum earned the first-ever Olympic medal for the United Arab Emirates when he took home the gold medal in men #39;s double trap shooting on Tuesday in Athens.

World: 0.9992279
Sharon orders 1,000 homes in West Bank Israel announced plans for 1,000 houses in the West Bank yesterday, accelerating the expansion of the settlements.

Sports: 0.99863845
So. Cal Player Investigated in Sex Assault (AP) AP - At least one member of the top-ranked Southern California football team is under investigation for sexual assault, the Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99943095
China Sighs in Relief as Yao Scores High BEIJING (Reuters) - China breathed a measured sigh of relief after the skills of its basketball giant Yao Ming dwarfed New Zealand to sweep his team nearer to their goal of reaching the Athens Olympics semi-finals.

World: 0.9993789
Israelis OK new homes in West Bank A leaked Israeli plan to build 1,000 new Jewish settler homes in the West Bank yesterday sent Bush administration officials scrambling for a response in the sensitive period before November #39;s presidential election.

World: 0.99922633
Britain accuses 8 of terror plot LONDON - British police charged eight terrorist suspects yesterday with conspiring to commit murder and use radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals or explosives to cause quot;fear or injury. quot;...

World: 0.9993955
Israel kills 5 in strike at Hamas activist Islamic group #39;s armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. Doctors said he suffered leg wounds.

Sports: 0.9997149
Zambrano Out Early; So Are Mets ENVER, Aug. 17 - Victor Zambrano came to the Mets with radical movement on his pitches, fixable flaws in his delivery and a curious sore spot lingering around his right elbow.

Business: 0.99861455
Dollar Stuck, CPI Offers Little Direction TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar moved in tight ranges on Wednesday as most investors shrugged off lower-than-expected U.S. inflation data and stuck to the view the U.S. Federal Reserve would continue raising rates.

Sports: 0.9993774
St. Louis Cardinals News Right-hander Matt Morris threw seven solid innings, but the Cardinals needed a bases-loaded walk to second baseman Tony Womack and a grand slam from new right fielder Larry Walker to key a six-run eighth inning for a...

Sports: 0.99949694
Greek sprinters arrive at IOC hearing ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have arrived at an Athens hotel for an International Olympic Committee (IOC) hearing into their missed doped tests, a saga that has shamed and angered the Olympic host...

Sports: 0.99969697
Flop in the ninth inning sinks Jays BOSTON -- The Toronto Blue Jays have had worse hitting games this season against lesser pitchers than Pedro Martinez.

World: 0.9992774
Fresh Fighting Shatters Short-Lived Ceasefire Deal Renewed clashes in South Ossetia, which resulted in death of two Georgian soldiers, erupted late on August 17, several hours after the South Ossetian and Georgian officials agreed on ceasefire. As a result Tbilisi has already announced that it will not...

Sports: 0.9919934
Hamm hopes to get on a roll Paul Hamm takes another shot at history tonight, when he'll try to become the first American to win the Olympic men's all-around in gymnastics.

World: 0.9993849
Karzai Promises Afghans Security for Election (Reuters) Reuters - Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai\promised Afghans greater security when they go to vote in the\country's first ever democratic election during an independence\day speech on Wednesday.

World: 0.99943656
Google Lowers Its IPO Price Range SAN JOSE, Calif. - In a sign that Google Inc.'s initial public offering isn't as popular as expected, the company lowered its estimated price range to between \$85 and \$95 per share, down from the earlier prediction of \$108 and \$135 per share...

World: 0.54202366
Future Doctors, Crossing Borders Students at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine learn that diet and culture shape health in East Harlem.

Business: 0.9664139
Oil Sets New Record \$47 on Iraq Threat LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices surged to a new high of \$47 a barrel on Wednesday after a new threat by rebel militia against Iraqi oil facilities and as the United States said inflation had stayed in check despite rising energy costs.

Sports: 0.99961984
Greek sprinters quit to end Games scandal ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece #39;s two top athletes have pulled out of the Athens Olympics and apologised to the Greek people for a scandal over missed dope tests that has tarnished the Games #39; return to their birthplace.

Sports: 0.9996848
Phelps Eyes Fourth Gold ATHENS (Reuters) - A weary Michael Phelps targeted his fourth Olympic gold medal in Athens, turning his attention on Wednesday to the 200 meters individual medley and settling for the second-fastest overall time in the heats.

World: 0.99940264
Israel Kills 5 in Attempt to Assassinate Hamas Man GAZA (Reuters) - A senior Hamas leader survived an Israeli assassination attempt in the Gaza Strip Wednesday but at least five other Palestinians were killed in the explosion that tore through his home.

Sports: 0.99970955
Giants win 6th straight, but Schmidt is injured SAN FRANCISCO -- With the first doubleheader at SBC Park set to go off, today already stood to be a long workday for the Giants. It will come on the heels of an even longer night.

Business: 0.9985014
SEC may put end to quid pro quo (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to vote Wednesday to prohibit mutual fund companies from funneling stock trades to brokerage firms that agree to promote their funds to investors.

SciTech: 0.9799003
Real targets iPod with download price cut RealNetworks has kicked off what it claims is the biggest online music sale in history. For a limited time, every song in the firm #39;s RealPlayer Music Store can be downloaded for 49 cents, with most albums available for \$4.99.

World: 0.99931026
Philippine Rebels Free Troops, Talks in Doubt PRESENTACION, Philippines (Reuters) - Philippine communist rebels freed Wednesday two soldiers they had held as "prisoners of war" for more than five months, saying they wanted to rebuild confidence in peace talks with the government.

World: 0.9950653
British Terror Suspects Make First Court Appearance LONDON (Reuters) - British terror suspects charged in a plot linked to security alerts at financial targets in New York, New Jersey and Washington made their first court appearance Wednesday inside a high security prison.

Business: 0.99704033
UPDATE: China Mobile 1H Net Up 7.8 On Subscriber Growth HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd. (CHL), the listed unit of China #39;s biggest cellular phone operator, posted Wednesday a 7.8 rise in first-half net profit on a 23 increase in its subscriber base.

Business: 0.9984041
Monsanto Says Justice Dept Closes Inquiry NEW YORK (Reuters) - Monsanto Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MON.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MON.N</A> on Wednesday said the U.S. Justice Department has closed an inquiry into potential antitrust issues regarding a key ingredient used in its Roundup herbicide.

Business: 0.99845994
Cox Communications forms committee to advise on buyout Cox Communications Inc. #39;s board of directors has formed a special committee of independent directors to consider Cox Enterprises Inc. #39;s proposal to take the company private in a \$8 billion stock buyout.

Sports: 0.9992362
Afghan women make brief Olympic debut Afghan women made a short-lived debut in the Olympic Games on Wednesday as 18-year-old judo wildcard Friba Razayee was defeated after 45 seconds of her first match in the under-70kg middleweight.

World: 0.99938464
North Korea peace efforts in peril THE international effort to end the North Korean nuclear crisis appears at risk of unravelling, despite Foreign Minister Alexander Downer #39;s high-profile mission to the secretive Stalinist state.

SciTech: 0.997787
10 features for a perfect browser There are some great browsers out there. But they all seem to have some slight niggles, different for each, that make it hard for me to kick back and enjoy them. While there are some projects out there to make browsers more useful for some specialised purposes or by bolting on handy extensions, wouldn't it be great if these people could come up with a standardised set of nice features like these? A lot of browsers may support one or two, but I'll bet none have them all.

SciTech: 0.9907149
Cops Test Handheld Fingerprint Reader Several Minnesota police departments are field testing a handheld device that scans a suspect's fingerprint and digitally checks it against Minnesota's criminal history and fingerprint database.

Business: 0.98282826
Ross Stores Profit Plummets 40 Percent (AP) AP - Discount retailer Ross Stores Inc. Wednesday said its profit fell about 40 percent in the latest quarter due to problems with a new computer system that limited the company's ability to respond to changes in customer demand.

SciTech: 0.86499846
Small computers can have multiple personalities, too BOSTON The jury is still out on whether a computer can ever truly be intelligent, but there is no question that it can have multiple personalities. It #39;s just a matter of software. We usually think of the processor chip as the brains of a computer. The...

World: 0.9993092
Rebel threat on the roads leaves Katmandu isolated KATMANDU, Nepal The Nepali capital was largely cut off from the rest of the country on Wednesday after Maoist rebels threatened to attack any vehicles traveling on main roads, in a virtual blockade of Katmandu to press their demands for the release of...

World: 0.9993444
Immigrants settled in big cities, but less likely to find work: StatsCan (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Most of the nearly two million immigrants who arrived in Canada during the 1990s settled in one of the country's 27 census metropolitan areas, but still found it harder to find work than natural-born citizens, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9978515
Sun postpones September user show Sun Microsystems Inc. has decided to postpone its September SunNetwork 2004 San Francisco user conference, and is contemplating merging the event with its JavaOne 2005 developer conference, scheduled for the end of June 2005.

Sports: 0.9996997
Olympics: Emotional Zijlaard-van Moorsel defends time trial title ATHENS : Dutch cycling great Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel emotionally defended her Olympic time trial gold medal here.

SciTech: 0.95142555
Oracle launches Business Integlligence 10g Oracle introduced a new BI platform yesterday, Business Intelligence 10g that rolls up into one solution all of their BI tools. However, more interesting than the nitty-gritty details of what is included is the back story taking place at the same time.

Sports: 0.9997012
Dutch cyclist defends Olympic gold AMSTERDAM Cyclist Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel won the first gold medal for the Netherlands at the Athens Olympic Games on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99856466
Kroger's Profit Up; Price Cuts Weigh NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co., the top U.S. grocer, on Tuesday posted a 29 percent rise in quarterly profit due to cost controls, but price cuts to lure shoppers caused earnings to miss Wall Street estimates and shares fell.

Sports: 0.96138436
Expanding West Major League Soccer's two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake and Club Deportivo Chivas USA, will join the Western Conference for the 2005 season.

Sports: 0.9996227
Pacers Activate Foster From Injured List (AP) AP - The Indiana Pacers activated center Jeff Foster from the injured list Tuesday.

Business: 0.98719156
Airlines Agree to Cut Flights at Chicago O'Hare CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. airlines have agreed to limit flights into Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to 88 arrivals per hour between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. in an effort to cut congestion that has slowed the whole U.S. aviation system, federal officials said on Wednesday.

World: 0.99940646
Russia ready to contribute to settlement of South Ossetia conflict: Putin MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to contribute to a settlement of conflict between Georgia and its separatist province of South Ossetia.

SciTech: 0.9978109
NASA confident of debris solution Six months before NASA plans to return the shuttle to space, officials think they #39;ve essentially solved the problem that doomed Columbia in 2003 -- debris coming off its fuel

World: 0.9993967
Burundi Police Forcibly Disperse Tutsi Protest Police in Burundi #39;s capital, Bujumbura, used tear gas to break up a demonstration Wednesday held to protest the massacre of Congolese Tutsi refugees.

Sports: 0.9984263
Veterans Committee counts for little The Hall of Fame released the latest Veterans Committee ballot yesterday. As you might (or might not) remember, there #39;s a (nearly) new committee in town.

SciTech: 0.9556931
Drive maker files counterclaims in patent suit Cornice blasts Seagate's suit over patents for tiny hard drives used in portable gadgets.

SciTech: 0.9933848
HP moves network scanning software into beta CHICAGO - Hewlett-Packard(HP) has moved its Active Counter Measures network security software into beta tests with a select group of European and North American customers in hopes of readying the product for a 2005 release, an HP executive said at the HP World conference here in Chicago Wednesday.

World: 0.99935585
Martin announces major overhaul of key staff in Prime Minister's Office (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Paul Martin announced a major overhaul of his senior staff Wednesday, with several close confidants and one ex-cabinet minister handed major roles in the Prime Minister's Office in a post-election shakeup.

World: 0.99938893
Kerry assails Bush troop withdrawal plan (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful Senator John Kerry warned that President George W. Bush's plan to withdraw 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia would hinder the war on terrorism and embolden North Korea.

World: 0.99941003
Iraq cleric 'to end Najaf revolt' Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr reportedly agrees to end an uprising in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf.

Business: 0.99854505
Medtronic Quarterly Earnings Rise CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MDT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MDT.N</A> on Wednesday said its quarterly earnings rose amid brisk demand for devices that manage irregular heart beats and products used to treat the spine.

Business: 0.98758894
Airlines Agree to Cuts at O'Hare Federal officials today announced plans to temporarily cut 37 flights operating at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to help reduce the delay problems that ripple across the country.

World: 0.99937624
Stock Prices Climb Ahead of Google IPO NEW YORK - Investors shrugged off rising crude futures Wednesday to capture well-priced shares, sending the Nasdaq composite index up 1.6 percent ahead of Google Inc.'s much-anticipated initial public offering of stock. In afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 67.10, or 0.7 percent, to 10,039.93...

Sports: 0.9996979
Today in Athens Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel of the Netherlands wipes a tear after winning the gold medal in the women #39;s road cycling individual time trial at the Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre in Athens on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9985215
Medtronic Quarterly Net Up CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MDT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MDT.N</A> on Wednesday said its quarterly earnings rose on brisk demand for devices that manage irregular heart beats and products used to treat the spine.

Sports: 0.9996958
Greek sprinters quit Games ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece #39;s top two sprinters have quit the Olympic Games after submitting their country to six days of embarrassment in a hide-and-seek contest with anti-doping enforcers.

SciTech: 0.9944283
Strong Family Equals Strong Education Single mothers, poverty were big factors in school performance HealthDayNews -- American teenagers who live with poor single mothers are more likely to get into trouble at school and have poor marks and are less likely to think they'll go to college, says a Rice University study. Holly Heard, an assistant professor of sociology, analyzed data from thousands of teens who took part in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health...

SciTech: 0.7522085
NetRatings survey shows broadband users now a majority in US AUGUST 18, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - A majority of US home Internet users now have broadband, according to a survey by NetRatings Inc.

SciTech: 0.98559546
Stunt pilots to save sun dust IT PROMISES to be a scene worthy of a science fiction spectacular. A space probe carrying primordial material scooped from outer space starts to plunge towards our planet. But before it can strike, a helicopter flown by a Hollywood stunt...

World: 0.99939966
U.S. Forces Kill 50 Sadr Militia in Baghdad Suburb BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. forces killed more than 50 Shi'ite militiamen on Wednesday in a significant advance into a Baghdad suburb that is a powerbase for radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, the military said.

Sports: 0.99760145
Owners Seek Best Ballpark Deal for Expos (AP) AP - Trying to get the best possible ballpark deal for the Montreal Expos, major league baseball instructed its lawyers to press ahead with negotiations involving four of the areas bidding for the team.

Sports: 0.94880456
Crowd Inspires Greek Beach Volleyballers; U.S. Duo Ousted ATHENS (Reuters) - A roaring crowd helped inspire Greece's top women's beach volleyball team to trounce China on Wednesday and reach the next round.

Sports: 0.99971205
Boro Captain Warns of Duo #39;s Threat Gareth Southgate has warned Barclays Premiership defences to be wary of Middlesbroughs back-to-form strikers Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Sports: 0.99855036
Hamilton Wins Cycling Time Trial Event THENS, Aug. 18 Tyler Hamilton had bruises splotched all over his back, painful souvenirs of a Tour de France gone terribly wrong.

SciTech: 0.99426794
Alaska Wildfires Grow to Record 5 Million Acres (Reuters) Reuters - Wildfires have scorched over\5 million acres in Alaska as of Tuesday, forestry officials\said, a new record that signals possible changes in climate\conditions and the composition of the vast forests.

Sports: 0.9997129
Britain #39;s Olympic medal total takes sudden turn for the better Great Britain #39;s performances in the Olympic Games made a dramatic and unexpected improvement yesterday as they won a silver and three bronze medals. They were also guaranteed at least a silver medal in badminton #39;s mixed doubles.

World: 0.99932814
Putin faults Georgia on #39;90s tactics in 2 regions TBILISI, Georgia The separatist conflicts in Georgia resulted from the quot;foolish quot; move by Georgia to strip South Ossetia and Abkhazia of their autonomous status during the Soviet collapse, President Vladimir Putin of Russia was quoted as saying on...

Sports: 0.99959224
Avalanche Sign Damphousse to One-Year Deal (AP) AP - The Colorado Avalanche prepared for the potential loss of several key front-line players, signing former San Jose Sharks captain Vincent Damphousse to a one-year, #36;2 million contract Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9997063
Government gives partial clearance to Bangla tour The Government today gave a partial go-ahead for the Indian cricket team #39;s tour of Bangladesh for the first Test match beginning on Thursday but its security delegation will go to Chittagong, the other venue, to make an assessment of the threat perception

Sports: 0.9970982
Viduka Brace Helps Boro To Win After a spell without scoring, Mark Viduka grabbed two goals as Middlesbrough beat Manchester City 3-2. Boro went ahead when Viduka took Stewart Downings pass, brought it sweetly under control and chipped it over onrushing City keeper David James.

Business: 0.9985661
UPDATE 1-J amp;J in talks to buy Guidant - sources Health care and consumer products maker Johnson amp; Johnson (JNJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is in negotiations to acquire medical-device maker Guidant Corp.

Business: 0.99539125
AMP shrugs off British debacle Australian insurer AMP returned to the black in the first half of the year with net profits of A\$378m (150m) after a disastrous foray into Britain pushed it A\$2.16 billion into the red last year.

SciTech: 0.85895854
Lloyds TSB cashes in on VoIP Lloyds TSB is gearing up to roll out one of the largest converged networks in Europe, a 500m 70,000 phone VoIP infrastructure linking all the bank #39;s branches and cash points.

Sports: 0.9605707
British athletics appoint psychologist for 2008 Olympics British athletics chiefs have appointed sports psychologist David Collins as Performance Director to produce medal winners at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Sports: 0.99971753
Olympic Daily Preview - Thursday, August 19 Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Wednesday night it was Paul Hamm #39;s turn to shine for the United States, as he won the gold medal in the men #39;s all-around competition. Will Thursday produce a sweep for the US at the Olympics?...

World: 0.99936813
Arafat urges reforms to rectify his #39;mistakes #39; YASSER Arafat, the Palestinian president, made a rare acknowledgement of mistakes under his rule yesterday and urged reforms to end corruption.

Business: 0.5628676
Selling Houston Warts and All, Especially Warts Descriptions of urban afflictions and images of giant mosquitoes and cockroaches to convey a sense of how Houston is nevertheless beloved by many residents.

Sports: 0.9057756
Brazil beats Haiti in goodwill soccer game The boys from Brazil beat Haiti #39;s national soccer team Wednesday in a friendly goodwill game 6-0. The game was the brainchild of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was on hand in the Haitian capital for the historical match.

Business: 0.9961649
Credit Suisse to merge CSFB unit into parent Credit Suisse Group announced plans to merge its Credit Suisse First Boston Securities unit with the rest of the company #39;s operations and cut as many as 300 jobs.

Business: 0.9985513
Holiday-Shopping Season Remains Sluggish (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. shoppers have kept a tight grip\on their wallets this holiday season with indices on Tuesday\showing sluggish sales in the second week of the season.

World: 0.9994118
UN to begin second airlift of Vietnamese Montagnards (AFP) AFP - The second major airlift of Vietnamese Montagnards who fled to Cambodia's remote jungles after April anti-government protests will begin at the weekend.

Sports: 0.9996681
Tennis: Roddick and Williams ousted ATHENS Shell-shocked Americans Andy Roddick and Venus Williams joined already-beaten men #39;s top seed Roger Federer in the favourites #39;exodus from the Olympic tennis tournament on Wednesday.

Business: 0.94708294
Insurer lowers hurricane estimate Hurricane Charley, the worst storm to hit the US in over a decade, will cost insurers just \$7.4bn, one insurance expert estimates.

World: 0.99935526
Nepal Seeks Talks to End Rebel Blockade of Capital KATHMANDU (Reuters) - The fear of attack kept most vehicles off roads leading to Nepal's capital for a second day on Thursday as authorities sought talks to end a siege called by Maoist insurgents.

Sports: 0.99967194
Braves 6, Padres 5 Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves threw out the potential tying run at the plate for the final out Wednesday night, preserving a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the San Diego Padres.

Sports: 0.9996146
Scandal won #39;t go away ATHENS -- It was telling yesterday that the majority of the dozens of journalists who asked questions and attended a news conference into a Greek doping scandal were mostly Canadian. Question after question came from Canadians. We were all there, I think,...

Business: 0.9985557
Hundreds laid off at Fleet offices Bank of America Corp. yesterday laid off hundreds of workers at Fleet bank branches across the Northeast as the North Carolina bank began to implement its brand of...

SciTech: 0.99795294
NetApp CEO: No Storage Spending Shortfall (TechWeb) TechWeb - Customers are decoupling storage from server purchases, which explains why EMC and NetApp earnings were up and why Sun and HP were flat or down, Warmenhoven says.

Business: 0.99466765
Justices to debate mail-order wine Being freelance wine critics may sound like a sweet gig, but Ray and Eleanor Heald have soured on it. Because their home state, Michigan, blocks direct shipments from out-of-state

Sports: 0.99919385
Stanford's Cubit Hired As W. Mich. Coach (AP) AP - Stanford offensive coordinator Bill Cubit was hired Tuesday as head coach at Western Michigan.

Business: 0.9975184
Oil prices surge to a new high WASHINGTON -- The price of oil charged to a new high above \$47 a barrel yesterday amid nagging concerns about instability in Iraq, the uncertain fate of Russian petroleum giant Yukos, and the world's limited supply cushion.

Sports: 0.99968946
A shot in the arm for all OLYMPIA, Greece -- A brilliant idea, taking the shot put back to the birthplace of the Olympic Games, proving, if nothing else, that everything old really can become new again.

World: 0.9993967
Bomb found near Berlusconi #39;s villa Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi (left) goes for a walk with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair at Berlusconi #39;s villa, Monday. AP...

Business: 0.99257493
After Wait, Google Set for Market Debut NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. will make their Nasdaq stock market debut on Thursday after the year's most anticipated initial public offering priced far below initial estimates, raising \$1.67 billion.

SciTech: 0.5421441
Bill Clinton Helps Launch Search Engine Former president Bill Clinton on Monday helped launch a new Internet search company backed by the Chinese government which says its technology uses artificial intelligence to produce better results than Google Inc.

Sports: 0.9997043
Harris #39; three-run double in ninth sinks Gagne LOS ANGELES - Paul Lo Duca never got to moonwalk to home plate, though he did skip gleefully to the dugout moments after facing former batterymate Eric Gagne for the first time.

Sports: 0.9756026
Ali gives Iraq fighting chance The back of his shirt told the story last night at the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall.

SciTech: 0.99264055
Survey: Napster, iTunes beat other download brands (MacCentral) MacCentral - Market research company Ipsos-Insight on Tuesday announced the results of TEMPO, a quarterly survey of digital music behaviors. According to the report, consumers aged 12 and older in the United States were as likely to be aware of Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes Music Store and Napster 2.0 when it came to recognizing digital music download brands -- each music service registered 20 percent of what TEMPO refers to as "top-of-mind" awareness.

Business: 0.99566805
Qantas says record profit not big enough Australia #39;s flagship carrier Qantas Airways has reported a record annual net profit but warned oil prices threatened its performance, increasing the chance of a hike in ticket price surcharges to offset its fuel bill.

Business: 0.9981981
State, drug chains reach agreement The state of Maine, Rite Aid Corp., and Community Pharmacy LP have agreed to a consent decree placing conditions on the sale of five Community Pharmacy stores to Rite Aid.

SciTech: 0.9419357
Most US homes have broadband connections While the total number of home internet users has reached a plateau in the US, those who do use the internet are adopting broadband at a rapid pace, according to Marc Ryan, senior director of analysis at the audience measurement company.

SciTech: 0.81554234
Bluetooth flying bot creates buzz The latest tiny flying robot that could help in search and rescue or surveillance has been unveiled in Japan.

World: 0.9994066
Kidnappers threaten to kill western journalist The kidnappers of an American-French journalist in Iraq have threatened to execute him within 48 hours unless US forces withdraw from the holy city of Najaf.

Business: 0.9971597
Qantas wants better tax treatment MARK COLVIN: Qantas might have posted yet another record profit, but the national carrier #39;s boss, Geoff Dixon, claims earnings are being hampered by unfair subsidies for international carriers allowed to fly in and out of Australia.

World: 0.99939847
SA 'mercenaries' plead not guilty Sixty-six men accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea deny breaching Zimbabwe's security laws.

Sports: 0.9996705
Olympics: Hansen still strong enough to take bronze Every ounce of his energy was expended, leaving an empty fuel tank. But, even in a depleted state, Brendan Hansen found a way to bolster his ever-growing swimming legacy.

Business: 0.99769455
Oil Hits New High Over \$48 as Iraq Violence Flares LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record above \$48 a barrel on Thursday, spurred higher by renewed violence in Iraq and fresh evidence that strong demand growth in China and India has not been slowed yet by higher energy costs.

Business: 0.99853754
Economic Indicators Declined in July A closely watched measure of future economic activity fell in July for the second consecutive month, reinforcing evidence that the nation's financial recovery is slackening.

SciTech: 0.99410856
Explorers Find Ancient City in Remote Peru Jungle (Reuters) Reuters - An ancient walled city complex\inhabited some 1,300 years ago by a culture later conquered by\the Incas has been discovered deep in Peru's Amazon jungle,\explorers said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.9985726
Colgate to Cut 4,400 Jobs, Shut Plants NEW YORK (Reuters) - Colgate-Palmolive Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CL.N</A> will cut about 4,400 jobs, or 12 percent of its work force, and close nearly a third of its factories under a restructuring, the consumer products company said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.89483786
Drugstore Offers New Wave of Disposable Cameras NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pharmacy chain CVS Corp. on Thursday said it would offer the world's first disposable digital camera with a bright color viewing screen that allows consumers to instantly preview pictures.

SciTech: 0.7548042
Ciena Posts a Loss, Forecasts Flat Sales By Deborah Cohen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment makerCiena Corp. <CIEN.O> on Thursday reported a wider loss for thefiscal third quarter due to slack demand and forecast sales inthe current quarter would be little changed from the thirdquarter.

SciTech: 0.99811804
U.S. Broadband Penetration Tops 51 By ANICK JESDANUN NEW YORK (AP) -- The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections. July measurements from Nielsen/NetRatings placed the broadband audience at 51 percent of the U.S...

Sports: 0.9994802
American Aaron Peirsol Wins Gold on Appeal ATHENS (Reuters) - Aaron Peirsol won his second gold medal at the Athens Olympics Thursday after winning an appeal against his disqualification from the men's 200 meter backstroke.

World: 0.99939823
Abu Ghraib report 'spreads blame' A report on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal will blame at least two dozen more people, say US officials.

SciTech: 0.97304225
Ecuadorean Lawsuit Vs Texaco Boils Down to Science (Reuters) Reuters - After a decade\of court battles, lawyers on Wednesday took a lawsuit by\Ecuadorean Indians accusing U.S. oil firm ChevronTexaco Corp..\of polluting the Amazon jungle into the field.

SciTech: 0.9364905
Atlantis "Evidence" Found in Spain, Ireland In 360 B.C. the Greek philosopher Plato described an island he called Atlantis. Now contradicting new evidence claims the fabled city-state was based on a real place.

Sports: 0.99931717
Carly Patterson Wins the Women's All-Round ATHENS (Reuters) - Carly Patterson upstaged Russian diva Svetlana Khorkina to become the first American in 20 years to seize the women's Olympic gymnastics all-round gold medal on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.6602478
Court: File-swapping software not liable for copyright violations The makers of two leading file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works swapped online by their users, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday in a stinging blow to the entertainment industry.

Sports: 0.9991092
Olympics: Olympic weightlifting reels as six more lifters fail drug tests ATHENS : Weightlifting was reeling from the latest crisis to hit the perennially drug-tainted sport here as six more athletes were kicked out of the Olympics for failing dope tests.

Sports: 0.998703
Colts' Carthon Hopes to Follow Dad in NFL (AP) AP - Ran Carthon tried to avoid playing football after seeing the pain it inflicted on his father, Maurice. Bloodlines, his friends and reality forced a changed of heart.

Sports: 0.99784684
LPGA's Nabisco to Change Dates in 2006 (AP) AP - The Kraft Nabisco Championship will be played one week later than usual starting in 2006, preventing the LPGA Tour's first major from getting lost among other big sporting events.

World: 0.99940777
Georgian Troops Leave South Ossetia The soldiers withdrew from the heights above the Ossetian of capital of Tskhinvali Thursday, turning the area over to peacekeepers. Georgia says three of its soldiers were killed in earlier fighting, while Ossetian authorities say three civilians died...

Business: 0.8427638
Ohio Sues Best Buy, Alleging Used Sales (AP) AP - Ohio authorities sued Best Buy Co. Inc. on Thursday, alleging the electronics retailer engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices.

SciTech: 0.99798334
Cisco Flaw Leaves Router Vulnerable to Attack Cisco Systems issued a security advisory warning that some networks using its routers may be vulnerable to denial-of-service attacks. Devices running Internetwork Operating System and enabled for the open shortest path first (OSPF)...

Sports: 0.99958235
Sprint is chock full of potential heros It would be nice to see this week #39;s 100-meter sprint as simply the best footrace of all time. We could witness four sub-10-second sprints for the first time ever. It would be nice to watch with raised eyebrows instead of furrowed ones. It...

SciTech: 0.98906916
Scientists Study the Hudson River (AP) AP - Scientists are plunking a series of high-tech sensors into the Hudson River in an effort to unravel mysteries of the murky waterway.

SciTech: 0.9957111
Study to Examine Effects of Ship Waste (AP) AP - A team of scientists is traveling a 600-mile stretch of the Inside Passage this month to study the effects of cruise ship waste and other contaminants in Southeast Alaska waters.

Sports: 0.99909127
Cink Leads NEC Invitational by One Shot (AP) AP - Free from the burden of trying to make the Ryder Cup team, Stewart Cink looked at ease Thursday on a marathon day at the NEC Invitational that ended with his name atop the leaderboard.

Business: 0.9962943
Briefly: China interest in key Yukos unit China is interested in participating in the bidding for Yuganskneftegaz, the top oil-producing subsidiary of the Russian oil giant Yukos, a Chinese economic official was quoted as saying in a report Thursday by the Russian news agency Interfax. The...

SciTech: 0.99769944
Apple recalls 28,000 batteries APPLE has issued a safety recall for 28,000 batteries for its Powerbook notebooks, saying they posed a potential fire hazard.

Business: 0.9956084
Best Buy a Bad Deal? Attorney General Jim Petro is suing Best Buy, alleging the electronics retailer has engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices.

Sports: 0.9996449
Liu brings China 4th gold in weightlifting at Athens Games ATHENS, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Hercules Liu Chunhong Thursday lifted three world records on her way to winning the women #39;s 69kg gold medal at the Athens Olympics, the fourth of the power sport competition for China.

Sports: 0.99969554
Battling Davenport through Lindsay Davenport continued her dominant recent run and reached the last eight of the Cincinnati Open with a 4-6 6-4 6-1 win over Lilia Osterloh.

SciTech: 0.994958
Genesis Spacecraft Prepares to Return to Earth with a Piece of the Sun In a dramatic ending that marks a beginning in scientific research, NASA's Genesis spacecraft is set to swing by Earth and jettison a sample return capsule filled with particles of the Sun that may ultimately tell us more about the genesis of our solar system.

Sports: 0.9297389
Badminton pair want more Nathan Robertson says there is no reason why he and badminton partner Gail Emms should not win the next Olympics.

World: 0.9994117
Darfur warring parties to meet in Nigeria for peace talks (AFP) AFP - Sudan's government and its foes in the Darfur region's rebel movements will meet on Monday for peace talks which mark a last chance for African diplomacy to solve the crisis before the United Nations steps in.

World: 0.9360136
Iraq Oil Exports Still Halved After Basra HQ Attack BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq continued to export oil at one million barrels per day on Friday after an attack on the South Oil Company headquarters took sabotage operations to a new level, an official at the state-owned entity said.

Business: 0.9985203
US unemployment claims slip but picture still murky NEW YORKFewer Americans lined up to claim first-time jobless benefits last week but analysts said the modest decline said very little about the current state of the labour market.

Business: 0.7951616
Vt. sues over importing drugs Vermont's Republican governor challenged the Bush administration's prescription drug policy in federal court yesterday, marking the first time a state has chosen a legal avenue in the expanding battle over Canadian imports.

Sports: 0.9996439
For starters, Giants #39; Manning on mark Manning had a decent debut as a starter, but Delhomme overshadowed the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft by throwing for a touchdown and running for another in the Carolina Panthers #39; 27-20 exhibition victory last night over...

Sports: 0.99971896
Clemens deal is waived off CHICAGO -- The Red Sox were ready to welcome Roger Clemens back to Boston. His uniform number (21) was available. Pedro Martinez, who has expressed the utmost respect for Clemens, almost certainly would have made some room for the Rocket near the locker Clemens long used and Martinez now occupies. Curt Schilling would have been thrilled to pitch with...

SciTech: 0.99630016
Life without numbers in a unique Amazon tribe 11=2. Mathematics doesn #39;t get any more basic than this, but even 11 would stump the brightest minds among the Piraha tribe of the Amazon.

SciTech: 0.98201823
P2P Services in the Clear In a major setback for the music and movie industries, a federal appeals court upholds a lower court's decision in the infamous Grokster case, ruling peer-to-peer services Morpheus and Grokster are not liable for the copyright infringement of their users. By Katie Dean.

SciTech: 0.9778074
Swap Your PC, or Your President The producer of ads featuring PC users who switched to Macs is applying the same tactic to political commercials. This time, he'll focus on former backers of President Bush, recruited online, who've changed their political allegiance. By Louise Witt.

Sports: 0.9996903
Agassi cruises into Washington Open ATP quarter-finals WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Andre Agassi cruised into quarter-finals in Washington Open tennis with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kristian Pless of Denmark here on Thursday night.

World: 0.7843445
Producer sues for Rings profits Hollywood producer Saul Zaentz sues the producers of The Lord of the Rings for \$20m in royalties.

World: 0.9994073
30,000 More Sudanese Threaten to Cross to Chad -UN (Reuters) Reuters - Some 30,000 Sudanese, victims of fresh\attacks by Arab militia inside Darfur, have threatened to cross\into Chad, the U.N. refugee agency warned on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9951546
Google scores first-day bump of 18 (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Even a big first-day jump in shares of Google (GOOG) couldn't quiet debate over whether the Internet search engine's contentious auction was a hit or a flop.

Sports: 0.99932396
Carly Patterson Wins Gymnastics All-Around Gold ATHENS (Reuters) - Carly Patterson upstaged Russian diva Svetlana Khorkina to become the first American in 20 years to win the women's Olympic gymnastics all-round gold medal on Thursday.

Business: 0.9984303
ChevronTexaco hit with \$40.3M ruling Montana jury orders oil firm to pay up over gas pipeline leak from 1955; company plans to appeal. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Montana jury ordered ChevronTexaco Corp., the number two US oil company, to pay \$40.3 million for environmental damage from a gasoline...

Sports: 0.99968827
3 US boxers punched out of Games Athens -- Vanes Martirosyan became the second American to bow out of the Olympic boxing tournament Thursday when he was defeated 20-11 by Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba in their welterweight bout at 152 pounds.

Business: 0.9985563
Before-the Bell; Rouse Co. Shares Jump <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=RSE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">RSE.N</A> jumped before the bell after General Growth Properties Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GGP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GGP.N</A>, the No. 2 U.S. shopping mall owner, on Friday said it would buy Rouse for \$7.2 billion.

Business: 0.9346732
Services make big gains in Japan Tertiary index comes in at almost double expectations, drives up yen and helps Nikkei overcome oil. LONDON (Reuters) - The yen hit a four-week high against the dollar Friday as stronger-than-expected Japanese service sector data raised optimism about the...

Business: 0.9925344
Google shares bounce up 18 in trading debut In the stock #39;s first day of trading, investors bought, sold and flipped shares at a furious pace, with the price ending just above \$100 - 18 percent higher than where it started. It was, in other words, everything the company #39;s founders, Sergy Brin and...

Business: 0.9953307
Stocks Lower as Oil Prices Steam Higher With the much-ballyhooed initial public offering of Google behind them and oil chugging to a new record high, investors took a step back today.

Sports: 0.9959376
Don #39;t expect Tiger to relinquish his top ranking without a fight They #39;re calling Ohio a quot;battleground state, quot; one of the two or three places likely to decide November #39;s presidential election. On local TV, the Bush and Kerry ads air so frequently that it #39;s easy to forget it #39;s Bob Costas who actually runs the country.

SciTech: 0.997552
Understanding Google AdWords Understanding Google AdWords\\Unlike many search engines Google, to its credit, clearly denotes search listings that are paid placement. In fact, Google AdWords appear in a separate section down the left side of the screen.\\Google AdWords provide an inexpensive advertising venue for businesses to advertise products or services to a targeted...

SciTech: 0.9944653
Service packs, senators and civil liberties Letters: The bulging postbag gives up its secrets

Sports: 0.99946564
Saints Revoke Waiver Claim on Derek Ross (AP) AP - One day after placing a waiver claim on troubled cornerback Derek Ross, the Saints did an about-face and released the former Ohio State standout after he missed a scheduled flight to New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Business: 0.9911191
Hooker Furniture Puts Investors First Closing a factory is never popular, but it's the right thing to do.

Business: 0.96630245
Clicking on Profits The latest data from the US Department of Commerce further bolsters what we have all suspected: E-commerce sales are increasing. Not only might one suspect that consumer confidence has been bolstered since last year, there...

Sports: 0.9986726
French Take Gold, Bronze in Single Kayak ATHENS, Greece - Winning on whitewater runs in the family for Frenchman Benoit Peschier, though an Olympic gold is something new. Peschier paddled his one-man kayak aggressively but penalty free in both his semifinal and final runs on the manmade Olympic...

SciTech: 0.9880348
Dogs in Training to Sniff Out Cancer Experts have trained unwanted dogs into supersniffers that can detect drugs or bombs. Now they're focusing on a new threat #151;prostate cancer.

Business: 0.8397173
Antidepressants to Reflect Suicide Risk 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 youths, but remains cautious about the strength of such ties, according to documents released on Friday.

Business: 0.9797936
UAL and Its Creditors Agree to 30-Day Extension UAL's United Airlines will have a 30-day extention on the period in which it can file an exclusive bankruptcy reorganization plan.

World: 0.9993963
Mood Mixed Among Darfur Rebels Ahead of Talks CORCHA CAMP, Sudan (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.

Sports: 0.9995196
Swimming: Phelps Wins Gold, Pulls Out of Relay ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps, who has won five gold medals in the Olympic pool, said Friday he was pulling out of Saturday's 4x100 meter medley relay final to give team mate Ian Crocker the chance to swim.

Business: 0.9729936
Court Won't Halt Arch Coal's Triton Bid (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday\that Arch Coal Inc. (ACI.N) may proceed with its bid to buy the\assets of rival Triton Coal Co. LLC, denying an emergency\request by the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal, a\spokesman for the agency said.

Business: 0.99843985
Treasury Prices Take a Breather Today NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices paused for breath on Tuesday after a blistering two-session rally ran out of steam, though analysts still saw room to the upside given the large short-base in the market.

World: 0.9993962
Sadr Militiamen Still in Control of Iraq Shrine NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebel Shi'ite fighters appeared still to be in control of the Imam Ali mosque in the Iraqi city Najaf early on Saturday, but the whereabouts of their leader, the fiery cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, were unknown.

Sports: 0.9997061
Liverpool completes signings of Alonso, Garcia LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -- Spanish pair Xabi Alonso from Real Sociedad and Luis Garcia from Barcelona signed five-year contracts with Liverpool on Friday.

SciTech: 0.7425535
Report: Consumers tuning in to plasma TVs First-quarter shipments of plasma televisions in the United States more than doubled from the previous year, according to research firm iSuppli. Prices fell by nearly \$1,000 over the same period.

Sports: 0.9988165
Seven seize ATHENS -- He was behind at the start. He was behind at the turn. He was behind for 99.99 of the 100 meters. His head was behind Ian Crocker's head at the finish. And yet somehow last night, Michael Phelps won again -- for the fourth and final time in an individual race at these Olympics.

SciTech: 0.9943376
One in four servers to run Linux by 2008 In a report, the research firm painted a bright future for the open source operating system, claiming that shipments of servers running Linux -- and revenues from those shipments -- will rise significantly over the next five years.

World: 0.99930084
Republican Convention Light on Stars (AP) 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.

World: 0.9984237
Italian PM #39;s transplant confirmed After days of speculation sparked by the white bandanna worn by Mr Berlusconi on holiday in Sardinia, Piero Rosati said the results of the operation would show in a couple of months.

SciTech: 0.99693584
Apple Recalls Flaming 15-inch PowerBook G4 Battery The affected batteries could overheat, posing a fire hazard. Apple received four reports of these batteries overheating. No injuries have been reported.

Business: 0.9976051
Samsung plans to invest Won25,000bn in chips Samsung Electronics, the world #39;s second largest computer chip manufacturer, yesterday said that it would invest Won25,000bn (\$24bn) in its semiconductor business by 2010 to generate

SciTech: 0.9951539
Rosetta Mission Sniffing a Comet The European Rosetta mission will sample a comet as it tries to harpoon and hook onto its surface. A specially designed oven will cook the comet in analogy to sniffing for recognizable elements.

Sports: 0.9996043
More gold for Britain as Wiggins strikes Bradley Wiggins has given Britain their second Olympic cycling gold medal in two days, winning the men #39;s 4-km individual pursuit.

World: 0.9994035
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 on Saturday.

World: 0.9993487
Militia, Shiite Leaders Bicker Over Shrine NAJAF, Iraq - Militants loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr kept their hold on a revered shrine, and clashes flared in Najaf on Saturday, raising fears that a resolution to the crisis in the holy city could collapse amid bickering between Shiite leaders. The clashes between U.S...

Sports: 0.99945575
Strongwoman hoists 100th gold for Chinese delegation Tang Gonghong lifted a world record to claim in Athens the 100th Olympic gold for China since its participation in 1984 Olympic Games on Saturday when

World: 0.99939454
West Mulls Boundries for African Fighting (AP) AP - As the month-end deadline nears for Sudan to disarm the mostly Arab pro-government militias in Darfur, the United Nations and Western powers are in a dilemma over how far to go to stop the killing in an African country.

Business: 0.54118043
Chavez victory confirmed Caracas, Venezuela - The results of an audit support the official vote count showing that President Hugo Chavez won this month #39;s recall referendum in Venezuela, the head of the Organization of American States said Saturday.

Business: 0.9519324
Wall St.'s Nest Egg - the Housing Sector NEW YORK (Reuters) - If there were any doubts that we're still living in the era of the stay-at-home economy, the rows of empty seats at the Athens Olympics should help erase them.

Sports: 0.99493814
Lithuanians deliver NBA stars another Olympic basketball dunking (AFP) AFP - Lithuania defeated the United States 94-90 in an Olympic men's basketball preliminary round game, only the fourth loss in 115 Olympic starts for the defending champions.

Sports: 0.99969995
Source: Dolphins, Bears on Verge of Deal (AP) AP - The Chicago Bears agreed Saturday to trade receiver Marty Booker to the Miami Dolphins for unsigned Adewale Ogunleye #151; if the Bears can reach a contract agreement with the Pro Bowl defensive end, a source close to the negotiations said.

SciTech: 0.88559085
Video Game Makers Go Hollywood. Uh-Oh. OVIE producers are often criticized for running at the sight of original ideas, preferring instead to milk plays, books, news events, toys and even video games for their screenplays.

Sports: 0.9997068
Cricket-Lara mulls over future after England whitewash LONDON (AFP) - Brian Lara said he will take stock before deciding on his future as West Indies captain following his side #39;s 10-wicket defeat to England in the fourth and final Test.

World: 0.99939907
Pakistani troops raid two terrorist hideouts PAKISTANI troops backed by artillery and aircraft attacked two suspected terrorist hideouts near the rugged Afghan border yesterday, killing and wounding a number of militants, Pakistan army and security officials said.

Sports: 0.99932134
Fleisher Surges Clear Bruce Fleisher carded a seven-under-par 65 to take a three-shot lead after the second round of the Greater Hickory Classic in North Carolina.

Sports: 0.9995603
Jerkens makes right call with Society Selection Trainer Allen Jerkens hemmed and hawed this past week over running Society Selection in Saturday #39;s Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga.

Business: 0.9894791
Ready to Bet on Alternative Energy? Well, Think Again When oil prices rise, public interest in alternative energy often does, too. But the logic is evidently escaping Wall Street.

Sports: 0.9982502
Athletics 5, Devil Rays 0 Barry Zito scattered four hits over eight shutout innings, leading the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-0 on Saturday night.

World: 0.99941623
Fatah hopes Barghouti would take back candidacy Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian movement, hopes that its former West Bank leader Marwan Barghouti would take back his candidacy for the Jan. 9 presidential election.

World: 0.9993851
Blasts hit Bangladesh party rally A series of grenade blasts has rocked an opposition party rally in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, killing at least 13 people. There were seven or eight explosions at the Awami League headquarters, as leader Sheikh Hasina addressed a crowd.

Sports: 0.9996953
Belarus #39; Nesterenko fastest in women #39;s 100m first round Belarus #39; Yuliya Nesterenko became the fastest woman to qualify for the women #39;s 100 meters second round at the Olympic Games here on Friday.

World: 0.9993839
Around the world The bombing of a UN election office in Afghanistan that injured six policemen drew calls from a UN union Friday for a withdrawal of staffers from the embattled nation.

Sports: 0.9997031
Work done, Phelps basks in gold glor And on the eighth day, Michael Phelps actually got to rest. After swimming some 18 races in Olympic competition, Phelps was a mere spectator last night, watching his teammates cap a terrific week for the US swim team.

Business: 0.89235044
China confronts lack of pipelines China will spend about \$3.4 billion over two to three years laying thousands of miles of oil pipelines to help secure its energy supply in the face of soaring prices and demand.

Sports: 0.99694663
Lane drives in winning run in ninth Jason Lane took an unusual post-game batting practice with hitting coach Gary Gaetti after a disappointing performance Friday night.

Sports: 0.9996618
Games hammered with controversy The International Gymnastics Federation suspended three judges yesterday for a mistake they made in scoring the men #39;s all-around final, but said results would not be changed and Paul Hamm of the United States would keep his gold medal.

Sports: 0.9990682
Admirers look to 2008 But as far as swim greats Rowdy Gaines and John Naber are concerned, what Phelps did in Athens exceeded what Spitz did in Munich in 1972.

World: 0.9993849
Arson attack on Jewish centre in Paris (AFP) AFP - A Jewish social centre in central Paris was destroyed by fire overnight in an anti-Semitic arson attack, city authorities said.

Business: 0.9983241
Colgate to cut workforce CONSUMER goods maker Colgate-Palmolive said today it would cut about 12 per cent of its 37,000-person work force and close a third of its factories worldwide as part of a four-year restructuring.

World: 0.98998195
A Founding Father? Give the guy some credit. Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong #39;s embattled Chief Executive, gets precious little of it from his people these daysand heaps of

World: 0.99940526
Three People Killed at Afghan Checkpoint KABUL (Reuters) - A man and two women were shot dead by Afghan and U.S.-led troops after their vehicle ran through a checkpoint on Saturday, a U.S. military statement said.

SciTech: 0.99028766
PRESS START FOR NOSTALGIA Like Led Zeppelin #39;s #39; #39;Stairway to Heaven #39; #39; and Lynyrd Skynyrd #39;s #39; #39;Freebird, #39; #39; classic video games like Frogger and Pong can bring back an entire era.

Sports: 0.9951663
Emmons loses gold medal after aiming at wrong target American shooter Matt Emmons fired at the wrong target on his final shot Sunday, blowing a commanding lead in the Olympic 50-meter three-position rifle event and allowing Jia Zhanbo of China to take the gold.

Business: 0.92909825
Oil prices look set to dominate The price of oil looks set to grab headlines as analysts forecast that its record-breaking run may well continue.

World: 0.9993736
Putin Visits Chechnya Ahead of Election (AP) AP - Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit to Chechnya on Sunday, laying flowers at the grave of the war-ravaged region's assassinated president a week before elections for a new leader.

World: 0.99934095
U.S. Softball Team Wins, Closes in on Gold 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...

Sports: 0.9969206
More Newcastle United Stories Legendary Real Madrid defender Goyo Benito believes the arrival of Jonathan Woodgate at the Santiago Bernabeu will help bring an avalanche of titles to Real Madrid.

World: 0.99938667
Munch masterpiece 'The Scream' stolen from Oslo museum (AFP) AFP - A version of Edvard Munch's masterpiece "The Scream" and another famous painting by the great Norwegian artist were stolen from an Oslo museum by armed and hooded robbers, police said.

World: 0.99932814
Men Set for Sizzling Duel in 100 Meters ATHENS, Greece - The preliminaries in the 100 meters were perhaps just a sample of what's to come Sunday, when a talented group of qualifiers - including Americans Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin and defending champion Maurice Greene - will try to turn their competition into the fastest show at the Athens Games. Five men broke 10 seconds in qualifying Saturday, led by Crawford's time of 9.89...

Sports: 0.9996151
Ulmer storms to gold New Zealand #39;s Sarah Ulmer stormed to gold in the women #39;s individual pursuit in a new world record time. Ulmer, fourth in Sydney four years ago, beat Australia #39;s Katie Mactier in a time of three minutes 24.

Sports: 0.9989214
Goal-happy Ajax and Feyenoord maintain perfect starts Champions Ajax Amsterdam came from behind to thrash NAC Breda 6-2 on Sunday while Feyenoord hit four past Willem II Tilburg to regain the early lead in the Dutch first division.

Sports: 0.9995604
Cycling: Ulmer #39;s scorching times in secret rides New Zealand #39;s star cyclist, Sarah Ulmer, last week rode under world record time twice in an hour during a secret training session in France.

Sports: 0.9975944
Arsenal matches record of 42 league games without a loss on Sunday Arsenal rallied for three second-half goals in 11 minutes on Sunday to beat Middlesbrough 5-3, matching a 25-year-old record of 42 league games without a loss in the top-flight of English soccer.

Business: 0.7511539
Will High Oil Prices Lead to Recession? (AP) AP - High oil prices, which have been a factor in virtually all U.S. recessions over the past three decades, are surging again this year. And the higher crude oil prices climb, the more risk energy costs pose to what, until recently, many expected to be a banner year for the U.S. economy.

World: 0.987698
Labor: Anti-Peres meetings scheduled for Sunday Labor members have scheduled two #39;rebel #39; anti-Peres conferences for Sunday, one to be headed by MK Matan Vilnai and the second by MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.

Sports: 0.99427843
U.S. Gymnasts Win 3 Medals; Hamm Angry (AP) AP - Terin Humphrey and Annia Hatch got silver. Courtney Kupets got bronze. And Paul Hamm got mad. The United States upped its gymnastics medal haul to seven Sunday night, the most since the Americans won 16 at the boycotted Los Angeles Games in 1984. And they might not be finished yet.

Sports: 0.9428843
Noguchi Wins Marathon BULLETIN BC-OLY--Women's Marathon RUN,0058 BULLETIN ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Mizuki Noguchi of Japan won the marathon Sunday in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 20 seconds.

SciTech: 0.99709594
More Evidence for Past Water on Mars Summary - (Aug 22, 2004) NASA #39;s Spirit rover has dug up plenty of evidence on slopes of quot;Columbia Hills quot; that water once covered the area.

Sports: 0.99963665
Gatlin Sprints from Unknown to Olympic Gold ATHENS (Reuters) - American Justin Gatlin roared from virtual unknown to win the blue ribband Olympic men's 100 meters race on Sunday, upstaging more illustrious rivals in a pulsating final.

Business: 0.95221776
Indexes in Japan fall short of hype Japanese stocks have failed to measure up to an assessment made in April by Merrill Lynch #39;s chief global strategist, David Bowers, who said Japan was quot;very much everyone #39;s favorite equity market.

Sports: 0.99923325
GAME DAY RECAP Sunday, August 22 Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer, Moises Alou also homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros 11-6 on Sunday in the testy conclusion of a three-game series between the NL Central rivals.

Sports: 0.99969316
SI.com HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Kerry Wood got plenty of run support but didn #39;t stick around long enough to take advantage of it. Wood was ejected in the fifth inning for hitting Jeff Kent as the Cubs posted an 11-6 victory over the Astros.

Sports: 0.9990416
Exhausted Massu Outlasts Fish for Gold ATHENS (Reuters) - An exhausted Nicolas Massu reeled in Mardy Fish in five tortuous sets on Sunday to win Chile their second gold medal at an Olympic Games less than 24 hours after helping them to their first.

World: 0.9993886
Three people killed at Afghan checkpoint A man and two women were shot dead by Afghan and US-led troops after their vehicle ran through a checkpoint on Saturday, a US military statement said.

World: 0.99448943
Karzai set for visit to Pakistan Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to visit Pakistan to discuss fighting terror and boosting trade.

World: 0.9979432
Senate Republican Unveils Plan for Intelligence The plan would give the proposed national director responsibility for intelligence-gathering of the C.I.A. and the Pentagon.

Sports: 0.9994098
Davenport wins in Cincinnati American Lindsay Davenport captured her fourth consecutive title, beating second seed Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the \$US170,000 WTA Cincinnati Open on Sunday.

World: 0.9994123
Afghan-Coalition Soldiers Kill 3, Wound 2 at Checkpoint Coalition forces in Afghanistan say that three people were killed and two others critically wounded when their pickup truck tried to run a checkpoint in the province of Ghazni.

World: 0.99941003
U.S. Plane Attacks Najaf Rebels as Tanks Near Shrine NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S. AC-130 gunship attacked Shi'ite militia positions in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf early on Monday after tanks reinforced the siege of a shrine at the center of a nearly three-week insurgency.

World: 0.9994006
Soldiers face Abu Ghraib hearings Four US soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners are set to face pre-trial hearings in Germany.

Sports: 0.9983901
Colin Jackson: Hard lessons learnt in the human laboratory Yesterday #39;s Olympics treated us to the two extremes of athletics, the endurance race which tests the body to its limits, and the heavyweight showdown, the sprint, which is in the mind.

Sports: 0.99940157
Cink surfaces as Donald sinks Stewart Cink, who needed only to play around par to convert a five-stroke lead after 54 holes into a win, did just that in the NEC Invitational at Firestone yesterday.

SciTech: 0.8908774
Wiretapping on the Net: Who pays? NEW YORK 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 costly

Sports: 0.9987525
Red Sox Rally to Beat White Sox 6-5 (AP) AP - Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz homered on consecutive pitches to start the eighth inning Sunday night and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their sixth straight win.

SciTech: 0.9441306
Prototype copter-cam: Here, there, everywhere It can only remain aloft for three minutes but weighs less than an empty soft drink can -- and it can take and transmit pictures in flight.

Sports: 0.99968445
Cink Justifies Sutton #39;s Faith Three weeks away from the Ryder Cup, American Stewart Cink hopes he has silenced at least some of his critics - if indeed they exist.

World: 0.99917775
Plane crashes into Venezuelan mountain killing 25 : A military plane crashed into a mountain in Central Venezuela, killing 25 people, including five children, the Air Force rescue team said in a statement.

World: 0.99942124
Africa brings Sudanese parties to the table as UN sanctions loom (AFP) AFP - The African Union will bring Sudan's warring government and rebel armies into talks with regional power-brokers aimed at heading off a mounting humanitarian crisis in the province of Darfur.

World: 0.9990823
Taiwan votes on leaner parliament A vote is due to be held in Taiwan on plans to halve the number of seats in the island's famously heated legislature.

Business: 0.9811488
Nikkei briefly regains 11,000 level TOKYO - Japan #39;s benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly recovered to the 11,000 level Monday morning on widespread buying prompted by advances in US shares last Friday.

Business: 0.9601488
HK walks out of 68-month deflation cycle, official Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang said he believed Hong Kong has walked out of the consumer price deflation cycle that lingered for 68 months, according to the consumer price index trend in the past few years.

Business: 0.9919626
Oil prices In terms of dollar value, of all the products in the world, nothing is traded more than oil. Crude oil traded above 47 dollars a barrel for the first time this week.

Sports: 0.99967
ROUNDUP: Franchitti overcomes pit mishap for IRL win FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Dario Franchitti shook off a potentially dangerous pit mishap to win the IRL #39;s Honda 225 Sunday at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Sports: 0.9996729
Roundup: Pleasantly Perfect takes Pacific Classic Favored Pleasantly Perfect took charge down the stretch to win by a length in the 14th running of the \$1 million Pacific Classic yesterday at Del Mar. Pleasantly

World: 0.9994074
War crimes hearings to begin for 4 at Guantanamo US NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- Four suspected Al Qaeda fighters will be formally charged with war crimes this week as the US military opens the first legal hearings for foreign prisoners captured during the war in Afghanistan and held at a remote US Navy base in Cuba.

World: 0.9993148
Maoists attack Nepal district HQ More than 1,000 Maoists launched a violent assault on a district headquarters in Nepal #39;s northwestern mountains, officials said Sunday, as angry traders rallied on the streets of Kathmandu to protest a crippling rebel blockade of the capital, now also hit

World: 0.9993949
Downer dismisses #39;sexed up #39; Iraq warning claims SYDNEY : Foreign Minister Alexander Downer dismissed newspaper claims the Australian government was repeatedly warned its support for the Iraq war would impede the fight against terrorism.

Sports: 0.87802833
Hamm should support Yang Paul Hamm needs a new marketing strategy. Either that, or he needs a clue. One harmless gesture separates him from lionization in America and canonization in South Korea, and

Sports: 0.9990545
US women avoid disaster, advance ATHENS -- Preliminary-round elimination would have been a disaster for the United States women. Desperate for a victory, the Americans avoided embarrassment by finally playing like a gold medal contender -- and like a team.

Business: 0.9784097
Australia Airline Announces Fuel Surcharge Australian budget airline Virgin Blue announced Monday it will increase the fuel surcharge it adds to ticket prices from Aug. 26 because of soaring oil prices.

Business: 0.99780005
ARM agrees to buy Artisan Components for \$903 mn LONDON, August 23 (New Ratings) - ARM Holdings (ARM.ETR) has agreed to buy Artisan Components Inc (ARTI), a US-based provider of integrated circuit designing solutions, for about \$913 million (503.

World: 0.99922585
North Korea Says the Tyrant is Bush, not Kim North Korea says it sees no reason to join a working-level meeting with the United States to prepare for further six-party talks on the communist state #39;s nuclear weapons development.

World: 0.9992913
Terreblanche challenges SA arrest White supremacist Eugene Terreblanche is detained after allegedly breaking the terms of his parole.

Sports: 0.9997149
Radcliffe withdrawal not due to injury World record holder Paula Radcliffe #39;s tearful withdrawal from the women #39;s Olympic marathon yesterday was not due to injury, the British team says.

Business: 0.99833494
Dollar Bounces; Eye on Data, Greenspan LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar bounced off recent four-week lows against the euro and yen on Monday in thin August trade with investors focusing on U.S. data and a speech by the Federal Reserve chief later in the week.

SciTech: 0.9866344
Stopping spam at the source New antispam technology standards are on the way that promise to hit spammers where it hurts the most--their wallets. At issue is the ability to authenticate the original source of e-mail messages, a major

SciTech: 0.997529
New Fat-Busting Microwave Oven Unveiled TOKYO (Reuters) - Eyeing up that juicy steak but worried about your waistline? Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=6753.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">6753.T</A> says it has developed a new fat-busting microwave oven that can melt some of your worries away.

World: 0.999276
Israel OKs More West Bank Settlement Homes JERUSALEM Aug. 23, 2004 - Israel announced plans Monday to build hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank, following an apparent US policy shift on settlements that the Palestinians warned quot;will destroy the peace process.

Business: 0.99855465
Kmart to Sell 18 Stores to Home Depot NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retailer Kmart Holdings Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KMRT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KMRT.O</A> on Monday said it finalized a deal to sell 18 of its stores to Home Depot Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HD.N</A> for \$271 million.

Business: 0.8932131
Rules for Overtime Pay To Take Effect Monday Employers and workers are confused by eligibility and classification of the new regulations.

SciTech: 0.9970757
Students crazy about iPod follow the music to Apple laptops (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Apple's trendy iPod digital music player, which has revitalized the company, is giving laptop sales a boost during back-to-school season.

SciTech: 0.9981255
Stunt pilots to snag a falling NASA craft NASA #39;s three-year effort to bring some genuine star dust back to Earth is set for a dramatic finale Sept. 8 when Hollywood helicopter pilots will attempt a midair retrieval

World: 0.9992798
Trial of Accused US Vigilantes Resumes KABUL, Afghanistan Aug. 23, 2004 - A defense lawyer for one of three Americans accused of torturing a dozen Afghan prisoners in a private jail showed a video in court Monday of Afghanistan #39;s former education

Sports: 0.9997081
Sports: Graham says he sent the syringe ATHENS, Greece Track coach Trevor Graham admits he was the person who triggered the BALCO investigation. Graham says he #39;s the one who anonymously sent a syringe of THG to the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Sports: 0.99964166
Seattle Mariners Minor League Report - August 23rd TACOMA RAINIERS - The Rainiers just missed a perfect week when they suffered their only setback on Sunday August 22nd, a 13-6 loss to the Portland Beavers.

Business: 0.9956969
Southwest Airlines to Cut 88 Flights (Reuters) Reuters - Southwest Airlines Inc. (LUV.N), the\largest U.S. discount carrier, on Monday said it will eliminate\88 scheduled flights in order to boost revenue by freeing up\planes for more lucrative markets.

Business: 0.955637
Seattle Times business columnist admits plagiarism, resigns A business columnist has resigned from the Seattle Times after admitting he plagiarized the work of other journalists, said the newspaper.

SciTech: 0.99523145
Does Nick Carr matter? Strategybusiness concludes that a controversial new book on the strategic value of information technology is flawed--but correct.\

Business: 0.9671445
Leeds students figure high on working curve Undergraduates in the city earn more than 90 a week on average, just behind Glasgow, Cambridge and Cardiff. Their hard-earned cash is likely to be spent on looking good and socialising, the

SciTech: 0.9364218
Windows Upgrade Causing Campus Headaches Microsoft Corp. #39;s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students are reporting to college campuses across the

SciTech: 0.9754337
Intel cuts Pentium 4 prices The newest P4 chips drop in price by 18 percent to 35 percent; a host of other chips are cheaper now as well.

Business: 0.9926864
Northrop Grumman Gets \$408 Million Pact Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. on Monday said it received a 10-year, \$408 million Army contract to provide simulated battle command training support to Army corps commanders - the latest award in

SciTech: 0.9534998
Record biz hammers #39;ostrich #39; downloaders The music industry in the US is making great strides in its campaign against people it says have illegally downloaded music, with courts awarding huge settlements in many cases.

World: 0.9993375
Sign-Up Reopened for House Race in La. (AP) AP - A state judge ruled Monday that the sign-up period should be reopened for the Nov. 2 election in Louisiana's 5th Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Rodney Alexander infuriated Democrats by switching to the Republican Party minutes before the qualifying deadline.

Business: 0.8101175
Oil price down as Iraq fears ease The price of oil has fallen as fears about interruptions to supplies being pumped out of Iraq eased slightly.

World: 0.99925095
Israel Accelerates Settlement Drive As Sharon Pushes On With Gaza ... The Israeli government was accelerating its settlement program Monday with plans to build hundreds of new homes in the West Bank, bolstered by a US softening of opposition to new construction projects.

SciTech: 0.8916355
Obesity Solution: Nuke It Eying that juicy steak but worried about your waistline? Sharp says it has developed a new fat-busting microwave oven that can melt some of your worries away.

SciTech: 0.99719954
Lycos offers people and discussion search Terra Lycos SA introduced two search tools on its Lycos U.S. Internet site on Monday as part of a recently announced strategy to focus on services that allow users to connect with others.

Business: 0.9219519
Oil Eases as Iraq Resumes Exports \ By Andrew Mitchell LONDON (Reuters) - High-flying oil prices eased for a\second session on Monday as Iraq resumed exports from both its\northern and southern outlets after lengthy disruption, despite\fierce fighting in the holy city of Najaf.

Business: 0.52850217
Botswana miners 'face dismissal' Botswana's giant Debswana diamond mining firm says it will sack workers who carry on with an illegal stoppage.

World: 0.99933225
U.S. Men's Hoops Team Finally Gets a Rout 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 the Olympic men's basketball tournament...

World: 0.99940836
Congo Ex-Rebel Group Pulls Out of Government (Reuters) Reuters - The former main rebel group during\Congo's civil war pulled out of a power-sharing transitional\government on Monday, dealing a major blow to the country's\already fragile peace process.

Business: 0.9985668
Blue Chips Unchanged, Wal-Mart Weighs NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were near the unchanged mark on Monday as a disappointing sales forecast from retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WMT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">WMT.N</A> dampened sentiment, offsetting the benefit of easing oil prices.

SciTech: 0.8974975
Wiretaps may mute Nextel rivals Fed up with technical excuses, FBI wants carriers to support eavesdropping capabilities for push-to-talk technology now.

SciTech: 0.97845274
Partnership Connects Wi-Fi Users In The Sky Wi-Fi is going sky-high thanks to a deal forged between enterprise Internet service provider iPass and Connexion by Boeing. Under the deal, iPass #39;s 528,000-plus Wi-Fi enterprise customers will

Sports: 0.9996792
Wariner Succeeds Johnson as 400 Meter Champion ATHENS (Reuters) - American 400 meters champion Jeremy Wariner succeeded Michael Johnson as the Olympic gold medallist Monday with a personal best of 44.00 seconds.

Business: 0.92958605
Observers insist: no proof of fraud in Venezuelan referendum. Independent observers confirmed that the random auditing of results from the recall referendum (Sunday August 15) against Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez show there are no indications of fraud as claimed by the opposition.

SciTech: 0.99712473
EDS Is Charter Member of Siebel BPO Alliance (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Siebel Systems (Nasdaq: SEBL) has named EDS as the charter partner in Siebels' new business process outsourcing (BPO) global strategic-alliance program. The agreement expands the relationship between EDS and Siebel to provide a set of high-value managed products and service offerings targeted at the BPO and customer relationship management (CRM) marketplaces.

Sports: 0.999446
Chicago OKs Cubs to Play at Wrigley Field (AP) AP - The city gave the Chicago Cubs the go-ahead to play ball at Wrigley Field on Monday night after the stadium passed another round of inspections of repair work done on its crumbling upper deck.

Business: 0.9796536
Philippine President Says Country Faces Fiscal Crisis Philippine president Gloria Arroyo warned that her country is in the midst of a fiscal crisis. A report by economists at the University of the Philippines said the country faces economic collapse

Sports: 0.9997131
US men #39;s basketball routs Angola Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Tim Duncan led a balanced American attack with 15 points and seven rebounds, as the United States men #39;s basketball team completed the preliminary round with a resounding 89-53 victory over winless Angola.

Sports: 0.99970514
Patterson gets silver on balance beam Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - American Carly Patterson, the women #39;s all- around champion at the Summer Games, added another medal on Monday night with a silver in the balance beam competition.

SciTech: 0.82330614
New Russian-US Team to Leave for ISS in October MOSCOW (AFP) -- A new Russian-US team for the International Space Station (ISS) will take off from the Baikonur space station in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in October, Russian space officials said. The three-person team, due to be approved on Thursday, will leave for the ISS on board a Russian Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft, Russia's Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos said on its website...

Sports: 0.9966455
Gatlin sprints from unknown to 100m gold Reuters Athens Aug 23: American Justin Gatlin roared from virtual unknown to win the blue ribband Olympic mens 100 metres race yesterday, upstaging defending champion Maurice Greene and other more illustrious rivals.

World: 0.9993394
Panama Recalls Ambassador From Cuba (AP) AP - Panama recalled its ambassador from Cuba on Monday after the Cuban government threatened to break off relations in a dispute over four anti-Fidel Castro exiles imprisoned in Panama.

SciTech: 0.99624443
Obesity Raises Risk for 9 Different Types of Cancer By LAURAN NEERGAARD WASHINGTON (AP) -- Heart disease and diabetes get all the attention, but expanding waistlines increase the risk for at least nine types of cancer, too. And with the obesity epidemic showing no signs of waning, specialists say they need to better understand how fat cells fuels cancer growth so they might fight back...

Business: 0.99860793
Credit Card Delinquencies at a 4-Year Low NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans paid their credit card bills on time at a record high level in June, sending credit card delinquencies to their lowest level in four years, Moody's Investors Service said on Monday.

SciTech: 0.99791926
Microsoft: Use Script to Block Windows XP SP2 Updates Microsoft has offered up yet another way for businesses to block the automatic update of Windows XP to the big-deal Service Pack 2 (SP2) upgrade.

Sports: 0.9996939
Marathon meltdown THE winner smiled and then vomited. The roaring favourite collapsed and couldn #39;t finish. The Australian contemplated surrender, staggered on and didn #39;t regret it.

World: 0.9993212
Panama-Cuba 'pardon' row worsens Panama recalls its Havana ambassador after Cuba threatened to cut ties if jailed anti-Castro activists are pardoned.

World: 0.9994172
Arafat Meets With Gaza Critic A former Palestinian security minister who could be key to keeping order among rival factions in Gaza after an Israeli pullout held a fence-mending meeting Monday with President Yasser Arafat, officials said.

Business: 0.9913084
New Overtime Rules Take Effect New Bush administration rules that scale back overtime eligibility for white-collar workers took effect on Monday over protests that they would slash paychecks at a time of economic uncertainty.

Sports: 0.99963653
Japanese joy and British tears IT WAS the night of the longest race and the shortest, a night of distress for Britain #39;s Paula Radcliffe and delight for America #39;s Justin Gatlin.

SciTech: 0.84721124
SAP Gets \$35 Million Post Office Pact SAP has landed a \$35 million deal to help the US Postal Service overhaul its human resources systems. According to sources close to the deal, the agreement includes a \$21 million consulting component, and

Sports: 0.99950063
US beats Germany 2-1 in OT, to face Brazil in women #39;s soccer final Heather O #39;Reilly, minutes after missing a wide open net, scored in the ninth minute of overtime Monday to give the United States a 2-1 victory over World Cup champion Germany and a place in Thursday #39;s gold-medal game.

World: 0.9994159
Israel Announces West Bank Housing Plans (AP) AP - Israel announced plans Monday for 500 new housing units in the West Bank, after an apparent U.S. policy shift that has infuriated the Palestinians. The Palestinians oppose all Jewish settlement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands where they hope to establish an independent state.

Business: 0.9984793
Dollar Holds Gains, Fed Comments Help TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar held on to the previous day's gain on Tuesday, supported by a retreat in oil prices and upbeat comments on the U.S. economy from Federal Reserve officials.

SciTech: 0.960074
SAP Awarded \$35 Million Postal Service Contract The postal service, which employs more than a third of the civilian employees of the federal government, chose SAP after a multi-year evaluation, it said.

Business: 0.9723355
Dark arts of spin evident in phoney war for Abbey THE phoney war over the fate of Abbey grinds on. Along the way, on all sides, it is producing its predictable crop of knowing winks and destabilising nudges.

Business: 0.9939653
Controversial US Overtime Rules Take Effect New overtime rules have taken effect in the United States that the government says will strengthen workers #39; rights, but opponents say will significantly reduce workers #39; pay.

SciTech: 0.9979017
#39;Marathon mouse #39; doubles stamina Scientists in the United States have genetically engineered mice which can run twice as far as normal before becoming exhausted. The researchers say their finding could lead to drugs or gene

Business: 0.9962316
SAS Braathens to cut Gatwick, Geneva flights blackhawk writes quot;SAS Braathens, the Norwegian unit of Scandinavian airline SAS, will cut Oslo routes to Geneva and London Gatwick in the first step of a plan to eliminate 10 routes.

Business: 0.8924736
CAO executives hand over passports Executives at the collapsed China Aviation Oil Singapore have voluntarily handed over their passports to Singapore #39;s police, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.996968
Dickens Departs Tony Dickens resigns as head coach at Northwestern six months after leading the Wildcats to the Maryland 4A boys basketball title.

Business: 0.99834657
Dollar Keeps Gains as Market Awaits Data TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled on Tuesday after gaining the previous day, as many investors held off building positions ahead of economic data from the United States.

Business: 0.5936528
Audit finds no fraud in Venezuelan recall vote CARACAS : An audit of last Sunday #39;s recall vote in Venezuela, which favored keeping President Hugo Chavez in office, found no evidence of fraud, as the opposition had charged, electoral officials said.

Sports: 0.99968576
Chargers, Rivers Agree to Deal The San Diego Chargers finally reached a contract agreement last night with quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers, the fourth overall choice in April #39;s draft, agreed to a six-year deal worth about \$40 million, including

Sports: 0.99971336
Chiefs #39; offense too much for Rams in 24-7 victory The NFL #39;s highest-scoring offense is averaging two touchdowns every three possessions during the preseason. If Kansas City #39;s woeful defense can get its act together, too, the Chiefs could be in for big things.

SciTech: 0.99540365
Marathoning mice could have Olympian effects on obesity A molecular switch known to regulate fat metabolism appears to prevent obesity and turns laboratory mice into marathon runners, a Salk Institute study has found.

Sports: 0.99958616
Dominant US captures gold with 79th straight win The US softball team completed its scorched-earth run through the Olympics on Monday with a 5-1 win over Australia, America #39;s third straight gold medal.

Business: 0.998544
Johnson amp; Johnson bids for rival NEW YORK Johnson amp; Johnson is in advanced negotiations to acquire Guidant, one of the largest US makers of devices to treat heart and circulatory illnesses, according to executives close to the talks.

Business: 0.9768415
Yukos warns it oil output is lagging Beleaguered Russian energy giant Yukos has warned that it will not produce as much oil as expected this year. It blames bailiffs who are draining its bank accounts to pay its potentially ruinous tax bill.

Sports: 0.9996513
Pressure points ATHENS -- The booing went on for nearly 10 minutes while Paul Hamm, chalked up and ready, waited beneath the horizontal bar last night. quot;Wow, quot; Hamm told his twin brother Morgan. quot;I've never seen this before. quot;

Business: 0.99710864
Unions protest as overtime rules take effect WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of workers rallied on the steps of the Labor Department yesterday to protest the implementation of new rules they say will cause as many as 6 million Americans to lose their overtime pay. But the Bush administration officials who crafted the complex regulations insisted more workers will actually qualify for extra pay under the plan, which almost...

World: 0.9994005
Serb denies siege terror charges A Bosnian Serb general accused of organising the siege of Sarajevo pleads not guilty to war crimes charges.

Sports: 0.996977
11th-hour highlights too late NBC's prime-time Olympic coverage is taped and shaped, the television version of a Reader's Digest condensed book. We get all the US highlights, the big news stories, and a well-edited drama building to the 11 p.m. hour. It's a formula that's been proven to hold an audience and pull ratings. The big downside: You have to stay up until midnight...

SciTech: 0.9838635
No IE? No Can See One thing that #39;s always irritated those who don #39;t choose to use Internet Explorer is finding a website that requires IE. Such complaints seem to have grown all the more passionate now security concerns are driving more users to consider IE alternatives.

Sports: 0.99873716
Zambrano right at home No one has been more dominating against National League hitters at home than Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. And Zambrano looked as if he would be at his finest Monday night at Wrigley Field.

Sports: 0.9996007
Torre Calls a Meeting, and the Yanks Respond Joe Torre gathered the Yankees before Monday night #39;s game at Jacobs Field and imparted a simple message: put aside the struggles of the past week.

World: 0.95563513
Kerry Dispute Revives Memory of Delta War (AP) AP - The controversy over the Vietnam war record of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has trained a fresh light on one of that conflict's lesser-known episodes #151; the operations of America's "Brown Water Navy" in rivers, canals and mangrove swamps of the Mekong Delta.

World: 0.9993876
Japan to Deport Ex-Chess Champion Bobby Fischer (Reuters) Reuters - Japan issued a deportation order on\Tuesday against former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, who\is wanted in the United States for defying sanctions on\Yugoslavia, an immigration official said.

World: 0.9993399
N.Korea Hurls Abuse at Bush, Calls Him Human Trash SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea hurled invective at President Bush for a second day on Tuesday, calling him a political idiot and human trash, and said six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions appeared doomed.

World: 0.9992285
Nairobi police disperse Maasai Police in Kenya disperse Maasai protesters in the capital who are seeking the return of leased colonial land.

SciTech: 0.87928456
Arctic team finds ship remains A team retracing the route of a group of Victorian Arctic explorers have found parts of their 172-year-old ship.

Business: 0.9986155
Toy store profits R back up TOY retailer Toys R Us has posted a second-quarter profit, over- turning the loss it made over the same period the year before. The New Jersey-based group, which is considering quitting the toys business, turned

SciTech: 0.99277765
Vonage Calls on Linksys for VoIP Linksys will provide broadband-to-phone adapters and, eventually, Wi-Fi equipment.

SciTech: 0.99744886
Vonage Calls on Linksys for VoIP (PC World) PC World - Linksys will provide broadband-to-phone adapters and, eventually, Wi-Fi equipment.

World: 0.9991536
Mich. Elephant Gets Therapy for Arthritis ROYAL OAK, Mich. - Like any patient, Wanda needs positive reinforcement to wrestle through her physical therapy...

SciTech: 0.99596465
Intel slashes Itanium prices as Madison looms Intel has slashed prices across the board as it prepares to get behind new processor lines due this autumn. The Itanium server line has seen cuts of over 30 per cent, while prices for Intel #39;s fastest business

World: 0.99941814
Straw: No British troops to Darfur British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said his country does not plan to deploy forces to Darfur in western Sudan but will provide technical assistance.

World: 0.99941504
Iraqi Guardsmen Ring Najaf Shrine US and Iraqi forces battled militants in Najaf on Tuesday and Iraqi National Guardsmen advanced to within 200 yards of the holy city #39;s Imam Ali Shrine compound, where insurgents loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been holed up for weeks.

Sports: 0.9989851
Gregg: I will help to close deal EVERTON chairman Bill Kenwright #39;s plans for a Russian revolution at Goodison Park may have thawed the cold war with director Paul Gregg.

World: 0.999398
Straw: Sudan Must Help Displaced People (AP) AP - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, touring a sprawling desert camp housing 40,000 displaced people from the troubled western Darfur region, urged the Sudanese government to do more to make it safe for the frightened refugees to return home.

Business: 0.9196233
Japanese Bank Makes Hostile Bid in Takeover Battle The biggest-ever takeover battle in Japan got even bigger today as Sumitomo Mitsui sought to disrupt a rival's expansion plans with a \$29 billion hostile bid for UFJ.

SciTech: 0.99687564
Martian Weather Blamed for Loss of Beagle 2 Description: An investigation into the loss of Britain #39;s Beagle 2 spacecraft last December suggests the cause may have been unusual Martian weather.

Sports: 0.9996612
Prodigy Adu Learns His Trade at DC United WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Teenager Freddy Adu, America's most talked about soccer player, has hardly set the league alight with his skills in his first season.

Business: 0.98787326
Japan #39;s SMFG in \$29B bid for UFJ Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. laid out a \$29 billion bid for UFJ Holdings on Tuesday, challenging a rival offer by Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group to form the world #39;s biggest bank.

World: 0.99918824
Sex toys find niche market in church-influenced Philippines (AFP) AFP - In this predominantly Roman Catholic country where prostitution is illegal and the church still wields considerable influence on the nation's morals, it is a brave person who goes into business selling sex toys.

Business: 0.99826294
Director Leaves Hollinger Inc. Board Hollinger Inc., th #39;e Toronto-based holding company controlled by disgraced media baron Conrad Black, lost an independent director Tuesday when a former general in Canada #39;s armed forces resigned from its board.

World: 0.99938107
US not involved in Afghan vigilante trial-official An Afghan court was following proper procedures in its trial of three US men accused of torture and kidnapping and the United States would exert no influence on next week #39;s verdict, a US official said on Tuesday.

World: 0.9992536
British Minister Sees 'Show Camp' in Sudan (Reuters) Reuters - Two rows of well-spaced\mattresses with brightly colored covers are laid out in a straw\hut, and the smiling nurse in surgical gloves gives an\injection to a crying baby held by his mother.

World: 0.9993475
Bin Laden Driver Charged at Guantanamo GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - Osama bin Laden's chauffeur was officially charged Tuesday in the first U.S. military tribunal since World War II, appearing at a pretrial hearing where his lawyer challenged the process as unfair...

SciTech: 0.57256323
Cisco Reaches High And Low NEW YORK - Cisco Systems is aggressively trying to build its presence in key growth markets, and it #39;s using both new products and new acquisitions to do it.

World: 0.9835165
#39;Somebody please save my dad #39; Nick du Toit #39;s wife and stepdaughter are distraught that there is nothing they can do to help him. On Monday his stepdaughter, Marilise Bezuidenhout, was forced to convey the news of his possible death sentence

World: 0.9993911
Journalist purportedly kidnapped by militants A group calling itself quot;The Islamic Army in Iraq quot; said Italy must withdraw its 3,000 troops -- or the safety of a missing Italian journalist can #39;t be guaranteed.

Sports: 0.9995858
Discus Champion Thrown Out of Games ATHENS (Reuters) - Hungarian Olympic discus champion Robert Fazekas will lose his gold medal and be expelled from the Games after breaking doping rules, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9792971
Cisco and Microsoft Partner for CRM 8/24/2004 -- Cisco Systems yesterday announced a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Communications Connector for Microsofts CRM offering.

SciTech: 0.8162329
Apple Tops in Customer Satisfaction Dell comes in a close second, while Gateway shows improvement, study says.

Business: 0.9972601
Sabre, NWA Trade Barbs Over Ticketing Fee AUGUST 25, 2004 -- The Sabre Travel Network yesterday responded quickly to Northwest Airlines #39; decision to impose a fee on all domestic tickets issued through global distribution systems, firing back with its own policy changes and concluding the

Business: 0.9977933
United #39;s pension dilemma United Airlines says it likely will end funding for employee pension plans, a move that would be the largest ever default by a US company and could lead to a taxpayer-funded bailout rivaling the savings-and-loan fiasco of the 1980s.

SciTech: 0.9941543
Linksys, Netgear prep soho VoIP kit WLAN kit makers Linksys and Netgear have rolled out consumer and small-business oriented wireless access points with integrated Voice over IP (VoIP) support.

SciTech: 0.9926642
Tiny telescope detects a giant planet A tiny telescope has spotted a giant planet circling a faraway star, using a technique that could open a new phase of planetary discovery, scientists say.

Sports: 0.9910262
Gardner Loses Quest for Repeat Wrestling Gold US heavyweight Rulon Gardner lost his Olympic title Wednesday after being beaten in the semi-final stage of the 120kg Greco-Roman wrestling event by Georgiy Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan.

SciTech: 0.99681515
Playboy Posts Unused Google Excerpt to Web Site (Reuters) 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.

Sports: 0.9992131
Williams' Status at USC Still Unresolved (AP) AP - Standout receiver Mike Williams is all but certain not to play Saturday night when top-ranked Southern California opens its season because of continuing delays in the school's appeal process to the NCAA. After that, who knows? USC has applied to the NCAA for a progress-toward-degree waiver and reinstatement of Williams' eligibility.

World: 0.9993286
Kerry Pledges to Create Higher-Paying Jobs (AP) AP - John Kerry headed to closely divided Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to tell voters he could produce better, higher-paying jobs from the White House than President Bush has.

World: 0.9993036
GOP Platform Plan Seeks Gay Marriage Ban (AP) AP - Republican leaders are pushing for a constitutional ban on gay marriage in the GOP platform, opening a new point of contention between social conservatives and outnumbered but vocal factions fighting to give the party's statement of principles a more moderate tone.

SciTech: 0.9793171
EPA: U.S. Waterways Contain Polluted Fish (AP) AP - One of every three lakes in the United States, and nearly one-quarter of the nation's rivers contain enough pollution that people should limit or avoid eating fish caught there.

Sports: 0.9997018
Selig Welcomes Government Help In Steroids Scandal NEW YORK -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Monday he would accept government intervention on steroid testing if the players #39; association refuses to change the current rules, which run for two more years.

SciTech: 0.9914312
Barents Sea Under Threat from Fishing, Oil (Reuters) Reuters - The Arctic Barents Sea is\under threat from overfishing, oil and gas exploration and\Soviet-era radioactive waste, the U.N. Environment Program said\on Tuesday.

Business: 0.9611746
Will This Idea Fly? Charge Some Travelers \$10 for Showing Up Northwest Airlines said it would begin charging a \$10 fee for issuing a ticket at its airport check-in desks.

Sports: 0.99899906
A man with a plan ATHENS -- Four years ago in Sydney, after the US gymnasts had gone medal-free at the Olympics for the first time in 28 years, federation president Bob Colarossi was sitting at a table, explaining that the turnaround already had begun. The women had moved from sixth to fourth in the world in one year, the men from sixth to fifth....

SciTech: 0.9966336
ASCAP Shakes Down Burning Man for Music Royalties LOS ANGELES, CA -- Officials from ASCAP today indicated they intend to pursue music royalties from the organizers of Burning Man, an artist's gathering and celebration held over the Labor Day holiday near Reno, NV. The unconventional event, held annually since 1986, has never paid fees for any of the music played at the event, says ASCAP. "We intend to pursue all available avenues to get this issue resolved," said Tony Wilcox, ASCAP spokesperson.

Business: 0.69637495
Branson: Virgin Billionaire Eyes China Telecom Deal Can you hear him now: Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson said in Hong Kong that his company has earmarked \$300 million for a cell phone joint venture in China.

World: 0.999335
Second Prisoner Abuse Report Expected WASHINGTON - Inattention to prisoner issues by senior U.S. military leaders in Iraq and at the Pentagon was a key factor in the abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison, but there is no evidence they ordered any mistreatment, an independent panel concluded...

World: 0.99935
Cleric Returns to Broker Najaf Peace Deal NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric returned home from Britain on Wednesday to help broker an end to nearly three weeks of fighting in Najaf and is calling on his followers to join him in a march to reclaim the holy city, his spokesmen and witnesses said. Grand Ayatollah Ali Husseini al-Sistani return came as heavy fighting persisted in Najaf's Old City...

World: 0.9993711
Police Tear Gas, Arrest Protesters in Bangladesh Baton-wielding riot police fired tear gas and rounded up dozens of demonstrators in Bangladesh on Tuesday during a general strike called to protest a weekend grenade attack that killed 20 people and wounded hundreds at an opposition political rally.

Sports: 0.99400973
Careening Indians Fall Slumping Cleveland lost a three-run lead while Derek Jeter homered and stole two ninth-inning bases as New York sent the Indians to their ninth consecutive loss, 5-4, Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9972365
Microsoft offers SP2 compatibility guide Security-focused Windows XP update can be tough on applications. Guidelines are meant to help professionals "test and mitigate."

SciTech: 0.89193654
Site security gets a recount at Rock the Vote Grassroots movement to register younger voters leaves publishing tools accessible to outsiders.

SciTech: 0.9665954
Sony reveals some specs for PSP handheld The PlayStation Portable is going to have one complex processor running the show for games and multimedia.

SciTech: 0.9400261
Study: Apple, Dell lead PC customer satisfaction index The PC industry is doing a better job this year of satisfying its U.S. customers, and better technical support and easier-to-use hardware seem to have made a difference, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

SciTech: 0.9908806
UN organizes open-source software day across Asia The United Nations, through its International Open Source Network (IOSN) will organize the first annual Software Freedom Day on Saturday in an effort to educate Asian users about the benefits of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and encourage its wider use in the region.

SciTech: 0.9957047
European Union Extends Review of Microsoft Deal By PAUL GEITNER BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and the media and entertainment powerhouse Time Warner Inc...

World: 0.9994222
Darfur: 4-Point Draft Agenda Adopted in Abuja A tentative step was taken yesterday in the quest to finding lasting peace in the crisis torn Dafur region of Sudan when the Abuja peace talks unanimously adopted a four-point draft agenda.

Business: 0.9985624
UPDATE 2-TD, Banknorth in talks on possible deal Toronto Dominion Bank (TD.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday that it is in talks with US-based Banknorth Group (BNK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) about a possible deal, in line with the Canadian bank #39;s push for

SciTech: 0.9237659
Jamaican Government to Provide Free Internet Access in Poor ... Jamaica #39;s government on Tuesday announced a US\$5 million (Jamaican \$308 million) plan to provide free Internet access in poor communities across the island.

Sports: 0.98699343
A new Golden Girl It took only 49.41 seconds for Tonique Williams-Darling to etch her name in the annals of Bahamian history. Williams-Darling crossed the finish line

World: 0.99928766
Sudanese rebels agree to take part in peace talks in Abuja ABUJA, Aug 25, 2004 (dpa) -- Rebel groups agreed Wednesday to participate in peace talks with the Sudanese government being held in the Nigerian capital of Abuja after coming under pressure to disarm and accept confinement to camps in the country #39;s

SciTech: 0.99588877
Dragging the Net for Cyber Criminals In an attempt to stem the growing tide of online scams, identity theft and the proliferation of junk e-mail, the Justice Department and state law enforcement officials have initiated what seems to be the largest dragnet yet against spammers, so-called "phishers" and other Internet con artists. -washingtonpost.com

SciTech: 0.49894342
EU to probe Microsoft-Time Warner buy The decision is a setback for the two companies and their plan to acquire ContentGuard, a digital rights management firm.

Sports: 0.9799826
Allen Wins Triathlon Kate Allen of Austria wins the triathlon with a late surge Wednesday, passing more than half of the field in the final leg and edging Loretta Harrop of Australia at the finish line.

SciTech: 0.99775094
Is Google the Next Netscape? Is Google the Next Netscape?\\To draw a parallel between Netscape #038; Google in their fight against Microsoft, it is necessary to examine the various similarities between the two situations and see if the tactics that worked then will work now. \

Business: 0.9471288
GM pulls Guy Ritchie car ad after protest Protests from seven safety groups have prompted General Motors to pull a television ad that shows a young boy driving a Corvette sports car so recklessly that it goes airborne, officials of the automaker say.

SciTech: 0.99708015
Tiny telescope #39;s big discovery opens new doors WASHINGTON - A tiny telescope has spotted a giant planet circling a faraway star, using a technique that could open a new phase of planetary discovery.

SciTech: 0.9969771
News: US cracks down on spam mountain John Ashcroft, the attorney General of the US, is expected to announce on Thursday dozens of lawsuits against alleged spammers following a low key campaign against the practise across the US.\

World: 0.9993395
Bryant Prosecutors Say Some Data Tainted DENVER - Crucial DNA evidence tested by defense experts in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case might have been contaminated, prosecutors said in a court filing released Wednesday, just two days before jury selection is to begin. Prosecutors said they had found contamination in DNA "control" samples intended to ensure testing was accurate...

Business: 0.99854714
Poultry Stocks See Mixed Recovery Despite a weak third-quarter earnings report that sent its shares plunging 24 percent Tuesday, poultry producer Sanderson Farms Inc.

Sports: 0.99243504
Brazil Tops Spain for Men's Gold in Beach Volleyball ATHENS (Reuters) - Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego beat Spain's Javier Bosma and Pablo Herrera 21-16, 21-15 on Wednesday to bag Brazil's first men's Olympic beach volleyball gold medal.

SciTech: 0.89157677
NTT DoCoMo, Motorola tie up on 3G handsets NTT DoCoMo will release a handset compatible with non-Japanese cellular networks and with its own 3G (third generation) mobile network early next year.

SciTech: 0.8719978
Vonage Awash in Venture Capital VoIP (define) upstart Vonage has quickly amassed another \$105 million from venture capitalists and is looking to Latin America and Asia to accelerate an already torrid growth rate.

World: 0.99940586
UN says Afghan vote can legitimise postwar scene (AFP) AFP - Afghanistan has a chance for real political legitimacy when voters go to the polls in the country's first post-Taliban presidential election, the UN's envoy to the nation said.

Sports: 0.99955434
Bryant Prosecutors Question Defense DNA Evidence DENVER (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the rape case against U.S. basketball star Kobe Bryant are questioning the validity of DNA evidence crucial to the defense's case, saying data appeared to have been manipulated and might have to be thrown out.

SciTech: 0.9979488
Best Software overhauls Act Best Softwarelaunched this week an overhaul of its Act contact management software, adding to the product line a second version with more scalability and advanced functionality.

Sports: 0.99705195
Pittman misses out Fani Halkia (1980), of Greece, clears a hurdle en route to winning a gold medal ahead of fifth place finisher Jana Pittman, of Australia.

World: 0.9993333
Jones Advances in Long Jump; Johnson Out ATHENS, Greece - Marion Jones made her Athens debut in virtual anonymity, quietly advancing to the long jump final. Allen Johnson had the attention of everyone in the stadium, for all the wrong reasons...

Business: 0.94316757
Ford to Repair Faulty Heated Seats in Focus Cars Ford Motor Co. said on Wednesday it will fix malfunctioning heated seats in 33,000 Focus cars, two-thirds of which were sold in Canada.

SciTech: 0.8306105
Gartner: Q2 server shipments rise on Sun, Dell strength Server shipments and revenue increased in the second quarter, with low-cost servers based on Linux or the Windows operating system growing faster than their Unix counterparts, according to research firm Gartner Inc.

SciTech: 0.92553073
US raids Net song swappers US agents have raided the homes of five people who allegedly traded hundreds of thousands of songs, movies and other copyrighted material over the Internet, Attorney General John Ashcroft says.

SciTech: 0.6223236
Dell May Soon Unveil More Consumer Goods -Analyst (Reuters) Reuters - Dell Inc. (DELL.O), 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.

Business: 0.99854136
Coke Loses Quiznos Sandwich Account Quiznos Sub, the third-largest US sandwich chain, said on Wednesday it signed a deal to serve PepsiCo Inc. (PEP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) drinks in its US outlets, ending a 23-year relationship with Coca-Cola Co.

World: 0.9992834
Israeli army set to unveil stink bomb JERUSALEM: The Israeli army is set to unveil a new weapon designed to get under the noses of Palestinians - a massive stink bomb. A report in the Maariv daily on Wednesday said that the military, which has

Business: 0.99735594
Northwest sues Sabre over ticket fees Northwest Airlines Corp. filed suit against Sabre Travel Network in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota alleging that Sabre instituted measures that will make it more difficult for the carrier to sell tickets.

SciTech: 0.997771
News: FBI seizes computers in first-ever criminal action against P2P network The Associated Press By Curt Anderson

World: 0.999405
Kuwait assures help on hostages NEW DELHI, Aug. 25. - Kuwait has promised to leave no stone unturned to ensure the safe return of the three Indians who were taken hostage in Iraq.

SciTech: 0.98892236
MmO2 Announces 3G Mobile Data Network Launch Customers will be able to download film clips, audio and video, interactive multiplayer games, multimedia music tracks, quot;push-to-watch quot; services, as well as access large e-mail attachments.

World: 0.9993506
Republicans Endorse Ban on Gay Marriage NEW YORK - Republicans endorsed an uncompromising position against gay unions Wednesday in a manifesto that contrasts with Vice President Dick Cheney's supportive comments about gay rights and the moderate face the party will show at next week's national convention. A panel made up largely of conservative delegates approved platform language that calls for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and opposes legal recognition of any sort for gay civil unions...

SciTech: 0.99761933
Microsoft expands mainframe pitch Company is upgrading current support and service program to draw more mainframe customers.

SciTech: 0.98719317
U.S. Justice Department Cracks Down Internet Crime The FBI seized computers, software and equipment as part of an investigation into illegal sharing of copyrighted movies, music and games over an Internet "peer-to-peer" network, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced Wednesday.

Business: 0.99729604
UPDATE: NZ Auckland Airport FY Net Surges On Travel Boom WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--New Zealand #39;s Auckland International Airport Ltd. (AIA.NZ) Thursday posted double digit annual profit growth, buoyed by a surge in passenger travel, and said it expects to meet market consensus for the 2005 fiscal year earnings.

World: 0.99927133
Mich. Rep. to Head Intelligence Panel (AP) AP - Republican Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan was picked Wednesday to head the House Intelligence Committee amid a heated election-year debate over how to carry out a major overhaul of the nation's intelligence system.

Business: 0.9855592
Singapore Air plans \$7.35B Boeing order Singapore Airlines plans to buy up to 31 Boeing long-range 777-300ER planes worth about \$7.35 billion, the carrier said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.6464135
Global server sales on the rise Sales of server systems rose 7.7 percent globally in the second quarter to \$11.55 billion as demand for Information Technology remained strong after a three year downturn, market research firm Gartner said in a statement.

Business: 0.9947127
Oil Prices Alter Direction After a month-long rally that repeatedly pushed prices to new highs, the cost of a barrel slumped for the fourth day, leaving the price \$10 higher than year-ago rate.

Sports: 0.9992248
Warner to Start for Giants This Week (AP) AP - Kurt Warner will start at quarterback for the New York Giants this week, although his competition with rookie Eli Manning for the regular-season job continues.

World: 0.99936694
Pinochet Immunity Weighed by Chile Court (AP) AP - Lawyers pressed Chile's Supreme Court on Wednesday to uphold a lower court decision stripping retired Gen. Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution, saying the former dictator should face justice for past human rights abuses.

World: 0.9746122
Lawyer for Bush Quits Over Links to Kerry's Foes The quick resignation suggests that the Bush campaign, which has repeatedly said it has no ties to the Swift boat veterans group, is eager to put the issue behind it.

SciTech: 0.90912586
Toyota reports a silicon carbide breakthrough Move over silicon chips, there is a new semiconductor king on the horizon. Silicon carbide #39;s (SiC) potential has been known since the 1950 #39;s, but the properties that make is attractive also make it hard to work with.

Sports: 0.99763834
MLB, Va. Officials Meet Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf led a team of negotiators from Major League Baseball in a three-hour meeting Wednesday with the leaders of the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority.

Sports: 0.9955824
AL Wrap: Ortiz Fuels Red Sox Fire as Blue Jays Go Down (Reuters) Reuters - David Ortiz thumped two homers and\drove in four runs to fire the Boston Red Sox to an 11-5 win\over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9996933
AL Wrap: Ortiz Fuels Red Sox Fire as Blue Jays Go Down TORONTO (Reuters) - David Ortiz thumped two homers and drove in four runs to fire the Boston Red Sox to an 11-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Wednesday.

World: 0.9994049
China warns Singapore officials against future visits to Taiwan (AFP) AFP - China has warned Singapore officials against visiting Taiwan again after a "private and unofficial" trip by the city-state's new leader just weeks before he took office strained ties with Beijing.

World: 0.9993906
Sistani Urges Supporters to Wait at Najaf Gates BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged his supporters converging on Najaf on Thursday not to enter the battered holy city until he arrived, a senior aide said.

World: 0.9986438
Rain threatens triangular final (AFP) AFP - Organisers were left banking on the Dutch weather to spare Saturday's final of the triangular cricket tournament after deciding against altering the fixture schedule in a bid to beat the rain that has marred this warm-up event for next month's ICC Champions Trophy in England.

World: 0.9993476
Pakistan down India to ensure top six finish (AFP) AFP - Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India 3-0 here to ensure they stand among the top six in the Olympic men's field hockey competition.

Business: 0.99298877
Singapore Air expands fleet with US\$3.7B Boeing order Singapore Airlines Ltd., Asia #39;s most profitable carrier, is betting new planes will help it lure passengers from Emirates and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.

SciTech: 0.509941
White House Shifts Its Focus on Climate The administration issued a report indicating that emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases were the only likely explanation for global warming.

World: 0.9993844
Bush Makes Fourth Trip of Year to N.M. (AP) AP - The ranks of independent voters in New Mexico have grown by nearly 20,000 in the last 10 months, a prize pulling President Bush and rival John Kerry to the state again and again.

World: 0.9994074
Charges reduced for Iraq jail MP MANNHEIM, Germany -- A US military policewoman accused in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal had the charges against her reduced yesterday as a set of pretrial hearings wrapped up at an American base in Germany.

Business: 0.9966897
An insurer sees the light Snoopy has left the building. Well, almost. MetLife Inc., the insurance giant that employs Charlie Brown's dog in ads, is close to completing a deal to sell its State Street Research and Management investment arm to BlackRock Inc. for about \$400 million. Everyone involved will be better off for it.

Business: 0.9841223
GM pulls Corvette ad with underage driver DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. has withdrawn a Corvette commercial that shows a young boy driving wildly through city streets after safety advocates complained, the company said yesterday.

Business: 0.9984486
A mixed economic bag in July Factory orders in July for costly manufactured goods recorded the biggest gain in four months. New home sales, meanwhile, slid, according to a pair of reports

SciTech: 0.99690044
Keck telescope confirms important exoplanet discovery Hawaii #39;s Keck Observatory has confirmed the existence of a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a distant star, the first one spotted by a network of astronomers using telescopes no larger than the ones you can buy in stores.

SciTech: 0.79159415
Civil servants in net porn probe More than 200 staff at the Department of Work and Pensions have been disciplined for downloading porn at work.

SciTech: 0.9754116
World #39;s smallest digital camera with zoom lens Come September, Japanese electronics giant Casio Computer will launch the world #39;s smallest digital camera with a zoom lens. Casio #39;s palm-sized Exilim camera is much smaller than others as, for the first time, it uses a ceramic lens.

World: 0.99941266
Iraq Mortar Attack Kills 25, Sistani Heads to Najaf NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - A mortar attack on a packed mosque in the town of Kufa on Thursday killed at least 25 people as Iraq's most influential Shi'ite cleric headed to the nearby holy city of Najaf to try to end a bloody three-week uprising.

World: 0.9993455
Dream Team Leads Spain 44-42 at Halftime ATHENS, Greece - As expected, the U.S. men's basketball team had its hands full in a quarterfinal game against Spain on Thursday...

SciTech: 0.9918405
Nokia, Pointsec team on mobile data security Enterprises seeking higher security for their growing number of mobile devices may be interested in new encryption technology that Nokia Corp. is deploying in its smart phone products.

Business: 0.99857986
BlackRock Buys State Street Research NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BLK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">BLK.N</A>, one of the largest U.S. fixed income managers, on Thursday said it will buy its far smaller competitor State Street Research Management Co., marking the biggest takeover in the asset management business this year.

Sports: 0.9997068
Six-month deal for Hoddle at Wolves The 47-year-old former England coach was unveiled at a press conference, bringing to an end Wolves #39; month-long search for a successor to Dave Jones.

SciTech: 0.99165744
Microsoft Expands Windows Update Release Microsoft Corp. is starting to ramp up distribution of its massive security update for the Windows XP operating system, but analysts say they still expect the company to move at a relatively slow pace to avoid widespread glitches.

SciTech: 0.9979639
Understanding Search Engine Models Understanding Search Engine Models\\To understand search engines and search engine marketing, one must first understand the search engine model. There are two fundamentally different types of search engine back ends: site directories and spidering search engines. Site directory databases are built by a person manually inputting data about websites. Most...

SciTech: 0.9960974
Electronic Jihad Internet Attack Rumored For Today Electronic Jihad Internet Attack Rumored For Today\\Is the Electronic Jihad attack happening today or is it just stirred up rumors? Yevgeny Kaspersky has raised concerns of a major attack on the internet today. Kaspersky has been widely quoted as saying that there would be a major online attack against Israeli...

Business: 0.99854064
Freddie Mac: Investment Portfolio Grew NEW YORK (Reuters) - Freddie Mac <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=FRE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">FRE.N</A> said on Thursday its mortgage investments, or retained portfolio, grew at an annualized rate of 20.8 percent in July, compared with a 19.4 percent increase in June.

SciTech: 0.9946759
Science Magazine: Asia Farmers Sucking Continent Dry (Reuters) Reuters - Asian farmers drilling millions of\pump-operated wells in an ever-deeper search for water are\threatening to suck the continent's underground reserves dry, a\science magazine warned on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.86752987
Report: Intel Logs Big Gains In Flash Market Intel #39;s share of the booming flash market jumped 40.8 percent in the second quarter, according to market-research firm iSuppli Corp.

Sports: 0.9996395
Morocco #39;s El Guerrouj Olympic champion Morocco #39;s Hicham El Guerrouj won in Athens Tuesday an Olympic title in the 1500m race after two failed attempts in Sydney and Atlanta.

Sports: 0.99903995
McClaren happy with striking duo Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren believes Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink could forge one of the most dangerous strike partnerships in the Barclays Premiership.

World: 0.9994186
Iraq group to free 3 Indians, 4 others of Kuwait firm - TV (Reuters) Reuters - Iraqi kidnappers of seven employees of a Kuwaiti company said in a video statement on Thursday they would release the captives once their employer halted operations in Iraq, Al Arabiya television reported.

Business: 0.9985739
BlackRock to buy State Street Research from MetLife NEW YORK, August 26 (New Ratings) - BlackRock Inc (BLK.NYS), a leading US-based fixed-income asset management company, has reportedly agreed to buy State Street Research amp; Management Company, a unit of MetLife Inc, for \$375 million in a cash and stock

SciTech: 0.9795654
Casio Shows Off Slim, Trim Digicams New Exilim models include the thinnest version yet, featuring a new ceramic lens.

SciTech: 0.6838571
U.N. Urges Funds to Curb African Locusts (AP) AP - With swarms of locusts threatening crops in a number of African countries, a U.N. agency appealed for an additional #36;70 million in assistance Thursday to prevent the upsurge from becoming a full-scale plague.

Sports: 0.9986386
Manchester United cruise into Champions League Manchester United eased into the Champions League group phase with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dinamo Bucharest at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99777204
Intel Gives Centrino Chip Line a Wireless Upgrade (Reuters) Reuters - Intel Corp. (INTC.O) on Thursday\said it has upgraded the wireless networking capabilities of\its Centrino line of notebook computer chips to allow broader\network access with improved security.

World: 0.99937016
Panama pardons Castro 'plotters' Four men accused of planning to kill Cuba's Fidel Castro have been pardoned by Panama's president.

World: 0.99926656
Pinochet loses immunity: Your reaction The Supreme Court in Chile has ruled that the former dictator General Pinochet should have his immunity from prosecution removed. A lawsuit was brought by relatives of alleged victims of the military regime Operation Condor.

Sports: 0.99908674
Rangers Sign Weekes, Bolster Goaltending (AP) AP - Goaltender Kevin Weekes signed Thursday with the New York Rangers, who expect the unrestricted free agent to compete for the No. 1 job with Mike Dunham.

Business: 0.9985594
Glaxo Settles Paxil 'Suicide Pill' Suit NEW YORK (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GSK.L target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GSK.L</A> has agreed to release all clinical studies of its drugs to settle a lawsuit that accused it of withholding negative information about the antidepressant Paxil, the New York Attorney General's office said on Thursday.

World: 0.9993594
Spears' Fiance to Star in Her New Video NEW YORK - Britney Spears' former backup dancer and current fiance Kevin Federline can add another title to his resume: co-star. On Wednesday, a Jive Records publicist confirmed Federline is featured in Spears' upcoming "My Prerogative" video, set to debut in mid-September...

Business: 0.998569
Dollar General earnings up 19 percent CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - Discount retailer Dollar General reported a 19 percent rise in fiscal second-quarter earnings, helped by higher sales and lower charges.

World: 0.9993303
No Evidence Of Abuse At Guantanamo, says Australian Foreign ... Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says a US investigation has rejected allegations that Australian terror suspect David Hicks was abused while in US custody in Afghanistan and Cuba.

World: 0.99939394
British police arrest radical cleric Abu Hamza (AFP) AFP - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, already detained in London on an extradition request from the United States, was arrested under suspicion of committing or preparing terrorism acts within Britain.

SciTech: 0.7267813
Olympics: High-Flying Holm Aims to Defy Science (Reuters) Reuters - Sweden's gold medal-winning high\jumper Stefan Holm reckons he can leap even higher but\scientists say he and other athletes were already close to the\limit of what they can achieve.

World: 0.5873082
Japan Won't Have U.S. Beef Anytime Soon (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's lucrative market for U.S.\beef, ruptured by mad cow disease worries, is likely to remain\closed for the rest of this year, U.S. meat industry officials\said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9961739
Texas School to Offer Women's Gaming Scholarship (Reuters) Reuters - As part of a drive to attract more\women into the male-dominated video game industry, a program\for aspiring game developers at Southern Methodist University\will offer a women-only scholarship, organizers said on\Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9971796
Dell adds new switch to lineup Dell has upgraded its PowerConnect line with the addition of the PowerConnect 5324, a 24-port managed gigabit layer 2 switch.

SciTech: 0.67563844
103 arrests for Internet fraud, related crimes since June: US (AFP) AFP - US authorities arrested at least 103 suspects and filed 117 criminal complaints since June 1 in a crackdown on various forms of online fraud, Attorney General John Ashcroft said.

SciTech: 0.9971132
Microsoft Reprimanded for Misleading Linux Ad (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - The United Kingdom's advertising watchdog group, the Advertising Standards Association, has found that complaints lodged against a Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) magazine ad that stated that Linux was more expensive than Windows were valid.

SciTech: 0.9978154
IBM To Amp Integration with Venetica Buy (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has said it will purchase Venetica, a privately held firm that provides content-integration software to unstructured data sources.

Sports: 0.99954814
Carter finishes fourth in 400 hurdles James Carter of Baltimore finished fourth in the finals of the 400-meter hurdles today, missing out on a medal. Felix Sanchez, of the Dominican Republic, won the gold medal.

Business: 0.97475773
London oil drops to \$40 a barrel The cost of a barrel of oil in London has dipped below \$40 as energy prices have continued to slide. The price of Brent crude in London fell to a three-week low of \$39.

Sports: 0.99968255
Athletics: Dominant Phillips takes long jump gold ATHENS - Dwight Phillips of the United States completed a hat-trick of global long jump titles when he crushed the field with his opening leap in Thursday #39;s final to win Olympic gold.

Sports: 0.9996817
Jury Selection to Begin in Kobe Bryant Rape Trial EAGLE, Colo. (Reuters) - Jury selection begins in the Kobe Bryant rape case on Friday when hundreds of potential jurors fill out a questionnaire to help determine if they can sit in judgment in a trial involving race, sex and celebrity.

Business: 0.99785304
Vioxx Faces Challenges from Insurers, Lawyers Merck amp; Co. faces a dual threat from health insurers and patients #39; lawyers, after a US study suggested its Vioxx arthritis drug carries a greater risk than rival medicines.

SciTech: 0.9929448
U.N. Agency Sees No Rapid Development of El Nino (Reuters) Reuters - Fears of a new El Nino, a phenomenon\that brings extreme weather patterns, are unfounded despite\unusual ocean temperatures which often herald the devastating\weather anomaly, the World Meteorological Organization said\Thursday.

World: 0.63241833
Visit to a Potemkin village Gongzhong does not resemble any Tibetan village in Tibet. It is a village more from Epcot Center in Walt Disney World.

Sports: 0.9996407
Let basketball As the US men #39;s basketball team limps into the Olympic medal round, the focus has been on the team #39;s lousy outside shooting.

SciTech: 0.997463
Anglers Have Big Impact on Fish Numbers -- Study Recreational anglers may be responsible for landing nearly 25 percent of over-fished salt water species caught off US coasts, a study released on Thursday suggests.

World: 0.99941254
Israeli army demolishes 13 Palestinian homes GAZA CITY: The Israeli army demolished 13 Palestinian houses during an incursion in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on Thursday, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

Sports: 0.9994254
Goosen takes lead in the BMW Open Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open champion, grabbed the first-round lead in the BMW Open in Nord Eichenried, Germany, with a 6-under-par 66, while Colin Montgomerie improved his European Ryder Cup chances by finishing one stroke back on Thursday.

Sports: 0.99943215
Hewitt cruises to quarterfinals Former Wimbledon and US Open winner Lleyton Hewitt cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Michael Llodra on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the TD Waterhouse Cup.

World: 0.9847787
US edge out Brazil for gold The United States beat Brazil 2-1 in extra time to win the women's Olympic football tournament.

World: 0.98790646
Breast scans 'fail' in some women Some women with breast cancer are less likely to have their tumours picked up by scans, say experts.

World: 0.9993243
Yemeni Poet Says He Is al-Qaida Member GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba Aug. 26, 2004 - In a dramatic turn that silenced defense lawyers, a Yemeni poet accused of crafting terrorist propaganda argued on Thursday to represent himself before a US

Sports: 0.99270576
Changing of the Guard in US Track and Field Description: NPR #39;s Steve Inskeep talks with USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan about the latest news in track and field at the Athens Olympics.

SciTech: 0.53339237
Govt. to Test New Air Passenger Screening Program The US government unveiled plans on Thursday for a revised computer-based program using personal information to identify airline passengers who may pose a threat to air travel.

World: 0.9993517
Chile Court Strips Pinochet of Immunity (AP) AP - Chile's Supreme Court stripped Gen. Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution Thursday in a ruling that revived hopes of his foes that he might stand trial on charges of human rights abuses during his rule.

World: 0.9993088
Amelie's final footsteps retraced Detectives have staged a reconstruction of the final steps of murdered French student Amelie Delagrange.

World: 0.99936
Bush, Kerry Bow to McCain's Wishes on Ads NEW YORK - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry bowed to the wishes of popular maverick John McCain on Thursday, as the president embraced the Republican senator's legal fight against big-money special interest groups airing negative ads and the Democratic nominee scrapped a commercial that featured McCain...

World: 0.99941075
Thatcher case twist as list of alleged coup backers vanishes THE Thatcher saga took a dramatic twist last night when it emerged a key witness in the police investigation has disappeared, taking with him a list of wealthy individuals who supposedly bankrolled an alleged coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Sports: 0.99971896
Torch passed on winning goal ATHENS -- America #39;s gold-medal soccer players don #39;t just say goodbye; they say hello. quot;The thing I love, quot; retiring captain Julie Foudy said, quot;is that Tarpley and Wambach scored.

Business: 0.89888436
Union leaders held under ESMA on Day 6 of strike New Delhi, August 26: The sixth day of the truckers strike on Thursday saw 12 more truckers being arrested under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA)in the Capital.

Business: 0.9980981
DreamWorks Officer Quits DreamWorks SKG, the studio that created the quot;Shrek #39; #39; films, said yesterday that Helene Hahn would step down as chief operating officer.

World: 0.91683704
Vote 2004 - a guide to the primary Get ready for the primary with the Herald-Tribunes special news section profiling all the federal, state and local candidates in races in Tuesdays election.

Sports: 0.9956638
Jets, Pennington Talk The New York Jets and quarterback Chad Pennington are looking to finalize a contract extension by next Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9965861
AL Wrap: Oakland's Durazo Piles on Misery for Baltimore (Reuters) Reuters - Erubiel Durazo's three-run homer in\the second inning helped the Oakland Athletics remain top of\the American League (AL) West with a 9-4 win over the reeling\Baltimore Orioles Thursday.

Sports: 0.9996952
AL Wrap: Oakland's Durazo Piles on Misery for Baltimore NEW YORK (Reuters) - Erubiel Durazo's three-run homer in the second inning helped the Oakland Athletics remain top of the American League (AL) West with a 9-4 win over the reeling Baltimore Orioles Thursday.

Sports: 0.99961555
Sports: Braves 6 Rockies 4 ATLANTA Mike Hampton hit an RBI single and Atlanta stretched its lead in the NL East by winning its fourth in a row 6-to-4 over Colorado.

World: 0.999408
Islamic group holding lorry drivers demands firm quit Iraq (AFP) AFP - A group calling itself the Secret Islamic Army (SIA) will release seven hostages it has been holding for more than a month as soon as their Kuwaiti company says it will no longer operate in Iraq, the SIA announced.

World: 0.99940073
Iraq's Sadr Orders Fighters to Lay Down Weapons NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebel Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Friday ordered his men inside Najaf's Imam Ali mosque to lay down their weapons and join thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims outside the shrine.

Sports: 0.99963295
Guo tucks away gold for China China #39;s Guo Jingjing easily won the women #39;s 3-meter springboard last night, and Wu Minxia made it a 1-2 finish for the world #39;s diving superpower, taking the silver.

World: 0.9993617
Taiwan Rescuers Dig Out 7 Bodies Buried in Landslide TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan rescue workers dug out seven bodies from mud and rock in a mountain village that was hit by a devastating landslide triggered by Typhoon Aere, but eight still remained buried, officials said on Friday.

Sports: 0.9996848
Camarillo #39;s Homer Lifts Mexico SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa., Aug. 26 -- Alan Camarillo #39;s first homer of the series came at a perfect time for Mexico. Camarillo hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning on Thursday to propel Guadalupe, Mexico, into

World: 0.9993197
Troops close Gaza roads after rockets fired at Israel JERUSALEM -- Israeli forces blocked main roads in Gaza yesterday after rockets were fired at an Israeli town, and troops tore down houses in a refugee camp on the Egyptian border, foreshadowing more unrest after Israel #39;s announced planned pullout next year

Business: 0.9980453
Exec, wife give Stanford \$43.5 million SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Berkshire Hathaway vice-chairman Charles Munger and his wife Nancy Munger on Thursday donated \$43.5 million to Stanford University and its law school.

Sports: 0.98249626
Athens - a \$12bn bill THE world sighed with relief when Greeks kept their promise to deliver some of the world #39;s finest sport venues in time for the Athens Olympics.

SciTech: 0.997632
HP Unveils Cavalcade of Consumer Products (PC World) PC World - First TVs, new printers, long-lasting inks, and projectors are targeted\ at living room and office.

World: 0.99936336
Bush Faces Heavy Pre-RNC Travel Schedule (AP) AP - President Bush charges into the final runup to the Republican National Convention with a heavy campaign schedule in key states he needs to carry in November.

Sports: 0.999691
Anticipation nation LINCOLN, Neb. -- Carly Simon got it right a generation ago.AN-TI-CI-PA-TION. She wasn't singing about college football, but out here in the heartland of America, as Husker Nation prepares for a new season, the sense of anticipation is enormous.

Sports: 0.692972
A great catch? Lobsters How does he like lobster? Boiled, steamed, broiled, baked, grilled? Newburg? Bahar Uttam prefers his with a capital L -- Lobsters -- and sees them frolicking on a tennis court rather than laid out on a plate. In Uttam's mind lurks a tasty dish for the town's sporting crowd, one that could satisfy the five-year hunger of tennis junkies, a...

SciTech: 0.944136
Bureaucracy Pins Rocket to Earth The da Vinci Project, a Toronto group planning to launch a homemade, manned spacecraft in October, is having trouble getting its paperwork off the ground. Canadian regulators are leery of approving the launch. And then there's the matter of finding insurance. By Dan Brekke.

SciTech: 0.8101249
HP Moves Deeper Into Consumer Electronics Personal computer giant Hewlett-Packard Co. is stepping deeper than ever into the consumer electronics arena with its fall product lineup - so don't be surprised if you hear about "HP TV" along with "HDTV" when shopping for your next television.

SciTech: 0.8356352
Sprint, SBC Announce Wi-Fi Roaming Pact Customers of Sprint Corp. and SBC Communications Inc. will be able to use both companies' wireless Internet connections with less hassle under a reciprocal deal announced Friday.

Business: 0.9985423
Stock Futures Flat Before GDP, Fed Speech NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures were nearly unchanged on Friday as investors awaited key data on the economy that could determine the market's early direction.

Business: 0.99778533
Interbrew wins shareholder vote to buy AmBev LONDON, August 27 (New Ratings) - Belgian brewing giant, Interbrew SA (ITK.ETR), has received the approval of its shareholders for its proposed acquisition of the Brazilian brewer, AmBev.

Business: 0.98354393
Update 1: Thai Airways Orders 6 Airbus Superjumbos Thai Airways has agreed to buy six Airbus A380s, becoming the 13th airline to order the new quot;superjumbo, quot; the European aircraft maker said Friday.

Sports: 0.99970335
Jacobson Lifts Ryder Cup Hopes with Sparkling 65 MUNICH (Reuters) - Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson made his bid for a last-gasp Ryder Cup spot with a spectacular seven-under-par 65 in the BMW International Open second round on Friday.

Sports: 0.97450733
CSKA sponsor rejects criticism RUSSIAN oil giant Sibneft today rejected any suggestion of a conflict of interest existing between Chelsea and CSKA Moscow who are due to meet in the Champions League.

SciTech: 0.9975489
Astronaut Candidates Practice Survival Skills By SARA LEITCH BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) -- Astronauts spend years training before they can lift off into space. They learn to operate shuttles, perform experiments in zero-gravity, and eat bugs if they must...

SciTech: 0.996031
RealNetworks Gets in Content Business (AP) AP - RealNetworks Inc. survived the dot-com collapse and an assault from Microsoft Corp. Now it's trying to remake itself into a provider of paid Internet content.

Sports: 0.9988574
United States 66, Russia 62 Frustrated by fouls, turnovers and a feisty opponent, the United States desperately looked for help. Then along came Sheryl Swoopes to set things right.

Sports: 0.9997125
Paula #39;s going for gold PAULA RADCLIFFE has decided she WILL run in tonight #39;s 10,000m race at the Athens Olympics. Today #39;s dramatic decision comes just days after Britain #39;s star long-distance runner was left weeping at the roadside after pulling up in the Olympic marathon.

World: 0.99467826
Explosive Remnants Found in Russian Jet Wreckage One of two Russian airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously was brought down by a terrorist act, officials said Friday, after finding traces of explosives in the plane's wreckage. A Web site connected to Islamic militants claimed the action was connected to Russia's fight against Chechen separatists.

World: 0.99928516
Who cares about Kerry? It's Bush we can't stand, say Vietnamese (AFP) AFP - The question of whether presidential candidate John Kerry was a coward or a leader during the Vietnam War might be raging in the United States, but on the streets of Hanoi people hope for just one result from the American election -- the exit of George W. Bush.

SciTech: 0.99719304
Spike Lee Wins Cybersquatting Case Against Porn Site Movie director Spike Lee has won his\cybersquatting case against a Philippines-based operator who\misused the domain name to redirect surfers to a pornographic\Web Site, arbitrators ruled Friday.

Business: 0.9964095
Socially Responsible Funds on a Tear Don't be too impressed -- great returns don't always mean much.

World: 0.9994112
At least 25 bodies at Sadr #39;s religious court NAJAF, Iraq : At least 25 charred and bloated bodies were discovered in the basement of a religious court set up by rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr in Najaf #39;s Old City, police said.

World: 0.99938655
Nepal rejects UN mediation Nepalese Prime Minister has rejected the UN offer of mediating in talks with Maoist rebels. But Sher Bahadur Deuba has not ruled out an expanded role for India to resolve the conflict in the Himalayan kingdom.

Sports: 0.99933857
USOC letter to FIG I write in response to your letter of August 26, 2004, which you asked the United States Olympic Committee to forward to Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm of the United States of America.

World: 0.99870086
Japanese Utility Plans IPO in October (AP) AP - Electric Power Development Co., a former state-run utility, said Friday it is planning an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October, a deal that could be the country's biggest new stock listing in six years.

Business: 0.9984333
Now It's Official: Economy Shrunk WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy slowed more sharply in the second quarter than first thought as oil prices rose and the trade gap swelled, the government said on Friday in a report that confirmed momentum faltered in the spring.

Business: 0.9986135
Now It #39;s Official: Economy Shrunk The US economy slowed more sharply in the second quarter than first thought as oil prices rose and the trade gap swelled, the government said on Friday in a report that confirmed momentum faltered in the spring.

Business: 0.9984617
Now It's Official: U.S. Growth Slowed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy slowed more sharply in the second quarter than first thought as oil prices rose and the trade gap swelled, the government said on Friday in a report that confirmed momentum faltered in the spring.

SciTech: 0.979286
Microsoft corrals changes for Longhorn With SP2 out the door, Microsoft turns sights to Longhorn--which won't look quite as expected.

SciTech: 0.99561477
Nonnative Goats Bunking at Yellowstone (AP) AP - A new study shows mountain goats are taking hold in Yellowstone National Park, but park officials aren't sure how to handle the presence of the nonnative animals.

Business: 0.9909757
Less Turbulence Ahead for Airbus, Boeing EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and his US counterpart, Robert Zoellick, aim for a truce in the latest transatlantic row over government aid for aviation rivals Boeing and Airbus.

Business: 0.9878521
Bon-Ton's Succession Success The transition atop the department store company looks like a pleasant non-story.

Sports: 0.70178795
Friday Focus: Running in the rain Rain is forecast for Saturday in Spa. Here's what the team will do to cope...

Business: 0.99461293
Procter amp; Gamble: A soap opera success By Davis Dyer, Frederick Dalzell. By Robert Slater. In the 1830s, William Procter, a storekeeper and candle maker, and James Gamble, a soap maker, happened to marry two sisters in Cincinnati, Olivia and Elizabeth Ann Norris.

World: 0.99937505
Paisley #39;s decision over disarmament awaited Northern Ireland #39;s politicians have an anxious wait as the Reverend Ian Paisley decides whether to endorse an historic deal with Sinn Fein.

SciTech: 0.7145147
VeriSign #39;s Antitrust Claim Against ICANN Dismissed quot;VeriSign #39;s contentions are deficient, quot; Judge Howard Matz wrote in the 16-page decision setting aside the antitrust claims against ICANN.

Sports: 0.9996706
Rooney going nowhere unless price is right: Moyes England striker on his way. Or is he? Will it be St James #39; Park or Old Trafford? Or will he remain at Goodison? Although Wayne Rooney today handed in a transfer request, and set in motion his seemingly inevitable

Sports: 0.99968517
Triathlon: Double for Kiwis in toughest of events NEW ZEALAND scored an unprecedented Olympic double in the men #39;s triathlon yesterday when Hamish Carter no cigar for guessing his roots beat his compatriot, reigning world champion Bevan Docherty, by 7.87 seconds, writes Doug Gillon.

SciTech: 0.99737906
Modified US space shuttle ready to fly next spring NASA said Thursday it had corrected flaws that caused the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia in February 2003 and that a modified shuttle would be ready to resume flights sometime next Spring.

World: 0.99938035
Report: Explosion Kills 2 Near Chechyna (AP) AP - An explosion rocked a police building in the restive Dagestan region adjacent to Chechnya on Friday, and initial reports indicated two people were killed, the Interfax news agency said.

SciTech: 0.9523162
Flying Cars Reportedly Still Decades Away (AP) AP - It's a frustrated commuter's escapist fantasy: literally lifting your car out of a clogged highway and soaring through the skies, landing just in time to motor into your driveway.

Business: 0.9546387
Thai Airways orders six Airbus superjumbos Thai Airways International plans to buy six Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft that will be delivered in 2008 and 2009. The airline is also ordering two additional A340 aircraft.

Business: 0.9985495
Shareholders Toast Brewers' Merger BRUSSELS/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Shareholders gave their blessing on Friday for Belgium's Interbrew <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=INTB.BR target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">INTB.BR</A> to buy Brazil's AmBev <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AMBV4.SA target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AMBV4.SA</A><ABV.N> in a \$9.7 billion deal that will create the world's largest brewer.

SciTech: 0.9962782
US Space Agency Improves Shuttle Safety, Management The US space agency, NASA, continues work on improving the safety of the space shuttle, before the fleet of orbiters resumes its visits to the international space station next year.

Sports: 0.99950767
'Dream Team' Out of Gold Race After Loss to Argentina ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. men's basketball team was beaten by Argentina Friday, denying it an Olympic gold medal for the first time since 1992 when NBA players started competing.

World: 0.9993968
GOP Urge Bush to Turn Attention From Iraq (AP) AP - Nervous Republicans are urging President Bush to unveil a robust second-term agenda at his convention next week to shift voters' focus from the unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive. Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-fueled controversy over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam.

Sports: 0.9926883
American Champion Tim Mack Wins Pole Vault Gold American champion Tim Mack won the Olympic pole vault title on Friday with a Games record 5.95 meters after an engrossing duel with teammate Toby Stevenson.

Sports: 0.9981437
Khan urged to stay amateur British boxing sensation Amir Khan is being urged to shun a big-money move to the professional ranks, whether he wins or loses his shot at Olympic gold on Sunday.

World: 0.9983342
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.

SciTech: 0.9914575
IBM puts grids to work at U.S. Open IBM will put a collection of its On Demand-related products and technologies to this test next week at the U.S. Open tennis championships, implementing a grid-based infrastructure capable of running multiple workloads including two not associated with the tournament.

World: 0.99918336
Sudan remains defiant as time starts to run out BRITAIN has warned Sudan that it still has a lot of work to do to satisfy the international community that it is tackling what the United Nations has described as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

World: 0.9987196
Lebanon political drama plays out Syrian scipt The stage is Beirut and the actors are Lebanese; but the audience knows the drama surrounding selection of the countrys president is being produced in Lebanons powerful neighbour Syria.

SciTech: 0.98896897
HP brand to inject new life into ink The company splashes a new name on the inks to be used in its photo printers.

Sports: 0.99968445
UPDATE 1-Rookie Johnson shares Buick lead with Funk Rookie Zach Johnson produced the day #39;s joint best score, a five-under-par 65, to join Fred Funk at the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the \$4.

Business: 0.9850162
UK growth at fastest pace in nearly 4 years Britain #39;s economy accelerated to the fastest annual pace in nearly four years in the second quarter as manufacturing emerged from a slump and consumers ratcheted up spending, the government said Friday.

SciTech: 0.98285055
Next Version of Windows for PC's to Ship in 2006 To meet its timetable, Microsoft has scaled back its technological ambitions for the product, code-named Longhorn.

SciTech: 0.98721236
Microsoft promises new OS for 2006 Microsoft says it plans to broadly release the long-awaited update to its flagship Windows operating system, dubbed #39;Longhorn #39;, in 2006.

World: 0.9993944
Yemeni Ambassador to United Nations Dies (AP) AP - Abdullah Saleh al-Ashtal, who served as Yemen's ambassador to the United Nations for nearly 30 years, died in New York on Thursday after a long illness, Yemen's Foreign Ministry and its U.N. Mission said Friday. He was 66.

Sports: 0.99969864
Schumacher in uncharted territory MICHAEL Schumacher doesn #39;t need to win the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday to nail his unprecedented seventh Formula One drivers title.

Sports: 0.9996629
Top-ranked Illinois flyin #39; high When the Illinois men #39;s basketball team moved to No. 1 in The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls on Monday afternoon, it was a special moment for the program and the players.

Sports: 0.9968058
Daly penciled in for Deutsche Bank John Daly provided a nice surprise for local golf fans yesterday when he committed to play in next week #39;s Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC of Boston in Norton.

World: 0.99940753
Revelations on "children overboard" incident put pressure on Australian PM (AFP) AFP - Australian Prime Minister John Howard was fighting to maintain his credibility after official transcripts backed up critics' claims about what he knew of a controversial 2001 sea rescue of boatpeople.

Sports: 0.9994448
Short Jump, Bad Handoff End Jones #39; Games ATHENS, Greece - For Marion Jones, Sydney must seem far more than half a world away. Those Olympics were some dreamland where she ruled track and field with a golden touch and a sweet smile, winning five medals

Business: 0.9942703
DATA VIEW: HK Exports Slow In July, But Momentum Intact HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong #39;s export expansion slowed a touch in July, as expected, but still continued at double-digit rates thanks to high trade volume with mainland China.

Sports: 0.99970824
Fired-up Baggaley takes silver Australia #39;s Nathan Baggaley was over the moon after winning the silver medal in the Olympic kayaking K1 500 event today. Double world champion Baggaley fired from the start and took an early lead but faded

World: 0.9784864
Profiling Shaukat Aziz: economic reformist-turned-PM Shaukat Aziz, taking over as Pakistan #39;s 23rd prime minister on Saturday, is a former private banker credited with infusing new life into an almost bankrupt economy.

Sports: 0.99969256
NCAA Wrong To Close Book On Williams Top-ranked and defending co-national champion USC opens its season tonight against Virginia Tech. Tampa #39;s Mike Williams, the best football player not in the NFL - now officially the best college football player

Sports: 0.9997048
Change on the money One day after National Hockey League executive vice president and chief legal officer Bill Daly accused the NHL Players Association of engaging quot;in a charade quot; with regards to negotiating a collective bargaining agreement -- and believes the start of the 2004-05 season is in jeopardy because the union wants to keep status quo -- Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said there's...

World: 0.9994062
Eritreans deported by Libya hijack a plane KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Armed with knives, Eritrean deportees hijacked a plane that left Libya carrying about 80 fellow Eritreans and forced it to land yesterday in the Sudanese capital before surrendering to security forces, officials said.

SciTech: 0.7476383
Bush administration shifts stance on the cause of warming NEW YORK In a striking shift in the way the Bush administration has portrayed the science of climate change, a new report to Congress focuses on federal research indicating that emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are the only likely

Sports: 0.9997061
Hamm flap, Dream Team just wrong ATHENS, Greece -- Look at it this way: At least the US basketball team won #39;t be asked to give back its gold medal. On a day that was Olympic in scope both for its shock value and its intrinsic weirdness, the

SciTech: 0.9966
Microsoft #39;s big fix: Security patch now on the market For the past few years, viruses have attacked Microsoft #39;s operating system, Web browser or e-mail programs seemingly on a weekly basis.

Sports: 0.9995677
Second seed Dementieva hammered in New Haven The French Open runner-up, who had progressed to the last four with ease, was completely out of sorts as seventh seed Bovina wrapped up victory in only 56 minutes.

World: 0.9994129
Yemen Jails 5 Over Limburg, US Envoy Murder Plot A Yemeni court jailed five al Qaeda supporters for 10 years Saturday for the bombing of the French supertanker Limburg and sentenced to death another militant who plotted to kill the US ambassador to the Arab state.

World: 0.99933654
Facing Arrest, Uma Bharti Quits as Madhya Pradesh Chief BHOPAL (PTI) - Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti has been forced out of office after four days of political drama as the issue of tainted ministers came back to haunt the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sports: 0.99963784
Far from fun and Games for Jones ATHENS, Greece -- So other than your anemic, fifth-place finish in the long jump and the missed baton pass in the 400-meter relay for a big fat quot;Did Not Finish, #39; #39; how did your day go, Marion Jones?

SciTech: 0.9966029
Swing and a Miss for Asteroid An asteroid the size of a large storage shed came within 4,100 miles of Earth this spring, making it the closest near miss ever recorded, US astronomers said this week.

Sports: 0.99862254
US team stumbles Marion Jones, the queen of Sydney who finished those 2000 Olympics with a record five track-and-field medals, ended her next Olympics much differently Friday -- out of medals and in tears.

World: 0.99939775
Yemen Sentences 15 Militants on Terror Charges A court in Yemen has sentenced one man to death and 14 others to prison terms for a series of attacks and terrorist plots in 2002, including the bombing of a French oil tanker.

World: 0.99939215
Shaukat Aziz gets vote of confidence ISLAMABAD: Newly-elected known as finance wizard Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has secured vote of confidence form the national assembly.

Sports: 0.9994141
Australia win Olympic hockey gold ATHENS, Aug 27: Australia won the Olympic men #39;s hockey tournament for the first time in history on Friday, beating the Netherlands 2-1 with a golden goal.

Business: 0.99834096
GOP Jamboree Could Briefly Lift Stocks NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fasten your seatbelts. The Republicans are coming to town. If things go smoothly at the Republican National Convention, the stock market could get a brief boost next week, experts say.

SciTech: 0.9962358
Bea Arthur for President Bea Arthur sparked a security scare at Logan Airport in Boston this week when she tried to board a Cape Air flight with a pocketknife in her handbag. The "Golden Girls" star, now 81, was flagged by a Transportation Security Administration agent, who discovered the knife - a strict no-no following 9/11. "She started yelling that it wasn't hers and said 'The terrorists put it there,' " a fellow passenger said. "She kept yelling about the 'terrorists, the terrorists, the terrorists.' " After the blade was confiscated, Arthur took a keyring from her bag and told the agent it belonged to the "terrorists," before throwing it at them. - via philly.com

World: 0.999368
At Least 24 Killed Morocco Bush Crash (AP) AP - A bus, truck and taxi collided in a mountainous region of western Morocco Saturday, killing 24 people and injuring about 20 others, the official MAP news agency reported.

SciTech: 0.9920621
The Digital Transition If my car died tomorrow, I'd have a lot less angst picking its successor than I would if my TV conked out. -Rob Pegoraro

World: 0.99940825
Sudanese rebels squabble with government over ceasefire violations (AFP) AFP - Sudanese rebels walked away from African Union peace talks to hold a 24-hour boycott in protest at alleged government attacks on civilians in the war-torn western province of Darfur.

Sports: 0.99893516
Olympics-U.S. Women Show Men How to Win Gold ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. women's basketball team showed their men how to win gold Saturday as around 70,000 spectators flocked to the Olympic stadium for a hectic athletics program on the penultimate night of the Athens Games.

SciTech: 0.9897502
Hard Drive: SP Your XP, RSN Don #39;t have Windows XP? Listen up anyway, because there #39;s a lesson to learn, not to mention sly put downs you can use to annoy your Windows-XP-using-friends so they #39;ll finally break down and admit

World: 0.9994215
In Western Iraq, Fundamentalists Hold U.S. Forces at Bay Falluja and Ramadi, and much of Anbar Province, are now controlled by militias, with U.S. troops confined to outside bases.

Business: 0.5299341
The Hunt for a Hybrid The Aug. 23 front-page article on the Toyota Prius vs. the Honda Civic implied that the main reason people prefer the Prius was its quot;geek-chic look quot; and the image buyers want.

World: 0.99938786
Al-Sadr #39;s militia keeps fighting in Baghdad US forces and radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr #39;s militia battled Saturday in Baghdad even as the truce that ended the bloody fighting between US-Iraqi troops and the militia forces in Najaf held for a second day.

Sports: 0.99722797
Britain Edges U.S. for 400M Relay Gold (AP) AP - Stymied by a sloppy handoff in the middle of the race, the United States lost to Great Britain by a hundredth of a second Saturday night in the 400-meter relay #151; a race the American men usually dominate.

World: 0.99939406
US suspends helicopter flights after Japan crash (AFP) AFP - The United States suspended flights of CH-53D military helicopters in Japan, bowing to protests over a crash in an Okinawa university campus.

Sports: 0.9960926
Bovina wins Pilot Pen tournament Elena Bovina of Russia outlasted Nathalie Dechy of France 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and won the Pilot Pen tennis tournament Saturday. Bovina, seeded seventh, won her third WTA title.

Sports: 0.9996983
Hewitt reaches final on Long Island Commack, NY (Sports Network) - Second-seeded Lleyton Hewitt reached Sunday #39;s final at the \$380,000 TD Waterhouse Cup -- a final US Open tune-up.

World: 0.9993481
Hurricane Watch Issued for Gaston Off S.C. COLUMBIA, S.C. - A hurricane watch was issued for the South Carolina coast Saturday as forecasters predicted Tropical Storm Gaston would make landfall near Charleston on Sunday night...

World: 0.99939704
Kerry Says He's in a 'Fighting Mood' (AP) AP - Democratic Sen. John Kerry said Saturday he's in "fighting mood" with two months to go to the presidential as his allies defended him from questions about his valor in Vietnam.

Business: 0.9969934
#39;We walk a fine line, #39; says the boss whose airline tripped up After one of the most embarrassing weeks in British Airways #39; history, the recriminations begin tomorrow. Rod Eddington, the airline #39;s gregarious Australian chief executive, says he will mount a full investigation

SciTech: 0.9971685
GlobeTrotter: Mandrake-based 40GB Linux Mobile Desktop joestar writes quot;Mandrakesoft amp; LaCie have just launched quot;GlobeTrotter quot;, a ultra-compact 40 GB bootable USB hard-drive pre-loaded with Mandrakelinux 10.

Business: 0.9922167
Health Highlights: Aug. 28, 2004 A new drug that fights a form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, won applause if not approval from a panel of advisors to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Sports: 0.99929404
Hewitt advances to Long Island final Lleyton Hewitt is one match away from winning his second consecutive ATP title, with the Australian reaching the final of the TD Waterhouse Cup at Long Island.

World: 0.99937266
Soldiers face death after refusing to bomb Darfur Fifteen armed men in blue uniforms guard the metal stairs leading to the Sudanese court. Among the people massed at the bottom, only those who look official and scream loud

Sports: 0.99959284
Bovina ends two-year wait Seventh-seeded Russian Elena Bovina won her first title in two years by beating France #39;s Nathalie Dechy 6-2 2-6 7-5 in the final of the Pilot Pen tournament.

World: 0.9993691
UN, ending mission, says some human rights improvement Sudan's Darfur region (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - AL-FASHER, Sudan (AP) - Security has improved inside camps in Sudan's violence-torn Darfur region, but displaced villagers still face attacks and abuse when leave the camps, a United Nations team said Saturday, wrapping up a mission that could determine whether Sudan is hit with international sanctions.

SciTech: 0.96775347
File-Sharers, the Eyes of Justice Are Upon You President Bush likes to project the swashbuckling image, but this week it was the folks over at the Justice Department who formed the posse to go after the evildoers -- the ones on the Internet.

SciTech: 0.9977335
Mobile phone #39;deafness #39; risk p2pnet.net News:- Defects in Siemens 65 series mobile phones could cause deafness, says the company. quot;In extreme cases, this volume could lead to hearing damage.

World: 0.999373
Pakistani PM-elect takes parliament confidence vote Pakistani Prime Minister- elect Shaukat Aziz Saturday secured vote of confidence in the National Assembly (NA), the powerful lower house of the parliament,a requirement under the country #39;s constitution.

Sports: 0.9997029
TOMPKINS: Young Brit who fought here has shot at gold Great Britain #39;s Amir Khan, who looked so impressive in winning the 132-pound championship at the Junior International Invitational Boxing Championships here last summer, has a chance for an Olympic gold medal in the lightweight division today.

World: 0.99942064
Pakistan province focuses on prayers, curbing vice (Reuters) Reuters - Cinemas are barred from hoisting movie bill-boards and shopkeepers are afraid to display posters featuring women in the historic northern Pakistani city of Peshawar.

Business: 0.99654937
Apology, refund from cruise line In a move almost unheard of in its industry, Norwegian Cruise Line has apologized for service problems during the Pride of Aloha #39;s first two months of sailing around Hawaii, and is refunding a portion of the service charge to everyone who has cruised on

Sports: 0.9996712
Smith saves United LONDON, Aug. 28. - Alan Smith scored a late equaliser for Manchester United today as the side tied 1-1 at Blackburn. Sir Alex Fergusons side looked headed for their second Premier League defeat of the

World: 0.99935347
Sunday: A fierce battle between US forces and Shiite militants ... Tuesday: A Shiite insurgency appeared to be weakening as Iraqi forces moved to within 200 yards of the Imam Ali Shrine. Wednesday: Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric returned home with a peace initiative demanding an end to the fighting in Najaf.

World: 0.99816483
Terror is below radar in Russia It took 2 days for Russia #39;s security service to announce what virtually everyone else believed from the moment two domestic passenger airlines plunged to earth simultaneously

World: 0.99906343
Australian PM calls election on Oct. 9 Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Sunday announced that the next federal election will be held on October 9. He told a press conference here that voters will decide

Sports: 0.99955314
We owe Athens an apology ATHENS -- The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad -- the great disaster that wasn #39;t -- come to an emotional end this afternoon and, really, the world owes Athens an apology.

Sports: 0.999635
Legendary double for El Guerrouj In a historic 5,000-meter race, Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, who won gold at 1,500 meters last week, outkicked Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia in

Sports: 0.99965334
Hamm not looking back Controversial Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm is back in the United States and ready to move on. Hamm, in Worcester for the Rock amp; Roll

Business: 0.99104464
Northwest fee increase has agents crying foul The airline said it will begin paying only \$5 of the \$12.50 cost of booking a Northwest ticket through a global distribution system such as Sabre or Galileo starting Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99820244
Sanderson doesn't let gold out of his grasp ATHENS -- Cael Sanderson didn't look too comfortable on the medal stand last night. As the national anthem was played, he went from taking the winners' wreath off his head to putting it back on, to taking it off again and holding it across his chest.

World: 0.9992995
Chechens Vote for New Leader, 'Bomber' Kills Self ZNAMENSKOYE, Russia (Reuters) - Chechens voted Sunday for a new president in a tense election, but many doubted the Moscow-backed police officer who was set to win would manage to stamp out rebellion in the turbulent region.

Sports: 0.99956924
US Sprinter Pulled From Relay for Marijuana Violation Less than two hours before the Olympic men #39;s 400-meter relay semifinal on Friday, the United States Coach George Williams pulled John Capel from the race after being told by

World: 0.99903345
Five facts about France #39;s Muslim headscarf ban - The French parliament passed the law in March to ban quot;conspicuous symbols quot; of faith from its state school system. Guidelines for applying the law identified Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large

World: 0.9993424
Saboteurs Blow Up Oil Pipeline in Iraq (AP) AP - Saboteurs blew up a pipeline in southern Iraq on Sunday in the latest attack targeting the country's crucial oil industry, a senior oil official said.

World: 0.99934715
Vote near, Saudis push to modernize RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Even as Saudi Arabia struggles internally with violent extremists and externally with its image as the country that produced most of the attackers of Sept. 11, 2001, the desert kingdom's rulers are moving on multiple fronts to modernize and moderate their nation.

World: 0.9994042
French Govt., Muslims Appeal for Reporters' Release PARIS (Reuters) - France's government and leaders of its Muslim minority urged Iraqi militants Sunday to free two French journalists they were holding hostage in a bid to force Paris to revoke its ban on Muslim headscarves in schools.

World: 0.99374723
Spilled Oil, Gas Ignite in Iraq's South Rumaila Field BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Oil and gas spilled during recent sabotage attacks on Iraq's southern oil pipelines ignited Sunday and firefighters battled to douse the flames.

World: 0.99934405
Conn. Man, 70, Oldest to Swim Channel LONDON - A retired Connecticut pilot has become the oldest person to swim the English Channel. George Brunstad, 70, left Dover, England, Saturday morning heading for the French Coast...

Sports: 0.99537647
Schumacher Clinches Seventh Season Title (AP) AP - Michael Schumacher clinched an unprecedented seventh Formula One drivers' title at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, despite not winning for just the second time in 14 races this season.

Business: 0.9986192
SEC gives a slap on the wrist After last week #39;s settlement with San Francisco investment adviser Garrett Van Wagoner, you have to wonder how serious the Securities and Exchange Commission is about protecting mutual fund shareholders.

Sports: 0.9994831
Helm #39;s perfect 10 And the two-and-a-half back somersaults with one and a half twists in a pike position turned out to be his ticket to a silver medal.

World: 0.99936193
Tropical Storm Slams Into Coastal S.C. CHARLESTON, S.C. - Tropical Storm Gaston blasted the South Carolina coast with rain and near-hurricane strength wind early Sunday, flooding roads and knocking out power to at least 75,000 homes...

Sports: 0.9997129
UPDATE 1-Thompson earns Celtic a record win over Rangers Scottish champions Celtic secured a record seventh successive win over Glasgow rivals Rangers on Sunday with a 1-0 victory courtesy of midfielder Alan Thompson #39;s venomous late strike.

World: 0.9993943
Pakistan not for open-ended arms race: spokesman A Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Sunday said Islamabad does not favor an open-ended arms race in South Asia, according to the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Sports: 0.99970007
Montgomerie, Donald named as Ryder Cup wildcards European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer named Britons Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald as his wildcard picks on Sunday for next month #39;s match against the United States.

Sports: 0.9996426
Arsenal #39;s winning ways a joy Legendary Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough said last week that losing Forest #39;s 42-game unbeaten record to Arsenal stuck in the craw quot;because nobody likes them quot;, but surely that is not true.

World: 0.9993591
Thousands Hit NYC Streets; Cheney Arrives NEW YORK - Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched past the Madison Square Garden site of the Republican National Convention on Sunday, chanting, blowing whistles and carrying anti-war banners as delegates gathered to nominate President Bush for a second term. On the eve of the convention, the demonstrators packed the street from sidewalk to sidewalk for 20 blocks as they slowly filed past...

SciTech: 0.9965849
Windows Tip: Scheduled Tasks written by Greg Melton on Monday ... If you always forget to scan for viruses, update virus protection, run Disk Defragmenter, or run any other system tool, look to the Task Scheduler for help.

World: 0.99940884
Sudan peace talks resume Peace talks between Darfur rebels and the Sudanese Government have resumed after a 24-hour boycott by rebels who accused Khartoum of violating a ceasefire by killing 75 civilians in six villages.

World: 0.99846494
Dyke reopens WMD row Former BBC chief Greg Dyke has reopened the row over Tony Blair #39;s decision to go to war with Iraq. Dyke was forced to resign from his post, along with former BBC chairman Gavyn Davies, last January after Lord

World: 0.99937063
Moderate Republicans Criticize Bush (AP) AP - A group of moderate Republicans, many long out of office, called on President Bush and the Republican party to "come back to the mainstream" on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Sports: 0.8762049
Closing Ceremonies Host city Athens bid a final farewell to the athletes and guests of the 2004 Summer Games with a spectacular party under a full moon.

SciTech: 0.98268396
China launches science satellite China launched an experimental satellite into orbit Sunday, atop a Long March 2C carrier rocket; reported Xinhua, China #39;s government-run news agency.

Sports: 0.99970156
Sheffield day to day with sprained left ankle New York Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield missed Sunday #39;s against the Toronto Blue Jays with a sprained left ankle. Sheffield is listed as day to day.

World: 0.95643735
PM Hails Successful Launch Of Agni II NEW DELHI, AUG 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday congratulated the scientists and engineers for the successful launch of the Agni II missile.

Sports: 0.99878246
Italian Wins Marathon... US Finishes Second Italian Stefano Baldini has won the men #39;s marathon in a time of 2:10:54. Naturalized American Meb Keflezighi was a surprise runnerup with Brazil #39;s Vanderlei Lima finishing third.

Sports: 0.9849416
Warner Will Start for Giants in Opener Eli Manning remains the New York Giants' quarterback of the future. For now, the job belongs to Kurt Warner.

Sports: 0.67394644
A #39;new Greece #39; beams after success of Games As Greeks get a boost, it remains unclear if success will mean higher stature in Europe. By Peter Ford Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.

Sports: 0.9997094
Jimenez wins BMW Open with final-round 66 Spain #39;s Miguel Angel Jimenez won the BMW Open, his fourth title on the European tour this season, and Colin Montgomerie was one of six golfers to claim Ryder Cup berths Sunday.

Sports: 0.99865204
Jays power up to take finale Contrary to popular belief, the power never really snapped back at SkyDome on Sunday. The lights came on after an hour delay, but it took some extra time for the batting orders to provide some extra wattage.

Sports: 0.99907184
Hewitt, Davenport Top US Open Standings (AP) AP - Lleyton Hewitt and Lindsay Davenport could earn up to #36;500,000 extra at the U.S. Open because they finished atop the inaugural US Open Series standings.

SciTech: 0.98387873
Microsoft revamps its plans for Longhorn Microsoft is shaking up its plans for the next version of Windows to get the software off the drawing board and into PCs by the end of 2006.

World: 0.9993899
SEVEN KILLED IN KABUL BLOODSHED At least seven people have been killed in a bomb blast in central Kabul - the second deadly explosion in Afghanistan over the weekend.

Business: 0.8353552
Canada, US fail to resolve beef trade dispute Canada and the United States have failed to reach an agreement on resuming US imports of Canadian live cattle, local press reported Sunday.

Sports: 0.9991549
Angels' Glaus Activated From DL (AP) AP - Troy Glaus was activated from the 60-day disabled list Sunday by the Anaheim Angels and was back in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins.

Sports: 0.99897814
Ankiel solid in rehab start, unsure about future More that three years since he threw his last pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals, Ankiel gave up one unearned run and one hit in six innings Sunday for Triple-A Memphis in what could be his final start in the minors.

Business: 0.9984363
GOP Jamboree May Give Stocks Brief Lift NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fasten your seatbelts. The Republicans are in town. If things go smoothly at the Republican National Convention, the stock market could get a brief boost this week, experts say.

Business: 0.9956447
Tokyo Stocks Flat, Focus on Data TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks were flat in mid-morning trade on Monday with confidence in the domestic economic outlook failing to offset profit-taking that hit recent gainers such as insurers and real estate stocks.

SciTech: 0.9743294
China Launches Mapping Satellite (AP) AP - China on Sunday launched a satellite that will carry out land surveying and other scientific projects for several days and return to Earth, government media reported.

Business: 0.9985592
Federal-Mogul May Sell Turner amp; Newall Assets, Independent Says Federal-Mogul Corp., the bankrupt US engineering company, may sell its UK-based Turner amp; Newall Plc after the UK division #39;s independent pension trustee rejected a \$130 million cash offer

World: 0.9993382
GI #39;s in Talks With Rebels of Sadr Stronghold in Baghdad The American military met for five hours on Sunday with representatives of the rebellious cleric Moktada al-Sadr in the volatile Baghdad Shiite neighborhood of Sadr

World: 0.99938035
Allawi Meets Militants, Pushes Amnesty Iraq's interim prime minister said that he had held private meetings with representatives of insurgent groups from Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarra to persuade them to accept a government amnesty offer.

Sports: 0.99954754
El Guerrouj, Holmes book spots in Olympic Pantheon Britain #39;s Kelly Holmes and Morocco #39;s Hicham El Guerrouj earned their places among Olympic athletic legends here on Saturday as they won their second golds of the Games.

Sports: 0.9907165
Beijing gears up for 2008 Although the Beijing Olympics is still four years away, the Chinese capital is already gearing up to host the event. The city of over 12 million is refurbishing ancient landmarks in

Sports: 0.99770325
Warner Gets the Nod The first pick in the NFL draft last April will be the first QB off the bench for the Giants as Eli Manning lost the competition for the starting job to veteran Kurt Warner.

Sports: 0.9919059
New Namath Book Is Fact, Not Fiction If you read the recent excerpt of "Namath" in Sports Illustrated and were put off by the apparent focus on the iconic Broadway Joe's personal life, be comforted in the knowledge that Mark Kriegel's 441-page biography includes plenty of football, too. The book is exhaustively researched and includes telling anecdotes from Beaver Falls, Pa., to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to New York.

Sports: 0.98843503
Mr. Chang, Strike a Pose Halfway around the world, standing virtually in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the incomparable Timmy Chang is just days away from throwing his first pass of the season. From my tattered sofa, I will be watching him. I want you to watch him, too.

Sports: 0.99971014
ROGER #39;S READY Roger Federer says he #39;s ready to erase the image as being too soft to win in New York. The world #39;s No. 1 player from Switzerland has played three US Opens and lost in the fourth round each time.

Business: 0.99729675
Still no beef resolution after latest talks NEW YORK, (Aug. 30, 2004) - Cattle farmers and haulers finally looking for a quick end to a 15-month ban on live cattle exports to the US are out of luck after Canadian Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchell

Sports: 0.9997019
Women #39;s basketball team finds special place in Chancellor #39;s heart The medal ceremony had ended. Van Chancellor had already shed a few tears, but he had held his emotions together through all the hugs and dancing, even through the victory

World: 0.9993436
New Pakistan cabinet may be sworn in today Islamabad, :A new Cabinet in Pakistan is likely to be sworn in on Monday, two days after Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz was made the country #39;s 23rd Prime Minister.

SciTech: 0.9980506
Infocus: Deploying Network Access Quarantine Control, Part 2 This article discusses Network Access Quarantine Control in Windows Server 2003, which allows administrators to quarantine mobile users and verify their security posture before giving them full access to the network. Part 2 of 2.

Business: 0.7003255
Scaffold collapse survivors improving One of the men who survived Friday #39;s fatal scaffold collapse is in guarded condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital and the two other survivors were released on Sunday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

World: 0.99940073
Pollsters refuse to write off Australian PM despite lag in polls (AFP) AFP - Opinion polls give Australia's opposition Labor Party a big lead over Prime Minister John Howard's conservative government as campaigning begins for October 9 elections, but analysts say the real race is still too close to call.

Business: 0.9498971
Santander accelerates Abbey bid Santander says it aims to complete its takeover of UK mortgage lender Abbey one month sooner than originally planned.

Sports: 0.9931022
A blazing start for Beijing Greece tried to pass the Olympics baton off to Beijing on Sunday night, but it was a tough job. The Chinese are way ahead of the curve already.

Sports: 0.9996929
Wakefield goes deep this time When it comes to giving up long balls, Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield has a short memory. Just three weeks after he surrendered a club-record six home

Sports: 0.9995221
Hot pursuit Times like these make grown men talk to televisions. quot;C'mon, guys, get the darn out, quot; Pedro Martinez shouted at a big screen in the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday as he watched the Blue Jays try to finish off the Yankees with two outs and the potential winning run at the plate in the ninth inning in Toronto.

Sports: 0.9994655
Youngster Khan taken to school The sensation of the Olympic boxing tournament learned yesterday that there #39;s no substitute for experience. At least not in the ring.

Business: 0.99236465
Challenger disappoints with writedown The Kerry Packer-backed Challenger Financial Services Group has reported its first net loss since incorporating, impacted by a massive writedown of goodwill.

Business: 0.9948732
Corporate Failures Hurt Pension Guaranty Group Description: A flurry of corporate bankruptcies in the past few years leaves a public agency strapped for cash: the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Sports: 0.99971586
Bellhorn makes plenty of noise: Big Second baseman Mark Bellhorn stats, news issued the closing statement in the Red Sox stats, schedule #39; four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers yesterday at Fenway Park.

World: 0.9905427
Going ballistic: Agni-II test fired NEW DELHI: Indias quest to develop a solid missile defence took a step forward today when it successfully test-fired the surface-to-surface Agni-II missile, which can cover targets in the 2000-2500 kms-range, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at

World: 0.9994248
Nigerian troops set off on AU peace mission to Darfur (AFP) AFP - A 155-strong company of Nigerian infantry flew out of Abuja, heading for the war-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur to join an African Union force protecting ceasefire monitors.

Business: 0.9971744
UPDATE: Sons Of Gwalia In Administration On Hedging Debt PERTH (Dow Jones)--Sons of Gwalia Ltd. (SGW.AU), Australia #39;s second-biggest gold producer, has fallen into administration over aA\$348 million hedge book liability.

World: 0.9961371
Carnival crowds likely to top 1m As the Notting Hill Carnival enters its final day, police say they are pleased with how it has gone so far. About 250,000 people took to the streets on Sunday - more than double the first day last year - to celebrate 40 years of the west London event.

World: 0.99939334
Typhoon Chaba Kills Four in Japan Powerful Typhoon Chaba has plowed into southern Japan, sweeping at least four people to their deaths and injuring more than 30 as it knocked out power to thousands.

World: 0.9992618
Vietnam Marks Independence with Pardons for Prisoners HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has released nearly 9,000 prisoners, including 10 inmates whose cases it says had drawn international attention, as part of traditional pardons granted ahead of independence celebrations on September 2.

Business: 0.99756515
Mining concern names outside managers SYDNEY Sons of Gwalia, the world #39;s leading supplier of tantalum, appointed outside managers on Monday after failing to reach agreement with creditors.

Business: 0.5849018
Minister Lee Says Uncertainty Deepens Economic Lethargy Deputy Prime Minister and Finance-Economy Minister Lee Hun-jai said Monday the nation #39;s current economic lethargy is due to unsubstantiated uncertainty #39; #39; about the future, which in turn weakens the confidence of market players.

Sports: 0.99943477
Robson #39; Massively Disappointed #39; at Newcastle Exit Departing Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson has spoken of his regret at not being able to complete his mission after being relieved of his duties today.

Business: 0.99286556
Atlas Copco to Sell Electric Tool Business Swedish engineering company Atlas Copco said Monday it will sell its electric tool business to Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries Co.

World: 0.9994123
Sadr Aide Tells Iraq Militia to Cease Fire -TV A top aide to Iraq #39;s rebel Shi #39;ite leader Muqtada al-Sadr Monday called on the Mehdi Army militia to cease fire across Iraq and said Sadr was preparing to announce plans for a major political program.

SciTech: 0.99479043
96 Processors Under Your Desktop Roland Piquepaille writes quot;A small Santa Clara-based company, Orion Multisystems, today unveils a new concept in computing, #39;cluster workstations.

Sports: 0.9781779
Defrocked Priest Gets Suspended Sentence for Marathon Attack A defrocked Irish priest who attacked the leader during yesterdays Olympic marathon was given a one year suspended sentence in Athens today.

Business: 0.99792814
UPDATE:Sinopec 1H Pft Up 51; To Raise Refining Capacity HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China Petroleum amp; Chemical Corp. (SNP), the country #39;s second-largest oil and gas producer, Monday reported a 51 jump in first-half earnings and said it plans to boost its refining capacity by about one-fifth over three years.

Business: 0.99859804
Rebound in US consumer spending US consumer spending rebounded in July, a sign the economy may be emerging from an early summer decline. Consumer spending rose 0.8 last month, boosted by car and retail sales.

World: 0.99935955
Israeli Held Meetings With U.S. Analyst (AP) AP - A senior Israeli diplomat in Washington has met with a Pentagon analyst being investigated by the FBI on suspicion he passed classified information to Israel, Israeli officials confirmed Monday.

Business: 0.9985056
Regional House Price Declines Possible WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing industry economists on Monday cautioned that rapid house price gains in some areas of the country may not be sustainable.

SciTech: 0.9975654
Intel Shrinks Transistor Size By 30 pinkUZI writes quot;Intel will announce that it has crammed 500 million transistors on to a single memory chip, shrinking them in size by 30.

Business: 0.9984824
US Airways Up on Labor Talks US Airways #39; (UAIR:Nasdaq - news - research) shares jumped almost 20 on news that management and pilots were back at the table, trying to hammer out an agreement on work concessions to save the company.

Sports: 0.9996978
Language of goals what counts for tongue-tied Ronnie and Michael England striker Michael Owen said his lack of Spanish and Ronaldo #39;s lack of English did not hinder celebrations of the Brazilian #39;s matchwinner for Real Madrid in Sunday #39;s 1-0 win at Mallorca.

Business: 0.99857354
Oil Drops Below \$42 a Barrel NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices fell more than \$1 on Monday on continued profit-taking as producer-group OPEC eyed increases in the coming months in its tight spare capacity, countering worries over stumbling Iraqi oil exports.

World: 0.9993369
Al-Sadr Calls on Militia to Stop Fighting BAGHDAD, Iraq - Rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for his followers across Iraq to end fighting against U.S. and Iraqi forces and is planning to join the political process in the coming days, an al-Sadr aide said Monday...

Business: 0.99844944
Regional Home Price Drop Possible WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing industry economists on Monday cautioned that rapid house price gains in some areas of the country may not be sustainable.

Sports: 0.99971884
Man U. and Everton play to scoreless draw Manchester, England (Sports Network) - Manchester United #39;s struggle continued on Monday when they failed to score in a 0-0 tie with Everton at Old Trafford.

World: 0.99931836
GOP Sharpens Attacks As Convention Opens NEW YORK (AP) -- Sen. John McCain said Monday it was fair game to criticize Democrat John Kerry's anti-war protests three decades ago, firing an opening salvo as Republicans at their national convention sought to portray President Bush as a strong wartime leader.

World: 0.999406
11 Dead in a Car Bomb in Kabul KABUL (Masnet amp; News Agencies) - At least eleven people, including two US citizens, were killed when a truck bomb exploded in downtown Kabul in the second deadly blast to strike Afghanistan over the weekend.

SciTech: 0.94183755
Microsoft spends 1bn to keep out the hackers The growing threat of hackers and viruses has prompted Microsoft to roll out a billion- dollar upgrade of its Windows computer operating system to strengthen security.

SciTech: 0.9978521
Juniper Takes Security to Endpoints Juniper Networks (Quote, Chart) has launched a new initiative designed to improve interoperability of popular third-party antivirus and firewall measures with its own Secure Socket Layer (define) Virtual Private Network (define) appliances.

Business: 0.9972759
Stocks Dip on Consumer Income Report News (AP) AP - An unsettling report on consumer incomes set off a spate of profit-taking on Wall Street Monday as investors worried that a tepid economy would erode companies' third-quarter earnings. Another drop in oil prices failed to shake the gloom from the market.

Business: 0.99856997
SEC Probes United Rentals, Shares Drop CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators are investigating United Rentals Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=URI.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">URI.N</A> and have subpoenaed some accounting records, the company said on Monday, sending its shares down 21.5 percent.

World: 0.99938
New Chechen Leader Vows Peace, Poll Criticized GROZNY, Russia (Reuters) - Chechnya's new leader vowed on Monday to rebuild the shattered region and crush extremists, after winning an election condemned by rights groups as a stage-managed show and by Washington as seriously flawed.

World: 0.99900144
Africa takes tough stand on coups The arrest of Margaret Thatcher's son last week is the latest example of a crackdown on overthrows.

World: 0.9993311
Generals May Pay a Price for Iraq Abuse WASHINGTON - The Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal could effectively end the careers of four Army generals who are linked indirectly to the misconduct but face no criminal charges. The four are singled out for varying degrees of criticism - mixed with instances of praise - in two comprehensive investigative reports released last week...

SciTech: 0.92994606
Survey: IT spending to grow modestly next year CIO confidence is up in third quarter, according to Forrester poll.

SciTech: 0.9970186
Coming to a TV near you: Ads for desktop Linux Linspire CEO points out that recent TV ads serve as indication of acceptance in mainstream populace.

Sports: 0.99969685
FOOTBALL: RAE KNEE SCAN HAS MCLEISH IN A SWEAT ALEX RAE was in hospital yesterday for a scan on his injured knee after playing through the pain barrier in Sunday #39;s Old Firm clash.

World: 0.7492254
Iraqi oil exports slump: report NEAR daily attacks on pipelines and pumping stations had pushed down Iraq #39;s oil exports to their lowest point in nearly a year, Britain #39;s Financial Times newspaper reported today.

Business: 0.9952571
Australia #39;s Seven FY Net Jumps 59 To A\$93.3M -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian television broadcaster Seven Network Ltd. (SEV) said Tuesday net profit jumped 59 to A\$93.3 million for the fiscal year ended June 26, boosted by profit proceeds from the sell down of its stake in B Digital.

Business: 0.99470514
Parts pinch shuts down Ford plant Workers at the Ford plant in Hapeville are getting a second unexpected day off during the dog days of summer. The company has stopped assembly-line production at the plant today because of a continued parts shortage, a Ford official said.

SciTech: 0.99763846
Orion Debuts Cluster Workstation Orion Multisystems, a new company founded by former Transmeta (Quote, Chart) executives, debuted a family of workstations Monday that think and act like a cluster of servers.

SciTech: 0.9477714
AT amp;T Embraces Voice-over-Internet Telephony AT amp;T is attracted to Voice over IP because Internet telephony is cheaper to offer to businesses and consumers and requires less upfront investment than the old copper wire and traditional switching networks.

Sports: 0.9995128
Off-day would have been welcomed by Sox After another disappointing road trip - the White Sox were 3-4 on a swing through Detroit and Cleveland - a day off sure would look enticing.

Business: 0.9985317
Maker of Twinkies Delays Filing Annual Report, Hires Turnaround ... KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 30 -- Twinkie maker Interstate Bakeries Corp. on Monday delayed filing its annual report for the second time, a move that dragged shares lower by more than 42 percent on speculation about the company #39;s ongoing viability.

World: 0.99922085
MND confirms China pulling troops from drill The Ministry of Defense confirmed yesterday that China #39;s military had withdrawn most of its troops from Dongshan Island where it was to hold an annual war game, but would not say if the action indicated Beijing was calling off the maneuvers that simulate

World: 0.9986957
A Better Solution for Israel The hysterical tone of Daniel Seidemann #39;s plea to the next US administration to save Israel from itself serves no useful purpose op-ed, Aug. 26.

Sports: 0.9988612
Braves Rally to Defeat Giants 7-6 (AP) AP - Even with a big lead in the NL East, the Atlanta Braves aren't taking anything for granted.

Sports: 0.9994091
Bryant Jury Selection Behind Closed Doors (AP) AP - Prospective jurors in the Kobe Bryant rape case were asked their feelings on racial prejudice, interracial relationships, marital infidelity and justice for the rich and famous in an 82-item questionnaire released Monday.

SciTech: 0.6402107
IT seeing steady but slow growth: Forrester projects 7 percent ... Tech companies waiting for a big resurgence in spending on computer hardware, software, networks and staff better plan to wait about four more years, Forrester Research projected yesterday.

Sports: 0.9896219
White Sox Edge Phillies Joe Borchard wows the crowd with the longest homer in the 14-year history of U.S. Cellular Field as the White Sox edge the Phillies 9-8.

SciTech: 0.58057123
ANOTHER VOICE Sugary drinks bad for you Many studies have linked the consumption of nondiet soda and fruit juices with added sugars to obesity and attendant risks of diabetes.

Sports: 0.9997136
Testaverde accepts Parcells #39; nomination Who would have thought that the Dallas Cowboys #39; offense would be the least of coach Bill Parcells problems? After cutting their starting quarterback in training camp, signing a controversial

SciTech: 0.95035225
Australia Police to Trap Cyberspace Pedophiles (Reuters) Reuters - Australian police acting as part of an\international "cyber cop" network will be able to trap\pedophiles who use the Internet to "groom" or lure children for\sex, under new laws passed by parliament on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99967885
Marlins keep pace in wild-card race The Mets #39; objective, Fred Wilpon said last winter and into the spring, was to play meaningful games late into the season. The owner was confident his revamped team could compete for first place

World: 0.99928087
Milosevic opens his defense case, starting second half of his ... Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic opened his long-delayed defense at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal Tuesday, describing the battles of his Serbian people as self defense against internal rebellions and external attacks by Islamic warriors.

Sports: 0.9994504
Injury brings Brown down Troy Brown didn't play any defense against Carolina in Saturday night's exhibition game. Thing is, he didn't play much offense or special teams, either.

Business: 0.998522
Starting today, funds' stances on proxies are matter of record Every year, public companies put a number of questions before their stockholders for a vote. Investors weigh in on whether to reelect company directors, reappoint auditors, and approve or kill plans to give big stock option packages to senior executives.

Sports: 0.9993542
Athens coverage a winner for NBC NBC and its family of cable networks flooded American households with nearly nonstop coverage of the Athens Olympics, and the strategy - along with strong performances by the US teams in swimming and gymnastics -roduced not only a ratings increase

Business: 0.98633236
Alitalia union may accept job cuts A top Italian labor leader says his union could consider job cuts at Alitalia to prevent the airline #39;s collapse, as workers at the flag carrier clamored for details of its cost-cutting rescue plan.

SciTech: 0.9789764
FCC asks high court to rule on broadband (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The federal government is challenging an appeals court ruling that, officials fear, would stifle the expansion of cable broadband services by burdening the providers with new regulations.

SciTech: 0.9934316
Longhorn announcements barely a blimp on IT radar While developers are naturally curious over tweaks to the Longhorn road map, many IT administrators barely take notice. Enterprise IT customers typically lag at least

SciTech: 0.97052807
Novell reshuffles biz for Linux focus Novell is reorganising its business to focus on two key areas - Linux and identity management. The networking software firm #39;s Nterprise and Linux operations will be folded into a Platform and Application Services group CRN reports.

World: 0.99934405
British Minister to Visit North Korea in September The British government has announced plans to send a top Foreign Office representative to North Korea in September. Junior Minister for East Asia Bill Rammell will become the first British minister to visit

Sports: 0.99947387
Broncos Running Back Out for Entire Season (AP) AP - Denver Broncos running back Mike Anderson will miss the entire season because of a groin injury sustained last weekend in an exhibition game against Houston.

SciTech: 0.84110034
Apple unveils super thin iMac in Paris (AFP) AFP - Apple Computers launched the newest version of its iMac model, which at two inches thick, is the world's thinnest desktop computer, the company said.

World: 0.99941576
Conditions Worsen in Darfur, U.N. Agencies Say (Reuters) Reuters - Conditions for 1.2 million Sudanese\displaced in Darfur continue to worsen amid violent attacks,\spreading disease, and heavy rains which wreak havoc with aid\convoys, United Nations agencies said on Tuesday.

World: 0.9993456
Australian employee of Canadian oil company reportedly abducted in Yemen (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Diplomats investigated Tuesday a report that an Australian oil engineer had been abducted in Yemen by armed tribesmen, but a conflicting report from Yemen said there was no kidnapping.

Business: 0.99110186
EU, Japan Win WTO Approval to Impose Duties on US (Update2) The European Union, Japan and Brazil won World Trade Organization backing to impose tariffs on US imports after Congress failed to end illegal corporate subsidies worth \$850 million since 2001.

Business: 0.9889564
Study: CEOs rewarded for outsourcing NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The CEOs of the top 50 US companies that sent service jobs overseas pulled down far more pay than their counterparts at other large companies last year, a study said Tuesday.

Business: 0.9985233
Hartford Sees \$91 Mln in Charley Losses NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HIG.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HIG.N</A> on Tuesday became the latest insurer to issue a profit warning tied to Hurricane Charley, the strongest storm to hit Florida in a dozen years.

Sports: 0.9996499
Roundup: Illini men rise to top of AP poll, win game There was little celebrating when Illinois men #39;s players found out they were ranked No. 1 in the nation yesterday afternoon. There was a game to play at night.

World: 0.9992964
Maddux Wins No. 302, Baker Wins No. 1,000 Greg Maddux pitched the Chicago Cubs into the lead in the NL wild-card race and gave Dusty Baker a win to remember. Maddux threw seven shutout innings for his 302nd career win, Baker got his 1,000th victory as a manager and Chicago beat the Montreal Expos 5-2 on Monday night...

SciTech: 0.9980579
Apple's New iMac Computer Is All Display PARIS (Reuters) - Apple Computer unveiled, after a two-month delay, its new iMac desktop computer on Tuesday which integrates disk drives and processors into a flat display less than two inches thick.

SciTech: 0.99701345
New iMac packs computer into flat screen PARIS Apple Computer engineered another design coup on Tuesday, unveiling a new iMac here that incorporates all of the personal computer #39;s innards into a flat-panel screen that balances on an aluminum stand.

Business: 0.9986104
UPDATE 3-Albertsons hit by California strike; shares fall Albertsons Inc. (ABS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the No. 2 US grocer, on Tuesday reported a substantial drop in its quarterly profit as heavy promotions

SciTech: 0.6528977
Samsung readies Philips #39; near-field communications for cellphones MANHASSET, NY - Philips Electronics and Samsung Electronics have entered into a deal that will enable Samsung to deploy cellular devices using Philips #39; near-field communications chip and technology.

World: 0.99940264
Putin Says Plane Crashes Involved Terrorists Linked to Al-Qaeda Russian President Vladimir Putin today said the explosions that brought down two airliners in Russia a week ago were the work of terrorists linked to the al- Qaeda terrorist network.

World: 0.99929774
Hurricane Frances Nears NE Caribbean (AP) AP - Hurricane Frances strengthened as it churned near islands of the northeastern Caribbean with ferocious winds expected to graze Puerto Rico on Tuesday before the storm plows on toward the Bahamas and the southeastern United States.

Sports: 0.999501
Kansas City Royals Team Report - August 31 (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals try to get back on the winning track this evening when they continue their three-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium.

Sports: 0.99971884
Montreal Expos Team Report - August 31 (Sports Network) - The Montreal Expos were handed a setback in Monday #39;s opener at Olympic Stadium. Greg Maddux threw seven shutout innings and went 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate to lead the Cubs to a 5-2 victory.

SciTech: 0.9963247
Microsoft to delay advanced search technology from Longhorn Microsoft said Friday that it is delaying the release of a new data-storage technology, named WinFS, from the next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, in order to deliver the operating system by 2006.

World: 0.9994023
Darfur conditions worsen rebels struggle to make headway in talks aiming to ease the conflict in the Darfur region. sanctions on Sudan, by saying Moscow opposed sanctions.

SciTech: 0.99764436
Beyond solar system, planets that look familiar The universe looked a little more familiar and friendlier on Tuesday. The roll call of planets beyond the solar system swelled significantly with the announcement of a trio of newly discovered worlds much

Business: 0.99832207
Credit Suisse to Combine US Unit Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland #39;s second-largest bank, said Tuesday it will combine its US-based Credit Suisse First Boston investment unit with its retail and private banking business within two years.

SciTech: 0.8567336
Spammers use sender authentication too, study says The technology hasn't been widely adopted, but spammers are taking it up at a faster rate than legitimate e-mailers.

SciTech: 0.99754626
SafeGuard Offers Easy Hard-Drive Protection Upgraded version of this encryption app adds plenty of tools for networked users.

Sports: 0.99915147
Francis Nixes Hurricanes' Front Office Job (AP) AP - Ron Francis turned down a front-office job with the Carolina Hurricanes and is still deciding whether he wants to continue his playing career.

Sports: 0.99962676
Disgraced Greek Sprinters Drug Tested by WADA ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have been dope tested by doctors from the World Anti-Doping Agency, an official said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9972198
Skype Telephony Now Available for the Mac Skype for Windows, Skype for Pocket PC and Skype for Linux -- Skype for Mac OS X is free. Skype users can control their online presence and

World: 0.999393
Killings shock, humiliate Nepalese Protesters in Kathmandu have expressed disbelief and frustration after learning of the deaths of 12 Nepalese hostages in Iraq. Nepal #39;s ambassador to Qatar, Somananda Suman, confirmed

World: 0.99940336
Gaddafi to Compensate Libyan Jews for Lost Homes (Reuters) Reuters - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, easing\his country's way back into the international fold, on Tuesday\became the first Arab leader to promise compensation for Jews\who were forced from their homes due to religious tension.

SciTech: 0.9978556
Microsoft To Ship Longhorn in 2006 Without WinFS Microsoft will ship its next Windows client code-named Longhorn in 2006 as originally promised -- but without the next-generation file system known as WinFS.

SciTech: 0.7824136
Veritas Keeps Reaching into Its Wallet By acquiring KVault, which makes e-mail-archiving software, it aims to erode EMC #39;s lead and rebuild investors #39; confidence.

Sports: 0.9997131
NL Wrap: Edmonds Double Strike Lifts Cards Over Padres NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jim Edmonds belted two solo homers to lead the host St Louis Cardinals to an easy 9-3 win over the San Diego Padres in National League action at Busch Stadium Tuesday.

Business: 0.99831617
A Year of Charges, Reforms for Funds NEW YORK -- Just a year ago this week, New York Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer shook the financial services industry -- and investor confidence -- by revealing that four big-name mutual fund companies had cut secret deals allowing a New Jersey hedge fund to profit from short-term trading at the expense of ordinary investors.

World: 0.9991155
Moscow Rail Station Evacuated on Bomb Threat, Interfax Says Moscow police are conducting a partial evacuation at the Kursk railway station in central Moscow as they search for explosives after receiving an anonymous phone call from a man threatening

World: 0.99940825
Iraq #39;s Chalabi escapes attempt on his life Gunmen opened fire Wednesday on a convoy carrying former Iraqi Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi in an apparent assassination attempt that wounded two of his bodyguards, Chalabi #39;s spokesman said.

SciTech: 0.99767
Blu-ray group mandates Microsoft codec for BD-ROM The Blu-ray Disc Association (BRDA) has selected Microsoft #39;s VC-9 video codec for future BD-ROM content, the organisation said today.

Sports: 0.9985843
Mariners riding the Ichiro wave Ichiro Suzuki singled three times last night to etch out a spot in history and to send the Toronto Blue Jays a little deeper into oblivion.

Sports: 0.9991239
Wharf marks debut with wickets In-form Alex Wharf made an impressive start to his international career this morning with wickets in his first two overs against India at Trent Bridge.

Sports: 0.9997038
Roddick blisters junior champ By the time his match with Andy Roddick was over, Jenkins had felt the full fury of Roddick #39;s jet blast. Roddick had nailed a 152-mph serve at him, the fastest serve in Open history and one

SciTech: 0.99699116
AMD dual-core demo pips Intel, IBM AMD has demonstrated the company #39;s first dual-core microprocessors. Dual-core processors offer improved performance over single-core chips, especially in multithreaded applications.

World: 0.9994099
Gunmen ambush Chalabi #39;s convoy, wound 2 BAGHDAD - Gunmen ambushed the convoy of former Iraqi governing council president Ahmed Chalabi on Wednesday, wounding two of his bodyguards, aides said.

Business: 0.9975707
Albertsons #39; 2Q Profit Falls 36 Percent Persistent economic sluggishness and continued fallout from the Southern California labor dispute slashed second quarter profits 36 percent for Albertsons Inc.

Business: 0.9843887
Problem device bypassed trials The catheter that triggered three safety recalls by Boston Scientific Corp. of its best-selling Taxus coronary stent after being linked to three deaths and 47 injuries had not been subjected to the rigors of a human clinical trial, FDA records show.

SciTech: 0.99800485
CRM Vendor Entellium Adopts Open-Source Strategy (TechWeb) TechWeb - Availability of Entellium's code could speed development of industry-specific CRM products.

World: 0.9993709
Suicide bomber kills at least 10 in Moscow MOSCOW -- A woman strapped with explosives blew herself up outside a busy Moscow subway station yesterday night, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 50 in the second terrorist attack to hit Russia in a week.

SciTech: 0.92743653
Old Rumors of Gay Sex Prove Powerful on Web Va. GOP members chose Del. Thelma Drake (Norfolk) to replace Rep. Edward L. Schrock after he resigned amidst allegations Schrock indulged in or solicited gay sex.

SciTech: 0.9873375
Monster Mashes Attract Masses Kaiju Big Battel -- a multimedia event in which costumed combatants spew toxic ooze on audience members -- is growing in popularity. There are already dedicated websites and a DVD series. Coming next: a book and TV pilot. By Xeni Jardin.

Business: 0.9982199
Scottish amp; Southern wraps up a 3bn deal over distribution ... SCOTTISH amp; Southern Energy yesterday called time on its 18-month acquisition spree after confirming a 3.1 billion swoop for two gas distribution networks.

Sports: 0.9990669
Manchester United the only team for me, says Rooney Teenage striker Wayne Rooney says Manchester United were the only team he wanted to join once they he knew the club were interested in him.

Sports: 0.67109054
Three jockeys, one trainer arrested LONDON -- British police arrested 16 people, including three jockeys and a trainer, Wednesday as part of a major crackdown on corruption in horse racing.

SciTech: 0.99779
Ooh la la, Apple unveils new iMac (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Attempting to capitalize on iPod mania, Apple Computer Tuesday unveiled a fast new version of the iMac that it all but touted as a smart accessory for the sexy music players.

Business: 0.99851316
Verizon, Bain Near Canada Directory Deal NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=VZ.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">VZ.N</A> is near an agreement to sell its Canadian telephone directory business to private equity firm Bain Capital, the New York Post said on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99841547
RESEARCH ALERT-First Albany ups SuperGen to quot;buy quot; on drug deal First Albany Capital on Wednesday raised SuperGen Inc. #39;s (SUPG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) stock rating to quot;buy quot; from quot;neutral, quot; following its cancer-drug deal with MGI Pharma Inc.

SciTech: 0.99566513
Alien Contact More Likely by quot;Mail quot; Than Radio, Study Says Researchers behind the study speculate that other life-forms may have already sent us messages, perhaps even as organic material embedded in asteroids that have struck Earth.

SciTech: 0.98723304
Oracle Moves To Monthly Patch Schedule An alert posted on the company #39;s Web site outlined the patches that should be posted to fix numerous security holes in a number of applications.

SciTech: 0.9876074
Internet Explorer Wins the Battle There #39;s a remarkable graph on Google #39;s Zeitgeist site showing the meteoric rise of Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 use and equally catastrophic decline of all other competing browsers.

Sports: 0.9995672
Compete against your friends, SI experts and celebrities in this ... OWINGS MILLS, Maryland (Ticker) -- quot;Prime Time quot; has decided this is the right time to return to the NFL. Deion Sanders, regarded as perhaps the most electrifying cornerback in league history, arrived here

Business: 0.9983387
U.S. Factory Growth Eases NEW YORK (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.

SciTech: 0.81600124
China Reports Births of Two Giant Pandas (AP) AP - For pandas, it's practically a baby boom. Two giant pandas were born this week, and mothers and cubs were doing fine, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9995807
D #39;Urso suspended by FA The Football Association has handed referee Andy D #39;Urso a 28-day suspension following his failure to give Barry Ferguson his marching orders against Southampton on August 21.

World: 0.99940157
Israel seals off Gaza Strip The Israeli army sealed off Gaza Strip Wednesday by shutting down Erez Crossing and the Industrial Zone and prevented Palestinians from leaving.

SciTech: 0.68200606
Need for carbon sink technologies Climate scientists tell a conference that greater efforts should be made to pull CO2 from the atmosphere.

Business: 0.9971295
Share-deal ban signals MGM deal MOVIE studio Metro-Goldwyn Meyer has reportedly banned some of its staff from buying or selling its shares, stoking speculation that a multibillion-dollar takeover of the group could be days away, with Time Warner the favoured candidate.

SciTech: 0.9800655
Dell Debuts Color Laser Printers Three new models are designed for businesses and home office users.

Business: 0.9986156
Crude oil prices soar on drop in US oil inventories Crude oil futures surged Wednesday as the US Energy Department reported US oil supplies fell more than expected. Crude oil for October delivery rose 1.68 dollars to 43.

SciTech: 0.9914118
Companies Moving Cautiously on Microsoft #39;s SP2 Update quot;Whether companies roll out Windows XP immediately or replace their older operating systems with Windows XP when purchasing new PCs, companies now have to ensure XP SP2 compliancy by determining

World: 0.999355
Milosevic Startled: No Applause It was to have been Slobodan Milosevic #39;s day of dignity, the day on which the former Serbian leader would, with certain drama, lay out his defense strategy in his trial

Business: 0.79264665
Google shares down ahead of first lockup expiry Shares in newly public Google Inc. fell 2 percent on Wednesday as investors braced for the expiration of a lockup period that has kept insiders at the Web search company from selling stock.

Business: 0.9984756
Philip Morris, plaintiffs fighting again SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Philip Morris and lawyers who won a ten-(B)billion-dollar judgment against the company are fighting again. The cigarette maker on Monday asked the Illinois Supreme Court to disqualify a Chicago

SciTech: 0.9973755
Aether Declines Higher Bid for Unit (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Aether Systems Inc., a Maryland wireless data company that is selling off its operating units, said yesterday it received a #36;30 million offer for a division it had already agreed to sell to another buyer for #36;25 million.

SciTech: 0.9968555
Scientists to Study Dairy Going Organic (AP) AP - Cornell researchers will watch five upstate New York dairy herds to learn about the problems and challenges of converting from conventional to organic farming.

World: 0.9994086
29 escapees from North seek refuge at school in Beijing BEIJING -- Twenty-nine people believed to be North Korean entered the Japanese school in Beijing on Wednesday morning to seek asylum in a country other than China, according to Foreign Ministry officials in Tokyo.

Sports: 0.9971745
Orioles 8, Devil Rays 0 Javy Lopez drove in four runs, Daniel Cabrera became the first rookie to win 10 games this season, and the Baltimore Orioles held the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to two hits in an 8-0 victory.

SciTech: 0.9901603
Europeans Eat Less of Dangerous Fatty Foods By PAUL GEITNER BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Europeans eat less of the most dangerous, cholesterol-raising fats than Americans do and the amount is decreasing, according to a report released Wednesday by the European Food Safety Authority. Scientists at the European Food Safety authority declined to say whether the EU should follow the United States' lead and require special labels on margarine, chips, cookies, fries and other potential sources of trans fatty acids...

Business: 0.8006434
Samsung Says It Will Expand Chip Factories The Samsung Electronics Company, the Korean electronics giant, said Monday that it would invest \$23.7 billion in new chip production lines over the next six years.

SciTech: 0.86802804
SAP software exposes shipper's financial errors The installation of SAP financial software at a major London-based container transport firm exposed flaws in the company's accounting systems and processes, forcing it to restate its earnings.

SciTech: 0.98185235
VeriSign sues ICANN in state court VeriSign is asking a California court to order the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to butt out of its business.

World: 0.99935645
Mexican columnist murdered A prominent Mexican journalist known for his reports on organised crime is killed on the US border.

Sports: 0.9953377
O's Stuff Devil Rays Javy Lopez drives in four runs, Daniel Cabrera becomes the first rookie to win 10 games this season, and the Orioles hold Tampa Bay to two hits in an 8-0 victory Wednesday night.

World: 0.9991615
Republican Convention Dogged by Relentless Protests (Reuters) Reuters - Five thousand people protesting high\job losses formed a 3 mile unemployment line in Manhattan on\Wednesday and AIDS activists disrupted a Republican meeting on\the third day of the party's convention to nominate the\president to a second term in office.

Business: 0.99860007
Update 8: Ford, GM Set Production Cuts on Sales Drop Another disappointing sales month at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. led the nation #39;s two largest automakers to cut planned vehicle production in the fourth quarter, which could hurt profits.

SciTech: 0.99634534
Apple Unwraps New IMac G5s PARIS -- Apple Computer will begin shipping its new IMac G5 desktop computer worldwide in mid-September, the company #39;s top marketing executive says.

SciTech: 0.99645776
Sneaky Sharing (PC World) PC World - Despite well-publicized wins by piracy foes, illegal digital music and movie trading continues to flourish in underground havens.

World: 0.9993777
Hague Court Imposes Defense Counsel on Milosevic THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Judges at The Hague tribunal on Thursday imposed a defense counsel on former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to avoid further delays in his war crimes trial.

Sports: 0.9997192
It #39;s got to be Cole on the left Football365 #39;s top pundit looks ahead to England #39;s international double-header and calls for Joe Cole to be given the nod on the left... Of the three left-sided options available to Sven-Goran Eriksson on Saturday, I would personally go for Joe Cole.

World: 0.9993787
Court imposes lawyer on Milosevic The UN tribunal in The Hague says it will impose a defence lawyer on former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic.

Business: 0.9984847
Not a big hit everywhere Bill Ryan is spending the last days of the summer traveling across Canada and the United States to pitch big shareholders on the complicated plan to sell 51 percent of his Banknorth Group Inc. to Toronto-Dominion Bank.

World: 0.9990361
As French school year begins, Iraq crisis tests head scarf ban PARIS -- School doors open for 12 million French children today, but there is far more at stake this year than back-to-school jitters.

World: 0.98720133
12 nations agree to locust battle plan DAKAR, Senegal -- Residents burned tires and children took to the streets with sticks in Senegal's capital yesterday to fight an invasion of locusts, as 12 West African nations agreed on a battle plan.

Sports: 0.9985858
He's caught up in hurricane There was the \$5 million Deutsche Bank Championship to prepare for and the Ryder Cup is a few weeks away, but the first order of business for Jim Furyk yesterday was to make sure his wife and children were headed for safety.

Sports: 0.99957925
A serving of football EFL style Can't wait to see the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots look to continue their 15-game winning streak when they host the Indianapolis Colts next Thursday? Gridiron junkies will whet their appetite tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Battis Field in Middleborough, where the Middleboro Cobras and Brockton Buccaneers will tangle for Eastern Football League supremacy.

Sports: 0.9995072
Locals lift Irish squad in Europe tourney Tim Brett and Matt Shinney are lacrosse aficionados and fervent players. Brett, 27, who is a manager at a hotel in Charlestown, and Shinney, 23, a student at Bridgewater State College, are self-described lacrosse quot;weekend warriors. quot;

SciTech: 0.76155216
Phone fight against home violence A campaign begins to collect old mobile phones and convert them into alarms for women who are attacked in the home.

World: 0.99940646
Israeli forces raid Gaza refugee camp Israeli forces destroyed two five-story apartment buildings in a Gaza refugee camp early Thursday after evacuating thousands of Palestinians from a neighborhood, said residents and the military.

SciTech: 0.996707
Napster Offers Music to Go This service leverages new Windows Media 10 technologies to enable Napster subscribers to download music to portable devices, a technology called Janus.

Sports: 0.99971443
Casagrande and Golbano out of Vuelta Italy #39;s Francesco Casagrande and Carlos Golbano of Spain have been declared unfit to start the Tour of Spain following pre-race blood tests.

World: 0.99822956
Japanese Prime Minister Inspects Four Northern Islands under ... On September 2, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (right) inspects four northern islands that are under territorial dispute with Russia.

Business: 0.9985299
Federated sales decline in August A slow August snapped an eight-month winning streak for Federated Department Stores Inc., which reported its first drop in sales since November.

World: 0.99934226
French Students Face New Head Scarf Ban PARIS - Millions of French students returned to school Thursday as a new law that bans Islamic head scarves from classrooms went into effect amid demands by Islamic radicals holding two French hostages in Iraq that the law be scrapped. Muslim leaders in France, who had largely opposed the law, urged calm for the return to class...

World: 0.998628
Scotch Whisky eyes Asian and Eastern European markets (AFP) AFP - A favourite tipple among connoisseurs the world over, whisky is treated with almost religious reverence on the Hebridean island of Islay, home to seven of Scotland's single malt distilleries.

SciTech: 0.96446913
Mobile phone sales hit second-quarter record: Gartner (AFP) AFP - Global sales of mobile telephones hit a record 156 million in the second quarter, a study published by the US research group Gartner showed.

SciTech: 0.9944206
British Bug Splat Survey Springs Surprise (Reuters) Reuters - The results of one of the stranger\environmental surveys to be conducted in Britain are in -- and\there's a surprise.

Business: 0.9954787
Specialty Retail Tales Not every specialty retailer is cut from the same mold -- some are just moldy.

Sports: 0.9989784
Smith setback for Windies West Indies have been forced to make a second change to their Champions Trophy squad because of injury. Dwayne Smith is suffering from a shoulder problem and has been replaced by Ryan Hinds.

SciTech: 0.8932731
Orange tells customers to Talk Now European carrier Orange is rolling out its own Push To Talk service ahead of efforts to create a standardized PTT system. European mobile carrier Orange has announced

SciTech: 0.99234205
Microsoft's Tune Like Many Others Cue the music: Microsoft has officially thrown its headphones into the ring in the contest to bring legal music downloads to the masses. -washingtonpost.com

SciTech: 0.9568039
RNC Protesters Using Text Messages to Plan "Multiple reports of provocateurs setting trash fires in midtown," read one text message sent to 400-plus mobile phones this week through a service called Ruckus RNC 2004 Text Alerts.

SciTech: 0.9256686
Red Hat replaces CFO Charles Peters Jr. is taking over as the company deals with the aftereffects of restating its earnings for the past three fiscal years.

SciTech: 0.7275798
Appeals court faults Oracle in shareholder suit Judges send case back to lower court to sort out allegations of improper bookkeeping and "suspicious" stock sales.

SciTech: 0.99683005
Microsoft Japan to give away over one million XP SP2 CDs TOKYO -- Microsoft Corp.'s Japanese arm will begin giving away more than a million CD-ROMs of the company's latest security update, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) from 27,500 locations during September and October, the company said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99767786
Sun to enter content switch market Sun Microsystems Inc. plans later this month to unveil its first ever content switch: a load-balancing and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) acceleration switch based on the Nauticus N2000 products that the Santa Clara, California, company acquired in January of this year.

Business: 0.9985379
US Airways shares up on possible pilots pact Shares of US Airways Group Inc. rose more than 9 Thursday morning after the airline #39;s pilots union said it may agree on a plan to cut wages and benefits.

SciTech: 0.9969664
Microsoft to make foray into online music (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Microsoft makes its long-anticipated entry into the online music market today, marking the first serious challenge to Apple Computer's popular iTunes service.

SciTech: 0.9971125
LeapFrog's Greener Pastures (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - If you've ever had the entrepreneurial bug dig its teeth into you, odds are that you might take heart anytime a company's founder steps down and moves on. Granted, sometimes you have instances like Gateway's (NYSE: GTW - News) Ted Waitt and Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) Steve Jobs in which the originators come back to lead their companies, but that's rarely the case.

World: 0.999343
Davenport Advances at U.S. Open NEW YORK - Lindsay Davenport's summer of success stayed on course Thursday when the fifth-seeded former U.S. Open champion defeated Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-4, 6-2 and advanced to the third round of the season's final Grand Slam event...

Sports: 0.9997161
Media speculate on successor as England coach prepares to step ... With Sir Clive Woodward seemingly on his way to soccer, England #39;s rugby team is looking for a new coach to follow up last year #39;s World Cup triumph.

Sports: 0.9996977
UPDATE 1-Jimenez, Garcia, Donald make Langer a happy man Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia warmed up for this month #39;s Ryder Cup with sparkling starts at the European Masters on Thursday.

Business: 0.997405
Some Dire Talk From Yukos Lifts Oil Prices OSCOW, Sept. 2- World oil prices rose on Thursday after Russia #39;s largest oil producer, Yukos, said a court ruling quot;paralyzes #39; #39; the company #39;s operations.

Business: 0.5034495
Megawati kicks off 36th ASEAN economic meeting JAKARTA (Agencies): President Megawati Soekarnoputri opened high-level economic talks between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday with a warning to ASEAN leaders that they must stay the course on their agreed

SciTech: 0.9972656
Microsoft bends on Sender ID SOFTWARE FIRM Microsoft seems to have agreed to bend to the will of the open source community on its anti-spam technology sender ID.

SciTech: 0.9980708
Fossil Pushes Upright Walking Back 2 Million Years, Study Says quot;Dating the beginnings of bipedalism is very important in the human story because, for many experts, it would mark a clear divergence from the ancestral/ape pattern and show that the human lineage had really begun, quot; said Chris Stringer, director of the

SciTech: 0.9976897
The Playlist: What's Wrong With Digital Music Stores? (PC World) PC World - Though digital music has come a long way, today's online music stores still have significant problems. Here's my fix-it wish list.

SciTech: 0.9839475
Counting the Hops (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - Like Network Appliance, many top tech firms are snapping up Linux programmers, hoping to influence the way the operating system evolves. The trick is to hire programmers closest to Linux creator Linus Torvalds. Torvalds oversees Linux development, but he delegates pieces of the system to the 25 or so code maintainers,like Trond Myklebust at NetApp.Maintainers in turn break their projects into smaller pieces, overseen by submaintainers.

World: 0.999338
Congress Members Seek Officer's Dismissal (AP) AP - A group of congressional Democrats is asking President Bush to dismiss a senior military intelligence officer who made church speeches that included inflammatory religious remarks while discussing the war on terrorism.

World: 0.9993175
French Hostage Transfer Sparks Release Hopes PARIS (Reuters) - Hopes of a swift end to the French hostage crisis rose early Friday, after the Le Figaro newspaper that employs one of the two captives said the men were now being held by Iraqi guerrillas willing to negotiate their release.

World: 0.9992673
South Korea Seeks to Play Down Nuclear Disclosure SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Friday it did not expect a shock declaration that government scientists enriched uranium four years ago to upset international efforts to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Business: 0.9932104
After Steep Drop, Price of Oil Rises The freefall in oil prices ended Monday on a spate of ominous developments, including a deadly attack on a US consulate in Saudi Arabia and reports that OPEC might cut production this week.

Business: 0.9980439
Ex-teller wins bias case against Citizens A former part-time teller and Mexican immigrant won more than \$100,000 after the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination determined Citizens Bank discriminated against her when it bypassed her for a full-time job in favor of a less experienced white co-worker.

World: 0.9992649
Seoul allies calm on nuclear shock South Korea's key allies play down a shock admission its scientists experimented to enrich uranium.

World: 0.99915993
Freed trio get warm Delhi welcome Three Indian truck drivers held hostage in Iraq arrive back in Delhi, where large crowds greet them.

Business: 0.9971915
Oil prices rise on fears about Yukos production Oil prices briefly bolted above \$45 a barrel yesterday, then retreated toward \$44, in a volatile day of trading after Russian oil giant Yukos said its output could suffer because of a court ruling that froze some of its assets.

Business: 0.9975514
Third Month of Slow Sales for Retailers The August start of the back-to-school shopping season was a disappointment for major retailers.

World: 0.99908876
South Koreans Say Secret Work Refined Uranium South Korea admitted that a group of its nuclear scientists secretly produced a small amount of near-weapons grade uranium.

Business: 0.9632425
Del Monte Needs 9Lives The leading private and branded food and pet products marketer is spending to revamp its image.

Sports: 0.9984876
Utes Pile It On Alex Smith throws for three touchdowns, rushes for two more and finishes with 435 yards of offense, and No. 20 Utah backs up its first preseason ranking with a 41-21 win over Texas A M.

Business: 0.99686915
High court hears dispute over Michigan interstate wine sales The Supreme Court is considering whether Michigan and other states may bar people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers, a big-money question that could lead to sweeping changes in how alcoholic beverages are regulated

SciTech: 0.9944219
Apple faithful's apathy to blame for Napsterized schools Opinion Impotent with iPod pride

World: 0.99936694
Nepal capital under curfew for 3rd day; violators ordered to be ... 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 Friday, while officials said they were trying to recover the bodies of the slain hostages.

SciTech: 0.97560674
Md. Board Meeting Worries Democrats Republican-dominated election board met behind closed doors in deliberations that Democrats feared were aimed at ousting Elections Administrator Linda H. Lamone. \-The Washington Post

SciTech: 0.9975152
IBM and Intel to open up blade specifications With today's expected announcement, hardware vendors will get access to the BladeCenter specifications by signing a seven-page licensing agreement, which grants users the right to license the specifications for certain types of products.

SciTech: 0.9978089
Columnists: Simple and Secure isn't so Simple Simple to code does not always mean simple for the user. And simple for the user is often not easy to code.

World: 0.9993824
Policeman Shot Dead in Saudi Battle One Saudi policeman was killed and three others were wounded in clashes with militants in a town northeast of Riyadh. A number of suspects were arrested in the battles, officials said.

Business: 0.99797195
First Albany cuts target for Intel, keeps #39;buy #39; rating NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- First Albany lowered its stock price target for Intel (INTC) to \$24 from \$30 following the chip sector bellwether #39;s lowered third-quarter revenue and margin outlook.

Sports: 0.999706
Lynch triumphs at Redcar Fergal Lynch had a good win at Redcar as he returned to action yesterday along with champion jockey Kieren Fallon, fellow rider Darren Williams and trainer Karl Burke, after their shock

Sports: 0.999616
9 in a row! Red Sox sweep Angels The Red Sox take control of the American League wild-card race with a 4-3 win over the Angels. It was Boston #39;s ninth straight win -- a season high.

Sports: 0.9997075
The Russians are back St. Paul, Minn.Outclassed and completely humiliated by the Russians here last night, the reeling and desperate Americans are planning wholesale lineup changes to get back on track in the World Cup.

Business: 0.997393
US economy generated 144,000 jobs in August (AFP) AFP - The US economy generated 144,000 jobs in August, the Labour Department said, in a sign that the labour market was improving slightly after two sluggish months.

Business: 0.992671
Yukos faces tax arrears of \$4bn MOSCOW: Russias tax ministry said on Friday that it had raised its back tax claims against oil major Yukos by a fifth for 01, to 119.

World: 0.9993088
Argentine court acquits bombing suspects An Argentine court acquitted five suspects in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center that killed 85 people, La Nacion newspaper reported Friday.

SciTech: 0.94436187
IBM recalls 225,000 laptop adapters The adapters can overheat and cause damage to the circuit board, according to a safety agency. WASHINGTON: IBM will recall about 225,000 AC power adapters for several models of its laptop computer because

SciTech: 0.9186907
Big Blue veteran heads to EMC EMC has hired a former IBM veteran to be its chief technology officer, in what appears to be the latest step in EMC #39;s evolution from a data storage hardware specialist to a more comprehensive computing company.

Sports: 0.9996489
No miracle this time That miracle, of course, took place in Lake Placid, NY, during the 1980 Winter Olympics. Thanks to the likes of Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Ken Morrow and the rest of the US hockey team, the mighty Soviet Union

World: 0.9993961
Kerry Vows to Tell Truth as President (Reuters) Reuters - Democrat John Kerry on Friday\dismissed the Republican convention as "bitter and insulting"\and promised to be a U.S. president who would tell Americans\the truth.

Business: 0.99845004
Intel Outlook May Portend PC Weakness NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel Corp's <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=INTC.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">INTC.O</A> sharp cut in its revenue outlook dragged down shares of personal computer makers on Friday, on fears that the chipmaker's problems could signal weak PC markets, analysts said.

Business: 0.89190793
Indian inflation peaks on imports Indian inflation hits its highest level in more than three years, boosted by increasing energy and food costs.

Business: 0.9535812
Judge: Geico can sue Google, Overture over ads A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a trademark infringement suit filed by the Government Employees Insurance Co. (GEICO) against Internet search giants Google Inc. and Overture Services Inc. can proceed.

SciTech: 0.9747687
Did Apple Offer Sony an ITunes Deal? Update: A partnership may be crucial for long-term success, one industry insider says.

Business: 0.99016786
USA : Textile industry to renew request to place embargo on ... The US textile industry officials would plead for blocking Chinese imports to the Bush administration this month. Earlier this year, the White House had rejected a similar request made by 130 Republican and Democratic members of Congress.

SciTech: 0.9918107
NASA braces for Frances Thousands of automobiles clogged Florida #39;s highways during the largest evacuation in state history as residents anticipated the arrival of Hurricane Frances.

Sports: 0.99948907
LSU, Oklahoma play openers on Saturday Louisiana State beat Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series title game in the Sugar Bowl last January. Both teams play their openers on Saturday in the first full weekend of the college football season.

Sports: 0.99967694
Gerrard only a 50-50 chance VIENNA - England midfielder Steven Gerrard is a major doubt to face Austria in today #39;s opening 2006 World Cup qualifier. Gerrard has failed to shake off a groin injury suffered in training on Thursday and

World: 0.99937785
Israeli Troops Kill Two Palestinians (AP) AP - Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in two separate incidents Friday, and Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at a Gaza warehouse the army said was used for making weapons.

Business: 0.99841607
Continental won #39;t make pension contributions this year Continental Airlines announced today it will not make any contributions to its pension plan this year, citing as reasons the ongoing uncertainty of the industry #39;s economic environment and the record high cost of jet fuel.

SciTech: 0.99720216
Napster tests quot;on-the-go quot; subscription service Napster announced yesterday that it is testing a new subscription service model that would add portable devices to the list of its subscription service #39;s supported devices.

Sports: 0.99969876
A different ball game Two interesting stories this week. One - Manchester United #39;s signing of Wayne Rooney - exciting if rather predictable; another - Southampton #39;s apparent intent to hire England rugby union coach Sir Clive Woodward - surprising and, to many, baffling.

World: 0.9993475
President, PM Review Dialogue Process With India ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Sep 04 (PID) - President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attended a meeting on Friday to review the progress of the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan delineates a strategy to carry the process

Sports: 0.99971193
MLB: Houston 8, Pittsburgh 6 Carlos Beltran went two for four with a homer and scored three times Friday night as Houston downed Pittsburgh, 8-6. Craig Biggio, Jose Vizcaino and Jeff Bagwell also homered for

World: 0.9994043
Attack on UN vehicle kills one in southern Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan : An Afghan man died and five people were hurt in a bomb attack on a UN vehicle in Afghanistan, officials said, in the second deadly blast in a week as the country prepares for next month #39;s polls.

Sports: 0.9996966
Mauresmo cruises to straight-set victory NEW YORK No. 2 women #39;s seed Amelie Mauresmo of France advanced to the fourth round of the US Open, defeating No. 31 seed Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-2, 6-0 Friday.

Sports: 0.999668
It #39;s not in the cards Jose Lima bounced back in grand style Friday night from one of his worst outings of the season and an eight-day layoff, limiting the National League #39;s most feared lineup to two

World: 0.9981585
Protesters greet Taiwan president during brief visit Tensions between Taiwan and China landed on Seattle #39;s doorstep last night when Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian visited Seattle under tight security, greeted by demonstrators both for and against Taiwan independence.

SciTech: 0.94974804
Livewire: Fantasy Sports Leagues Thrive Online (Reuters) Reuters - Take 15 million armchair athletes,\add a steady stream of statistics and mix in a healthy dollop\of trash talk. Post it all on the Internet and you've got a #36;3\billion industry built around imaginary sports teams.

Sports: 0.99959093
Yankees, Brown go down swinging Kevin Brown's frustrating season finally reached a boiling point, and now his hot temper could cost the New York Yankees at the most important time. Brown broke his non-pitching hand when he punched a wall in the clubhouse last night during a 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles that cut New York's lead in the AL East...

World: 0.9993585
Medicare Premiums to Rise Record 17 Pct. WASHINGTON - Medicare premiums for doctor visits are going up a record \$11.60 a month next year. The Bush administration says the increase reflects a strengthened Medicare, while Democrats complain that seniors are being unfairly socked...

Business: 0.9952114
AT amp;T Wireless Moves to Sell Canada Asset T amp;T Wireless Services Inc., the third-largest United States mobile phone company, reached an agreement yesterday with Rogers Communications Inc.

Sports: 0.99970824
Symonds century lifts Australia LONDON, England -- Andrew Symonds rode his luck to score the second one-day century of his career as Australia scored 269-6 from their 50 overs against Pakistan at Lord #39;s.

Sports: 0.99970704
Federer back in Open #39;s fourth round with masterful performance For most tennis players, having about the same number of clean winners as unforced errors translates into a pretty good performance.

World: 0.99941623
Two Palestinians kiled in a night raid against a warehouse in Gaza Israeli military helicopters yesterday evening bombarded by missiles a building in one of the refugee camps in the downtown of Gaza, while two Palestinians were killed and other three injured in the sector by the Israeli bullets.

Sports: 0.9993413
Colo. Town Relieved by Bryant Decision (AP) AP - It was the surest sign that the Kobe Bryant case was leaving town for good after a 14-month occupation: A rancher obtained permission to tear down CNN's 15-by-20-foot camera platform near the courthouse.

World: 0.999323
French captives #39; fate mulled BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Islamic militant group that claimed to have kidnapped two French journalists said it would soon decide their fate, according to a message posted on a Web site Friday, and an Iraqi negotiator called the chance for their release quot;excellent

World: 0.97503895
Alert shuts Los Angeles airport Parts of Los Angeles international airport are temporarily closed down amid reports of a security breach.

World: 0.99844664
Bush cuts down the middle on broccoli question (AFP) AFP - Facing a issue that once tripped up his father, US President George W. Bush told adoring supporters that he likes broccoli. Part of it, anyway.

Business: 0.9985806
Job numbers give candidates room to debate WASHINGTON - Employers stepped up hiring in August, expanding payrolls by 144,000 and lowering the unemployment rate to 5.4 percent.

Sports: 0.99916613
No. 19 Iowa Dominates Kent St., 39-7 (AP) AP - Drew Tate threw two touchdowns in his first start and No. 19 Iowa turned in a dominating defensive performance to beat Kent State 39-7 in the season opener Saturday.

Sports: 0.99971336
Quick Duff puts Kerr #39;s men into fast lane Brian Kerr took his Ireland squad to the dogs last Wednesday, but the evening spent watching greyhounds race was not solely about relaxation.

SciTech: 0.9966788
Email this to a friend Print this story Never content with the simple things in life, Microsoft is apparently on a mobile media crusade with the deceptively unassuming announcement of the companies MSN Music service.

Business: 0.9941772
Stocks dip after Intel cuts forecast STOCKS in the United States fell - led by technology shares - after the world #39;s biggest semiconductor maker Intel cut its revenue forecast because of slowing demand for personal computers and mobile phones.

World: 0.99936503
Hezbollah rejects abolition call The leader of militant Lebanese group Hezbollah rejects a UN call for the organisation to be disbanded.

Sports: 0.99970955
Pierce hunts down Sharapova Maria Sharapova, the 17-year-old Wimbledon champion, was eliminated in the third round at the US Open yesterday by the 27th seed, Mary Pierce, who used to be known as quot;The

Sports: 0.9997098
Singh Takes Two-Shot Lead, Woods Tied for Second NORTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Fiji's Vijay Singh fashioned an eight-under par 63 Saturday to take a two-shot second-round lead on 131 in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Sports: 0.9987639
Biffle Bests Mears Greg Biffle wins a nearly race-long duel with Casey Mears, pulling away over the last two laps to win the NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday at California Speedway.

Sports: 0.9996363
KERR CRUISES INTO LEAD Cristie Kerr carded a nine-under-par 63 to take a four-stroke lead after the third round of the State Farm Classic in Illinois. Kerr entered the day four shots behind Christina Kim but showed the youngster that Tour veterans must never be underestimated.

SciTech: 0.95724654
In Internet Calling, Skype Is Living Up to the Hype Skype is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way for individual customers to use their computers with broadband connections as telephones.

Business: 0.89543194
The Next Shock: Not Oil, but Debt The American economic ship, which has weathered the recent run-up in crude oil prices, may be more vulnerable to sudden surges in the price of money.

Business: 0.99765635
Motorists Submitting to High Gas Prices (AP) AP - Americans appear to be getting used to paying more to drive #151; even if it means they have less money to buy other things. For example, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, blamed disappointing sales in August on the fact that shoppers spent more just getting to and from its stores.

Business: 0.99765307
Judge orders inspector to look at Hollinger dealings A Canadian judge has ordered that a court-appointed inspector be assigned to take a close look at the business dealings of Hollinger Inc, the Conrad Black-controlled company said on Friday.

Business: 0.9985233
Pfizer to settle asbestos claims NEW YORK (DowJonesAP) - Pfizer (PFE) said Friday it has agreed to pay \$430 million to settle all lawsuits against it alleging injury from insulation products made by a subsidiary.

SciTech: 0.9978787
Apache Balks At Microsoft #39;s Licensing Demands For Anti-Spam ... com. The Apache Software Foundation, developers of the popular open-source Apache web server, said on Thursday that it wouldn #39;t support the proposed anti-spam standard Sender ID, because the licensing terms set by Microsoft Corp.

Sports: 0.99865097
Canada, Finland rule pools Martin Brodeur made 27 saves, and Brad Richards, Kris Draper, and Joe Sakic scored to help Canada beat Russia, 3-1, last night in Toronto, giving the Canadians a 3-0 record in round-robin play of the World Cup of Hockey.

Sports: 0.99971753
Smith lifts Missouri with all-around effort COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Brad Smith threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 63 yards and another score to help No. 18 Missouri rout Arkansas State, 52-20, last night in the season opener for both teams.

Sports: 0.99970156
UConn passes first test Dan Orlovsky threw for 382 yards and tied his school record with five touchdown passes to lead Connecticut to a 52-14 win over Murray State yesterday in East Hartford.

Sports: 0.99970955
Tigers celebrating after Beavers don #39;t get their kicks Freshman Alexis Serna is down on the field kneeling, pounding the Tiger Stadium turf. He wanted to hide. But couldn #39;t find a place.

World: 0.9993936
Russian school death toll tops 340 The death toll in the Russian schoolhouse siege soared to more than 340 yesterday, and the horrifying human cost is likely to keep climbing.

Sports: 0.9966234
Sharapova ousted They were 78 feet and a generation apart. On one end of the Arthur Ashe Stadium court stood Maria Sharapova, the 17-year-old Wimbledon champion with a future as bright as her usual smile.

Sports: 0.9846645
Tom Ridge sets all-age record in winning World Trotting Derby Tom Ridge set an all-age record of 1 minute 50.2 seconds in winning the \$530,000 World Trotting Derby at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fair yesterday.

Sports: 0.9996724
Little guy earns big victory at Open NEW YORK -- Olivier Rochus didn't know quite how to react. First the arms went hesitantly up in the air. Then there was a little half-fist pump, a triumphant bellow, and a smile that could have lit a path through the darkest storm. Then Rochus, a 23-year-old Belgian who prior to this year had never won a match at the...

Business: 0.9970187
Checking changes Toward the end of the month if resources are a little tight, there are times when Krista Bergstrom admits she writes a check or two for more than is left in her account.

Business: 0.9984999
Sales aren #39;t making the grade Retailers in Michigan delighted when students returned to the classroom, but the back-to-school sales haven #39;t generated the kind of dollars many projected.

Sports: 0.9997143
Rossi: #39;I #39;m fairly happy #39; Valentino Rossi, who on Thursday pledged his future to Yamaha, entered the final qualifying session with the fastest time to date, but with the morning rain having washed the circuit clean, the Italian was unable to challenge Makoto Tamada for the pole.

World: 0.99935883
Pope Prays for Beslan School Dead at Italy Mass LORETO, Italy (Reuters) - Pope John Paul prayed for the victims of the "inhumane violence" of Russia's Beslan school tragedy as he said Mass on Sunday before 200,000 people in central Italy.

Sports: 0.9978295
Kerr happy with Irish win Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr said he was delighted with the 3-0 win over Cyprus after so many players had pulled out of his squad.

SciTech: 0.9368667
Microsoft Sees Open-Source Threat Looming Ever Larger Microsoft Corp. is facing growing pressure from open-source software across every segment of its businessa competitive threat that could have significant consequences for its financial future going forward

Sports: 0.9996908
In the end, goofs sink Jays TORONTO -- All the early miscues belonged to the Oakland Athletics but the ones that mattered the most, in the eighth and ninth innings, were made by the Toronto Blue Jays.

World: 0.9993932
France Hopeful for Hostages, Fatwa Demands Release (Reuters) Reuters - France remained hopeful on Sunday that\two French hostages in Iraq would be freed and a religious\fatwa issued in Iraq demanded their release.

World: 0.9994103
Saddam, Aides to Go on Trial Within Weeks - Daoud Iraq #39;s toppled leader Saddam Hussein and his top aides will go on trial within weeks, Iraqi Minister of State Kasim Daoud said on Sunday.

SciTech: 0.9705748
The Lowdown on Downloading Music The digital music space is changing, with more songs and a growing number of places to download music legally. Realizing that the time was ripe to see how we were doing, I took some song recommendations and sat down to see what I could download.

Business: 0.9985441
Guidant, J amp;J reportedly are in merger talks Johnson amp; Johnson is in advanced negotiations to acquire Guidant, an Indianapolis-based medical device maker, for more than \$24 billion, executives close to the talks said Monday.

World: 0.9993592
Iraq Govt. Seeks to Confirm if Saddam Aide Held BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's government was scrambling on Sunday to confirm whether the most wanted Saddam Hussein aide still on the run had been captured, as confident statements that he had been seized gave way to doubt and confusion.

SciTech: 0.9785029
Hurricanes Bring Environmental Renewal (AP) AP - Along with their destructive force, hurricanes can have beneficial effects as part of the rhythm of nature. Storms that erode beaches, uproot trees and flatten wildlife habitats may also refresh waterways, revive dry areas and bulk up barrier islands with redistributed sand.

World: 0.99902654
Bush takes a double-digit lead as Kerry campaign struggles to regroup (AFP) AFP - George W. Bush took a double-digit lead in what had been a neck-and-neck presidential election contest, prompting Democratic challenger John Kerry to refocus his campaign on bread-and-butter economic issues, where the Republican incumbent president is considered vulnerable.

Sports: 0.9997044
Lord #39;s smiles on India once more India bowled England all out for 181 to win the third one-day international of the NatWest Challenge at Lord #39;s by 23 runs. England would have gone into the second innings confident.

Sports: 0.99968934
Chicago Bears Cut Bryan Robinson LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Veteran defensive lineman Bryan Robinson (pictured) was among 21 players cut Sunday as the Chicago Bears pared their roster to 53.

Sports: 0.99966156
Cycling: Petacchi wins second stage in Spain MADRID : Alessandro Petacchi showed why he is considered one of the world #39;s top sprinters when coming out on top in a mass dash to the line in the second stage of the Tour of Spain.

World: 0.99932325
PM and Latham target Sydney Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Mark Latham will target key marginal seats around Sydney as the election campaign hits its second week.

World: 0.9993357
Frances Knocks Out Power, Floods Florida FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Hurricane Frances' wind and water whacked swaths of southern Florida with fire-hose force Sunday, submerging entire roadways and tearing off rooftops even as the storm weakened and crawled inland with heavy rain in its wake...

Sports: 0.99671614
Yankees' Brown Has Successful Surgery Kevin Brown had successful surgery on his broken left hand Sunday and vowed to pitch again for the Yankees this season.

World: 0.9994161
S.Africa Cancels Thatcher Meeting with Eq. Guinea South Africa has canceled a meeting with prosecutors from Equatorial Guinea who had hoped to interview Mark Thatcher on his suspected links to a coup plot in the oil-rich country, officials said on Sunday.

World: 0.999156
Bangladesh seeks US intelligence cooperation Bangladesh is willing to sign a protocol with the United States to set up a joint working group like India and Pakistan did to enhance Dhaka #39;s capability to effectively deal with future terrorist acts in the country.

Sports: 0.9993081
Titans Release No. 3 QB Jason Gesser (AP) AP - The Tennessee Titans released Jason Gesser, their third quarterback, on Sunday and plan to replace him with a veteran.

Sports: 0.99970514
Jets: Abraham is likely to miss 3 games Though coach Herman Edwards ruled defensive end John Abraham out for only this Sunday #39;s game against the Steelers with a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, he #39;ll be

Sports: 0.9996903
Astros 10, Pirates 5 HOUSTON Mike Lamb went four-for-five with a homer and four RB-Is to lead the Houston Astros to their ninth straight win with a 10-to-five victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates today.

Business: 0.96267307
Labor situation deserves honest talk For a moment last week, President Bush escaped the White House spin chamber and was the plainspoken man much of the nation came to like four years ago.

World: 0.99936765
Saddam #39;s top aide al-Douri arrested File photo taken on March 1, 2003 shows Izzat Ibrahim at the Arab Summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt. Ibrahim, the second most powerful man of the former Iraqi regime, was captured on Sept.

Sports: 0.9995333
Jags Cut Compton, Maddox (AP) AP - Veteran offensive lineman Mike Compton and rookie defensive tackle Anthony Maddox were among the 12 players cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

World: 0.9993813
Former Saddam Deputy Arrested in Iraq (AP) AP - Iraqi authorities claimed on Sunday to have captured Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the most wanted member of Saddam Hussein's ousted dictatorship, but there was confusion over the report, as the Iraqi defense minister said word of his arrest was "baseless."

Sports: 0.9988109
Couch, Gildon, Levens Among NFL Cuts (AP) AP - Tim Couch's stay in Green Bay was short and unproductive.

Business: 0.9833174
Tokyo Stocks Higher, Lifted by Survey TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks rose by mid-morning on Monday with a broad range of issues getting a lift from a key survey that boosted optimism on Japan's economic outlook, with expectations rising that growth figures will be revised up.

Business: 0.9297376
British industry at best in 10 years Manufacturing industry is enjoying its strongest performance for almost 10 years, according to a survey by the Engineering Employers Federation.

SciTech: 0.98406154
Porn producers face severe punishment Those who are engaged in the profit-oriented production and dissemination of pornographic materials through the Internet, mobile communication terminals and quot;phone-sex quot; services in China are subject to punishment as severe as life imprisonment, according

Sports: 0.99970883
CRICKET: Kaspa has selectors in a bind MICHAEL Kasprowicz has put national selectors into a difficult situation with a five-wicket burst that has enhanced Australia #39;s hopes of snatching a maiden Champions Trophy in London this month.

World: 0.9991278
Tokyo Stocks Higher at Late Morning (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks rose moderately Monday morning on bargain hunting following Friday's losses. The U.S. dollar was up against the Japanese yen.

Business: 0.99167186
Under Attack, Director Says Hollinger's Black Misled Him Richard N. Perle, a director at the media company Hollinger International who was criticized in an internal report, says he was duped by its former chief, Conrad M. Black.

World: 0.999411
French minister returns empty handed Leaving behind two French reporters still held hostage in Iraq, France #39;s foreign minister headed home from the Middle East but said they were still believed to be alive and that efforts to free them would continue.

Sports: 0.999684
Possible playoff preview A #39;s take a hit in Toronto but come home ... If the playoffs opened right now, instead of next month, the A #39;s would face the Red Sox in the first round -- again. Boston bounced Oakland out of the postseason in five games last year, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to do so.

Sports: 0.9995209
COL FB: Tennessee 42, UNLV 17 Freshman Brent Schaeffer threw for one touchdown and ran for another Sunday as the 14th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers defeated the UNLV Rebels, 42-17.

Sports: 0.9996043
Is It Time For Steroid Testing In High Schools? SALINAS, Calif. -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said in meetings Monday that he would accept government intervention on steroid testing if the players #39; association refuses to change the current rules, which run for two more years.

Business: 0.9967294
Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Fall, US Dollar Climbs Tokyo share prices fell steeply Friday, led by technology stocks after a disappointing report from US chip giant Intel. The US dollar was up against the Japanese yen.

World: 0.96890837
West Japan on Guard for Aftershocks After Quakes TOKYO (Reuters) - Residents of western Japan were warned of possible aftershocks on Monday after two strong earthquakes the previous day but authorities said the tremors were not directly linked to a cycle of major seismic activity that hits the region every century or so.

Business: 0.9976833
Monti gives Abbey takeover green light European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti has given the green light to the UK8.75bn takeover bid by Spain #39;s Santander for the UK #39;s Abbey National.

World: 0.9993838
Anwar launches bid to clear name Lawyers for Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, have launched a bid to clear his name. Mr Anwar was freed from jail on Thursday, after a conviction for sodomy was quashed by a Malaysian court.

Business: 0.96599144
Nikkei hits 5-week closing high on upbeat capital spending data TOKYO - Japan #39;s benchmark Nikkei stock index hit a five-week closing high Monday on upbeat capital spending figures for the April-June quarter by Japanese companies.

World: 0.9994097
India and Pakistan wind up talks, deadlock on Kashmir (AFP) AFP - The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan held a closing round of talks amid reports of progress on peripheral issues, but the nuclear rivals remained deadlocked on Kashmir.

World: 0.9988036
Public warning over letter bombs The discovery of 10 letter bombs has prompted a police warning to the public to exercise caution. Bedfordshire Police said none of the improvised devices - containing lighter fluid - had ignited, despite the fact that some had been opened.

SciTech: 0.7048561
Pornsters face life in China smut crackdown China is stepping up its hard line against internet pornography by threatening life imprisonment for anyoner caught peddling porn.

World: 0.9993781
Russia Mourns Hostage Deaths, Putin Criticized BESLAN, Russia (Reuters) - Russia on Monday mourned the deaths of hundreds of children and adults in its worst hostage drama as criticism mounted over the way President Vladimir Putin and his security forces handled the crisis.

Sports: 0.7363465
South American World Cup Qualifiers: Brazil Ease Past Bolivia An impressive first-half display from Brazil saw the Selecao defeat Bolivia 3-1 to move back to the top of the South American World Cup qualifying group.

Business: 0.91614914
Toyota to open south China plant Japan carmaker Toyota enters a joint venture to produce saloon cars in southern China.

SciTech: 0.9974274
So Long XMLHack! \\"It's been a lot of fun writing XMLhack since 1999, but it's time for us to take\a rest."\\"XMLhack has always been run by volunteers writing in their spare time, and now\most of us have so little of that precious commodity it's infeasible to keep the\site going at anything like the rate we want it to be."\\"As editor, I'd like to extend my grateful thanks to all the contributors over\time, a list of whom you can see on the contributors page. My special thanks go\to Simon St.Laurent, my co-conspirator from the start."\\So long guys!\\I've been a subscriber to XMLHack for probably > 3 years now. They were one of\the earlier blog-like sites to have RSS in what I'd call a 'modern' and rich\f...\\

SciTech: 0.90066856
Next gen games prove a challenge Making games for the future consoles is going to take a lot of time and money, a games conference is told.

Sports: 0.7708477
2 charged after Chicago area pals are slain in NC tragedy Ever since they met in fourth grade, Brett Johnson Harman and Kevin McCann were as close as brothers. quot;They had the same mannerisms, the same kind of humor, and they even looked alike, quot; said McCann #39;s father, Dennis McCann.

Business: 0.97709364
EU: Coke Anti-Trust Deal Not Set in Stone BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A proposed settlement between Coca-Cola Co. and the European Commission to end a long-running antitrust case over fizzy drinks is not yet set in stone, the European Union's executive said on Monday.

SciTech: 0.80934596
French Internet provider Wanadoo will build Dutch broadband network (AFP) AFP - The French Internet provider Wanadoo will construct its own broadband network in the Netherlands and hopes to reach 55 percent of Dutch homes, a spokesman told the Financieele Dagblad.

Business: 0.9945602
Service Sector Hit By High Oil Costs Confidence in service firms has been hit by rising oil prices and interest rates but manufacturers have seen the best rate of orders for nine years, two surveys show.

SciTech: 0.51263523
Has Your Broadband Had Its Fiber? Falling costs, new technology, and competition, with a nudge from regulatory changes, are bringing fiber closer to homes in the US just a few years after the idea seemed all but written off.

SciTech: 0.97819555
No Sign Yet of Predicted Big California Earthquake (Reuters) Reuters - The clock is running out on a\highly publicized prediction that a major earthquake will rip\through Southern California by Sunday.

Sports: 0.9996959
Donald runs into Ryder form Luke Donald says his win in the European Masters on Sunday bodes well for his upcoming Ryder Cup debut. Donald was one of European captain Bernhard Langer #39;s two picks for the match, which takes place at Oakland Hills, Michigan from 17-19 September.

World: 0.99940753
US Marines Die In Fallujah Car Bombing BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A US military official in Iraq said seven American marines have been killed Monday in a car-bomb explosion. Several other Marines have been wounded in the attack.

Business: 0.9985946
Funds: What Makes a Fund a Winner? (Reuters) Reuters - (Clint Willis is a freelance writer who covers mutual funds\for Reuters. Any opinions in the column are solely those of Mr.\Willis.)

Business: 0.9985947
Coca-Cola closer to settling EU antitrust case NEW YORK, September 3 (New Ratings) - The European Union has reportedly made significant progress in settling its prolonged antitrust case against The Coca-Cola Co (KO.

SciTech: 0.93850243
Softbank's hopes on mobile services dashed (FT.com) FT.com - Softbank's hopes of starting a mobile phone service were dealt a blow on Monday after the Japanese telecoms regulator decided not to allocate bandwidth to new entrants for the time being.

Business: 0.9973586
Coca-Cola Makes Very Good #39; Bid to End Probe, EU Says (Update2) Coca-Cola Co. moved closer to settling a five-year European Commission antitrust probe after regulators said an offer from the world #39;s biggest soft-drink maker to revamp its sales practices is very good.

Sports: 0.99857974
Sox rookie Diaz dials it up against Ichiro, Mariners The Felix Diaz who struggled mightily for most of the time he has spent at the major league level this season was nowhere to be found Sunday afternoon, and that was a most pleasant development as far as the White Sox were concerned.

World: 0.9994242
Iraq Group Sets Ransom, Deadline for French Release (Reuters) Reuters - A statement posted on a Web site\purportedly by an Iraqi group which said it was holding two\French hostages set a #36;5 million ransom on Monday and issued a\48-hour deadline for its demands to be met.

Sports: 0.9996619
Supah Blitz captures Del Mar BC Handicap After spending the first 29 starts of his career mostly confined to the East Coast, Supah Blitz found out what everyone eventually does - it #39;s much better at Del Mar. In his

Sports: 0.93354326
Japanese baseball players set to strike Japanese baseball players will strike for the first time if owners proceed with a proposed merger of two teams, the players #39; union said Monday.

Business: 0.99039066
From overtime rules to job losses from outsourcing overseas to ... Labor Day is one of those terms, like driveway and parkway, that means the opposite of what it seems to mean. Honoring the nation #39;s workers, Labor Day is not for working but for picnics.

Sports: 0.9995345
Super powers make move on September BUOYED by ever-increasing crowd figures and television ratings, rugby union yesterday announced a significant expansion of the southern hemisphere season which includes an assault on the traditional September AFL and NRL finals series.

Sports: 0.9995369
Red Sox, Schilling roll on BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox put themselves in great position for a run at the AL East-leading New York Yankees with a great homestand.

World: 0.97864425
PM edges ahead in latest poll JOHN Howard #39;s plea for voters to trust him with the economy is paying early dividends, an exclusive Herald Sun poll shows. The Coalition has moved ahead of Labor by 52 per cent to 48 per cent as the Prime Minister #39;s interest rates campaign takes hold.

Business: 0.99810433
Cazenove faces scrutiny over merger talks Cazenove, the Queen #39;s broker, will tomorrow be under pressure to divulge the state of merger talks at its annual shareholder meeting, with US giants circling the firm.

Business: 0.99724704
Oil Tip-Toes Higher, Watches Stocks, OPEC (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. oil prices edged higher for the\second day in a row on Tuesday amid calls within OPEC to crack\down on excess output at this week's meeting.

World: 0.9993507
Bush Backers in Wisconsin Say He Is Decisive in War (Reuters) Reuters - The Iraq war and concerns about\terrorism may determine the outcome of the upcoming election,\and they appear to have bolstered support for President Bush in\at least one Republican bastion in the swing state of\Wisconsin.

World: 0.9994166
Iraqi Kidnappers of French Reporters Demand Ransom (Update1) The Iraqi kidnappers of two French reporters who have been missing since Aug. 20 today demanded a \$5 million ransom as a condition for their release, according to a statement posted on an Islamic Web site.

SciTech: 0.9971711
Capsule to bring the Sun down to Earth A space capsule set to plunge into Earth #39;s atmosphere with a piece of the Sun this Wednesday has spawned additional projects ranging from spacecraft design to the detection of dangerous asteroids.

Business: 0.66247165
Slovaks and Czechs reject French minister #39;s suggestion over EU ... The Slovak and Czech governments Monday rejected a proposal by French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to axe structural funds for new EU members whose taxes were lower than the European average.

Sports: 0.9996728
Button defends F1 decision Britain #39;s Jenson Button has justified his decision to leave BAR for Williams as the dispute over his future moves towards a conclusion.

Sports: 0.9997029
Reds pick up Miley #39;s option for 2005 Reds general manager Dan O #39;Brien said Sunday what he has hinted at for the last month or so: Dave Miley and his staff will be back for 2005.

Sports: 0.99869055
Streaking Astros Clock Reds 11-5 (AP) AP - Astros pitcher Brandon Backe hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, and allowed one run in seven innings to keep Houston in the thick of the NL wild-card chase with an 11-5 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

SciTech: 0.9886439
Maid sues Sony Pictures exec p2pnet.net News- James Jackson, vp of legal affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment, filed for bankruptcy protection just days before a lawsuit accusing him and his wife of involuntary servitude, false imprisonment, invasion of privacy, negligence and

World: 0.9994017
Blast kills seven US Marines in Iraq A massive car bomb exploded on the outskirts of the Iraqi city of Fallujah, killing seven United States Marines and wounding several others, a US military official said.

World: 0.99935955
Clinton Has Successful Quadruple Bypass NEW YORK - Bill Clinton underwent a successful quadruple heart bypass operation Monday to relieve severely clogged arteries that doctors said put the former president at grave risk of suffering a heart attack. Clinton is expected to make a full recovery, but doctors said he was fortunate to have checked himself into the hospital when he did...

SciTech: 0.9967104
Microsoft: scan for spyware before downloading SP2 Microsoft last week warned Windows XP users to scour their systems for spyware before downloading Service Pack 2. An Associated Press report quoted Microsoft executives saying some spyware could cause computers to freeze upon installation.

World: 0.9992741
No Kashmir Breakthrough NEW DELHI, 7 September 2004 - India and Pakistan stuck to their guns on the Kashmir issue as the foreign ministers of the two countries concluded their talks yesterday on what was described as a positive note.

Sports: 0.87538815
Golf's New No. 1 Tiger Woods's reign as the world's top player ends at 264 weeks as Vijay Singh has seized the No. 1 spot after beating Woods to win the Deutsche Bank on Monday.

SciTech: 0.8703201
Intel lauds milestone in shrinking chips Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industry #39;s pace of development is slowing, Intel Corp has announced that it has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of transistors that will power its next-generation chips.

Business: 0.99436015
CBA to purchase local lender #39;s share Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) said yesterday it was in talks with the Jinan City Commercial Bank (JNCCB) about buying a stake in the regional lender.

Sports: 0.9996476
Singh knocks Woods from No. 1 with victory at TPC of Boston For it to happen on Labor Day became a perfectly fitting reward for Vijay Singh, golf #39;s most noted laborer. The man from Fiji who closes practices ranges for a living opened a new door in world golf Monday.

World: 0.99852055
Caribbean Braces for Another Hurricane (AP) AP - Islanders scrambled to put up storm shutters and stock up on supplies as the fourth major hurricane of the season churned closer to the Caribbean, packing sustained winds of 105 mph.

Business: 0.7257483
Summer Box Office Hits a High, Despite Lows In a summer when many of the studios' biggest bets failed to pay off, it was familiarity in the form of sequels and low-budget comedies that resonated with movie audiences.

Business: 0.9984597
Pump prices may dip after Labor Day Pump prices have been climbing in advance of Labor Day, as they often do before the last major drive-away weekend of the summer. The average price for self-serve regular

Business: 0.99813735
Irish Union Airs Fears Over Natl Australia Bank Units DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Ireland #39;s banking union said Monday it #39;ll write to the Irish Competition Authority and European Commission expressing concern over the prospective sell-off of National Australia Bank Ltd.

Sports: 0.9868559
Once Again, Mets Sputter Toward End of a Season year ago, the Mets were going nowhere when they swept the first-place Atlanta Braves in a three-game series at Shea Stadium on the first three days of September.

Business: 0.9978694
Petronas pursues China LNG supply opportunities Petroliam Nasional Bhd., or Petronas, Malaysias national oil and gas firm, is in discussions with Chinas State-owned oil and gas firms for potential liquefied natural

World: 0.9993887
Russia Says Attack Was To Ignite Regional War The guerrillas who took over a school in southern Russia argued heatedly over whether to abandon the siege in the moments leading up to the firestorm of explosions and shooting that killed hundreds, Russian officials said Monday.

Business: 0.9978543
INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s QBE Consolidates European Units SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Seeking to cut costs and encouraged by UK regulatory changes, Australia #39;s QBE Insurance group Ltd. (QBE.AU) Tuesday said it will merge its Lloyd #39;s division with other European operations.

Sports: 0.9931131
NL Wrap: Backe Pitches, Hits Astros to Win Over Reds Brandon Backe pitched seven innings and clubbed a two-run homer, the first of his major league career, to earn the Houston Astros an 11-5 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Monday.

Sports: 0.9992483
Longhorns face steeper competition against Razorbacks The University of Texas football team is coming off a 65-0 victory over the North Texas Eagles. Texas dominated every facet of the game against the Eagles.

Sports: 0.9997124
Yankees Win Controversial Game Against Devil Rays NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs and Orlando Hernandez pitched seven strong innings to guide the New York Yankees past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-4 in the American League Monday.

Sports: 0.99939406
Vijay around, Tiger not yet out of woods The sun was setting when Vijay Singh, Fijian golfer of Indian origin, birdied the 18th here, and it seemed like a sign that Tiger Woods days as the worlds number one player may be fading.

SciTech: 0.9962955
Intel To Start Tech Forum with New Chips Intel is expected to kick off its semi-annual developer forum Tuesday by demonstrating a new dual-core processor, something rival AMD showed off last week.

Business: 0.9966749
Jet could go on market soon to battle Boeing 7E7 Airbus plans to challenge Boeing Co. by offering a new aircraft as early as year-end, its chief executive says. The Toulouse, France-based plane maker is quot;reflecting quot; on whether to introduce an all-new plane

Sports: 0.99969196
Rugby-Lions accept extra match on 2005 New Zealand tour The British and Irish Lions have accepted an extra match on their tour of New Zealand next year. The Lions will now play the traditionally strong Auckland provincial

Sports: 0.99966574
Chargers to start Brees in Houston, beyond com. The San Diego Chargers announced on Monday that Drew Brees will start the 2004 opener against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium.

Business: 0.5729403
Hurricane loss 'less than feared' Hurricane Frances could cause \$3-6bn in insured losses in the US, less than experts first predicted.

World: 0.9992125
Thousands to attend Moscow anti-terror rally Over 100,000 people are expected to attend an anti-terrorism rally in Moscow following the Beslan school massacre. The rally, being held outside the Kremlin, is taking place on the second day of official morning

Business: 0.97527766
Cairn Energy sees profits slide British oil and gas firm Cairn Energy has seen profits drop 40, but reports strong reserves in its Indian oil fields.

SciTech: 0.9044778
UK broadband usage doubles in past six months New research from NOP, shows that more of the UK Internet population are progressing to broadband - with usage at 41 per cent up from 27 per cent just six months ago, and an increase in females using the internet.

Business: 0.9978696
Beer and drugs hit manufacturing output Factory output fell unexpectedly in July for the second month in a row -- the first back-to-back decline in nearly two years -- as the production of beer and pharmaceuticals plummeted.

SciTech: 0.72646683
PC Screen Price-Fall to Slow in Fourth Quarter (Reuters) Reuters - Prices of computer screens are expected\to fall by less than 5 percent in the fourth quarter as the\market stabilizes on hopes of a pick-up in demand during the\Christmas season, a U.S.-based research firm said on Tuesday.

World: 0.99940956
Clashes in Baghdad Slum Kill 22 Iraqis, U.S. Soldier BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi fighters battled U.S. troops in a Baghdad slum district Tuesday, raising the death toll to 22 Iraqis and one U.S. soldier and threatening to wreck a cease-fire called by rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

World: 0.99933547
Fierce Clashes in Iraq Kill 34 People BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces battled insurgents loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City on Tuesday, in clashes that left at least 34 people dead, including one American soldier, and 193 people injured, U.S...

World: 0.99941325
14 Palestinian Militants Killed in Gaza GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Sept. 7, 2004 - Israeli helicopters attacked a Hamas training camp early Tuesday, killing at least 14 militants and wounding 30 others in one of the deadliest airstrikes since fighting broke out four years ago.

SciTech: 0.99649245
Genesis Set for Return to Earth Meteors are unpredictable. You never know, not exactly, when one will streak across the sky. Not so on Wednesday, September 8th. At precisely 8:52:46 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), northwest of Bend, Oregon, a fireball will appear: a white-hot dot of light, brighter than the planet Venus, gliding across the blue morning sky.

Sports: 0.9996922
US Open Tennis: Henin-Hardenne falls to Petrova and blunders NEW YORK The rivalry match at the United States Open fizzled, but the mismatch sizzled. After Lindsay Davenport defeated Venus Williams, 7-5, 6-4, in a match that was ho-hum until the last game, Nadia Petrova

World: 0.9993943
Soldier charged with murder A British soldier has been charged with the murder of a civilian in Iraq, police said. Trooper Kevin Lee Williams, 21, from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, is due to appear at Bow Street Magistrates Court.

Sports: 0.99965334
King Singh... at last! The No. 1 golfer in the world is on his way to Glen Abbey for this week #39;s Canadian Open. No, Tiger Woods hasn #39;t changed his plans.

Business: 0.99856734
Survey: Surge in layoffs, hiring Challenger survey finds most job cuts in 6 months; seasonal hiring by retailers lifts new jobs. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Employers increased both hiring and layoff plans in August, according to a survey released Tuesday by an outplacement firm.

World: 0.9994153
Kremlin rules out public inquiry on Beslan LONDON President Vladimir Putin of Russia has ruled out a public inquiry into the Beslan school siege and snarled at those who think he should do business with Chechen militants, two British newspapers said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.8677673
Tribe challenges American origins Some of the earliest settlers of America may have been from Australia, southern Asia, and the Pacific, not northern Asia, research suggests.

World: 0.964435
Hurricane Ivan again growing in strength, Caribbean islands ... Islanders scrambled to put up storm shutters and buy water as hurricane Ivan churned toward Barbados just days after hurricane Frances tore across the Caribbean and through Florida.

Sports: 0.9996158
SI.com SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- A late rally gave the San Diego Padres a rare win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Ryan Klesko delivered a go-ahead RBI single to start a four-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth inning as San Diego posted a 7-3 victory over St.

Business: 0.99755776
Pfizer: Exubera Does Well in Trials Drug makers Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis on Tuesday posted positive results from mid-stage trials of an inhaled insulin product for diabetics.

Business: 0.9982456
CPS to buy additional \$160 million stake in nuclear plant City Public Service (CPS) has reached an agreement with American Electric Power #39;s Texas subsidiary to buy an additional 12 percent equity stake in the South Texas Project for \$160 million.

Business: 0.9930663
Florida weather may help Israeli citrus industry As sunshine state licks its wounds from Hurricane Frances, Gan Shmuel could reap the benefits. The most important news for Florida #39;s 2.8 million residents this week has not been from the Republican

World: 0.9990797
Iran ready to test Shahab-3 missile again: defense minister TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani stressed that Iran #39;s recent test of the Shahab-3 missile was successful, saying his ministry is ready to test it again #39;in the presence of observers #39;.

SciTech: 0.9597425
Sidebar: Oracle Adds Software for Managing Supplier Contracts SEPTEMBER 06, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - As part of an ongoing upgrade of its E-Business Suite 11i business applications, Oracle Corp.

SciTech: 0.9978902
Briefly: Top McAfee exec to step down roundup Plus: Samsung to put hard drives in phones...IDC says external disk storage up...Lawmakers to vote on spyware, piracy bills.

World: 0.99933916
Fierce Clashes in Iraq Kill 36; 203 Hurt US troops battled Shiite militiamen loyal to rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City on Tuesday in fierce fighting that killed 36 people, including

Business: 0.99860626
UPDATE 4-US Airways appeals directly to pilots on givebacks US Airways Group Inc. (UAIR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) issued a general appeal on Tuesday to the carrier #39;s 3,000 pilots after their union #39;s leaders rejected

Business: 0.9981785
US Airways, Pilots Union Near Agreement US Airways is seeking \$800 million in concessions from employee unions as it attempts to avoid filing Chapter 11. The Air Line Pilots Association will present its proposal on the evening of

Sports: 0.9996623
Pass defense lags behind Forget about No. 1 rankings. Another number will be tested this week when USC plays Colorado State. It #39;s a triple digit that bothered USC coach Pete Carroll each time he heard it last season.

Business: 0.9985397
Congressman Spratt wants Fed to US Representative John Spratt of South Carolina said the Federal Reserve should go lightly #39; #39; on raising the benchmark interest rate because of the economy.

Sports: 0.99717784
Cubs, Marlins to make up Frances series with two doubleheaders The Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins will play two doubleheaders to make up the three-game series that was wiped out last weekend in Miami by Hurricane Frances.

SciTech: 0.9940632
Spaceport Mum on Frances Shuttle Delays (AP) AP - The director of the hurricane-ravaged Kennedy Space Center refused to speculate Tuesday whether the damage will thwart plans to resume shuttle flights next spring, but his words offered little hope of an on-time launch.

Business: 0.9961372
Bienvenue, Carrefour Lesser-known French retailer turns in a strong first half. Investors, take notice.

SciTech: 0.99426913
HDS aims virtual Lightning at EMC, IBM Discovers virtualisation just as everyone else is trying to forget it

SciTech: 0.62528634
Lexmark recalls 40,000 printers Lexmark International Inc. recalled 39,431 printers from the market on Tuesday, according to a statement by Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Sports: 0.9996362
ROBBO USHERS IN NEW ERA Andy Robinson, currently the caretaker of England #39;s only World Cup holding major sports team, is the future, barring a particularly bleak autumn.

Sports: 0.99761033
Czech Republic Crushes Sweden 6-1 (AP) AP - Milan Hejduk scored two goals as the Czech Republic routed Sweden 6-1 Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the World Cup of Hockey.

World: 0.9993736
Campaigning Begins for Afghan Election (AP) AP - Afghanistan's historic election campaign got under way Tuesday, pitting 17 hopefuls against interim leader Hamid Karzai in the race to become the impoverished country's first popularly elected president.

Business: 0.99849534
US Stocks Rise; Oil, Gold Fall A decline in the price of oil helped lift US stocks to their highest level in two-months on Tuesday. The dollar declined against its major rivals as investors took profits

SciTech: 0.93981063
Samsung plans to launch mobile phone with stamp-sized hard disc 2004-09-07 Samsung Electronics, the world #39;s third-largest handset maker, recently announced its plans to launch the first mobile phone with a stamp-sized hard disc drive that would expand the memory capacity by 15 times.

SciTech: 0.6847871
Netflix and TiVo Joining Forces Online Home entertainment trendsetters Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and TiVo Inc. (TIVO) hope to link up on a service that will use high-speed Internet connections to pipe DVD-quality movies into the homes of their mutual subscribers.

SciTech: 0.9977106
Nevada Implements 1st Touch-Screen Voting Machines With Paper-Trail By RACHEL KONRAD CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- In what could become a model for other states, Nevada voters on Tuesday became the first in the nation to cast ballots in a statewide election on computers that printed paper records of electronic ballots...

Business: 0.997881
OPEC Can Raise Output Capacity by 1 Mln Barrels/Day (Update1) The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which supplies a third of the world #39;s crude oil, can raise production capacity by 1 million barrels a day by year-end, OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said.

Business: 0.99809605
CBS Realigns Entertainment Divisions eslie Moonves, the co-president of Viacom, yesterday realigned the management of the company #39;s CBS entertainment division and Paramount television production studio, promising smoother and greater interaction between the two.

Business: 0.99837935
Asian Stocks Lower, Greenspan Awaited SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks edged lower on Wednesday as profit taking set in after two days of gains and the dollar firmed ahead of comments from Fed chief Alan Greenspan that are expected to cement the case for further U.S. rate rises.

Business: 0.99858165
Former Banker Quattrone Faces Sentencing NEW YORK (Reuters) - Frank Quattrone, a former star investment banker who once earned \$120 million in a year, will be sentenced on Wednesday for obstructing a federal investigation into some of the most popular stock offerings of the 1990s.

World: 0.99939394
For Bush, Kerry, Iraq Is More Than a War (AP) AP - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are using Iraq to advance their negative campaign tactics as the U.S. military death toll in Iraq tops 1,000. War, it seems, is just another excuse to call the other guy names.

World: 0.99937373
Cheney: Kerry 'Wrong Choice' for President (AP) AP - Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that the nation faces the threat of another terrorist attack if voters make the "wrong choice" on Election Day, suggesting that Sen. John Kerry would follow a pre-Sept. 11 policy of reacting defensively.

Sports: 0.99527454
Study: Athletic success doesn #39;t pay off in donations Success in big-time sports has little, if any, effect on a college #39;s alumni donations or the academic quality of its applicants, according to a study made under the direction of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

Business: 0.9619555
The Discreet Charm of the Very Bourgeois Toy Store? F.A.O. Schwarz may be shuttered and dark, but its catalog is somersaulting back in the direction of well-heeled children and the adults who indulge them.

Sports: 0.9733873
Marlins Streak By Mets A four-day layoff fails to cool off the Marlins, who extend their winning streak to eight games by beating the Mets, 7-3.

SciTech: 0.971693
Matsushita Unveils DVD Recorders, Eyes Higher Share TOKYO (Reuters) - Panasonic brand products maker Matsushita Electric Industrial unveiled five new DVD recorders on Wednesday and said it was aiming to boost its share of the domestic market to over 40 percent from around 35 percent.

Business: 0.9975139
CBS #39;s Moonves Gives Loyalists a Piece of the Eye #39;s Pie Viacom co-president and CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves officially whacked the head of the media conglom #39;s television studio yesterday, and divvied up the job among loyal CBS staffers.

SciTech: 0.99178386
Nokia Shrinks 'Brick' Handset to Tap New Markets (Reuters) Reuters - Nokia, the world's biggest handset\maker, unveiled on Wednesday a miniature version of its\equivalent of the Swiss Army knife it hopes will lure women and\less-techie business people.

SciTech: 0.9942987
Space Capsule Heading Back to Earth A space capsule holding atoms collected from solar wind was en route to a tricky rendezvous with Earth, offering scientists the first material NASA has brought back from space in nearly three decades.

Business: 0.9985057
Insurance firms can take hit Florida insurance companies can cover the losses of Hurricanes Charley and Frances, even if a few small insurers fail, the state #39;s chief financial officer said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9996611
Vijay follows in Tiger #39;s footsteps Tiger Woods has put himself in some peculiar positions this year. He has struggled just to make the cut. Tee shots have ricocheted off corporate tents and small children.

SciTech: 0.9908634
NASA's Shuttle Hangar Badly Damaged by Storm The gigantic hangar where the space shuttle is prepared for its missions sustained much more damage from Hurricane Frances than initially believed.

SciTech: 0.99459463
Bob Evans, Who Helped I.B.M. Transform Data Processing, Dies at 77 Bob O. Evans led the development of a new class of mainframe computers - the famous 360's - helping turn I.B.M. into a data-processing power.

Sports: 0.9997179
Capriati unnerves Serena It was just about a year ago that Jennifer Capriati had this very same feeling. There she was, in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the lights glaring, more than 20,000 fans screaming. Only the opponent was different, as Capriati faced Justine Henin-Hardenne, serving for what would become one of the most important matches of her career. But that night,...

World: 0.99940646
46 Killed, 270 Injured In Iraqi Violence Baghdad, Sept. 8 (NNN): Bloody clashes on Tuesday between US forces and Shia militiamen left more than 46 persons, including six US soldiers, dead across Iraq during the past 24 hours, officials said here on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9997166
Royals pain for Tigers; KC wins season series For all their rejuvenation, the Tigers have lost the season series to the Kansas City Royals, who own the American League #39;s worst record and don #39;t have a winning mark against another AL club.

SciTech: 0.96273714
The servers cannot take the strain, captain! A San Francisco startup plans to boldly go where no game developer has gone before with an online game based on the cult TV series quot;Star Trek.

Business: 0.9968231
Heineken Profit Dips But Repeats Outlook AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken posted a 4.5 percent fall in core profit for the first half on Wednesday, at the low end of expectations as a weak dollar and sluggish markets hurt business.

Sports: 0.9997174
Gibbs Won #39;t Take a Pass on This Soon after Joe Gibbs ended his 11-year retirement from football and reunited his distinguished offensive coaching staff this winter, a call went out to the NFL offices in New York.

Business: 0.92462564
WTO Hits EU Again Over Sugar Sales GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization (WTO) has again declared some European Union sugar exports illegal, dealing a new blow to the bloc's lavish system of farm subsidies, a trade source close to the case said Wednesday.

Business: 0.99602157
Crude Oil Falls as Purmono Says OPEC Can Boost Output Capacity Crude oil fell as OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the group may raise its spare production capacity to as much as 2.5 million barrels a day by the end of this year, reducing concern about shortages.

Business: 0.998509
Cash America shuffles assets, sets special dividend WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Cash America International (PWN) said it #39;s reached a deal to acquire privately owned SuperPawn, operator of a 41-store chain of pawn shops in the US including 21 locations in Las Vegas.

SciTech: 0.99292713
Intel silent on Jayhawk replacement SAN FRANCISCO -- Intel Corp. on Tuesday provided a few more details about future plans for its enterprise server processors, but the company maintained its silence on its plans for an upcoming dual-core Xeon processor, which it has promised as the next major follow-up to the Nocona chip it launched in August.

Sports: 0.99971837
Serena falls to Capriati after chair ump #39;s miscue Unfairly, unbelievably, Serena Williams was robbed of a point by an umpire #39;s mistake at the US Open, just like her sister was at Wimbledon.

SciTech: 0.99406826
NASA space capsule crashes into desert The Genesis space capsule, which had orbited the sun for more than three years in an attempt to find clues to the origin of the solar system, crashed to Earth on Wednesday after its parachute failed to deploy.

World: 0.9994006
France Mulls Hostage Crisis, Confusion Over Ransom DUBAI/PARIS (Reuters) - The French government held crisis talks on the fate of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq Wednesday amid growing uncertainty over whether their kidnappers had demanded a ransom and two-day deadline.

Business: 0.9984383
Stocks Flat After Greenspan Testimony NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were flat on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the economy had recovered from its soft patch and a number of companies warned about their earnings.

Business: 0.99563867
Pension Agency Raises Top Annual Benefit 2.8 The federal agency that protects private sector pension plans announced yesterday that the maximum annual benefit for plans taken over in 2005 will be \$45,614 for workers who wait until age 65 to retire.

SciTech: 0.99805605
Intel executive: EM64T has set back Itanium SAN FRANCISCO -- Intel Corp.'s decision to begin shipping versions of x86 processors that are capable of 64-bit computing has slowed down the adoption of the company's high-end Itanium processors, a senior executive acknowledged Tuesday during a question and answer session at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco.

Business: 0.9814829
Attacks on Disney's Eisner Abate On Friday, the former Disney directors who led a shareholder rebellion aimed at the ouster of Disney's chief executive and other directors this year said they had dropped plans to run a slate of directors at next year's shareholders meeting.

SciTech: 0.9979412
Sybase releases free Express database for Linux In a bid to expand the customer base for its database software, Sybase Inc. released on Tuesday a free, limited version of its software for deployment on Linux systems.

Sports: 0.99964213
Hall had Penn State executing well against Akron, but BC will be ... In recent years, Penn State critics have pointed to its offensive game plan as the source of the team #39;s problems. It was too rigid at times, they said, too reckless at others.

Business: 0.99850583
Greenspan: Economy Regaining Traction WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy is pulling out of its recent soft patch and appears to be picking up steam, Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan said on Wednesday in remarks economists saw as cementing a September rate rise.

World: 0.99935657
Stocks Drop After Greenspan Testimony NEW YORK - Investors were unmoved by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's improved assessment of the economy, with stocks falling narrowly Wednesday in light trading. While Greenspan said the economy has "regained some traction" after the summer's slowdown, he echoed Wall Street's concerns over energy prices, which have fallen from record highs in recent weeks but stubbornly remain above \$40 per barrel...

Business: 0.97288847
Subsidy ruling a sweet victory for sugar producers The Federal Government has hailed a World Trade Organisation ruling that European subsidies for sugar producers are in breach of international trade rules.

Sports: 0.97392714
The Week: No. 1 at Last water running over a rock, wind ripping across a sand dune, the ocean washing up against the shore. Whatever the image, for the last three years Vijay Singh has been the

SciTech: 0.8654122
Groups Offers Beer for Blood Donations (AP) AP - Some in Michigan who roll up their sleeves to donate blood will get a racetrack T-shirt, hat and pin. Sponsors in San Diego have given away whale-watching trips. On Wednesday, the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority handed out vouchers for a pint of any beverage, including beer, in exchange for a pint of blood.

SciTech: 0.9942953
Cadence poaches another Intel server staffer IDF Fall '04 Malhotra rejoins St. Fister

World: 0.9989641
Royal Wedding Lures International Media To Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan - Bruneis Royal Wedding between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Haji Al-Mutahdee Billah and Yang Mulia Dayangku Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh Ab Rahaman has attracted some 170 foreign journalists to the Sultanate.

Business: 0.998558
Amvescap reorganizes after settling The chairman of Amvescap said Wednesday that the company planned to wrap its US mutual fund businesses into one following a \$450 million settlement with regulators over improper trading.

Sports: 0.99946314
Hampton Start Is Pushed Back Again (AP) AP - Atlanta left-hander Mike Hampton was not able to pitch for the Braves on Wednesday, still bothered by a stiff neck that kept him out of his scheduled start Monday.

Sports: 0.9996338
England stars refuse to face media despite World Cup soccer ... England #39;s soccer team refused to face the media after their 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory in Poland on Wednesday in protest at negative publicity they received after Saturday #39;s 2-2 tie with Austria.

SciTech: 0.9956045
Discoverer of DNA Fingerprinting Has Concerns About Technology One morning 20 years ago, Alec Jeffreys stumbled upon DNA fingerprinting, identifying the patterns of genetic material that are unique to almost every individual. The discovery revolutionized everything from criminal investigations to family law.

Sports: 0.9996387
Germany, Brazil draw Germany and Brazil fought out a 1-1 friendly international draw in their first meeting since the 2002 World Cup final. The visitors opened the scoring on nine minutes thanks to a Ronaldinho free kick, but

World: 0.9993462
Martin signals new flexibility to reach health deal with provinces (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KELOWNA, B.C. (CP) - The federal government will seek a flexible medicare-reform agreement that could include individual deals with provinces, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Wednesday.

World: 0.9994143
Israeli Forces Thrust Into Northern Gaza (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli forces thrust into the outskirts\of the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on\Thursday in what the military said was an effort to stop\Palestinians firing rockets into Israel.

Business: 0.99855214
Delta Aims to Cut Jobs 12, Drop a Hub and Reduce Pay elta Air Lines announced yesterday that it would cut 12 percent of its work force over the next 18 months and said a bankruptcy filing would be quot;a real possibility quot; as soon as the end

Sports: 0.9850584
New Rules for Rematch of Colts and Patriots Indianapolis' loss to New England in the A.F.C. championship game in January will have an impact on officiating as the N.F.L. begins the 2004 season Thursday night.

SciTech: 0.97132236
For BlackBerry Users, a New Way to Write While popular among financial-industry types, the BlackBerry is practically unknown to everyone else. RIM hopes to change that with its new model.

SciTech: 0.9874455
Intel conference: Power shift As Intel pursues a new path with improved multi-core chips, AMD says its already one step ahead. Intel told the world this week that there is no race to market the next generation of microchips.

SciTech: 0.98187894
Microsoft intros new mice, keyboards Microsoft announced on Wednesday five new mice and keyboards: Wireless Optical Desktop, which comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard; Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse; Digital Media Pro Keyboard; and Standard Wireless Optical Mouse.

Sports: 0.9997185
After Waiting a Long Time, Davenport Keeps It Short he weather played havoc with the United States Open schedule yesterday, but it did not affect Lindsay Davenport #39;s game. In front of a sparse crowd of no more than several hundred people at

World: 0.99939954
Two Britons shot dead near death railway bridge (AFP) AFP - Two Britons were shot dead by unknown gunmen near the famous Bridge over the River Kwai in western Thailand, police said.

Business: 0.9911862
British Airways to shed Qantas londonBritish Airways Plc, Europe #39;s second-biggest airline, will sell its 18 per cent stake in Qantas Airways Ltd. worth 427 million or about \$980 million (Canadian) to cut debt ahead of possible acquisitions in Europe.

Business: 0.9984522
Molson chief airs doubts The CEO of Molson Inc. raised doubts about his company #39;s deal with Adolph Coors Co., telling a Canadian newspaper he doesn #39;t know whether his shareholders will OK the merger, even though it #39;s quot;the best deal.

Sports: 0.9728924
Bonds's Excuse Has the Scent of Snake Oil, Not Arthritis Balm Barry Bonds's ignorance of the substances obtained by his trainer from Balco is more childish than a youngster's excuse that "the dog ate my homework."

Business: 0.9985379
Court hears Ovitz bid to escape suit WILMINGTON, Del. -- A Delaware corporate law judge Wednesday heard a plea from attorneys for former Walt Disney Co. president Michael Ovitz that asks to remove Ovitz from the list of defendants in a shareholder

World: 0.9993824
Egypt steps back on Gaza plan over Israeli attacks Egypt took a step back from plans to help the Palestinians prepare for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza on Wednesday, saying it could not play its role in full as long as Israeli attacks on Palestinians continue.

Sports: 0.99920434
Wind-Aided Delay May Be Plus for Pitt (AP) AP - The rainy remnants of Hurricane Frances forced Pittsburgh to practice inside in advance of its delayed season opener.

SciTech: 0.9933751
Honey, did you remember to call the DVD recorder? The machine has a 400GB hard disk drive, is capable of zapping video elsewhere in a home, and is designed to let consumers program recording remotely over the Internet--including via cell phones.

World: 0.99930346
China's worst floods in a century kill at least 172, injure thousands BEIJING -- China's Sichuan province faced the threat of epidemics yesterday after the worst flooding in a century killed at least 172 people and left scores missing, while water levels at the huge Three Gorges Dam swelled.

World: 0.9993488
Hurricanes May Affect Florida Politics TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Two devastating hurricanes have given President Bush something his political advisers couldn't dream up: the chance to play comforter in chief in a battleground state he is determined to win again...

Sports: 0.99807703
Panis to Retire from Formula One at End of 2004 LONDON (Reuters) - France's Olivier Panis will retire from Formula One at the end of the 2004 season, his team Toyota said on Thursday.

Sports: 0.999696
Dream team In March, when his free agency tour stopped here, five-time Pro Bowl safety John Lynch got a glimpse of the formula that has the New England Patriots poised to establish an NFL record for consecutive victories and become just the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years. Lynch ultimately signed a few days later with...

Sports: 0.99843067
Trying to recapture glory days With two Super Bowl wins in the last three years, the Patriots have enjoyed the greatest stretch in franchise history, and they've been lauded for doing it with team play. Here are examples of when the other sports franchises in town distinguished themselves in similar fashion.

Sports: 0.99951553
Chip shots NO LONG GAME: It had figured to be a whirlwind tour for John Daly -- from Germany to the Deutsche Bank Championship in our neck of the woods, then onward to the other side of the world to defend his Korean Open title. But his late commitment to the Deutsche Bank and the unusual Monday finish apparently wore him out....

Sports: 0.9996635
Transactions BASEBALL Atlanta (NL): Recalled P Roman Colon from Greenville (Southern League). Cincinnati (NL): Announced INF Brandon Larson accepted his outright assignment to Louisville (IL). Tampa Bay (AL): Released 1B-DH Randall Simon; recalled OF Midre Cummings from Durham (IL).

Business: 0.99820757
Santander sells stake in Royal Bank of Scotland LONDON, September 9 (New Ratings) - Santander Central Hispano (BSD2.FSE) has indicated that it is selling a 2.51 stake in Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, in an attempt to seek regulatory approval to acquire UKs Abbey National Plc.

Business: 0.9809161
Update 1: Philippine Shares End Up 0.7 Percent Philippine shares finished higher for the seventh straight session Thursday on follow-through buying anchored by improved investor sentiment, traders said.

Business: 0.98954564
Stocks Higher on Drop in Jobless Claims A sharp drop in initial unemployment claims and bullish forecasts from Nokia and Texas Instruments sent stocks slightly higher in early trading Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9927614
Self-sustaining killer robot creates a stink It may eat flies and stink to high heaven, but if this robot works, it will be an important step towards making robots fully autonomous.

SciTech: 0.99096596
Longhorn to put squeeze on gadgets SAN FRANCISCO--Windows makes it easy to quickly download files to iPods and other portable storage devices--a little too easy in the minds of many IT managers.

Sports: 0.9996582
Singh rules world that is yet to embrace him On Monday, the newly crowned No. 1 walked into a room to face the world #39;s golfing media, having just shot down Tiger Woods in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship near Boston.

Business: 0.9985134
US Treasuries cut early gains on jobless drop US Treasury debt prices cut early gains but remained narrowly higher after the government said that new claims for jobless insurance fell in the latest week.

Business: 0.98917216
Stocks Higher on Drop in Jobless Claims A sharp drop in initial unemployment claims and bullish forecasts from Nokia and Texas Instruments sent stocks higher in early trading Thursday.

Sports: 0.99967813
Major teams bounce back in World Cup soccer qualifiers LONDON: After a mixed bag of results in the weekend #39;s soccer qualifiers, Europe #39;s major countries asserted their authority this morning with France, England and Italy all winning away.

Sports: 0.9995098
Inzaghi fit for start of season AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi is fit for the start of the Serie A season after recovering from an ankle injury, the club said on Thursday.

Business: 0.9976312
Quattrone gets 18 months in prison Frank Quattrone, who rose to investment banking stardom during the dot.com boom, was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison camp in Lompoc, Calif.

Business: 0.99763095
P G Backs Profit Forecast, Shares Down (Reuters) Reuters - Procter Gamble Co. on Thursday\backed its quarterly profit outlook, helped by sales of new\products and continued gains in developing markets.

World: 0.99920493
Groups Petition U.S. on China Policies (AP) AP - A group of industry, farm and labor groups, seeking to put pressure on the Bush administration before the presidential election, petitioned the government on Thursday to file an unfair trade practices case against China.

Sports: 0.999645
San Antonio (15-3) at Chicago (2-12) 8:30 pm EST CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Two teams heading in opposite directions meet Monday at the United Center when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Chicago Bulls.

World: 0.9991835
Explosives Found Hidden in Closed Russian Cinema ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Police have found explosives, detonators and a gun in a cinema in Russia's second city St Petersburg which was closed for renovation, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

World: 0.99940324
Blast Hits Australian Embassy in Jakarta A large explosion was set off early Thursday outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta's financial district, killing at least eight people and wounding more than 150, officials said. Police said the blast appeared to have been a suicide attack using a car bomb.

SciTech: 0.9980692
IBM to use dual-core Opteron Big Blue will use AMD's chip in a high-performance server but isn't yet planning a general-purpose Opteron system.

SciTech: 0.9921827
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 after spreading at lighting speed over the Internet.

SciTech: 0.70503557
Teenager Charged With Creating Sasser Informants, seeking a reward from Microsoft, led police to the German student.

SciTech: 0.9976809
Google Toolbar Using Browser Keywords Function Google Toolbar Using Keywords Function\\Looks like Google is trying to assure placement within the browser one step at a time. The latest update of the Google toolbar includes "browse by keyword," meaing if I type in "how do I kill this hangover" into my IE URL field, I will get...

SciTech: 0.899917
German teenager charged with creating Sasser virus German student, Sven Jaschan, has been formally charged with computer sabotage, data manipulation and disruption of public systems by German prosecutors.

Business: 0.99519545
Mortgage Rates Across the US Climb Mortgage rates around the country went up this week, although 30-year mortgages still were below 6 percent for a sixth straight week.

Business: 0.9986118
Applebee #39;s predicts earnings, units rise Company sees doubling of units to at least 3,000; predicts 17 earnings rise over next 3 to 5 years. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Restaurant chain Applebee #39;s International Inc.

Business: 0.98498595
Health Insurance Costs Soar, Workers Hit (Reuters) Reuters - Health insurance premiums rose five\times faster than U.S. workers' salaries this year, according\to a survey released on Thursday that also showed slippage in\the percentage of American workers covered by employer health\plans.

SciTech: 0.99526167
DAILY DIGEST RealNetworks Inc. has sold about 3 million songs online during a three- week, half-price sale designed to promote an alternative to Apple Computer Inc.

SciTech: 0.9957904
Robot eats flies to make power A ROBOT that will generate its own power by eating flies is being developed by British scientists. The idea is to produce electricity by catching flies and digesting them in special fuel cells that will break

Sports: 0.9987419
Shanghai Readies for Rockets-Kings Game (AP) AP - Built in the days of Mao Zedong's 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, Shanghai's rundown city gymnasium is getting the full NBA treatment for next month's exhibition game between the Sacramento Kings and the Houston Rockets.

World: 0.99872094
Charting East Asias milestones IT is a special honour for me to be speaking before such a distinguished gathering, including my illustrious predecessor and his colleagues from Korea and Japan who are all well-known for their visionary ideas and as proponents of East Asian cooperation.

SciTech: 0.99584657
Dinosaurs May Have Been Doting Parents -Report (Reuters) Reuters - Dinosaurs may not all have been the\terrifying creatures portrayed in blockbuster films but could\have had a more caring, loving nature.

Business: 0.9984785
RealNetworks Ends Download 49-Cent Promo SEATTLE (Reuters) - RealNetworks Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=RNWK.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">RNWK.O</A> 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.

SciTech: 0.99443924
IBM Aims New DB2 at Rivals IBM (Quote, Chart) announced its first major database refresh in almost two years with new features from the company #39;s autonomic computing vault.

Sports: 0.9997149
Predators sign 2003 first-round pick ----- NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Ryan Suter, their first-round pick in the 2003 draft, on Thursday.

Business: 0.8931085
A Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over Strong international sales growth and solid U.S. comps propel the company's stock to its highest price ever.

World: 0.99886453
Putin Responds to Terror The Russian president puts some blame on his international critics -- and supports president Bush

SciTech: 0.9887794
Intel calls for Internet overhaul The Net needs a new layer of abilities that will deal with imminent problems of capacity, security and reliability, Intel's CTO says.

SciTech: 0.9928363
Spam on the menu at annual virus conference BOSTON - Computer viruses and worms will have to share the stage with a new challenger for the attention of attendees at a conference of antivirus researchers: spam e-mail.

World: 0.9993198
Jakarta Embassy Blast Kills 9, Hurts 173 JAKARTA, Indonesia - Suspected Muslim militants detonated a car bomb Thursday outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, killing nine people and wounding 173 in a bloody strike at a key U.S. ally in the war in Iraq...

SciTech: 0.9965714
IBM #39;s New eServer Supports AMD Dual-Core IBM (Quote, Chart) is looking to get a leg up on the competition with the October 15 launch of eServer 326, a rack-mounted server that supports AMD #39;s (Quote, Chart) upcoming dual-core 64-bit processor.

World: 0.9993931
British couple shot dead in Thailand A Thai policeman was today being hunted after being accused of killing a British couple near a popular tourist destination last night.

SciTech: 0.91809547
Indiana University suffers during PeopleSoft rollout Problems during the rollout of a PeopleSoft financial aid software module at the Indiana University system caused problems for about 3,000 students just as classes were set to start.

Business: 0.9955953
Bank sits tight on rates as house price inflation eases off By Malcolm Moore, Economics Correspondent (Filed: 10/09/2004). The Bank of England held interest rates at 4.75pc yesterday after a series of recent surveys showed the housing market was slowing down.

Business: 0.9986131
Update 1: Foreign Drug Stocks in Spotlight Foreign drug stocks were in the spotlight Thursday with Food and Drug Administration news pulling the sector down. AstraZeneca PLC took a drubbing on the eve of its FDA advisory panel meeting for its orally

SciTech: 0.8386887
Dependent species risk extinction The global extinction crisis is worse than thought, because thousands of quot;affiliated quot; species also at risk do not figure in calculations.

World: 0.9993936
CIA accused over Iraq detainees US army generals tell a Senate committee that dozens of detainees may have been held in secret in Iraq.

Sports: 0.99969363
Quincy Carter being released by the Cowboys NEW YORK -- Tim Henman #39;s quarterfinal victory at the US Open was a microcosm of his career - long and brilliant in spurts, with an expected disappointment on the horizon.

World: 0.99939775
Bush Declares Genocide in Sudan's Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - The United States declared on\Thursday that the violence in Sudan's Darfur region amounted to\genocide and urged the world to back an expanded African\peacekeeping force to halt the bloodshed.

Business: 0.9885505
Alcoa Warns Earnings to Miss Forecasts (Reuters) Reuters - Alcoa Inc., the world's largest\aluminum producer, on Thursday warned that third-quarter\results would fall far short of Wall Street expectations, hurt\by plant shutdowns, restructuring costs and weakness in some\markets.

SciTech: 0.9977107
Broadband Providers Monitor Philly's Plans To Offer Citywide Wi-Fi (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - With Philadelphia's recent proposal to install a citywide broadband wireless network, will there be brotherly love between the city and its broadband service providers?

Sports: 0.9996698
Bud Selig Has Skin Cancer Surgery NEW YORK -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig had surgery Monday to remove a cancerous lesion from his forehead. The lesion was detected last month during Selig #39;s annual physical, and a biopsy confirmed that it contained melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

World: 0.9993911
Pakistan bombs suspected al-Qaida camp Ayman al- Zawahiri, second in command of al-Qaida, said last night that the US faced defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a videotape broadcast by the Arab satellite television station al-Jazeera, he said: quot;The

SciTech: 0.99602133
Scientists Stumped by Dead Croakers (AP) AP - Thousands of croakers have washed ashore at beaches along the Atlantic coast in recent days, the latest mass deaths of the popular sport fish.

World: 0.9993913
Bin Laden Deputy: U.S. Will Be Defeated (AP) AP - Osama bin Laden's chief deputy proclaimed the United States will ultimately be defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan in a videotape broadcast Thursday that appeared to be a rallying call for al-Qaida ahead of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

SciTech: 0.8402736
FCC Finds US Broadband Deployment Is Accelerating US broadband deployment is accelerating as underserved rural and inner city areas gain greater access to new services, according to a government report.

World: 0.99855417
Ivan devastates Grenada ST. GEORGE #39;S, Grenada - Hurricane Ivan took aim yesterday at Jamaica after killing 23 people in five countries and devastating Grenada.

World: 0.9982157
Two Charged in S. African Nuclear Trafficking Case JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 9 -- A German man and his colleague appeared in court Thursday on charges of violating South Africa #39;s ban against nuclear proliferation, according to news reports.

Sports: 0.9995109
Georgia Receivers Try to Make Their Mark (AP) AP - It's taken four years and then some. Through injuries, timid play, occasional doubts and flashes of brilliance, everyone at Georgia has waited for Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown to fulfill their enormous potential.

World: 0.9993218
Colts Lead Pats Early in Third Quarter FOXBORO, Mass. - Peyton Manning reached the 25,000-yard passing mark faster than anyone but Dan Marino, and the Indianapolis Colts shredded the New England Patriots for a 17-13 halftime lead Thursday night...

Sports: 0.99938583
GAME DAY RECAP Thursday, September 09 Bobby Madritsch pitched eight shutout innings and the Seattle Mariners ended a seven-game losing streak Thursday night with a 7-1 victory over Boston, dropping the Red Sox 3 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East.

Sports: 0.9996718
There #39;s a lot on the line for drivers at Richmond this weekend RICHMOND, Va. - Its the 26th race of the Nextel Cup season, and for the first time in the sports history, a season will end before, well, the season.

Business: 0.9984742
Oil Firm After 4 Percent Jump Oil prices held firm on Friday after leaping almost \$2 a day earlier on news US crude stocks sank to a five-month low last week and distillate fuels barely grew ahead of winter.

Sports: 0.9976284
Patriots Begin Title Defense with Narrow Win Over Colts The New England Patriots began their quest for successive Super Bowl titles with a tight 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the opening game of the NFL season in Foxboro Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9270304
Skype releases Pocket PC software Software allows users of personal digital assistants to make free calls using Wi-Fi networks.

World: 0.99941754
Skirmish outside Gaza camp kills 5 GAZA CITY -- Palestinian gunmen and Israeli troops fought pitched battles Thursday on the outskirts of the largest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, with schoolchildren scampering through sandy alleyways just yards from the fighting.

Sports: 0.99945563
Roddick bounced Andy Roddick of the United States ran into a bold, bigger version of himself at the US Open, and 6-foot-6 Joachim Johansson of Sweden sent the defending champion home.

SciTech: 0.99206007
Oxygen Generator on Space Station Fails The main oxygen generator for the International Space Station has failed, and the two astronauts on board will tap into an attached cargo ship's air supply this weekend.

World: 0.999408
Jakarta bombing blamed on Malaysian fugitives The Indonesian police asserted Friday it would intensify the hunt of two Malaysian fugitives Azahari and Noordin Moh Top believed to be responsible for the Thursday #39;s bombing at the Australian embassy.

Business: 0.9986319
Stocks on the edge NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Wall Street took a wait-and-see approach to the final day of the trading week, looking for more information on inflation, trade, oil and a report of Michael Eisner #39;s 2006 departure from Disney.

World: 0.99789304
Grenada In Crisis - Friday 10, September-2004 DESPAIR is setting in among the 80 000 homeless Grenadians who, ravaged and traumatised by the damage done to them by Hurricane Ivan, exist each day with no food, no water and no hope.

Sports: 0.9991704
For openers, a great weekend Chances are the state of Massachusetts will never crown a high school football state champion. But for those who might covet such an idea, the 2004 season kicks off tonight with about as close as you'll ever get to such a matchup when two of the top squads in Central Mass. meet two of the top-ranked squads in Eastern Mass.

World: 0.8732941
Changes to Nigeria union bill The Nigerian senate passes a bill to curb the power of the trade unions, but amends the no-strike clause.

Business: 0.99856853
CEO Eisner to Step Down in Sept 2006 -WSJ NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Eisner plans to step down as Walt Disney Co.'s chief executive when his contract expires in September 2006, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday.

Business: 0.9965467
WordsWorth Books files Chapter 11 WordsWorth Books, a Harvard Square institution for 29 years, yesterday filed for bankruptcy protection, as its owners seek a buyer or investor to help the independent bookseller compete with giant rivals like Amazon.com.

Business: 0.9745043
Japan GDP Hurts Yen, U.S. Trade Data Eyed LONDON (Reuters) - The yen fell against other major currencies on Friday on a surprising downward revision to Japanese growth, while the dollar hit three-week lows against the euro on worries about the U.S. trade deficit.

Business: 0.99432546
Alcoa Shares Fall Most Since April in Europe After Forecast Shares of Alcoa Inc., the world #39;s biggest aluminum producer, fell the most in almost five months in Europe after the company said third-quarter profit from continuing operations will be below analysts #39; estimates.

Sports: 0.9996443
Jim Mora #39;s lucky star Falcons need a healthy Michael Vick This is what #39;s known as lucking into it. Jim Mora gets his first head coaching job at any level, with the Atlanta Falcons, and finds Michael Vick waiting for him.

SciTech: 0.9752553
Intel sees big changes to the net The internet will have to be changed to stop it reaching breaking point, according to chip giant Intel..

SciTech: 0.99460715
P2P company wants RIAA to face the music The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is being given a taste of its own medicine by peer-to-peer (P2P) company Altnet, which has launched a civil suit against the trade body alleging patent infringement.

Sports: 0.9996871
US Open keeps it in the family It will be a long way from West Lakes when Lleyton Hewitt takes on his younger sister #39;s boyfriend. Robert Lusetich reports. IT is a US Open semi-final that has been previewed many times before -- in Adelaide.

Sports: 0.99970055
Atlanta police arrest Braves player on DUI charge ATLANTA - Atlanta Braves shortsop Rafael Furcal has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence. Jail officials say Furcal was booked into the Atlanta city jail at 6:25 am on charges of DUI, speeding and reckless driving.

Sports: 0.9991518
SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals host the opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight, just one day after playing a very strange doubleheader.

World: 0.9993364
Darfur Rebels Urge Nigeria To Intervene, Kickstart Sudan Peace ... Rebel leaders from Sudan #39;s Darfur region called on Thursday on Nigeria to intervene and kickstart African Union-sponsored talks on the crisis in the west of Sudan

World: 0.99920964
New Brussels blow for Turkey #39;s EU hopes EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler on Friday became the latest Brussels critic to raise doubts over Turkey #39;s hopes of joining the bloc, as wrangling over Ankara #39;s EU bid heats up.

World: 0.99879396
9/10/04 - INDIA-PAKISTAN DIALOGUE The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan have concluded another round of peace talks. The talks in Indias capital, New Delhi, set the stage for an expected meeting at the United Nations later this month

Sports: 0.999713
Atlanta police arrest Braves player on DUI charge ATLANTA - An Atlanta Braves player is in the Atlanta Jail today after being arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. Members of the DUI Task Force arrested shortstop Rafael Furcal about 4:20 am

Business: 0.9770165
Insurers Eye Ivan the Terrible How will companies and investors fare if the storm spawns moderate damage?

Sports: 0.99970776
Rummenigge - parise for Bayern coach. (Getty Images) Felix Magath #39;s rigorous new training regime at Bayern Munich has been praised by club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Magath #39;s approach had been criticised by some of his players, and Bayern have made a slow

SciTech: 0.99617165
Light at Night Might Be a Cancer Risk By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter HealthDayNews -- Could electric light pose a cancer threat? It might seem like the wildest of paranoid beliefs, but a growing number of scientists suspect it might be true. The reason: Turning on the lights after dark may affect a small number of "clock genes" that play a major role in controlling how cells live, die and function, these researchers suggest...

SciTech: 0.9975338
Study Suggests Bloodletting May Actually Work By LAURAN NEERGAARD WASHINGTON (AP) -- Could that ancient practice of bleeding patients really have done some good? A scientist says new research on how germs thrive in the body suggests it just may have - for some people. Bacteria need iron to cause infections...

Business: 0.9985586
Core intermediate goods prices #39; rise fastest in nine years WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Prices of US wholesale goods and services fell 0.1 percent in August, the Labor Department said Friday. The core producer price index -- adjusted to exclude food and energy goods -- also fell 0.1 percent.

SciTech: 0.9896332
Oracle's Wish Comes True (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Oracle is one step closer to taking over rival PeopleSoft now that a federal judge has ruled against the federal government's effort to thwart the #36;7.7 billion hostile bid over antitrust concerns, a decision that could spark a rash of tech-sector acquisition attempts.

Sports: 0.99971145
England v Zimbabwe England welcomed back the world #39;s best one-day player on Friday as they began their challenge for the ICC Champions Trophy by naming key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in their line-up to face Zimbabwe at Edgbaston.

SciTech: 0.99529856
Decaying Pig Corpses Reveal Forensic Secrets (Reuters) Reuters - Decaying pig corpses deposited\in secret locations around London are providing scientists with\forensic information that may help them solve crimes.

World: 0.9993931
Zimbabwe Jails Briton for 7 Years in Mercenary Case HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwe court jailed British former special services officer Simon Mann for seven years on Friday in a case prosecutors had linked to a foiled coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

World: 0.9994159
Thousands Demonstrate in Rome for Italian Hostages (Reuters) Reuters - Thousands of Italians marched silently\through Rome in a candlelit procession on Friday to demand the\release of two female aid workers seized in Baghdad.

World: 0.8110173
Turkey unlikely to join EU before 2015: commissioner Verheugen (AFP) AFP - Turkey is unlikely to join the European Union before 2015, EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen said in an interview.

SciTech: 0.57951707
Genesis data 'retrieved intact' Some material has been found still intact inside the crashed Genesis space capsule, say Nasa scientists.

SciTech: 0.9286655
U.S. Ringtones Market Slow to Connect SAN FRANCISCO (Billboard) - With a possible billion-dollar windfall at stake, U.S. music companies are eagerly awaiting the full-blown development of the stateside ringtone market.

SciTech: 0.821554
Oracle case bounces to Europe The European Commission is studying the U.S. court decision favoring Oracle's PeopleSoft buyout and deciding whether to pursue its own objections.

SciTech: 0.95719945
Firms announce video antipiracy technology This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half. NDS, STMicroelectronics and Thomson said Friday that they will develop new encryption technology

Business: 0.99814904
Calif. Energy Panel Criticized for Crisis An appeals court ruled Thursday that federal energy regulators shirked their duty when they declined to order power companies to refund consumers for overcharges during

SciTech: 0.9739958
Court rules against state Web-blocking law A Pennsylvania law requiring Internet service providers to block Web sites deemed by the state's prosecuting attorneys to be child pornography has been reversed by a U.S. federal court on free-speech grounds.

Business: 0.9984503
Late rally sees Wall Street end week on a positive note US BLUE-chips recovered from an early fall to end higher as a drop in oil prices offset a profit warning from aluminium maker Alcoa, while a rise in Oracle fuelled a rally in technology stocks after a judge rejected a government attempt to block a

Sports: 0.9996506
ESPN Soccernet.com news services CARSON, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy signed forward Alan Gordon on loan from the Portland Timbers of the A-League on Friday. A Galaxy selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, the club will have the option

SciTech: 0.9979157
Sun To Refresh UltraSPARC Servers SAN FRANCISCOSun Microsystems Inc. next week will roll out two new servers featuring its UltraSPARC IV processors, a Sun executive said Friday.

World: 0.99939
U.S. Troops Lay Siege to Iraqi City (AP) AP - U.S. troops handed over medical supplies to Iraqi relief workers Friday amid a siege of a northeastern ethnic Turkish city where Iraqi and American forces are trying to root out hundreds of militants.

Sports: 0.99968445
Braves hope Furcal #39;s situation doesn #39;t tarnish race While Rafael Furcal #39;s DUI arrest on Friday could serve as a distraction for the remainder of the season, the Braves are looking to put the matter behind them, and at the

World: 0.99935085
Alleged U.S. Deserter Set to Surrender (AP) AP - Accused U.S. Army deserter Charles Jenkins left his Tokyo hospital for an American military base to surrender to military authorities Saturday, nearly 40 years after he allegedly defected to North Korea.

SciTech: 0.9939288
Astronauts Briefly Fix Oxygen Generator (AP) AP - The astronauts aboard the international space station got their broken oxygen generator running after three tries Friday, but the machine shut down again after barely an hour of operation.

World: 0.9993197
Alleged U.S. Deserter Set to Surrender TOKYO - Accused U.S. Army deserter Charles Jenkins left his Tokyo hospital for an American military base to surrender to military authorities Saturday, nearly 40 years after he allegedly defected to North Korea...

Sports: 0.99711967
Drivers set for mad dash at Richmond The grip on the steering wheel will be a little tighter, aggressions will run a little higher and emotions will be flowing stronger than ever.

World: 0.999113
Milosevic #39;s Lawyers to Appeal Own Appointment THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The two lawyers representing Slobodan Milosevic filed papers Thursday (9 September), asking for permission to appeal their appointment by the UN tribunal.

Business: 0.9985342
Judge Finds Halliburton Settlement Unacceptable A federal judge in Dallas yesterday rejected a \$6 million settlement in a shareholder suit that alleged Halliburton Co. engaged in accounting fraud, saying the lead plaintiffs #39; lawyer mishandled the case and may have settled for too little money.

World: 0.9984841
Flight From Keys Begins as Gusts Whip Jamaica As Hurricane Ivan began to lash Jamaica with wind and rain, officials in Florida stepped up their evacuation efforts.

SciTech: 0.9081617
All the world #39;s a web page as the Bard goes online The earliest editions of Shakespeare #39;s plays provide a fascinating insight into how the playwright reworked his masterpieces over time, but until now, due to their age and

World: 0.99941623
Suicide bombers suspected in attack JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Police released yesterday a grainy photo taken by a security camera of a white delivery truck just before it blew up outside the Australian Embassy and said they suspect two suicide bombers in the vehicle set off the explosion, killing seven other people.

World: 0.9994166
World News: Zimbabwe jails UK #39;coup plotter #39; The British leader of a group of 67 alleged mercenaries accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea has been sentenced to seven years in jail.

Business: 0.99856085
How airlines stand Here #39;s where some of the largest US and Canadian airlines stand in terms of restructuring their operations: - Air Canada: Will emerge from bankruptcy protection by end of September, with a smaller workforce, a reduced fleet, a focus on the no-frills

Business: 0.938026
Stocks in a rut According to the FTSE World Index Japan has been best performer of the major markets with a 6 per cent rise in dollar terms while Germany, down 7.7 per cent, was the worst.

World: 0.9993586
Indonesian police release video tape of embassy blast Indonesian police have released video footage of the explosion outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta. At the same time they say there is no evidence to support the Australian Foreign Minister #39;s claim that

World: 0.9993765
Collingwood anchors England (AFP) AFP - Paul Collingwood's unbeaten 80 took England to 299 for seven against Zimbabwe in their opening Champions Trophy Pool D match at Edgbaston here.

SciTech: 0.96174496
Itanium is Intels future Intel racked up some serious karmic debt when it schemed to run AMD out of the PC processor business. Xeon now languishes in Opterons shadow, which strikes me as just desserts for some nasty business.

World: 0.99937963
Accused deserter surrenders in Japan An accused US Army deserter has surrendered at a US military base near Tokyo to face charges filed in 1965, the Kyodo news service reported.

Sports: 0.9966127
Garcia's Girlfriend Charged With Assault (AP) AP - Jeff Garcia's girlfriend, Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year, was charged with assault in a bar fight last month with a woman the Cleveland Browns quarterback once dated.

World: 0.9987771
U.S. Piles Pressure on Sudan with New U.N. Measure (Reuters) Reuters - The United\States piled pressure on Sudan Wednesday to accept a more\powerful monitoring force in Darfur with a new U.N. draft\resolution threatening sanctions on its oil industry.

World: 0.9992374
Polish PM Tries to Head Off Dispute Over WW2 Claims KRYNICA, Poland (Reuters) - Polish leader Marek Belka tried to head off a controversy with Berlin over World War II reparations after Poland's parliament caused anger in Germany by declaring Poles were still owed for wartime losses.

Business: 0.9682814
Brown seeks to retain EU rebate Chancellor Gordon Brown has expressed his determination to retain the British rebate on its contributions to the European Union #39;s annual budget.

Sports: 0.9996586
Champions Trophy: England rout Zimbabwe BIRMINGHAM, Sep 11: England got their Champions Trophy campaign off to a successful start with a record 152-run win against Zimbabwe at Edgbaston here Saturday.

SciTech: 0.5478523
Tough to predict a hurricane landfall this season #39;s busy season of landfalling Atlantic hurricanes has seen a few less-than-perfect calls by tropical

SciTech: 0.986376
Will Your Next Cell Phone Have a Hard Drive? Hitachi Global Storage Technologies and Intel are pushing the development of an interface technology that they hope will smooth the adoption of compact hard drives into mobile phones, PDAs, and digital music players, the companies say.

World: 0.9991462
Europe compromises with US on Iran nuke deadline charge Iran vehemently denies. The IAEA has found many previously concealed nuclear activities in Iran. but no quot;smoking gun quot; backing the US view.

World: 0.99940765
US soldier convicted of torture in Iraq A US military intelligence soldier in Iraq has been sentenced to 8 months in prison for taking part in torturing detainees in Abu Ghraib prison.

World: 0.999401
Karzai sacks regional governor At least two protesters were killed when supporters of a sacked Afghan governor clashed with US and Afghan security forces in the western city of Herat.

World: 0.9991037
Strong quake hits Hokkaido SAPPORO -- A fairly strong earthquake hit eastern Hokkaido, northern Japan, late Monday night, and several people suffered minor injuries, officials said.

Sports: 0.9993186
Fresno St. Blows Out No. 13 Kansas State (AP) AP - Paul Pinegar threw two touchdown passes to Matt Rivera and ran for another score, and Fresno State upset No. 13 Kansas State 45-21 on Saturday.

World: 0.9994017
Spanish PM to host French, German allies in Madrid summit (AFP) AFP - Sealing ratification of an EU constitution and the question of terrorism will top the agenda when Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero welcomes French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to a summit meeting Monday.

SciTech: 0.98894954
Panasonic unleashes new DVD recorder line Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., better known for its Panasonic brand, will soon start international sales of a high-end DVD recorder that offers network connectivity, the company said Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9997048
Kiwis trample USrookies LONDON -Nathan Astle #39;s 145 helped give New Zealand a record-setting 210-run victory over cricket rookie United States in the ICC Champions Trophy Pool A match at the Oval yesterday.

Business: 0.9775333
Restoring an Original At Charles Schwab, executives plan a return to the firm's original mission of serving mom-and-pop, buy-and-hold investors.

Sports: 0.9997197
No. 9 Ohio State Edges Marshall on Last-Second FG COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Mike Nugent #39;s 55-yard field goal as time expired lifted the ninth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes to a dramatic 24-21 win over the pesky Marshall Thundering Herd in the first-ever meeting between the teams.

Sports: 0.99693006
Cal Extends Tedford California Bears head coach Jeff Tedford agrees to a five-year contract extension through 2009 on Monday.

Sports: 0.99969494
Kuznetsova Tops Dementieva for Open Title NEW YORK Sept. 11, 2004 - Pounding ferocious forehands and covering the baseline with the muscular legs of a Tour de France rider, Svetlana Kuznetsova overwhelmed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 7-5 Saturday night in the US Open #39;s first all-Russian final.

Business: 0.9985372
Fed #39;s Pianalto upbeat on growth, inflation WASHINGTON : The Federal Reserve #39;s policy of gradual interest rate hikes is a sign the US economy does not need the stimulus that low rates supply, according to Cleveland Fed president Sandra Pianalto.

Sports: 0.99930847
Overtime Goal Puts Canada in World Cup Hockey Final Vincent Lecavalier #39;s goal 3:45 into overtime earned Canada a nail-biting 4-3 victory over the Czech Republic on Saturday and a place in the final of the World Cup of Hockey.

Sports: 0.99971527
American League Game Summary - Minnesota At Detroit Detroit, MI -- Jacque Jones #39; single in the seventh scored Pat Borders with the go-ahead run and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

World: 0.9993325
Early Voters Transform Campaign Landscape (AP) AP - In an election year when just a few thousand votes in a few states could decide the winner, the growing number of voters who cast ballots weeks before Election Day is transforming the landscape for political campaigns.

Sports: 0.9997054
Pudge, Guillen leave with injuries The Tigers lost both of their All-Stars, shortstop Carlos Guillen and catcher Ivan Rodriguez, to knee injuries on separate plays in Saturday #39;s game against the Twins.

Business: 0.9984066
CHUCK JAFFE BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- A lot of people got excited when Fidelity Investments announced recently that it was cutting fees on five index mutual funds.

World: 0.99923146
Orthodox patriarch killed in Greek air crash ATHENSEgypt #39;s Patriarch of Alexandria, whose post traces its lineage to one of Christ #39;s disciples, was killed with his Greek Orthodox retinue yesterday in a helicopter crash, Greek authorities confirmed.

Sports: 0.9993042
Yankees stay in tune Unbeaten Orlando Hernandez pitched seven innings of five-hit ball to win his eighth straight decision, and the New York Yankees beat Sidney Ponson and the Orioles, 5-2, yesterday in Baltimore.

Sports: 0.99923444
Anniversary remembered on game day When the attacks came on Sept. 11, 2001, Tom O'Brien, if only for a moment, stopped being Boston College's coach. On that day, as the World Trade Center and Pentagon smoldered and the world stood still, O'Brien was a Navy man.

Sports: 0.999721
Bulldogs shock K-State MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Paul Pinegar threw two touchdown passes to Matt Rivera and ran for another score, and Fresno State upset No. 13 Kansas State, 45-21, yesterday.

Sports: 0.9977666
Callender wins job as starter Frustration set in quickly for Andre Callender. He had already waited a whole year, and now he had to wait another game to play college football.

World: 0.99790096
Cayman Islands hit by hurricane The full force of Hurricane Ivan has hit the Cayman Islands, ripping up homes and causing extensive flooding. Up to 40,000 residents - including a large British expat community - hid in homes and shelters to try and escape Ivan #39;s ferocious 155mph winds.

World: 0.9992101
U.S. Says N.Korea Blast Probably Not Nuclear SEOUL (Reuters) - A huge explosion rocked North Korea last week but U.S. and South Korean officials said on Sunday it was unlikely to have been a nuclear weapons test despite the appearance of a "peculiar cloud" over the area.

Sports: 0.99946696
Dolphins' Fiedler Not Happy About Benching (AP) AP - Dave Wannstedt wasn't happy with Jay Fiedler on Saturday, and the feeling was mutual. Wannstedt benched Fiedler at halftime of the Miami Dolphins' 17-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and the quarterback said he was disappointed about the quick hook.

Sports: 0.9996804
European Tour hopes still high in Canada Hopes of another European Tour victory on the US PGA Tour remained high as Jesper Parnevik and Vijay Singh enjoyed a share of second place after the third round of the Bell Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey course in Ontario.

Sports: 0.99961144
Senegal #39;s Camara scores first goals for Celtic in 3-0 win Senegal striker Henri Camara scored his first two goals for champions Celtic in their 3-0 win against Dundee in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

World: 0.9699252
Conditions in Ohio Point to Kerry, but Bush Runs Strong Everything seemed to be in place for a powerful run by John Kerry in Ohio after Labor Day. Yet polls suggest that Mr. Kerry has actually lost ground.

SciTech: 0.9979709
FDA Scientists Testing Limits of Medical Technology By LAURAN NEERGAARD WASHINGTON (AP) -- A little-known Food and Drug program is testing the latest medical technology to determine how safe and useful it can be. One cutting-edge experiment is designed to see if injecting certain drugs directly into diseased arteries works better than commonly used stents in keeping arteries clear...

Sports: 0.99931014
Gunners step up gear to top table ARSENAL pulled clear at the top of the English Premiership for the first time this season after producing a devastating change of gear to sink London rivals Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage.

Business: 0.99498194
Qwest to pay \$250 mn to settle with SEC Qwest Communications International, the US telecommunications group, is understood to have agreed to pay \$250 million to end a two-year federal probe of alleged fraudulent accounting practices employed by former management.

World: 0.9990514
Coalition holds off efforts to take rebel-run cities US surgical strikes continue in Fallujah, Samarra, and Tal Afar. But US says Iraqi forces are not ready to launch major attacks. By Howard LaFranchi.

Sports: 0.9868656
Germany Cedes 2006 Cup Honor to Brazil (AP) AP - Germany declined the chance to play in the opening game of the 2006 World Cup, with the host nation ceding the honor to Brazil, the 2002 champion.

World: 0.99934715
Exit Polls: Hong Kong Democrats Win Limited Gains HONG KONG (Reuters) - Pro-democracy candidates won limited gains in Hong Kong's Legislative Council election on Sunday and the pro-Beijing camp achieved a better-than-expected showing, exit polls showed.

SciTech: 0.9946861
HP signs on high-speed networking start-up Hewlett-Packard has signed a deal to sell network adapters from start-up S2io that the companies say can transfer data 10 times faster than today #39;s widespread standard.

World: 0.9993773
Putin #39;s policies at fault The spate of terrorist attacks in Russia illustrates that President Vladimir V. Putin #39;s hard-line policy in Chechnya is failing to resolve that conflict or to make Russians safer.

World: 0.9993247
Three Said Killed in Afghanistan Protests KABUL, Afghanistan - Protesters angered at President Hamid Karzai's sacking of a warlord governor in the west of the country ransacked U.N. compounds and clashed with security forces Sunday, leaving as many as three people dead and dozens wounded, including three U.S...

World: 0.999353
Hurricane Ivan Batters Grand Cayman GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands - Hurricane Ivan battered the Cayman Islands with ferocious 150-mph winds Sunday, threatening a direct hit as it flooded homes and ripped up roofs and trees three stories high. Ivan has killed at least 60 people as it has torn a path of destruction across the Caribbean and was headed next for western Cuba, where it was expected to hit Monday, and could brush the Florida Keys and parts of Florida's Gulf Coast...

Sports: 0.9972767
Upsets Shake Up College Football Poll (AP) AP - The upsets have begun and the little guys are moving into The Associated Press poll. After ranked teams started the season 21-0, five fell to unranked opponents this weekend, shaking up media poll released Sunday.

Business: 0.99498886
Oracle #39;s Ellison happy as \$5.5m Larry LARRY Ellison, the chief executive of software maker Oracle, earned \$US3.85 million (\$5.53 million) in salary and bonus for the financial year that ended May 31.

Sports: 0.9996512
Lions #39; Rogers could miss season Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers will likely miss the remainder of the 2004 campaign after breaking his clavicle in the first quarter of the team #39;s 20-16 season-opening victory over the Chicago Bears.

World: 0.9993191
Insurgents hammer central Baghdad BAGHDAD - Insurgents hammered central Baghdad on Sunday with one of their most intense mortar and rocket barrages ever in the heart of the capital, heralding a day of violence that left nearly 60 dead nationwide as security appeared to spiral out of

World: 0.99905795
Hong Kong democrats win more seats Democrats have tightened their grip on Hong Kong #39;s legislature, but still have no mandate to push their agenda of universal suffrage in the southern Chinese enclave.

Sports: 0.9818153
Ten Orioles pitchers issue 14 BBs as Yanks rally for 9-7 victory The New York Yankees took advantage of 14 walks, then capped their latest comeback victory with a couple of strolls around the bases.

World: 0.9993092
U.S.: Korea Cloud Not From Nuclear Blast SEOUL, South Korea - A huge mushroom cloud that reportedly billowed up from North Korea was not caused by a nuclear explosion, South Korean and U.S. officials said Sunday, but they said the cause was a mystery...

Business: 0.99846137
OPEC Eyes Caution, Supply Weighs on Price VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC may resist calls to raise oil output quotas much, if at all, when it meets this week for fear of turning a decline from record prices into a rout.

Business: 0.99526405
Jarvis teeters on the brink Jarvis admitted yesterday it was in a race against time to raise enough cash from asset sales to satisfy lenders and keep trading beyond January.

Sports: 0.9980567
Ravens Stumble to Loss Cleveland holds Jamal Lewis to just 57 yards on 20 carries and Jeff Garcia accounts for two touchdowns to lead the Browns to a 20-3 victory over the Ravens on Sunday.

World: 0.9994054
New Spasm of Violence Sweeps Iraq, Killing 110 BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 110 people were killed across Iraq on Sunday in a sharp escalation of violence that saw gun battles, car bombs and bombardments rock the capital.

Sports: 0.9996879
Carpentier regains focus for win MONTEREY, Calif. -- As Patrick Carpentier cruised toward his second straight dominating victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, he let his mind wander.

World: 0.9993129
U.S.: Korea Cloud Not From Nuclear Blast (AP) AP - A huge mushroom cloud that reportedly billowed up from North Korea was not caused by a nuclear explosion, South Korean and U.S. officials said Sunday, but they said the cause was a mystery.

Sports: 0.998965
Cordero sets new club mark com. Cordero notched his 44th save of the season Sunday to establish a Rangers record previously held by current Rangers roving pitching instructor John Wetteland.

Business: 0.99858415
WPP claims Grey Global prize LONDON, England -- UK-based advertising giant WPP Group says it has won the bidding to acquire US agency Grey Global. WPP, the world #39;s second-largest advertising company, said Sunday it had reached agreement

World: 0.99940765
Fierce fighting in Iraq BAGHDAD, Sept 12: At least 45 people died in a wave of bombings and battles between US troops and militants on Sunday, as Iraq #39;s US-installed prime minister said over 3,000 had perished in the #39;terrorism #39; washing over the country.

World: 0.98460037
Two gored to death in Spanish bull-run Two Spanish men were gored to death by fighting bulls yesterday during the bull-run at the local fiestas in Ampuero, a town 30 miles east of the northern port city of Santander.

SciTech: 0.9975672
Speak to my right ear, sing to my left Researchers at the University of California find that the right and left human ears process sound differently: The right ear is better at picking up speech-like sounds and the left is more attuned to music.

Sports: 0.9988986
Sorenstam wins Hammons Classic Annika Sorenstam won her fifth LPGA Tour event of the year, closing with a 1-under 70 Sunday for a four-shot victory at the John Q. Hammons Classic.

Business: 0.99533695
US Oil Up Above \$43, Watches Ivan, OPEC SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices climbed above \$43 on Monday as energy companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico braced for possible widespread output disruptions from a powerful hurricane and Iraq saw some of the bloodiest violence in weeks.

Sports: 0.99870694
Leftwich Snares Stunner Byron Leftwich caps an 80-yard touchdown drive with a 7-yard toss to rookie Ernest Wilford as time ran out, lifting the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 13-10 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

World: 0.9992736
Will Putin misuse Beslan terrorism? THE UNSPEAKABLE tragedy in Beslan, the town in Southern Russia where terrorists seized a school on the first day of class and where more than 300 people

SciTech: 0.998173
Virus writers look for work THE WRITERS of the MyDoom viruses are encoding job applications into the latest variants of the bug. According to Sophos the plea for work was found when its boffins were stripping the code of the MyDoom-U and MyDoom-V variants.

Business: 0.9963152
Japanese automaker to boost production capacity in India Major Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp. said Monday it has decided to set up a vehicle assembly plant and a new diesel engine factory in India to boost production in the country #39;s growing market.

World: 0.9986664
Putin Seeks More Control Over Regions, Governors In an address to the countrys top officials on Monday Russian President Vladimir Putin announced initiatives that would further strengthen the federal centers control over political life.

SciTech: 0.9732546
Bullies move online Singapore - More complaints of cyberbullying are emerging from youngsters in Singapore than any other country except the United States, an international safety group said in a report on Monday.

SciTech: 0.99806875
Spam Stopper Detects Sender Patterns (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Commtouch's anti-spam software update halts spam by tracking e-mail server sending patterns.

Business: 0.99838376
US Airways files for bankruptcy for 2nd time US Airways Group Inc., the nation #39;s seventh-largest airline, filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday for the second time in two years.

Business: 0.9231658
Microsoft vs Sendo: It #39;s over The legal battle between UK phone manufacturer Sendo and Microsoft has been settled, the companies announced on Monday morning. Sendo had been suing Microsoft for the alleged theft of trade secrets, fraud

Sports: 0.9991129
Today's schedule College soccer: MEN -- Curry at Emerson, 4 p.m.; WOMEN -- Mount Ida at Curry, 3:30 p.m.

Business: 0.99835277
Schering-Plough and Bayer form strategic alliance Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that it has entered into a strategic agreement with Bayer designed to maximize the companies #39; pharmaceutical resources while maintaining each company #39;s own strategic interests.

World: 0.9993437
Terror Suspect Escapes From Bahrain Court A terror suspect escaped from court in Bahrain Monday after a judge renewed the detention order and three fellow detainees for 30 days.

World: 0.9990343
At Last, Success on the Road for Lions The Detroit Lions went three full seasons without winning an away game, setting an NFL record for road futility. They ended that ignominious streak Sunday in their first opportunity of the season, beating the Chicago Bears 20-16 at Soldier Field...

SciTech: 0.9937709
IBM delivers Power-based servers with Linux IBM will push its Power5 line of servers down into the low end of the market, taking Linux with it, when it unwraps an aggressively priced series of Linux-only systems on Monday that will go up against the offerings of Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard

SciTech: 0.9979686
Frozen Eggs Showing Promise Italian researchers have achieved 13 human births using previously frozen eggs. It's encouraging for women who want to preserve their fertility, but efficiency is still low. By Kristen Philipkoski.

SciTech: 0.9979315
Headshake to the SETI Headfake Did the famous screensaver, SETIhome, uncover the first strong evidence for an extraterrestrial signal? The SETI Institute's Seth Shostak discusses how hyperbole can misrepresent the last addition to a list of stellar candidates.

SciTech: 0.88156885
Static over RFID A key patent holder wants royalties. If that starts a trend, adoption of radio frequency identification technology could suffer.

Business: 0.9765073
Russia official gives Yukos assurance Finance minister tells FT that asset sales to pay off tax debt will be market-oriented. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has promised that asset sales to pay off the tax debts of troubled

World: 0.99721885
Two Manny dads DAVE Norman, the Sydney police constable who rushed to Jakarta to be with his critically injured daughter Manny Musu, underwent a DNA test to prove he is her biological father.

Sports: 0.9976781
Cahill Could Be in the Clear Tim Cahill could escape suspension for his controversial celebration of Evertons winner at Manchester City when he was sent off for pulling his shirt over his head.

SciTech: 0.97014356
CRN INTERVIEW: JOHN FOWLER, SUN Sun #39;s Fowler: Rising Sales While Hewlett-Packard, Dell and IBM are the recognized leaders of the X86 server market, one player has surprisingly begun to gain ground.

SciTech: 0.9973086
Video game pioneer shoots for next level with cell phones (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Video game pioneer Trip Hawkins is going mobile. His latest act, a Silicon Valley company called Digital Chocolate, is developing games and "lifestyle" applications for portable phones. He hopes the new venture will turn out like the first he founded, Electronic Arts, the leading video game maker. His most recent gaming company, 3D0, went out of business after a decade. Hawkins spoke with USA TODAY's Edward C. Baigat last week's DemoMobile conference in La Jolla, Calif.

Sports: 0.9974292
Baseball still learning lessons from '94 strike (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - In the 10 years since major league baseball's lights were dimmed and the World Series canceled, players and owners have cashed in.

Business: 0.9938706
EU weighs euro #39;s rise against dollar European Union finance ministers considered the ever-strengthening euro against the dollar Monday amid appeals for Washington to rein in its budget and current account deficits to stop the slide of the US currency.

SciTech: 0.99420774
Personal Tech Fast Forward columnist Rob Pegoraro discusses his latest column on Windows Media Player 10 and answer your personal tech questions.

SciTech: 0.967393
Court to hear Microsoft appeal to \$521M Eolas ruling A panel of judges on Thursday is scheduled to hear Microsoft's appeal in a case where a jury ordered the software maker to pay \$520.6 million in damages after finding that Internet Explorer (IE) infringed on a patent.

Business: 0.99330163
FDA OKs Kit Used with Hemophilia Therapy CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wyeth Pharmaceuticals said on Monday it received U.S. regulatory approval for a kit designed to help patients with the blood disorder hemophilia get regular treatments more quickly and safely.

SciTech: 0.99745804
Meditation Practice Helping Arthritis Patients By ALEX DOMINGUEZ BALTIMORE (AP) -- Dalia Isicoff knows pain. A lifelong sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis, she has had seven hip replacement surgeries...

SciTech: 0.997936
Training is the Key to Defibrillator Success By DANIEL YEE ALPHARETTA, Ga. (AP) -- Because defibrillators are more affordable than ever, they are quickly becoming commonplace in schools, businesses and other public places such as airports...

SciTech: 0.9942994
Novell sees a 'both-source' future CEO asserts the future of software development will not be found in the open-source or proprietary models.

Business: 0.99853265
Wal-Mart Keeps Its September Sales View Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday maintained its September sales forecast and said back-to-school demand picked up for key categories including electronics and clothing after a sluggish start.

World: 0.99938345
Afghan president replaces 2 governors KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai #39;s government Saturday replaced two governors, including a strongman in the west, in a bold step to establish control ahead of landmark presidential elections.

World: 0.9983851
Dive recovers Cromwell's sailor A sailor from a sunken ship belonging to Oliver Cromwell's navy had the upper body of a trapeze artist but bowed legs, his recovered skeleton shows.

Business: 0.99835855
Rogers confirms deal to buy AT amp;T Wireless stake Rogers Communications Inc. (RCIb.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) confirmed on Monday it would buy AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc. #39;s (AWE.

SciTech: 0.96251744
Japan Gadget Turns Plants Into Speakers (AP) AP - The therapeutic power of flowers takes on new meaning with a Japanese gadget that turns plants into audio speakers, making the petals and leaves tremble with good vibrations.

SciTech: 0.9887068
Copy, rip, or import? If you #39;ve been using the new Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP, you may have noticed that Microsoft shifted from some of the more formal language that it used in Windows Media Player 9 -- quot;Copy from CD quot; and quot;Copy to CD quot; -- to the more casual terms

SciTech: 0.99680835
Cisco Melds Add-on Features Into Branch-Office Routers SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Cisco Systems Inc. tomorrow plans to announce an all-new line of branch-office routers that integrate basic routing capabilities with IP voice support, security tools and other functionality.

SciTech: 0.9960615
Linux Promoters Challenge Microsoft (AP) AP - Seeking to be more competitive with Microsoft Corp., Linux backers have agreed on a standard version of the operating system so that programs written for one Linux distribution will work with others.

Sports: 0.998847
Browns day after: Week one The Browns started the season on a good note for the first time since 1994, and the win buoys the teams hopes for the near future.

World: 0.9993788
Sharon faces Netanyahu challenge Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has received a surprise challenge to his plan to expedite a pullout from Gaza after Benjamin Netanyahu, his main rival in the Likud party, called for a referendum on the issue.

Business: 0.9984676
OPEC Seen Wary on Increase in Oil Quotas VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC may resist calls to raise oil output quotas much, if at all, when it meets this week for fear of turning a decline from record prices into a rout.

SciTech: 0.89388794
Novell: Microsoft 'sucked \$60 billion' out of IT CEO Jack Messman tells conference crowd that Microsoft's licence fees have hobbled the IT industry.

World: 0.9993536
Greek Orthodox patriarch is accident victim Vatican, Sep. 13 (CWNews.com) - The Greek Orthodox Patriarch Petros VII of Alexandria was killed in a helicopter crash on September 11, along with several other Orthodox prelates, as he traveled to Mount Athos.

World: 0.9994198
Washington admits failure to get Iran to UN Security Council VIENNA (MNA) - A United States official confirmed to AFP news agency on Friday that Washington fails to take Irans nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions against Tehran.

Sports: 0.9995419
My 50 random musings on the final major championship of the year So the last major of 2004 is in the books. Herewith 50 random ruminations on the US Open that was.... 1. Imagine how good Roger Federer will be once he learns to move around the court a little.

Sports: 0.9996221
Sanchez wins; Costa bows out in Bucharest Bucharest, Romania (Sports Network) - Defending champion David Sanchez advanced, but former French Open titlist Albert Costa was not as fortunate Monday at the \$460,000 Romanian Open.

Business: 0.9983424
County unemployment drops to 3.7 percent SAN DIEGO - San Diego County #39;s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in August, down from a revised 4.4 percent in July and 4.3 percent a year ago, the California Employment Development Department reported today.

SciTech: 0.9479284
Symantec launches antiphishing service SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Symantec Corp. is fishing for dollars with a new service designed to help companies combat the ongoing epidemic of online identity theft, or quot;phishing, quot; scams.

Business: 0.9979063
Sorrell and WPP rise ever closer to the top LONDON With its agreement to buy Grey Global Group, Sir Martin Sorrell has placed his London-based WPP Group in position to rival Omnicom Group as the world #39;s largest advertising company.

SciTech: 0.9959961
Blurry Image Might Be First Picture of Exoplanet The image of a blurry red ball near a failed star just might be the first picture ever snapped of a planet outside our solar system, an astronomer who helped find the object said on Monday.

Sports: 0.99971837
Crazy fan disrupts Weir #39;s round IN AN unpleasant repeat of the Athens Games marathon fiasco, Mike Weir was grabbed by a fan as he walked to the 11th tee during the final round of the Canadian Open on Sunday.

Business: 0.9983923
Disney Foes Want Eisner Out Now Disgruntled former Disney directors Roy Disney and Stanley Gold told Disney #39;s board Monday that CEO Michael Eisner should hit the road by early 2005 at the latest.

World: 0.99938273
FDA Approves Lens Implant to Sharpen Sight WASHINGTON - There's a new option for people who suffer from extreme nearsightedness, whose world loses its crisp edge just a few inches from their noses. The first implantable lens for nearsightedness was approved Monday by the Food and Drug Administration...

SciTech: 0.99589694
Microsoft adds to Visual Studio tools line 2005 Standard Edition targets developers working in small organizations.

SciTech: 0.9791379
IBM open-sources speech-recognition development tools The move is designed to spur development in the speech recognition field and outflank rivals by making IBM's free technology the industry standard.

Business: 0.9985732
Enron to Pay \$321 Million in Pensions HOUSTON (Reuters) - Enron Corp. will pay \$321 million from the proceeds of its sale of its pipeline arm to fund pension plans for thousands of former employees, a government pension agency said on Monday.

Business: 0.997908
Sony-Led Group to Acquire MGM for \$3B LOS ANGELES Sept. 13, 2004 - A consortium led by Sony Corp. has agreed in principle to acquire famed Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Sports: 0.99926037
3 Giants Contest Fines Over Team Meetings (AP) AP - Three New York Giants have filed complaints with the NFL Players Association after being fined by coach Tom Coughlin for not being "early enough" to team meetings.

World: 0.9994005
Iraqis Plead With U.S. to Return to City (AP) AP - U.S. troops barred anguished crowds from returning to their homes in the besieged city of Tal Afar on Monday as residents described corpses scattered across orchards and the collapse of essential services such as water and electricity.

Business: 0.99569666
Nikkei Opens Higher Led by Tech Stocks TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei share average was up 0.56 percent in early morning trade on Tuesday as another jump in U.S. technology shares encouraged investors to step up buying in local counterparts such as Advantest Corp.

SciTech: 0.99005646
Microsoft Targets Solo Programmers with New Visual Studio Version ORLANDO, Fla.Microsoft Corp. announced another edition of its upcoming development tools family, releasing information on Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition at the VSLive!

SciTech: 0.9980762
Virus #39;talks #39; to victims Virus writers have created a piece of malware that #39;talks #39; to victims. The Amus email worm uses Windows Speech Engine (which is built-in to Windows XP) to deliver a curious message to infected users.

SciTech: 0.99798346
Firefox browser to hit 1.0 milestone Though the release is technically a preview, the 1.0 version is a significant milestone for the open-source browser software, which has already won an enthusiastic following as an alternative to Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer.

Business: 0.99848026
Service-Sector Revenues Rise in Q2 Revenues in key sectors of the US services industry grew in the second quarter, the government said on Monday in a new survey aimed at measuring growth in the giant tranche of the economy.

World: 0.9993124
Osaka school killer of 8, yakuza boss executed TOKYO - Mamoru Takuma, convicted for murdering eight children at an Osaka elementary school in 2001, has been executed, informed sources said Tuesday.

World: 0.9993855
Japan executes child killer Japan has hanged a man convicted of stabbing to death eight elementary school children in a rampage that shocked the nation and severely shook its sense of security, local media have said.

Business: 0.9860386
Dropping Hyphen, Some Great Old Stores Become Just Macy #39;s n the not-so-distant past, the names Burdines, Rich #39;s, Goldsmith #39;s, Bon March and Lazarus had a local glory as the emporiums where customers bought their back-to-school clothes and discovered their Mother #39;s Day presents.

Sports: 0.9992118
Major League Baseball Box Score COLORADO (7) VS ARIZONA (1) - MID 6TH - IN PROGRESS COLORADO ab rh rbi bb so lob avg A Miles 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 1.302 R Clayton ss 2 0 2 0 1 0 0.

World: 0.9803867
Ivan Roars Into Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Ivan skirted the western tip of Cuba on Monday and arced into the Gulf of Mexico with sustained winds of 160 mph, bearing down toward landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast later this week.

SciTech: 0.97652495
Cisco to debut new router family Internet hardware giant Cisco Systems is said to be preparing to launch a new family of routers that can manage both voice and data applications.

Sports: 0.9996234
Pros in Olympics still in question Wayne Gretzky found himself talking about Mario Lemieux possibly playing in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin when... whoa! quot;Are you suggesting that you #39;re holding

Business: 0.9982262
Sony group to buy MGM A consortium led by Sony Corp. has agreed in principle to acquire famed Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. for nearly \$3 billion, MGM said late yesterday.

Sports: 0.9987814
Escobar, Anderson lift Angels Kelvim Escobar pitched seven strong innings and Garret Anderson hit a three-run homer, leading the Anaheim Angels to a 5-1 win over the Mariners last night in Seattle.

World: 0.99662846
Turkey #39;s Adultery Ban Would Hinder EU Bid, Aides Say (Update1) Turkey #39;s plan to make adultery a crime may hinder its bid to join the European Union by showing the dominance of conservative forces #39; #39; in Turkish society, European officials said.

Business: 0.998577
Carrier #39;s uphill climb US Airways said yesterday it can emerge from bankruptcy a stronger airline, but acknowledged it needs deeper wage concessions from its pilots - something it has failed to get after two years of trying.

Sports: 0.99965835
CREDIT: Canadian Press, Reuters Gretzky, executive director of Team Canada, says each player should treat tonight #39;s World Cup of Hockey championship game against Finland as quot;one of the greatest nights of their life.

SciTech: 0.99803156
IBM puts G5 in Linux server The eServer OpenPower 720 is aimed at the entry-level market for 64-bit Linux-based servers and runs various configurations of what IBM calls the Power5 at 1.5 and 1.65GHz.

Sports: 0.99971384
Wenger attacks Madrid for transfer rule-bending Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger accused Real Madrid of ignoring the rules when it wants to sign a new player. Wenger said the Spanish powerhouse has sometimes made its interest known to the

World: 0.99931145
The reforms that Putin announced Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a series of measures to strengthen central state powers following the hostage-taking at Beslan when more than 300 people died.

SciTech: 0.96990967
Science Students Win \$100,000 Prize Description: Siemens Westinghouse announces the winners of its annual competition for high school students in math, science and technology.

Business: 0.99858177
Federated Will Rename Stores as Macy #39;s All regional Federated Department Stores will change their names to Macy #39;s in January, the company said yesterday. The decision affects regional department stores that operate as Burdines-Macy #39;s in Florida

SciTech: 0.79609525
Help wanted by IT services firms The growing services industry is hiring, but tech workers looking for a job may need to do more than brush up on their coding.

SciTech: 0.9456878
Sun trims fourth-quarter earnings by \$12 million Sun Microsystems Inc. trimmed its fourth quarter and full-year 2004 results this week, to account for final accounting of asset retirement obligations and its settlement with Microsoft Corp.

SciTech: 0.9958762
Microsoft, Polycom team on collaboration products Microsoft Corp. and Polycom Inc. have struck a multi-year agreement to link Microsoft's Office Live Communications Server with Polycom's conferencing products, the companies plan to announce Tuesday.

Business: 0.9985662
Office Depot Sees Profit Below Views NEW YORK (Reuters) - Office Depot Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ODP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ODP.N</A>, the No. 2 U.S. office supply retailer, on Tuesday forecast third-quarter and full-year profits below Wall Street estimates due to disruptions from recent hurricanes.

Business: 0.99845445
Retail Sales Down; Trade Gap Larger (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. retail sales dipped in August\and the U.S. gap with its international trade partners widened\to a record level in the second quarter of the year, government\reports released on Tuesday showed.

Business: 0.99854493
Kroger Profit Falls, Warns on Sales NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KR.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KR.N</A>, the largest U.S. grocer, on Tuesday reported a 25 percent drop in quarterly profit, hurt by debt redemption costs.

SciTech: 0.99685186
Novell reaffirms open source strategy Novell is putting open source and identity management centre stage at its European user conference this week. The networking firm announced that Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES), which includes Novell #39;s

SciTech: 0.96826684
Chinese Mobile Phone Giant to Open Up to 3000 Internet Cafes China #39;s second-largest mobile phone company says it plans to open up to 3,000 Internet cafes by the end of this year. State-controlled China Unicom, which already operates 400 Internet cafes across the country

World: 0.99927217
A target for terrorists An election campaign parades the political divide in the community. Yesterday, amid the extraordinary uncertainty about whether Australians had been taken hostage in Iraq, we saw the glue that unites the two sides of politics.

Sports: 0.9996766
Canada, Finland set for WCH final Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Canadians try to take back what was once theirs tonight when they face Finland in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey final at Air Canada Centre.

Business: 0.9985668
Kroger Profit Falls, Warns on Sales NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co. on Tuesday posted a 25 percent drop in quarterly profit and warned it may not reach its sales target for the year, sending shares of the top U.S. grocer down as it grapples with lingering fallout from a strike in Southern California.

World: 0.9993686
Iranian nuclear plans #39;unclear #39; The head of the UN #39;s nuclear watchdog says he has seen no firm evidence Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons. But International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed El-Baradei said he could not yet give

Sports: 0.99837935
Benitez Plans Tactical Overhaul Rafael Benitez embarks on his first European campaign as Liverpool boss tomorrow with a warning to his players that the continents finest have got wise to English tactics.

SciTech: 0.9973538
Whats New With Google News What's New With Google News\\Google News has added a whole bunch of features while we weren't lookin'. First off there's a new pull-down menu at the top of the page which easily allows you access to the top stories across all the Google News properties. If you look at that...

SciTech: 0.78690183
Cisco launches equipment leasing arm in India as it eyes booming IT market (AFP) AFP - US computer networking giant Cisco's Indian subsidiary announced the launch of a leasing arm to grab a slice of the growing domestic IT market.

SciTech: 0.8582136
Flower power turns up the volume A Japanese company has come up with a way of turning flowers into loudspeakers.

Business: 0.99847347
Manpower forecasts positive 4Q hiring pattern Fourth quarter hiring in the Buffalo Niagara Falls market is expected to be on the rise according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Sports: 0.981612
Zurich abandons bid for 2014 Winter Olympics Zurich has decided to quit the bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics, according to a statement released bythe Swiss Olympic Association on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99952185
Piller Out for Months After Arm Surgery (AP) AP - Titans guard Zach Piller might miss the rest of the season after having surgery to repair his ruptured left biceps.

Business: 0.98056453
Sony Leads MGM Acquisition Entertainment companies had been vying for MGM to get their hands on its library of more than 4,000 titles. Time Warner initially was seen as the front-runner in the race.

SciTech: 0.9974367
Novell #39;s Microsoft attack completes Linux conversion Novell Inc. has completed its conversion to Linux by launching an attack on Microsoft Corp., claiming that the company has stifled software innovation and that the market will abandon Microsoft Windows at some point in the future.

SciTech: 0.9905614
Sony goes OLED with Japanese CLIE PEG-VZ90 Despite pulling out of the US and European markets, Sony #39;s CLIE line is still kicking in Japan, and is now kicking with an OLED display.

SciTech: 0.9433469
Microsoft going for BIG BITE of Apple In case you have not heard, Microsoft just upped the ante in the digital music war when it launched its Windows Media Player 10 and its beta online music store this month.

Business: 0.97828543
IBM, LG Electronics to End Joint Venture International Business Machines Corp. and LG Electronics Inc. will end an eight-year alliance that helped expand the US computer maker #39;s presence in the booming South Korean PC market.

Business: 0.9985384
McDonald #39;s boosts annual dividend 38 McDonald #39;s (MCD) Tuesday raised its annual dividend by 38, a move the world #39;s largest restaurant chain said is another sign of its revitalization.

Sports: 0.99964356
Indy 500 qualifying changes aimed at regaining interest INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis 500 will return to four days of qualifying for next year #39;s race, but with a new format of bumping on each day.

World: 0.99929035
North Korea Seen as Tying Nuclear Talks to US Election North Korea is waiting out the American presidential election in order to bargain with the winner over its nuclear weapons program, according to analysts here and a British diplomat who left Pyongyang today.

SciTech: 0.9970004
Sony Announces the Clie VZ90 Handheld For Japan Sony Japan has released a new Clie for the Japanese market only. The Clie PEG-VZ90 is a Palm OS multimedia Clie handheld, that features a large OLED screen, slider hidden buttons, plentiful memory and WiFi.

Business: 0.9984352
Hurricane Worries Boost Oil Prices Worries that Hurricane Ivan will hurt oil production in the Gulf of Mexico boosted oil prices Tuesday. In mid-morning New York trading, oil for future delivery hit \$44.

Business: 0.9985903
Retail Sales Fall 0.3 Percent in August Retail sales slid in August as people steered away from buying cars and shoppers kept a close eye on their spending after splurging in July.

Business: 0.97244704
Oracle Profit Rises on Software Demand SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. on Tuesday reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's second largest software company benefited from steady demand for its flagship database software.

SciTech: 0.9047842
Microsoft Eyes Video for Business IM Software giant teams with Polycom to boost sales of Live Communications Server.

Sports: 0.9996824
VILLENEUVE ON VERGE OF F1 RETURN Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve is on the verge of a shock return to Formula One with Renault. The Canadian has been out of Formula One since leaving BAR one race before the end of last season but

World: 0.9993749
Batman visits Buckingham Palace A security officer stands by as father #39;s rights campaigner Jason Hatch (R), dressed as Batman, protests on a balcony at Buckingham Palace in London, September 13, 2004.

SciTech: 0.9861426
Microsoft mice get biometric Microsoft Corp. has made fingerprint biometric technology an integral part of its keyboard and mouse peripherals with new products that mark the company #39;s first foray into biometric devices.

SciTech: 0.96608204
Oracle 1Q Earnings Rise 16 Percent (AP) AP - Business software giant Oracle Corp. said Tuesday that first-quarter earnings rose 16 percent driven by new database license sales that rose 19 percent.

Business: 0.99860686
Allied Waste shares fall as company again lowers outlook AUSTIN - The stock of Allied Waste Industries Inc. fell Tuesday after the waste hauler cut its 2004 profit outlook for the second time in as many months.

Sports: 0.99967027
Eagles Lose OL Andrews PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Offensive lineman Shawn Andrews, Philadelphia #39;s No. 1 draft pick this year, suffered a fractured right leg in Sunday #39;s game against the New York Giants.

SciTech: 0.9972486
Nokia Adopts SD Card Tech into Storage Portfolio To expand the capabilities of SD memory cards in mobile devices, the SD Card Association has recently formed a Mobile Phone Task Force.

World: 0.999401
Dalai Lama Envoy Visits China for Autonomy Talks WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama's special envoy has arrived in China for talks on the exiled spiritual leader's aspirations for Tibetan autonomy, the third such visit in three years, officials in Washington said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.99854916
Oracle Quarterly Net Income Rises 16 Pct Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday reported a 16 percent rise in quarterly net income as the world #39;s second largest software company benefited

Sports: 0.9997192
Sri Lanka raise England #39;s spirits In their opening match of the Champions #39; Trophy, Sri Lanka did little to suggest they have the wherewithal to knock England out of the tournament at the Rose Bowl on Friday.

Sports: 0.99972075
Mourinho happy after 3-0 win Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was delighted with his side #39;s performance in the 3-0 win in the Champions League against Paris Saint Germain.

Sports: 0.9996625
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Expect a comfortable night for the Highbury boys The Gooners take their first step into European football this season tonight by welcoming Dutch league runners-up, PSV Eindhoven, to Highbury.

Sports: 0.9996686
Zimbabwe do England a favour Zimbabwe have been English cricket #39;s bte noir over the past year but here yesterday, they did them a huge favour in the Champions Trophy, despite losing to Sri Lanka by four

Business: 0.9951391
Inflation fall eases rates pressure INFLATION fell again in August, slipping further below the governments 2 per cent target, driven down by clothing and footwear retailers failing to raise prices after a poor summer.

Sports: 0.99948657
Valley Stars Struggle to Settle Alan Curbishley admits Charltons summer signings have yet to settle at The Valley and blames the loss of virtually an entire side for the clubs stuttering start to the season.

Sports: 0.9997172
Schultz re-ups with Wild St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - The Minnesota Wild and defenseman Nick Schultz agreed to terms on a one-year contract Tuesday. Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

Sports: 0.9981949
Nedved to rejoin Czech national team after injury healed Czech captain Pavel Nedved will return to the national soccer team once his knee is completely healed, he said in a statement which his manager Zdenek Nehoda provided Tuesday.

World: 0.9994167
Pakistan turns up heat on al Qaeda Pakistani forces have been battling al Qaeda fighters in an ongoing operation to rout terrorists in a tribal area near the border with Afghanistan, Pakistani intelligence sources said.

Sports: 0.9997166
Champions League: Arsenal 1, PSV Eindhoven 0 Arsenal benefited from an own-goal in a 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven in its opening Champions League match at Highbury on Tuesday. The Gunners largely dominated the Group E match, with Jose Antonio

Sports: 0.99912184
Eagles Bring Back Levens; Place Andrews on IR (Reuters) Reuters - The Philadelphia Eagles\made several roster moves on Tuesday, including bringing back\Dorsey Levens and placing Shawn Andrews on injured reserve.

World: 0.93798983
LETTER FROM EUROPE The All-Too-Human Hitler, on Your Big Screen The release of a major movie about Hitler is, by definition, a remarkable event in Germany, especially if it portrays one of history #39;s great monsters as a human being, given

SciTech: 0.79342014
Sony Set to Exert Influence on Discs As the leader of the group that plans to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony is poised to gain considerable power in its fight to set the format for the next generation of digital video discs.

World: 0.9994165
In Retaken Iraqi City, Perils Lurk U.S. forces have controlled Tall Afar since Sunday, after deadly battles last week. On Tuesday, soldiers, led by an Iraqi known as "The Source," reopened the city and searched for insurgents.

World: 0.9988695
Lethal Bird Flu Reemerges In Four East Asian Countries The avian influenza virus that swept across East Asia early this year has reemerged in at least four countries in the region despite optimism among health and agriculture officials that the disease had been eradicated through the mass slaughter of chickens.

Business: 0.9920438
Delta Pilots Tell Negotiators to Get Pact (Reuters) Reuters - Delta Air Lines Inc.'s pilots union on\Tuesday directed its negotiators to work out an agreement to\address the early retirement of a large number of pilots, which\threatens to push the No. 3 U.S. airline into a Chapter 11\bankruptcy filing.

World: 0.9986008
Communist Party seeks to win back people #39;s support THE Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has read the writing on the wall and is out to shore up its moral right to keep ruling the country.

Business: 0.99859136
Chiquita slips on higher Q3 costs CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Higher operating costs are canceling out expense reductions and cutting into Chiquita Brands #39; profit expectations for the third quarter, the company said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9970976
Fish coasts through Second seed Mardy Fish brushed aside the challenge of qualifier Andres Pedroso with a 6-1 6-2 win in the International Tennis Championships.

SciTech: 0.99173766
Nokia To Expand On-Device Storage Options <a href="http://news.com.com/NokiajoinsSecureDigitalindustrygroup/2100-1039_3-5365922.html">Nokia joins Secure Digital industry group</a> CNET News.com

World: 0.99928916
Labor Allies Want Senate to Block OT Rules (AP) AP - Fresh from their triumph in the House, labor allies want the Senate to derail new Bush administration overtime rules that critics say would prevent 6 million American workers from getting the bonus pay.

Business: 0.9358454
5000 rally against James Hardie MORE than 5000 building workers and asbestos victims have rallied outside a general meeting for embattled building products company James Hardie in central Sydney today.

Sports: 0.9983997
AL notables Jason Giambi went 0 for 3 with a walk and a long drive to the right-field warning track in his first start for the Yankees since July 23 after recovering from a benign tumor, intestinal parasite, strained groin, and respiratory infection. He is hitless in his last 24 at-bats.

SciTech: 0.9968172
The OQO Should Run Linux \\This little OQO machine is certainly pretty cool. The biggest problem\though is that it doesn't run Linux.\\This leaves you with a device heavier than your PDA and all the insecurity and\bloat of Windows and with a price tag of only sub \$2000.\\People don't care what OS their PDA/Handtop runs. It can run an alternative OS\and for the most part consumers don't care. WinCE hasn't exactly been a stellar\market success. While Microsoft does have significant market share PalmOS,\Symbian, and Linux are doing just fine. Also most of the WinCE devices never\have the fit and finish of their Palm and Symbian counterparts.\\I don't know where OQO thinks they are going to fit in. If they were to ...\\

World: 0.8791745
Same-sex divorce rules still hazy Now that an Ontario couple has been given Canada #39;s first same-sex divorce, experts are divided over just how easy it will be for gays and lesbians in other provinces to end their marriages.

World: 0.9993556
Report: Japan PM Advisers See China Military Threat (Reuters) Reuters - In a move that could further chill ties\between the two Asian powers, an advisory panel to Japan's\prime minister will say China should be described as a military\threat in a defense review, the Nihon Keizai newspaper reported\on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99795157
SABMiller #39;s China JV in \$154m deal SABMiller, the world #39;s second largest brewer #39;s Chinese joint-venture, China Resources Breweries Limited (CRB) has acquired the Chinese brewing interests of Lion Nathan for an equity value of \$71-million and estimated assumed debt of \$83-million, CRM

Sports: 0.99837315
Ryder-You can bank on Tiger, says Sutton Tiger Woods has not won a major in two years and lost his world number one ranking but US Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton says reports of his demise will prove badly exaggerated this week.

Sports: 0.99908566
Villeneuve and Sauber With Jacques Villeneuve testing for Renault today at Silverstone there has been the perhaps inevitable speculation that this could change things for next season when Giancarlo Fisichella is due to join Fernando Alonso at Renault F1.

World: 0.99939454
Iraqi attacks kill at least 69 At least 69 people have been killed and scores wounded during a day of carnage in Iraq. In Baghdad, 47 Iraqis died and over 120 were injured in a massive explosion near a police station.

Sports: 0.99971706
We need to do well - Benitez Rafael Benitez has admitted Liverpool can finally end speculation over Steven Gerrard #39;s future with a good Champions League campaign.

SciTech: 0.988167
Technical Hitch Delays Russia Space Station Launch (Reuters) Reuters - The launch of a Russian rocket scheduled\to blast off to the International Space Station next month has\been postponed because of problems with the docking system,\Russia's space agency said on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9926456
OPEC Aims for 4 Pct Boost in Oil Quotas VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC's core Gulf producers will recommend the cartel raise supply quotas by one million barrels a day, four percent, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah said on Wednesday.

World: 0.9992931
Earthquake Rocks Indonesia's Bali, One Dead-Radio JAKARTA (Reuters) - An earthquake rocked Indonesia's premier tourist island of Bali on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least two, El Shinta radio reported, quoting hospital officials.

Sports: 0.99446046
Rockies Terminate Neagle's Contract (Reuters) Reuters - Colorado terminated the contract\of pitcher Denny Neagle on Monday, three days after he was\ticketed for soliciting a women for oral sex.

Business: 0.99859864
Bridgeway CEO to settle SEC fund charges - WSJ A mutual fund manager long regarded by many as an advocate for the interests of fund shareholders is expected to pay \$5 million to settle charges he overcharged his own investors by nearly that amount, the Wall Street Journal

Sports: 0.9997003
THE 35TH RYDER CUP Tiger #39;s Cup doesn #39;t run over with success Bloomfield Township, Mich. -- The Ryder Cup is upon us, and you know what that means: Time to dress up as Mrs. Doubtfire and taunt Colin Montgomerie from behind the ropes?

World: 0.99936134
Earthquake Rocks Indonesia's Bali, One Dead BALI, Indonesia (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia's premier tourist island of Bali Wednesday, killing one person, injuring at least two and triggering some panic, officials said.

Business: 0.99811447
CBOE to sell stake in National exchange, buy CBOT rights The Chicago Board Options Exchange said Tuesday its directors approved steps to reduce its financial ties to two other exchanges in town.

Business: 0.76590925
Study: 400K Fewer Tech Jobs Since 2001 The US information tech sector lost 403,300 jobs between March 2001 and this past April, and the market for tech workers remains bleak, according to a new report.

Business: 0.9425325
Britain #39;s unemployment falls to 20 year low British unemployment fell by 16,000 to 1.41 million between May and July, the lowest level since comparable records began in 1984, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday.

World: 0.99941945
Acrimony in the air on eve of Northern Ireland talks (AFP) AFP - All-party talks to kickstart Northern Ireland's peace process, in limbo for nearly two years, get underway at Leeds Castle with acrimony already in the air.

SciTech: 0.987328
Consumer Group Calls for Probe of #39;Rip-Off #39; ITunes Apple Computer Corp. is charging its British iTunes customers 17 percent more per download than its European customers, a consumer watchdog group said on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99839383
Coast Guard Shuts Gulf of Mexico Ports HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard shut five ports on Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico coast states of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi as Hurricane Ivan churned nearer.

Sports: 0.9995466
As hockey clock strikes 12, Canada reclaims World Cup The message board in Canada #39;s dressing room spoke volumes: quot;Practice canceled tomorrow, quot; it read. quot;No one else to beat.

Sports: 0.9993511
SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - Tim Wakefield tries for his first win in three starts this evening when the Boston Red Sox continue their three-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Fenway Park.

World: 0.9993691
Hurricane Ivan Roars Toward Gulf Coast NEW ORLEANS - Stragglers streamed toward higher ground Wednesday on highways turned into one-way evacuation routes and surf started eroding beaches as Hurricane Ivan roared toward the Gulf Coast with 140 mph wind. Nearly 200 miles wide, Ivan could cause significant damage no matter where it strikes, as hurricane-force wind extended up to 105 miles out from the center...

World: 0.9993507
Stocks Sink on Coke's Gloomy Forecast NEW YORK - Stocks headed lower Wednesday after beverage giant Coca-Cola Co. issued a gloomy forecast, and a lower-than-expected reading on industrial production for August threw the nation's broader economic outlook into question...

World: 0.99934
Milosevic war crimes trial suspended The war crimes trial of the former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was today adjourned for a month after key witnesses refused to appear in protest at the court #39;s decision to appoint defence lawyers.

Sports: 0.9973145
Moya Upset in First Round of China Open (AP) AP - Top-seeded Carlos Moya was upset by French qualifier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-3, in the first round of the China Open on Wednesday.

Business: 0.998343
Key Martha Witness Gets Wrist Slap (CBS/AP) A former brokerage assistant who helped Martha Stewart make her fateful stock trade and later emerged as a key government witness was spared both prison and probation Friday for accepting a payoff during the government #39;s investigation.

SciTech: 0.9943877
Jobs #39; Apple vs Beatles #39; Apple p2pnet.net News:- It #39;s Apple vs Apple again - that #39;s to say Steve Jobs #39; Apple versus The Beatles #39; Apple. Apple-B claims Apple-J infringes its trade mark and the latter, quot;is likely to be forced into a multimillion

Sports: 0.9994367
Ferrero advances; Moya stunned in rainy Beijing Beijing, China (Sports Network) - For the second time in as many days, rain was a major factor at the inaugural \$500,000 China Open.

Sports: 0.998257
Hughes allowed to speak to Rovers The Football Association of Wales have given national boss Mark Hughes permission to speak to Blackburn over their vacant managerial post.

Sports: 0.999413
MCNAMARA RECEIVES GOOD NEWS Celtic have been boosted by the news that Jackie McNamara should be back in action within six weeks. The Hoops skipper was clearly in agony when he was stretchered off during Tuesday nights 3-1 defeat at the hands of Barcelona.

Business: 0.99587315
Brazil Embraer says suspends US Airways deliveries Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer (EMBR4.SA: Quote, Profile, Research) (ERJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it had suspended aircraft deliveries to US Airways (UAIR.

Sports: 0.9949092
Inzamam happy with win Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq praised his spinners after Pakistan knocked Kenya out of the Champions Trophy with a seven-wicket win at Edgbaston.

World: 0.9570799
World Population to Rise to 8.9 Billion Although world families are getting smaller in many regions, the 50 poorest countries are expected to triple in size to 1.7 billion people by 2050, posing many challenges for world countries.

Business: 0.6992976
Oracle Fails to Inspire Tech Rally Oracle Corp. handed the software industry some positive earnings news after the bell on Tuesday, but investors pulled cash from the sector on concerns that information technology spending has become anemic.

Sports: 0.994896
Canadian Driving Champion Jacques Villeneuve to Join Swiss Team Former world driving champion Jacques Villeneuve of Canada has signed a deal to drive for the Swiss-based Sauber Petronas Formula One team next season.

Sports: 0.99968624
Howe won #39;t be back in 2005 According to a report on the MSG Network website, New York Mets manager Art Howe will not return as the team #39;s manager for the 2005 season.

SciTech: 0.99800974
Microsoft Warns of JPEG Security Hole Microsoft, which recommended immediate updates, said the newly discovered vulnerability could allow remote code execution of code thanks to a buffer-overrun vulnerability in the processing of JPEG image formats.

Business: 0.99424136
ADV: Try Currency Trading Risk-Free 30 Days 24-hour commission-free trading, 100-to-1 leverage of your capital, and Dealbook Fx 2 - our free advanced trading software. Sign up for our free 30-day trial and receive one-on-one training.

SciTech: 0.9977767
News: Governments slow off the mark to combat growing threats of cybercrime The Associated Press By Robert Wielaard

Sports: 0.7755592
GM Plans to Use Woods More Creatively (AP) AP - General Motors Corp. is thrilled that Tiger Woods will promote Buick for the next five years, but GM chairman Rick Wagoner says the automaker could make better use of the world's best-known golfer.

Business: 0.95137715
OPEC Increases Oil Output The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has agreed to increase output by one million barrels a day in a move to lower oil prices.

World: 0.99941254
Pakistan's Musharraf to Retain Army Post Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will stay on as chief of the army staff beyond the date he promised to give up the post, the information minister said on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99971753
Celtic captain McNamara out for a month Celtic captain Jackie McNamara will be sidelined for at least a month after sustaining ankle ligament damage in Tuesday #39;s 3-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona.

SciTech: 0.99739057
Nokia, NEC Test New IP Multimedia Subsystem Two high-tech communications players have completed the first phase in a series of tests to show how a next-generation IP data and communications infrastructure works.

Sports: 0.9995371
Hughes Seals Rovers Return Blackburn tonight installed Wales boss Mark Hughes as their new manager to take over from Graeme Souness. The identity of the appointment was not a surprise but the speed in which it was announced certainly was.

Business: 0.99861276
Stewart Asks to Serve Sentence Soon NEW YORK Sept. 15, 2004 - Millionaire executive Martha Stewart announced Wednesday that she had decided to begin her prison sentence for lying about a stock trade as soon as possible.

Sports: 0.9997023
Marlins righthander Burnett to miss Friday #39;s start Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Florida Marlins starting pitcher AJ Burnett is hampered with inflammation in his right elbow and will miss his scheduled start on Friday against the Atlanta Braves.

SciTech: 0.94427204
Cisco joins WiMax Forum The networking giant formally signs on to the wireless broadband group as the organization's ranks increase.

Sports: 0.9996741
Devil Rays thumbnails at Fenway Park Records: Boston is 86-56 (second in the AL East); Tampa Bay is 61-80 (fourth in AL East). Tonight (7:05, NESN, WEEI): LHP Scott Kazmir (1-1, 5.62) vs.

World: 0.99938977
Chronology of attacks on Westerners in Saudi Arabia Three suspected Muslim militants gunned down a Briton in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, security sources and diplomats said.

Sports: 0.99923086
McKenzie Ends Holdout and Returns to Green Bay (Reuters) Reuters - Green Bay Packers\cornerback Mike McKenzie ended his lengthy holdout Wednesday\afternoon and joined his teammates in preparation for Week 2.

Sports: 0.99970055
USC Fires Basketball Coach Henry Bibby LOS ANGELES - Henry Bibby was fired as Southern California #39;s basketball coach Monday, just four games into his ninth season. The Trojans, beset by some player dissension, are 2-2.

Sports: 0.9997112
USA searches for winning formula Hal Sutton anticipated the question. He had formulated an answer, too, long before he arrived in that Milwaukee hotel ballroom to announce his captain #39;s picks and finalize the US Ryder Cup team.

World: 0.99940896
Sudan Rejects US-Sponsored Darfur Resolution Sudan on Wednesday rejected a US-sponsored UN Security Council draft resolution to punish it over a conflict in its western Darfur region, saying the measure was unfair and lacked balance.

SciTech: 0.84813976
BTG hits Amazon, Netflix and others with patent suit BTG, a London-based firm that focuses on intellectual property and technology commercialization, filed suit against Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and two other Internet companies for infringing on patents related to the tracking of users online.

Sports: 0.9469635
F1 BOSS LOSES COURT CASE Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestones control over the sport may be on the decline after a court ruled against him in a dispute with three banks.

World: 0.99939334
Bush Urges Putin Uphold Russian Democracy (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush on Wednesday urged\Russian President Vladimir Putin to "uphold the principles of\democracy" in a carefully worded message expressing concern\about Putin's proposed political reforms.

World: 0.9993556
Darfur Peace Talks Struggle for Survival ABUJA (Reuters) - Peace talks between Sudan's government and Darfur rebels struggled for survival after one of the two rebel groups said on Wednesday the negotiations had collapsed but left open the chance of resumption.

World: 0.9993568
Kerry Challenges Bush Record on Issues DETROIT - Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Wednesday of presiding over an "excuse presidency," challenging Bush's credibility on jobs, the record national deficit and the war in Iraq...

Business: 0.9969817
IMF: Global financial markets stronger, more resilient Global financial markets are stronger and more resilient than at any time since the stock market bubble burst in the late 1990s, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9609065
Lonely men targeted by cell-phone based relationship HONG KONG - There #39;s a new service for men seeking true love. A software company has created an artificial girlfriend that lonely men can download to a mobile phone.

Sports: 0.9997131
Giants' Stoutmire Tears ACL; Lost for Season EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sports Network) - The New York Giants placed defensive back Omar Stoutmire on injured reserve Wednesday after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Sunday's season-opening 31-17 loss in Philadelphia.

World: 0.998838
Jamaica Searches for Dozens of Fishermen After Ivan Jamaican military forces searched on Wednesday for dozens of fishermen feared missing after Hurricane Ivan #39;s strike on the Caribbean island last weekend, officials said.

Sports: 0.99968445
Sports: Khalil Greene breaks finger LOS ANGELES Khalil (kuh-LEEL #39;) Greene has a broken right index finger and will miss the rest of the regular season. The San Diego Padres shortstop was injured in the fifth inning of Monday night #39;s 9-7 victory

Business: 0.9932175
Techs extend Nikkei #39;s rally Technology shares edged up in Asia on Tuesday, as crude oil prices hovered near \$44 a barrel and the dollar languished ahead of key US economic data.

Business: 0.99820423
2 D.C. Men Accused of Defrauding Investors The Securities and Exchange Commission sued two District men yesterday, charging them with improperly soliciting more than \$1.3 million for a real-estate-based Ponzi scheme by preying on fears about neighborhood gentrification.

World: 0.99271023
Democrats Seek Louder Voice From Edwards At a time when Vice President Dick Cheney has been mocking John Kerry, John Edwards has adopted a lower-profile stance.

World: 0.9992249
Saudis Take a Small Dose of Democracy For the first time in 41 years, Saudi Arabia is allowing local elections. The ruling family's goal, political analysts and diplomats say, is to determine whether a more open government might help defuse a rising armed threat by Muslim militants in the kingdom.

Sports: 0.9996935
magic number down to 10 New York -- If the Braves #39; 13th consecutive division title seemed like a foregone conclusion before Wednesday, well then it seems doubly so today.

Sports: 0.99971265
Sales #39; 28 points help Sun beat Sting, clinch playoff spot The Connecticut Sun clinched a playoff spot for the second straight year behind Nykesha Sales #39; 28 points in an 81-67 win over the Charlotte Sting on Wednesday night.

SciTech: 0.9796005
Shareholders Approve Aether Changeover Shareholders approved Aether Systems Inc.'s sale of one of its two remaining operating divisions Wednesday, a deal that will take the Owings Mills company out of the wireless business and nearly complete its transformation into a mortgage investment fund. \-The Washington Post

Sports: 0.99971193
More Troubles For Howard Tim Howard was quot;horribly at fault quot; and quot;had another bad night, his dreadful error leading to Lyon #39;s first goal quot; in Champions League action.

SciTech: 0.9603216
IBM protects passwords with PC chip New PCs will ship with a chip designed to thwart hackers--a hardware approach that's said to be safer than software.

World: 0.9994023
Gunmen Seize Three Britons in Baghdad (Reuters) Reuters - Three British nationals, believed to be\civilians, were snatched by gunmen from a house in central\Baghdad early on Thursday, Iraq's Interior Ministry said.

World: 0.9993994
Mexico Migrant Smugglers Turning to Sea (AP) AP - Migrant smugglers are skirting heightened security along the border by using small boats to shuttle people from the under-supervised Baja coast into Southern California marinas and harbors, already jammed with legal commercial ships and pleasure boat traffic.

World: 0.99936134
Intel Officials Have Bleak View for Iraq WASHINGTON - The National Intelligence Council presented President Bush this summer with several pessimistic scenarios regarding the security situation in Iraq, including the possibility of a civil war there before the end of 2005. In a highly classified National Intelligence Estimate, the council looked at the political, economic and security situation in the war-torn country and determined that - at best - stability in Iraq would be tenuous, a U.S...

Sports: 0.9996655
Real Madrid Ponders Biggest Champions League Loss in Four Years Real Madrid began yesterday #39;s match at Bayer Leverkusen as the bookmakers #39; favorite to win the Champions League. The record nine-time European champion finished with its worst defeat in the competition in more than four years.

Business: 0.8887354
European Stocks Open Flat, Havas Falls (Reuters) Reuters - European shares opened steady on\Thursday, with French advertising group Havas falling after\news of a capital increase along with its first-half results\but Richemont rallied after reporting strong luxury goods\sales.

World: 0.9968264
Briton Shot Dead by Saudi Shopping Center (AP) AP - A Briton who was shot dead outside a Saudi shopping center has been identified as an employee of the communications company Marconi.

World: 0.9993905
Assembly debates Musharraf role Pakistan's national assembly is due to debate whether President Musharraf should step down as army leader.

Business: 0.99172044
Senate panel opposes overtime rules A Senate committee voted yesterday to scuttle new rules that critics say would deny overtime pay to millions of workers, as Democrats won the latest round in their election-year bout with President Bush over the issue.

World: 0.99939287
Afghan court convicts US trio of torture KABUL, Afghanistan -- Three Americans -- led by a former Green Beret who boasted he had Pentagon support -- were found guilty yesterday of torturing Afghans in a private jail and were sentenced to prison.

World: 0.9993754
Russia's Putin once again heads ex-Soviet bloc (AFP) AFP - President Vladimir Putin took over once again as head of the CIS ex-Soviet bloc at a summit in the Kazakh capital Astana, the Interfax news agency reported.

World: 0.99940324
Briton, two Americans kidnapped in Baghdad (AFP) AFP - Two Americans and a Briton were abducted from their home in a plush Baghdad district at dawn, in the latest blow in Iraq's five-month-old foreign hostage crisis, the interior ministry said.

Business: 0.99846065
Coke CEO gives pep talk as company lowers outlook Coca-Cola #39;s top executive said Wednesday the beverage maker needs to work harder, better execute its business strategy and improve its culture as he warned that third-quarter per-share income will drop at least 24 percent from a year ago.

World: 0.99933916
Ya #39;alon: IDF is in advanced stages of preparation for Gaza pullout The army is in a very advanced stage of preparations for a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four small West Bank settlements in 2005, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant

Sports: 0.98762125
Big Unit, Not Bonds, Reaches Milestone (AP) AP - Barry Bonds was beaten by Randy Johnson in the race for baseball's latest milestone moment.

World: 0.9994085
Indonesian militant sentenced to 12 years in Marriott hotel ... : An Indonesian court sentenced a Muslim militant to 12 years in jail on Thursday after finding him guilty of involvement in last year #39;s JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta.

SciTech: 0.86417866
Netopia to Restate Results (Reuters) Reuters - Netopia Inc. a maker of\networking gear, on Thursday said its auditor KPMG LLP\resigned, and said it will restate two years of results and\revise the results in its most recent fiscal quarter.

World: 0.9993957
Iraq war allies lash out at Annan Key allies in the US-led war in Iraq reject UN chief Kofi Annan's assertion that the invasion was illegal.

Business: 0.99785244
Dollar Idles vs. Euro Before U.S. Data LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar kept close to the previous session's one-week highs against the euro on Thursday, holding steady as investors awaited U.S. data to confirm fresh signs of strength in U.S. manufacturing.

SciTech: 0.98697215
Iomega readies wireless NAS device Iomega Corp. is soon expected to ship its first network-attached storage (NAS) device based on wireless networking technology.

SciTech: 0.99085087
Yahoo! Tunes In to Musicmatch Close watchers of the online music business no doubt noted yesterday #39;s announcement of Yahoo! #39;s (Nasdaq: YHOO) purchase of Musicmatch with interest.

World: 0.97579116
UN Says More Money Needed for Population Programs The United Nations released its annual population report on Wednesday, and it said it needs more money for population programs. A top United Nations official says if more money isn #39;t found for population programs

World: 0.9993789
European Abortion Debate Turns Divisive (AP) AP - European Parliament legislators on Thursday turned a fight over abortion rights in Portugal into an emotional and divisive debate on women's rights and the division between church and state.

Sports: 0.9996123
UNLV Names Utah's Sanford As Head Coach (AP) AP - Calling UNLV "a gold mine," Mike Sanford took over as coach of the Runnin' Rebels on Monday after two years as offensive coordinator at high-scoring Utah.

Business: 0.99702364
Senator Criticizes Europe #39;s Boeing Stance European leaders have been making false claims in a commercial-aircraft trade dispute pitting Boeing Co. (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) against its Europe-based rival Airbus, a US senator close to Boeing said on Thursday.

World: 0.99941075
Iran Denies Any Nuclear Activity At Suspect Site Parchin VIENNA (AFP) - Iran denied that it had carried out any nuclear-related activity at the Parchin military site which is the subject of US and UN concern.

Business: 0.9984717
US August Inflation Mild, Job Claims Rise WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices inched up just 0.1 percent last month as gasoline and car prices tumbled, the government said on Thursday in a report suggesting an inflation spike earlier this year was an aberration.

Business: 0.9975489
Hurricane Ivan May Cost as Much as Charley, Frances (Update3) Hurricane Ivan, which slammed into the US Gulf coast today, may cost insurers \$4 billion to \$10 billion, rivaling hurricanes Charley and Frances, Risk Management Solutions Inc.

SciTech: 0.91266054
Judge Weighs Evidence in IBM, SCO Case IBM attorneys argued that Utah-based SCO Group has failed to provide any evidence that IBM allowed proprietary Unix code to enter the freely distributed Linux operating system and its \$5 billion suit making that claim should be dismissed.

SciTech: 0.9096527
Group Seeks Ways to Prosecute Cybercrime (AP) AP - Governments and private sector officials from around the world sought ways Thursday to jointly combat cybercrime, whose growth mirrors the phenomenal rise of the Internet's popularity.

Business: 0.9970482
Nortel warns of lower Q3 revenue TORONTO - Nortel Networks warned Thursday its third-quarter revenue will be below the \$2.6 billion US preliminary unaudited revenues it reported for the second quarter.

World: 0.99539363
Schooling 'mix up' hits Portugal Schools across Portugal turn away pupils because of a teachers' assignment mix up on the first day of classes.

World: 0.99934703
Hurricane Ivan Blasts Alabama, Kills 12 GULF SHORES, Ala. - Hurricane Ivan slammed ashore early Thursday with winds of 130 mph, packing deadly tornadoes and a powerful punch of waves and rain that threatened to swamp communities from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle...

SciTech: 0.99247277
New handheld computer from SONY with electroluminescent display (CP) - SONY has introduced it #39;s Clie PEG-VZ90, an entertainment multimedia handheld using Palm OS 5.2.1. The unit boasts the world #39;s largest 480x320 pixels organic electroluminescent (EL) display, which many regard as a next-generation technology capable

World: 0.9941909
Ford to Return Electric Cars to Norway (AP) AP - Ford Motor Co. agreed to return about 300 Norwegian-built electric cars to the Nordic country after protests about plans to scrap them, the country's transport minister said Thursday.

Business: 0.9920392
Keep It in the Family The IRS is gunning for your inherited IRA. Follow these steps to avoid costly penalties.

Sports: 0.9996574
Toyota confirms signing of Italian driver Jarni Trulli from Sauber Toyota confirmed Thursday that Jarno Trulli will drive for the Formula One team starting next season. The Italian signed a two-year contract two days ago and will partner German driver

World: 0.99939716
Russian Duma to launch new school massacre probe Russia will launch a second parliamentary inquiry into the Beslan school hostage massacre, Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov said on Thursday, marking a further climbdown by authorities who initially ruled out a probe.

SciTech: 0.5874287
Czech Republic's Cell Operators Fined (AP) AP - All three cell phone operators in the Czech Republic were fined a total of #36;1.7 million for breaching competition rules, officials said Thursday.

SciTech: 0.98155713
Blackberry shrinks phone keyboard The latest Blackberry mobile device packs a traditional Qwerty keyboard into 20 keys.

Business: 0.9986174
US August Inflation Mild, Job Claims Rise US consumer prices inched up just 0.1 percent last month as gasoline and car prices tumbled, the government said on Thursday in a report suggesting an inflation spike earlier this year was an aberration.

Sports: 0.99970216
TV war puts tour of India in doubt Australian cricket chiefs fear a battle over television rights could cause next month #39;s Test series in India to be cancelled, and last night were seeking clarification from Indian board president

World: 0.9993406
Sharon acknowledges ignoring road map Prime Minister Ariel Sharon acknowledged that Israel was not following the moribund Mideast peace plan, and said an Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip was unlikely to revive it, according

SciTech: 0.9978775
A9 Offers Search Results From Five Sources A9 Offers Search Results From Five Sources\\A9, the search engine from Amazon.com, has relaunched its search engine. It now offers search results from several different sources, including the IMDB and of course, Amazon.com. \\I decided to search for Duke Ellington. "Duke Ellington" brought about 156,000 results (less than half the...

Sports: 0.9994056
UEFA Introduces Anti-Doping Program SOFIA (Reuters) - UEFA will enforce a new anti-doping program at all levels in and out of competition, a meeting of the European soccer body's executive committee decided Thursday.

World: 0.9993926
Freedom on the March in Iraq, Bush Tells Voters (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush said on\Thursday freedom was on the march in Iraq even as a U.S.\intelligence report depicted a bleak outlook for the country's\future.

Sports: 0.9996774
Ferrero upset in second round at China Open BEIJING, China (Ticker) -- One day after top-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain lost in straight sets, his second-seeded compatriot followed suit.

SciTech: 0.9891796
CRM Best Practices: TCO and ROI (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - With CRM projects costing millions, even in some mid-size companies, it is no surprise CFOs are leading the charge to be sure the most important projects are first, that they are justified, and that they actually deliver on their forecast benefits.

SciTech: 0.745639
Nortel lowers expectations Nortel said it expects revenue for the third quarter to fall short of expectations.

SciTech: 0.80419606
Corning begins work on Taiwan LCD facility Demand for flat-panel devices means that the time is ripe for factories to churn out more glass.

World: 0.9992543
Envoys off to inspect NK blast site A group of foreign diplomats has left Pyongyang on Thursday to visit the scene of a mysterious explosion in North Korea. quot;They went today.

World: 0.999401
U.S. Says New Images Show Iran Plans Nuclear Bomb VIENNA (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official said on Thursday that satellite photographs of a suspected nuclear industrial site in Iran demonstrated its intention to develop atomic weapons, an allegation Tehran dismissed as "a new lie."

SciTech: 0.92258114
BEA's new product chief regroups The first new face after a company shake-up says BEA products will use the advanced research left by departed technology gurus.

SciTech: 0.99808216
RIM takes new BlackBerry design overseas Revamped keyboard is key feature of the 7100v, which is headed for European and Asian shores.\

SciTech: 0.8630677
AOL drops Microsoft antispam technology com September 16, 2004, 1:15 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

World: 0.9972047
EU Wants U.S. Aid to Boeing Clarified (AP) AP - The European Union on Thursday demanded Washington explain more clearly how it subsidizes Boeing Co. and warned it would counter any U.S. challenge targeting EU rival Airbus SAS before the World Trade Organization.

Business: 0.994232
EU, US Talks On Aircraft Aid Grounded US and EU negotiators traded arguments on Thursday over state aid for aircraft rivals Airbus and Boeing, but wound up no closer on a sensitive issue that has gathered steam in the run up to the US presidential election.

World: 0.999406
Britain awaits results of N.Korea blast fact-finding trip (AFP) AFP - Britain is awaiting the findings from a technical analysis of what a group of diplomats saw at the site of a huge explosion in North Korea last week, Britain's minister for East Asia said.

SciTech: 0.98406255
Kodak, IBM to Make Digital Camera Sensors (AP) AP - Eastman Kodak Co. and International Business Machines Corp. Thursday said they have agreed to develop and make image sensors for digital still cameras and camera phones.

Business: 0.9963415
EU, US Talks on Aircraft Aid Grounded US and EU negotiators disagreed on Thursday about state aid for aircraft rivals Airbus and Boeing, winding up no closer on a sensitive issue that has gathered steam before the US presidential election.

Business: 0.99156946
Airbus denies backing Microsoft in EU case Aircraft maker Airbus insisted on Thursday it had no intention of taking sides in a Microsoft antitrust case, even though it filed a brief in an EU court on the software giant #39;s side.

SciTech: 0.94810456
AOL Shuns Microsoft Anti-Spam Technology Add America Online Inc. to the growing list of companies and organizations shunning a spam-fighting proposal from Microsoft Corp. AOL cited quot;tepid support quot; for Microsoft #39;s so-called Sender ID technology, which

SciTech: 0.9944463
-Posted by dave.rosenberg 1:51 pm (PDT) In what seems to be one of the more bizarre and confusing aspects of the unholy alliance between Sun and Microsoft, Sun #39;s recent 10k filingincludes previously unseen legalese from the settlement agreement.

Business: 0.9985789
After the Bell-Texas instruments up after sets share buyback Shares of Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) rose after the market close on Thursday, after the chip maker said it plans to buy back \$1 billion in stock

SciTech: 0.9976871
Microsoft/Sun documents If you #39;re up for some light reading, see the links below for the underlying documents that formed Microsoft #39;s April settlement with Sun Microsystems.

Sports: 0.99665964
In Athens, the other Olympics It was a sight the Greeks had never seen: Beneath the ancient temples of the Acropolis, dozens of international visitors maneuvered

World: 0.9988569
Hong Kong #39;s LegCo Elections: Overcoming the System The 1.784 million voters that participated in Hong Kong #39;s 2004 Legislative Council Election gave a clear signal that they want democracy sooner rather than later.

World: 0.99915767
Russians admit airliner bombing blunder Russian security forces were facing further criticism last night after it was revealed that the two female Chechen suicide bombers who destroyed two planes in August with the loss

SciTech: 0.99750334
Sun, Microsoft Clause Singles Out Openoffice Sun Microsystems (Quote, Chart) may have saved itself from years of costly litigation when it settled with Microsoft over their long-running Java dispute, but a clause in the landmark deal has open source supporters parsing its potential impact.

Sports: 0.9996879
Villeneuve back in driver #39;s seat and with a point to prove Canadian Jacques Villeneuve hopes to take his revenge on former team BAR by helping Renault take second place in the Formula One championship.

Business: 0.99739456
Corus makes first profit as UK steel plants return to the black Corus, the Anglo-Dutch steel maker, celebrated its first ever profit yesterday and said its UK plants had contributed to the turnaround.

Sports: 0.9991935
Kluivert gives Souness stuttering start at Newcastle Patrick Kluivert struck twice as Graeme Souness began his reign at St James Park with a 2-0 win over Israeli Arab side Bnei Sakhnin in the UEFA Cup first round, first leg at Newcastle United this morning.

World: 0.9993672
Parliament Invasion Spurs Security Concern (AP) AP - Silver buckled shoes, stockings and a ceremonial sword? Time, some say, for Parliament's archaic security measures to be dragged into the 21st century after what was called the worst security breach at the House of Commons since 1642.

Sports: 0.99939215
Zeile to catch one last time Art Howe will fulfill a wish of the retiring Todd Zeile on Friday night: Zeile will catch Tom Glavine in Pittsburgh, his first time behind the plate in 14 years.

SciTech: 0.9924625
Global Warming May Spur Fiercer Hurricanes - Experts (Reuters) Reuters - As Hurricane Ivan and its powerful\winds churned through the Gulf of Mexico, scientists told\Congress on Wednesday that global warming could produce\stronger and more destructive hurricanes in the future.

World: 0.99934953
Tests Show James Died of Heart Attack LOS ANGELES - Toxicology and other tests determined that funk singer Rick James died last month from a heart attack due to an enlarged heart, with numerous drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine contributing factors, the county coroner announced Thursday. The death was declared an accident, said coroner's spokesman David Campbell, who emphasized that none of the drugs were found to be at life-threatening levels...

Business: 0.99271566
Knight Ridder Says It Will Miss Targets Knight Ridder Inc. expects third-quarter earnings to exceed expectations, largely due to a per-share gain of 9 cents related to the finalization of certain tax matters.

SciTech: 0.9953999
Delay in Shuttle Flights The battering that the hurricanes of the last month has inflicted on NASA centers could strain an already tight schedule for resuming shuttle flights, but it is too early to tell how badly, experts said Thursday.

Sports: 0.99596524
Hokies to Open ACC Play On Saturday, Virginia Tech finally walks into the football room of that exclusive athletic club known as the Atlantic Coast Conference.

SciTech: 0.8870269
Airbus sees mobile phone use on planes by 2006 BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhaunet) -- European plane maker Airbus has reported progress in plans to allow passengers to use mobile phones while in flight with a target date of 2006.

Sports: 0.9984345
Tigers Clip Indians 6-4 (AP) AP - Eric Munson and Omar Infante each hit two-run homers and Detroit's bullpen stayed busy all night Thursday, leading the Tigers to a 6-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

SciTech: 0.5976639
Corning begins work on Taiwan LCD facility Encouraged by the demand for LCDs, glass maker Corning on Thursday said it has broken ground for a second manufacturing facility in Taiwan.

Business: 0.9985226
Consumer Prices Climb; Jobless Claims Up (AP) AP - Consumer prices barely budged in August, suggesting that inflation isn't currently a problem for the economy and Federal Reserve policy-makers can stick with a gradual approach to raising interest rates.

Business: 0.97594815
Goldman Sachs Enters Fray for Takefuji Goldman Sachs Group Inc. may be in talks with the founding family of top Japanese consumer finance firm Takefuji Corp. for a stake of over \$2.

SciTech: 0.9969649
Report: Russia may have to delay October space launch to ... Russia may have to delay October #39;s planned launch of the next International Space Station crew by up to 10 days to fix a problem on the spacecraft that is to carry them into orbit, Russian news agencies reported.

SciTech: 0.9947509
Bounties For Spammers Win Limited FTC Backing The FTC gave limited endorsement to the notion of cash rewards for people who help track down e-mail spammers, but suggested that the measure might work in fewer circumstances than had been pushed by some anti-spam activists. -The Washington Post

Business: 0.9716622
Old Labor Tactics Resurface in New Union Labor experts say Unite Here, the newly merged union that is representing the DC hotel workers in their current contract dispute, is one of the most outspoken and toughest unions under the AFL-CIO umbrella.

World: 0.99939597
US, #39;EU-three #39; agree on demand The Bush administration reached a tentative deal yesterday with three European nations at the UN nuclear watchdog agency on the next step in confronting Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons program.

Business: 0.997721
Two hurricanes = two deductibles Many homeowners in the Orlando area suffered a double blow when hurricanes Charley and Frances struck in quick succession. Now, they #39;re smarting from a financial one-two punch - two insurance deductibles.

Business: 0.9965784
Nikkei Hits 2-Week Closing Low TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average fell for a third straight session to hit a two-week closing low on Friday as renewed earnings concerns prompted selling in Tokyo Electron Ltd., Sony Corp. and other high-tech stocks.

Business: 0.9985461
Consumer prices up only slightly WASHINGTON - Consumer prices barely budged last month, suggesting that inflation isn #39;t currently a problem for the economy and Federal Reserve policymakers can stick with a gradual approach to raising interest rates.

Sports: 0.9970144
Red Sox ready to end jinx The New York Yankees hold the Curse of the Bambino, the Boston Massacre and their acquisition of Alex Rodriguez in their longstanding dominance over the Red Sox, but recent history suggests changes are coming.

Sports: 0.9981158
Many NHL players head for Europe National Hockey League players began scattering across the globe yesterday in search of work on Day 1 of the lockout, with no negotiations scheduled between union and management.

Sports: 0.9991634
Woods, Mickelson form dynamic US duo For three days, it had been about dinners, galas, black-tie affairs, and enough social engagements to please Paris Hilton.

World: 0.99940944
2 US workers seized in Baghdad BAGHDAD -- Kidnappers seized two Americans and a Briton from their central Baghdad villa at dawn yesterday, in a bold raid that could further limit the mobility of foreigners in the Iraqi capital.

World: 0.9993482
Jeanne Heads for Bahamas After Killing 3 SAMANA, Dominican Republic - Threatening to regain hurricane strength, Tropical Storm Jeanne headed for the Bahamas on a track for the southeastern United States after killing three people and causing extensive damage in the Caribbean. The storm forced the evacuation of thousands on Thursday as it slammed into the Dominican Republic after punishing Puerto Rico with flash floods and deadly winds...

SciTech: 0.9945945
FSB FUD over FOI, you cry Letters The postbag, and your miscellaneous musings

World: 0.99936384
Cameroon leader's 'divide and rule' Cameroonian politician John Fru Ndi stands as presidential candidate in next month's election, splitting the opposition coalition.

SciTech: 0.9970783
Sex Drive With Gina Lynn Wired News introduces a new column by Regina Lynn Preciado. It's about sex. And technology. You'll dig it.

World: 0.9994129
Basayev Claims Responsibility for Beslan School Hostage Siege A Chechen rebel commander has claimed responsibility for the school hostage siege in southern Russia earlier this month, during which more than 320 hostages were killed, half of them children.

SciTech: 0.9979448
Foreseeing the Suns fate: Astronomical interferometry reveals ... For the first time, an international team of astronomers led by Guy Perrin from the Paris Observatory/LESIA, (Meudon, France) and Stephen Ridgway from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (Tucson, Arizona, USA) has observed the close environment of

SciTech: 0.96004313
New Media Players Too Small It was a Holy Grail looming on the personal electronics horizon: a pocket-sized device with a workhorse battery and the capacity to hold hours of audio and video.

Sports: 0.9997029
Butt facing ban Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt is facing up to the possibility of a three-match European ban for his moment of UEFA Cup madness. The 29-year-old England international lost his cool with Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin

World: 0.9994091
One held in Jakarta embassy blast probe Indonesian police said on Friday they had made their first arrest directly linked to last week #39;s deadly embassy bombing in Jakarta, detaining a man who delivered explosives to those blamed for the attack.

Sports: 0.9997142
#39;Emperor #39; Adriano has Inter under his rule One match into the Italian league season and (Emperor) Adriano already has Inter Milan under his rule. The Brazilian striker has scored six goals in Inter #39;s first four matches this season, including

Sports: 0.99969363
Europe Take Charge at Oakland Hills BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Colin Montgomerie inspired an early charge by holders Europe as they led the United States in three of the four opening fourball matches at the 35th Ryder Cup on Friday.

World: 0.7944124
\$78,000 for a Cane That Helped a Legend Walk the Line Many of Johnny Cash's possessions were sold at Sotheby's, collecting \$3,984,260 for the Cash family, more than double the pre-auction estimate.

Sports: 0.9992206
Butt waits on Uefa ruling Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt is facing up to the possibility of a European three-match ban. The 29-year-old was sent off during Newcastle #39;s 2-0 Uefa Cup win against Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin for grabbing Abas Suan by the throat.

Sports: 0.9986546
USC Fires Basketball Coach Henry Bibby (AP) AP - Henry Bibby was fired as Southern California's basketball coach Monday, just four games into his ninth season. The Trojans, beset by some player dissension, are 2-2.

Business: 0.98636484
Qualcomm Raises Earnings Forecast Qualcomm Inc. on Friday raised its quarterly profit forecast due to strong demand for its mobile phone technology. The San Diego company said it expects earnings per

Sports: 0.9995751
Veteran defender signs with Newcastle; Dyer out with injury Newcastle, England (Sports Network) - Central defender Ronny Johnsen signed a deal with Newcastle United until the next transfer window in January.

World: 0.99659204
Movie casts Afghans as 'Stray Dogs' struggling after hell of war (AFP) AFP - The powerful may wage war, but it is the powerless who suffer its consequences -- that is the message drummed home by quot;Stray Dogs, quot; an Iranian film on Afghanistan's pain after years under the control of warlords and foreign masters.

Sports: 0.9996741
Nalbandian Is Stunned at the Chica Open BEIJING (Reuters) - Resurgent Finn Jarkko Nieminen overpowered David Nalbandian 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 at the China Open on Friday as the seeds continued to tumble in Beijing.

SciTech: 0.9596933
IBM embraces grid converts On the eve of a grid-computing conference, Big Blue says five companies and the EPA have plans to build grids.

SciTech: 0.99717546
Symantec to offer Web-based Norton AntiVirus console The Web console -- to be made available specifically to corporate and enterprise licensees of Norton AntiVirus software -- will allow administrators to distribute virus definitions and product updates on demand.

SciTech: 0.9977247
IBM fits PCs with new hardware-based security chip IBM is using a microcontroller from National Semiconductor that stores passwords, digital certificates and encryption keys.

SciTech: 0.8095437
Sandia Motor Speedway for Sale on eBay (AP) AP - And the race is off! Only 29 days and some odd hours left to place your bid on eBay to buy the Sandia Motor Speedway.

Sports: 0.99226964
Pa. Golfer Cleared of Not Yelling 'Fore' (AP) AP - A golfer plunked in the face by an errant ball was unable to convince a jury that the man who hit him was negligent for failing to yell "Fore!"

Business: 0.9985629
US Stocks Up, Ford Forecast Gives a Lift NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips advanced 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 wireless technology provider Qualcomm Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=QCOM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">QCOM.O</A> limited gains on the Nasdaq after saying an accounting review may reduce pretax income.

Business: 0.9985846
Hurricanes soak Knight Ridder #39;s 3Q Knight Ridder Inc., publisher of the Miami Herald and the Philadelphia Inquirer, said third-quarter earnings will miss Wall Street estimates due to the impact of three recent hurricanes on its Florida newspapers.

Sports: 0.99896896
Trabelsi back on board with Ajax Arsenal target Hatem Trabelsi has settled his differences with Ajax after several months of wrangling. The Tunisian international defender was furious after it emerged a clause in his contract prevented him from completing a move to the Gunners.

Business: 0.9973978
Update 1: United Needs to Cut \$500M More in Costs United Airlines, in a bankruptcy court filing in advance of a status hearing Friday, has revealed it needs to cut \$500 million more in costs than previously stated.

Sports: 0.98891044
Stellar Putting Gives Europe a 2 - 0 Ryder Cup Lead Inspired by a brilliant putting display, holders Europe secured the first two points in the opening fourball matches against the United States at the 35th Ryder Cup Friday.

SciTech: 0.9980552
OSDL teams with another open source group The Beaverton-based Open Source Development Labs announced this week it is combining some efforts with another open source group to further the adoption of Linux.

World: 0.9994074
US Airstrikes Said to Kill at Least 44 in Iraq Iraqi health officials said American airstrikes that demolished homes late today in a village south of the volatile city of Falluja killed at least 44 people and wounded 27, including women and children.

World: 0.99938726
U.S. Jet Fires at House in Fallujah (AP) AP - An American jet fired a missile at a house where about 10 members of an al-Qaida-linked group were believed to be meeting in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Friday, police and the U.S. military said. At least three people were killed.

SciTech: 0.998026
AOL Rejects SenderID (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Questions regarding potential patent issues and skepticism from the \open source community relating to Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) SenderID have prompted global Internet service provider AOL (NYSE: AOL) to drop the anti-spam technology.

SciTech: 0.99403024
ATI Announces HyperMemory ATI Technologies announced a technology that reduces the need for dedicated graphics memory, which could lead to lower PC system costs.

Sports: 0.9981554
Paralympics Open in Athens Nearly 4,000 disabled athletes are in Athens, Greece, for Friday night #39;s opening ceremony of the largest Paralympics in the games #39; 44-year history.

Sports: 0.99959177
UPDATE 1-Nalbandian suffers Beijing shock Finn Jarkko Nieminen overpowered David Nalbandian 6-2 2-6 6-2 at the China Open on Friday as the seeds continued to tumble in Beijing.

World: 0.9993284
Mother of Jackson Accuser Testifies SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The mother of the boy accusing Michael Jackson of molestation testified Friday she does not remember a private investigator telling her that he was working for one of the pop star's attorneys, but believed he worked directly for the singer...

Business: 0.9963008
Hotel Locks Out Employees Over Impending Strike LOS ANGELES -- The labor dispute between workers at nine Los Angeles County hotels and their employers has intensified, with one of the hotels locking out its laundry workers and replacing them.

SciTech: 0.9863071
Xybernaut sews up bright-light mobile PC The flat-panel Atigo T/HB, designed for use in bright outdoor lighting, works as a wearable computer or as a wireless display.

World: 0.99915993
INDONESIA: #39;Blow to democracy #39; International and domestic observers lambasted on Thursday the guilty verdict against Tempo magazine #39;s chief editor Bambang Harymurti and called it a setback for the country #39;s press freedom and democracy.

World: 0.9786952
Show lights up Paralympics The XII Paralympics begins in Athens, after a spectacular opening ceremony.

World: 0.99929607
Burundi: Hold Rebels Responsible for Attack A Burundian rebel movement was responsible for the August 13 slaughter of more than 150 civilians at Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi, and not the combined forces of Hutu and Mai-Mai fighters who have been blamed for the attack, Human Rights Watch said in

SciTech: 0.97696793
ATI Shares Resources with HyperMemory Graphics chipmaker ATI (Quote, Chart) unveiled a new technology it said lets its visual chips share system memory for graphics processing.

World: 0.99935037
UN #39;s Kofe Annan Calls Iraq War Illegal United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said this week that the US war in Iraq is illegal and questioned whether the country could hold credible

World: 0.9994017
US jets hammer Iraqi insurgents as deadly bombings rock Baghdad BAGHDAD : At least six people were killed in two suicide car bombings in Baghdad while another 47 people died in a series of US air strikes around the Iraqi insurgent bastion of Fallujah.

World: 0.99939334
Sudan Accuses U.S. Over Darfur Talks Breakdown ABUJA (Reuters) - Sudan blamed the United States for the failure of three weeks of peace talks between Khartoum and Darfur rebels on Friday, but African Union mediators said negotiations would resume in October.

Sports: 0.99971145
Campbell targets City date for Arsenal return Sol Campbell is expected to play for Arsenal #39;s reserves on Monday and could be back in the first team for next weekend #39;s visit to Manchester City.

SciTech: 0.99032706
Open-source spat triggers legal threat Company says it paid for the code that was contributed, against contract, to free Mambo publishing software.

SciTech: 0.9976699
Virus-Free Macs #147;The single most effective way to avoid viruses and spyware is to simply chuck Windows altogether and buy an Apple Macintosh, #148; writes Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal. #147;There has never been a successful virus written for Mac OS X, and there is almost no spyware that targets the Mac. Plus, the Mac is invulnerable to viruses and spyware written for Windows. Not only is it more secure, but the Mac operating system is more capable, more modern and more attractive than Windows XP, and just as stable. #148; Sep 17

Sports: 0.9979482
Olympics: Athens opens Paralympics with ceremonial extravaganza ATHENS : Some 70,000 spectators filled the Athens Olympic stadium to watch the densely choreographed and emotionally-charged opening ceremony of the 12th Paralympics, the world #39;s premier competition for disabled athletes.

SciTech: 0.99575764
Labels, Microsoft in talks on CD copying Record labels and Microsoft are in discussions about ways that the next generation of the Windows operating system, code-named Longhorn, can support copy-protected CD technology.

SciTech: 0.94188714
FTC Endorses Bounty for Spammers The US Federal Trade Commission has given its endorsement to a plan that would reward insiders for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people or companies that produce spam.

Business: 0.96832556
After Being Bounced Around Florida Is Bouncing Back Although the three hurricanes that have hit Florida led to a broad economic slowdown, the glimmerings of a miniboom are already apparent.

SciTech: 0.8240521
Enter your e-mail: If you can #39;t beat Google, make it better--that seems to be the lesson of A9.com, Amazon #39;s intriguing new search site. For Web searches, A9 simply gives you Google #39;s results, but it does a lot more--for instance

Sports: 0.9997173
Crystal Palace 0, Charlton Athletic 1 Charlton manager Alan Curbishley believes Dennis Rommedahl #39;s sparkling winner will provide the platform for the Dane to recapture the form that made him one of Europe #39;s most feared wingers.

Business: 0.9985784
Consumers #39; view of economy unchanged NEW YORK - Consumers #39; assessment of the economy held largely steady this month, according to a university research report released Friday.

World: 0.9993913
Five killed in suicide car bombing, three taken hostage in Iraq Violence raged on in Iraq on Friday, with five Iraqis killed in a suicide car bombing in Baghdad and three more Turkish drivers reportedly kidnapped.

Business: 0.9981186
US Airways Said to Plan to Ask Court for Pay Cuts S Airways plans to ask a federal bankruptcy judge on Oct. 7 to impose temporary pay cuts on its workers unless it can reach agreement with its unions before then, people who have been briefed on the company #39;s strategy said yesterday.

SciTech: 0.9785245
IPod Rivals Square Off Against Apple A new generation of smaller, sleeker and cheaper MP3 players from the likes of Sony, Rio, Creative and Rave MP are hitting the market this fall, and they all have Apple Computer #39;s white-hot digital music player in their sights.

Business: 0.9884023
PeopleSoft sweetens employee compensation Business software maker PeopleSoft Friday said it was boosting compensation packages for all employees except its chief executive in a move that would raise the

World: 0.9993562
Panama flooding kills nine people At least nine people - seven of them children - have died in flooding in the capital of Panama. The authorities say at least 13 people are still missing after heavy rainfall caused rivers to break their banks.

Sports: 0.99951065
Pierce longs for old days Rusty Pierce has received lessons in pragmatism since joining the Revolution four years ago. Pierce has performed for teams that have inevitably turned to a direct, linear game, with little emphasis on creativity or imagination. The style paid off the last two seasons, but the Revolution might have overly relied on direct play in spending most of this...

Sports: 0.99945694
Charlestown opens up in OT Thunder and lightning loomed all day, but never clapped or struck on West Roxbury turf. Charlestown, however, was the more destructive force, pulling out a 22-18 overtime win over the Raiders in a Boston North contest.

Sports: 0.99966836
** For the latest news, please refresh this page regularly ** What #39;s up? I see the whole world has their eyes on the Oscar vs. Bernard fight. My thought is Oscar is coming off with an upset.

Sports: 0.99701166
Subaru World Rally Team - Rally GB, Leg 1 Report Petter Solberg demonstrated his winning potential aboard his Subaru Impreza WRC2004 today to take three stage wins and end Leg one in second position overall.

Sports: 0.9996648
Mini World Cup heats up With the four minnows out of contention, the eight title contenders chase semifinal places in One-Day crickets mini World Cup with Australia first to get there by beating New Zealand by seven wickets yesterday in the first group showdown at the

World: 0.9302706
Iraqi Airways resumes international flights after 14 years Iraqi Airways resumed international flights Saturday when a plane took off from neighboring Jordan, the airline #39;s first such flight since UN sanctions were imposed on Saddam Hussein in 1990.

SciTech: 0.99148667
Apple offers 2004 financial details Apple's latest Form 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission offers a look at how the company did this past year, how it thinks it's doing and what's to come.

SciTech: 0.9745135
Linux puts another financial feather in its cap Industry observers say Linux's similarity to Unix, its lower cost and ability to run on Intel hardware make the Unix market ripe for open-source conquest.

Sports: 0.9975522
Jaguar Exit Throws F1 Deeper Into Turmoil LONDON (Reuters) - Formula One, already struggling to shape its future and put on a show, is staring into the abyss after Ford's decision to pull out and sell its Jaguar team.

SciTech: 0.94404316
Security firm eyes Sasser teen Berlin - A German teenager accused of creating the Sasser worm that infected millions of computers around the world is being taught to become a security software programmer, the company that hired him said on Friday.

Business: 0.99839056
Coke to Pay New CEO Same as Predecessor Coca-Cola Co. (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research), which warned earlier this week of lower-than-expected profits this year, said on Friday it will pay Chairman and Chief Executive Neville Isdell \$1.

World: 0.9994043
Florida Supreme Court puts Nader on state ballot (AFP) AFP - The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that third-party presidential hopeful Ralph Nader can appear on ballots in the decisive state, increasing the chance the maverick contender will again influence the outcome of the presidential election.

World: 0.99927527
Leader Says Rebels Responsible for Siege MOSCOW Sept. 17, 2004 - Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev purportedly took responsibility Friday for a bloody school siege and other recent terrorist attacks that have killed more than 430 people, but

World: 0.9991867
Russia: the losing battle against terrorism and insurgency Terrorism in Russia took on horrifying proportions in August and early September when more than 400 people were killed in four separate incidents in a span of less than two weeks.

World: 0.9993594
Bush Seen Vulnerable to Kerry Among Independent Voters (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush, who holds\a sizable lead in some polls, still appears to be vulnerable to\Democrat John Kerry among independent voters whose shifting\loyalties could determine the winner of the November election,\pollsters say.

World: 0.99935406
Macaulay Culkin Released After Drug Arrest OKLAHOMA CITY - Former child star Macaulay Culkin was arrested on drug charges Friday during a traffic stop, authorities said. The 24-year-old actor, best known for his role in the "Home Alone" movies, was taken into custody on complaints of possession of a controlled dangerous substance without a valid prescription and possession of marijuana, according to the Oklahoma County Sheriff's office...

World: 0.9993679
Iran Is Criticized for Its Lack of Candor on Nuclear Program The International Atomic Energy's 35-nation board of governors passed a resolution calling for the country to suspend all uranium enrichment activities that could contribute to producing fuel for a nuclear bomb.

Business: 0.9708721
Florida, Alabama pick up the pieces after Ivan People in Florida and Alabama have started to clean up after hurricane Ivan - the third such pummelling for Florida alone in just five weeks.

Sports: 0.9994746
Colts' Tough Schedule Continues With Tenn. (AP) AP - Talk about testing a defense: The Indianapolis Colts opened the season against Tom Brady, face Steve McNair this week and then Brett Favre. They're lucky Peyton Manning plays for their side.

Sports: 0.99968815
Loeb extends lead over Solberg CARDIFF -- Championship leader Sebastien Loeb took two stage wins to boost his lead over Norwegian Petter Solberg as the Rally of Britain entered its second leg on Saturday.

World: 0.9994086
Pakistan tightens noose around Al-Qaeda militants near Afghan border: army (AFP) AFP - Pakistani troops have hemmed in Al-Qaeda-linked foreign fighters and their local allies hiding in tribal border regions with a series of military assaults, a top Pakistani general said.

World: 0.9993389
UN Council Poised to Vote on Darfur Resolution UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States and China held last-minute talks on Saturday before the U.N. Security Council was to vote on a resolution that would consider oil sanctions against Sudan if it did not stop atrocities in the Darfur region.

World: 0.9993869
Turkish Parliament Fails to Pass Reforms (AP) AP - Turkey's parliament adjourned Saturday without passing a key reform package because of divisions over the government's proposal to make adultery a crime, bringing warnings from the European Union that delays could hurt Turkey's chances of membership.

Sports: 0.99963224
U.S. Forced to Battle for Ryder Cup Survival BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - The U.S. Ryder Cup team, wounded after a first day mauling, were facing a fight for survival on Saturday.

World: 0.99925786
Britain doing quot;all we can quot; for hostage in Iraq Prime Minister Tony Blair has his government is doing all in its power to help a kidnapped Briton -- but he has avoided a public response to insurgents threatening to kill the man.

SciTech: 0.9262904
Barbarians at the Digital Gate How spyware, a program that creeps onto a computers hard drive unannounced, is wrecking the Internet.

Sports: 0.9984962
Murphy Acquitted of Sexual Abuse Charges Basketball Hall of Fame member Calvin Murphy, left, sits in a courtroom as he waits for the start of closing arguments in his trial Monday, Dec. 6, 2004, in Houston.

World: 0.99941313
Sudan Says U.N. Sanctions Would Destroy Society KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan said Saturday that U.N. sanctions, threatened over atrocities in the Darfur region, would lead "this society to a complete destruction."

World: 0.99923646
Ryder Cup: Europe close on victory Another good day at Oakland Hills sees Europe move 11-5 clear of the USA going into Sunday's Ryder Cup singles.

World: 0.9990914
Two million take part in all-night cultural festival in Rome (AFP) AFP - Two million people massed in the streets of Rome and in its monuments and museums overnight, celebrating the Italian capital's second annual all-night cultural extravaganza, the mayor said.

World: 0.9993273
Leaked secrets reveal chaos at heart of Blair #39;s Iraq plans TONY Blair was facing a new Iraq crisis last night after explosive evidence emerged from within his own government that he was warned the country would be plunged into chaos after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Sports: 0.99900335
Auburn Converts Second Chance to Stun LSU Three days after Hurricane Ivan ravaged the state, in a game that almost did not take place, 14th-ranked Auburn rallied Saturday for dramatic 10-9 victory over No.

Sports: 0.99410135
Europe Puts U.S. in Big Hole at Ryder Cup (AP) AP - Backed by the clutch performance from its English rookies and reliable play from Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, Europe put the United States in another huge hole Saturday by taking an 11-5 lead at the Ryder Cup and making victory Sunday seem like a mere formality.

Business: 0.99824274
Paper:US Airways Loses Loans for 100 Jets WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Airways lost the financing for nearly 100 regional jets that were to be a key part of the bankrupt airline's restructuring plan, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

SciTech: 0.98499495
Man Held in England in Cisco Code Theft (AP) AP - 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.

Business: 0.60833067
SAN FRANCISCO Mission District cyclist blew whistle on flawed lock The triumph last week of the Bic pen over expensive, state-of-the-art steel locks has panicked the bicycling community, and churned Internet rumor mills about how much the lock manufacturer knew and when the company knew it.

Sports: 0.9996227
Pitchers finally getting job done? At least it #39;s a start This is a mirage or a sight to behold. This is something you can #39;t trust with your own eyes, or maybe what you #39;re watching is real.

World: 0.9994104
At least 20 dead in Kurkik bombing A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb near a crowd of people waiting to apply for jobs with the Iraqi National Guard in the northern city of Kirkuk on yesterday, killing at least 20 people and wounding 16, officials said.

Business: 0.9873332
A Check on Bad Banking Habits Are you used to getting a fat envelope from your bank with all your canceled checks? Well, soon those checks may not be in the mail.

Sports: 0.9997017
#39;Noles Rebound Leon Washington ran for 104 yards and a touchdown and Florida State sacked Alabama-Birmingham #39;s Darrell Hackney eight times Saturday night to rebound from a disappointing loss to Miami with a 34-7 victory.

SciTech: 0.9957136
Sea-Level Rise Gives Clue to Big Chill A sudden influx of freshwater from North America's ancient Lake Agassiz to the North Atlantic 8,200 years ago triggered a precipitous cooling of the region, scientists believe. Now they are trying to predict if and when a similar scenario might happen again.

World: 0.9994091
Japan's army works out plan to cope with North Korean terror attack (AFP) AFP - Japan's army has worked out a secret plan to deal with possible large-scale terror attacks by North Korea, a press report said.

World: 0.9989135
Saudi Trial Could Alter Pace of Reform In a hearing room on the 11th floor of the High Court of Riyadh, two professors and a poet have been standing trial, sometimes drawing overflow crowds of people eager to monitor a case that could alter the pace of political reform in the kingdom.

Sports: 0.9962696
Notables Every Baltimore starter reached base at least twice. Orioles' Brian Roberts set the AL record for doubles in a season by a switch hitter with 47 -- also tying Cal Ripken Jr.'s team record from 1983.

Sports: 0.99965477
Sloppy win suits Badgers TUCSON -- Booker Stanley ran for a career-high 135 yards on 30 carries, including a 7-yard run for Wisconsin's only touchdown, and the 20th-ranked Badgers rallied for a stormy 9-7 victory over Arizona yesterday.

Business: 0.9731251
Malls setting curfews for unchaperoned teens COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's 10 on a Friday night, and all 15-year-old Sylvia Fallon wants is to hang out with her friends at the mall.

World: 0.94491714
In China's changing society, psychotherapy gains acceptance BEIJING -- Step back, Confucius. Move over, Mao. Dr. Freud is making the rounds. Once vilified by the communists as a remnant of bourgeois imperialism, the practice of psychology -- and especially the Western ritual of going to a therapist -- is gaining popularity in this country of budding capitalists.

Sports: 0.9997044
Gordon favored in #39;chase #39; LOUDEN, NH -- Right now, things are going Jeff Gordon #39;s way. That should enhance his chances of winning a fifth NASCAR championship.

Business: 0.9810736
Government to sell stake in oil business The Canadian government is getting out of the oil-and-gas business by selling off its stake in Petro-Canada for about \$3.1 billion.

Sports: 0.99853134
Owen starts as Real lose Michael Owen admitted Real Madrid are still looking for the right balance after they lost 1-0 at Espanyol in a bad-tempered game on Saturday.

Sports: 0.99971586
Georgia Rides Its Defense to Victory Over Marshall ATHENS, Ga. (Sports Network) - Michael Cooper ran for the only touchdown of the game, as third-ranked Georgia rode its defense to a 13-3 victory over Marshall at Sanford Stadium.

Sports: 0.99621946
Bojinov Drives Lecce Into First Valeri Bojinov - Bulgarias answer to Wayne Rooney -etted twice as Lecce took a conditional Serie A lead with a 4-1 cruise past Brescia.

World: 0.9348891
EU transport chief hails Alitalia accord (AFP) AFP - EU transport and energy commissioner Loyola de Palacio hailed the accord reached between Alitalia management and staff on a major restructuring plan aimed at keeping the struggling airline in the air.

World: 0.9993562
Sudan says it will abide by 'unfair' UN resolution on Darfur (AFP) AFP - Sudan has condemned as quot;unfair quot; a new UN resolution calling on Khartoum to restore security to the crisis-wracked Darfur region or face possible sanctions, but said it would abide by the UN's demands.

World: 0.999408
Suicide car bombing kills three, wounds seven in northern Iraq A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb Sunday near a joint US-Iraqi checkpoint, killing three people and wounding seven, including four US soldiers in the northern city of Samarra, the military said.

World: 0.9993986
Sudan: UN Ruling Won #39;t Help Stop Crisis KHARTOUM, Sudan Sept. 19, 2004 - A US-backed United Nations resolution threatening oil sanctions for the violence in Sudan #39;s Darfur region will only make it harder for the government to calm the insurrection there, a Sudanese official said Sunday.

World: 0.99926
German Far-Right Profits from Anger Over Reforms German far-right parties surged in eastern state elections Sunday, riding public anger against government welfare cuts and fanning fears among mainstream parties that the country #39;s image could suffer.

Sports: 0.9994
Stuttgart struggles to draw Berlin, Germany (Sports Network) - Life without star striker Kevin Kuranyi began with a scoreless draw for Stuttgart against Hertha Berlin.

World: 0.99908924
Girls 'observe' French scarf ban Only about 100 French Muslim girls are breaking the new ban on headscarves at school, the education minister says.

World: 0.9991937
Democracy thrives in largest Muslim state Indonesia #39;s presidential favorite Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spent part of a three-day break between the campaign and Monday #39;s historic election not resting, but writing.

SciTech: 0.943664
Cisco, Microsoft in security showdown Cisco Systems and Microsoft are headed for a collision over network security, with customers caught in the middle. The two companies have each proposed competing quot;end to end quot; security architectures, marking

World: 0.9991937
Polls Open for Indonesia #39;s First Direct Presidential Elections Polls have opened for Indonesia #39;s first direct presidential election. Election observers say they are impressed with the six-month electoral process, which also chose members of the national assembly and local councils.

Sports: 0.9997197
Camacho #39;quits Bernabeu #39; Real Madrid coach Jose Antonio Camacho has resigned after the club #39;s poor start to the season, according to reports in Spain. Cadena Ser radio said Camacho had told Real chairman Florentino Perez he was quitting

World: 0.99939394
Malaysia discovers new bird flu case KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia discovered new cases of bird flu on Sunday within a quarantine area in northern Malaysia where workers have struggled for a month to eradicate the virus.

Sports: 0.9997173
NFL Wrap: Manning Wins MVP Battle as Colts Overcome Titans NEW YORK (Reuters) - Peyton Manning threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns to win his showdown with fellow co-MVP Steve McNair as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Tennessee Titans 31-17 in National Football League play at Nashville on Sunday.

Business: 0.9963342
Air NZ, Qantas alliance appeal Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways have lost their bid to get their proposed alliance approved in New Zealand. New Zealand #39;s High Court declined the airlines #39; appeal against a NZ Commerce Commission decision to block the alliance.

Business: 0.9951267
New Zealand Court Rejects Air NZ-Qantas Alliance (Update1) New Zealand #39;s High Court rejected a proposed alliance between Air New Zealand Ltd., the nation #39;s largest airline, and Australia #39;s Qantas Airways Ltd.

Sports: 0.99955076
Han wins Safeway Classic HEE-Won Han sank a five-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole to beat Lorie Kane and claim the LPGA Safeway Classic crown won by Annika Sorenstam for the past two years.

SciTech: 0.9964941
Odin Technologies Aims to Be the Chief of RFID (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - RFID tags, the dime-sized devices that can track inventory from the factory to the store, are being embraced as one of the hottest of new technologies. But Patrick J. Sweeney II likens most available applications of RFID, or radio frequency identification, to the user-unfriendly personal computers of the 1980s: a blank screen and a command prompt.

World: 0.99925834
we must win this new conflict Britain is embroiled in a fresh conflict with Iraq as it battles to quash global terrorism for ever, Tony Blair declared in a stark relabelling of the situation yesterday.

Sports: 0.99195987
Busch Takes Over Kurt Busch dominates Sunday's Sylvania 300 and comes away tied with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead after the first race of the new 10-race championship showdown.

World: 0.99934024
Sudanese Decry UN Threat of Sanctions Sudan said Sunday that the UN Security Council #39;s resolution threatening oil sanctions if it failed to end violence in the country #39;s western region of Darfur was unfair

World: 0.99935275
Adams backs power-sharing plan Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams recommends his party accept proposals to revive power-sharing.

Sports: 0.99680835
Safin stops Youzhny for China Open title Marat Safin won the China Open yestereday, beating fellow Russian Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (4), 7-5, to claim his first title in two years.

World: 0.99935263
Tropical Storm Kills at Least 90 in Haiti GONAIVES, Haiti - Tropical Storm Jeanne brought raging floodwaters to Haiti, killing at least 90 people and leaving dozens of families huddled on rooftops as the storm pushed further out into the open seas on Sunday, officials said. Floods tore through the northwestern coastal town of Gonaives and surrounding areas, covering crops and turning roads into rivers...

Sports: 0.99972624
Bears back their coach with win GREEN BAY, Wis. - Thanks to Lovie Smiths ambitious words and his teams resolve to uphold them, the long dormant rivalry between Chicago and Green Bay might be back on track.

Sports: 0.99959403
Bryant clinches maiden win Bart Bryant clinched his first PGA Tour title with a three-shot victory in the Texas Open in San Antonio. The 41-year-old, who shot a 60 in his third round to move into a three-stroke lead, hit a final-round 67 to hold off Patrick Sheehan.

Sports: 0.9996544
Guyanese Batsmen Lead Windies Into Semis Of ICC Champions Trophy LONDON, England, Monday, Sept. 20: The West Indies Cricket squad has secured a place in Wednesdays semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy; thanks in large part to Guyanese-born cricketers, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Business: 0.9979214
Bernhard is off the list for key GM post General Motors Corp. won #39;t offer its top advanced vehicle development job to former Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer Wolfgang Bernhard but likely will divvy it up instead

SciTech: 0.99776626
Sci/Tech - Virus gang wars on the Web Following his arrest in May, the teenage computer wizard admitted to police he wrote the code for Sasser and more than two dozen Netsky viruses that wreaked havoc across the Internet during the first few months of 2004.

SciTech: 0.993313
Microsoft Opens Office Source Code to Governments Microsoft Corp. will allow governments around the world that use its software to have controlled access to the source code for its pervasive Microsoft Office 2003 desktop offerings for the first time.

World: 0.99936837
Family make plea for Iraq Briton The family of a Briton held hostage in Iraq have issued an emotional plea for his release as the deadline approaches. Philip Bigley said his brother Ken regarded the Arab world as his quot;home from home quot; and

Business: 0.997771
Unilever Cuts Profit Forecasts on Sluggish Sales (Update3) Unilever, the world #39;s largest maker of food and soap, cut its full-year earnings forecast after sales of ice cream and cold drinks slumped in Europe and demand for beauty and laundry products slowed.

SciTech: 0.99142414
Pirates named PROSECUTORS HAVE named those charged in one of the biggest pirate software seizures in US history. The two-year investigation, dubbed Operation Digital Marauder, resulted in quot;one of the largest seizures of

Business: 0.96230984
Hynix, Samil Face Sanctions for Bookrigging Hynix Semiconductor, formerly Hyundai Electronics, was engaged in accounting fraud totaling 2 trillion won in 1999, financial regulators reported Monday.

World: 0.9993594
Ex-General Has Early Lead Over Megawati in Indonesia JAKARTA (Reuters) - Early returns in Indonesia's presidential elections Monday gave a lead to ex-general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has vowed firmer leadership to fight terror and boost the economy, over incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri.

World: 0.9981121
Bush video awarded Turner Prize Artist Jeremy Deller wins this year's Turner Prize for a film about US President George Bush's home town.

SciTech: 0.9363339
Back to School and Gaming Kids Internet-ready schools do little to protect kids from seemingly safe sites whose only reason to exist is invasive marketing aimed directly at young web surfers. These corporate-sponsored 'advergames' look interactive but the endgame is 'buy.'

Sports: 0.99968696
Han earns a hand with playoff triumph Hee-Won Han made a 4-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Lorie Kane and win the Safeway Classic on Sunday at Portland, Ore.

Business: 0.97761905
Oracle v. Peoplesoft: the joke is on... Opinion I thought it was a joke when Oracle first announced that it was going to try to buy PeopleSoft; or, at best, a spoiling tactic over PeopleSoft #39;s acquisition of JD Edwards.

World: 0.99941146
Iran May Soon Resume Uranium Enrichment (AP) AP - Iran may resume uranium enrichment "any moment," the nation's intelligence minister said on state television Monday, two days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency demanded that Tehran halt all such activity.

SciTech: 0.92933106
Media center at your fingertips Apple #39;s splashy digital music player has emboldened Microsoft and other technology titans to move quickly to the next frontier in portable entertainment: the video iPod, so to speak.

SciTech: 0.6216762
The battle for DR Congo's wildlife As donors pledge \$40m to save DR Congo's wildlife, life in Virunga Park remains a battle ground.

Sports: 0.9996947
Momentum shifted on Garcia's stellar play BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Oh, how Match No. 2 in yesterday's singles proved a fitting contrast in emotions in the final act of the 35th Ryder Cup Matches.

Sports: 0.999042
Bekele, Isinbayeva top track athletes Names Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele and Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva were named male and female athletes of the year by the world track and field federation. Isinbayeva set eight world records in 2004, including one while winning the gold medal at the Olympics. Bekele won the 10,000 meters in Athens and finished second to Hicham El Guerrouj in...

Business: 0.99465936
Order for Saudi tankers goes to Hyundai Heavy DUBAI Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world #39;s largest shipbuilder, has won a Saudi order for two large oil tankers as OPEC pumps near capacity, lifting supertanker prices.

Sports: 0.9993368
Han wins Safeway in playoff Hee-Won Han stumbled her way into a playoff last month, then stumbled in the playoff and lost. On Sunday at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, she did the opposite, making a clutch birdie on the final hole of

SciTech: 0.99358636
Young People Practicing Unhealthy Habits They show greatest increase in smoking, obesity and poor eating, study says HealthDayNews -- Smoking, obesity and poor eating habits increased among young people in the United States in the 1990s, a trend that may lead to higher future rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease as that generation ages. That warning comes from a study in the September/October issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion...

SciTech: 0.8164327
'Cure' a 4-Letter Word for Cancer Doctors At a time when more people are cured of cancer than ever before, fewer doctors seem willing to say so. They call the cancer undetectable, or in remission. They tell patients they can quit seeing cancer specialists. They quote statistics and say chances are slim that the disease will come back.

SciTech: 0.98464614
Verity, ClearForest add structure to data Verity this week will unwrap a software add-on to its search system, designed to make unstructured content more usable in corporate applications. The announcement follows activity from ClearForest, which last month introduced Version 6.0 of its Text Analytics platform for systematically structuring unstructured data so it can be processed with enterprise data in business intelligence systems.

SciTech: 0.99792176
Sun looks for props with new server, storage hardware Sun Microsystems will hold its quarterly product launch this week, unleashing a raft of new hardware offerings spanning servers to storage.

World: 0.7680363
Malaysia expects to resume poultry exports to Singapore soon By Channel NewsAsia #39;s Malaysia Correspondent Melissa Goh. KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia expects to resume export of poultry and eggs from two states to Singapore by the end of this month but only after meeting conditions set by the island.

SciTech: 0.9960944
Viruses Aimed at Microsoft Rise Sharply-Symantec \ SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The number of new viruses and\worms aimed at Microsoft Corp.'s <MSFT.O> ubiquitous Windows\operating system rose 400 percent between January and June from\the same year-earlier period, leading computer security company\Symantec said on Sunday.

SciTech: 0.9977981
Yahoo Launching Music Download Service This Year Yahoo Launching Music Download Service This Year\\After its \$160 million aquisition of MusicMatch, Yahoo is expected to be releasing its own music download service at the end of the year. According to ZDNet, Yahoo has been in the development phase of its music download service since last year, working with...

World: 0.99939644
Car Bomb Kills Three in Mosul (AP) AP - A car bomb exploded in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on Monday, killing three people, hospital police said.

Sports: 0.9997042
HOW DOES MONTGOMERIE RANK AMONG THE GREATS? Scotland #39;s Colin Montgomerie sank the winning putt at the 35th Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills in Detroit to ensure the trophy remained in European hands and maintain his unbeaten record in singles matches in the competition.

Sports: 0.95244414
United Apology over Website Abuse Manchester United have been forced to issue an embarrassing apology to Liverpool for an ill-advised attack on the Anfield outfit on its own website.

Business: 0.99811363
Oil Hits \$46 as YUKOS Cuts China Supply LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit \$46 on Monday after Russia's YUKOS suspended some oil exports to China and concern lingered over storm-related supply disruptions into the United States.

SciTech: 0.97733796
WebEx Launches Sales Center WebEx Communications is expanding its Web conferencing service with an offering designed for sales professionals, the company plans to announce this week.

SciTech: 0.738912
IT companies put to the loyalty test Cisco, IBM, Microsoft and SAP have the most loyal customers in IT, according to a report released today. The fact that they are some of the biggest, most successful IT vendors in

Sports: 0.9992725
Bekele and Isinbayeva win Athletes of the Year titles in Monaco Monte-Carlo - Olympic champions Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia and Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia have been announced as the 2004 Athletes of the Year on stage tonight at the climax to the spectacular 2004 World Athletics Gala at the Grimaldi Forum, Monte-Carlo

SciTech: 0.89726734
Viruses keep on growing Most IT Managers won #39;t question the importance of security, but this priority has been sliding between the third and fourth most important focus for companies.

Business: 0.998566
New York Times Co. Cuts 2004 Profit Targets NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Times Co. on Monday forecast third-quarter and full-year earnings below Wall Street's average targets on weak revenue so far in September, sending its shares to two-year lows.

Business: 0.9298609
IMF's Rato says US should cut budget deficit (AFP) AFP - The United States should cuts its fiscal and trade deficits, while Europe and Japan should take steps to boost economic growth, IMF managing director Rodrigo Rato revealed.

World: 0.99934036
Attackers shoot, burn villagers in east Congo, killing 14, UN says (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Attackers overran a sleeping village in east Congo's lawless Ituri province Monday and slaughtered 14 residents, including seven children who were burned alive, a UN spokeswoman said.

Sports: 0.99710125
Patriots Down Cardinals 23 - 12 Game Stats The New England Patriots Struggled to put the pesky Arizona Cardinals away in what should have been an easy victory of mismatched teams.

Business: 0.55622005
Rogers Wireless Whistles and Fido Responds Its official. Microcell Telecommunications Fido wireless service will be the new dog in Rogers Wireless Communications Canadian kennel, and that puppy wasnt cheap.

Business: 0.9113422
IMF to Close Harare Office THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) is closing down its Harare representative office at the end of this month, virtually terminating threadbare relations with the crisis-racked southern African nation.

SciTech: 0.9069531
Hyperion targets broader base New Essbase 7X is intended to draw customers beyond Hyperion's usual corporate-finance crowd.

Business: 0.99857557
FACTBOX-US Fed policymakers #39; recent comments The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise the federal funds rate at its policy meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 21, despite recent mixed economic news.

Business: 0.7099777
AOL pushes into Internet shopping Looking for new ways to boost its revenue, America Online is launching an online shopping service that won #39;t require an AOL account to access.

World: 0.99935085
Tropical Storm Jeanne Kills 250 in Northern Haiti, UN Reports Tropical Storm Jeanne killed at least 250 people and injured at least 380 in northern Haiti, the United Nations said. UN spokeswoman Denise Cook said the bodies of 250 people were in

Business: 0.9986021
Pfizer buys 5 percent stake in Medarex BOSTON (CBS.MW) - Pharmaceutical powerhouse Pfizer is buying a 5 percent stake in biotechnology researcher Medarex under their newly signed collaboration deal, according to Medarex Chief Executive Donald Drakeman.

SciTech: 0.99428517
International Space Station Crew Begins Preflight Exams MOSCOW (AP) -- The replacement crew for the International Space Station started two days of preflight exams Monday, part of final preparations to relieve the two-man Russian-American crew finishing a six-month mission. Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov and U.S...

SciTech: 0.9825586
Video: Taking It with You What kind of things do you want to be truly portable? That #39;s become an interesting question now that so much is digital in our lives.

SciTech: 0.9744854
Avoid Security Tools You Don't Need Many technologies may be a waste of time and money, researcher says.

SciTech: 0.913596
US ponders \$250,000 bounty on spammers Authorities in the US are considering a \$250,000 bounty on spammers in an attempt to close them down. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has suggested rewards of anything from \$100,000 to \$250,000 for information.

Sports: 0.9997248
Aussies ponder pace quartet AUSTRALIA could again use a four-strong pace attack in tomorrow #39;s Champions Trophy semifinal as it bids to stretch its winning streak against England in one-day internationals to 15 matches.

SciTech: 0.99587905
Sun Sets Sights on Linux Vendors (AP) 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.

World: 0.95216185
France, Brazil lead charge for new global anti-poverty campaign UNITED NATIONS : The presidents of Brazil and France called for new efforts to fight poverty and hunger in the developing world, including the controversial creation of an international tax, to combat the negative effects of globalization.

World: 0.99723876
The power of radio helps to end Uganda #39;s long war When Kenneth Banya heard the voices of his former rebel colleagues on the radio calling for an end to Uganda #39;s 18-year civil war, he knew it was time to surrender.

Sports: 0.9997223
HEAP OF TROUBLE FOR RAVENS The Baltimore Ravens could be without one of their main offensive weapons for up to a month. Ravens coach Brian Billick said on Monday that two-time Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap could miss two to four weeks with a severely sprained right ankle.

World: 0.99940586
Karzai deputy escapes a roadside bombing A deputy to Afghanistan #39;s president, Hamid Karzai, escaped a roadside bombing in northern Afghanistan on Monday, just four days after a rocket was fired at Karzai #39;s helicopter as he was heading to a campaign event for the Oct. 9 elections.

SciTech: 0.53894126
Study: Wrecks Jump 3 Days After Terrorism Fatal traffic accidents increase sharply in Israel on the third day after a terrorist attack, and researchers are searching for an explanation why.

SciTech: 0.99726605
TI touts combo chip with VoIP, Wi-Fi The chipmaker announces a chip that combines VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) and Wi-Fi into a single chip.

World: 0.9993205
Scores of Iraqis die in 3 days of attacks US troops fought a gunbattle with insurgents along a busy street in Baghdad today, sending passers-by scurrying for cover, witnesses said, Five US troops were reported killed in separate clashes in a volatile western province as

SciTech: 0.8125612
TV aims for prime time in digital home New standard uses Web-based protocols to let televisions control other devices in a home.

SciTech: 0.99793375
TruSecure merges with Betrusted BOSTON - Information security services companies TruSecure Corp. and Betrusted plan to announce on Tuesday that they have merged, forming a new company called Cybertrust.

SciTech: 0.9976369
JBoss 4.0 Released JBoss, the self-proclaimed Professional Open Source company, released JBoss Application Server 4.0 today. The announcement follows closely behind the announcements of JBossCache 1.1 and the company #39;s new partnership with Sleepycat Software.

Sports: 0.99936193
Ankiel Impressing Cardinals in September (AP) AP - At the very least, Rick Ankiel is laying the groundwork for a run at the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation next season.

Sports: 0.99970347
Silvestre #39;s double goals help Man. United beat Liverpool Silvestre became Man. United #39;s hero as he scored twice to lift a 2-1 victory over Liverpool for home side when all eyes were on Rio Ferdinand as he returned after an eight-match ban on Monday.

Sports: 0.9993788
Winslow, McAllister, Maddox Among Injured (AP) AP - The rookie season of Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. may have ended after just two games.

Business: 0.9936056
Trans-Tasman war hots up AIR New Zealand and Qantas Airways face the prospect of intensifying competition on its trans-Tasman route from other airlines now that a proposed alliance between the pair has been blocked, according to analysts.

SciTech: 0.99467283
Mars gases reveal enticing clues for life Water vapour and methane gas have been found in the same places on Mars, strengthening speculation that the Red Planet could be a haven for microbial life, space scientists say.

World: 0.9993187
Hu top dog, but more of same for now China #39;s new leader is forging ahead with policies set by Jiang, but trouble with Taiwan looms. BEIJING--Having taken over Sunday as chairman of the ruling Communist Party #39;s

SciTech: 0.8537985
Europeans hail latest data from Mars The European Space Agency says data collected by its probe, Mars Express, has provided new evidence in the search for life on Mars.

Business: 0.9943176
Jury Nearly Set for Enron Criminal Trial (Reuters) Reuters - Opening arguments in the first criminal\case against former Enron Corp. employees are set to begin\after a federal court spent Monday whittling down a panel of\Houston-area residents to find an impartial jury in the city\still stinging from the company's downfall.

Sports: 0.99971706
Garcia a key player in Europeans #39; success In the end, the Europeans took their shoes off and threw them into the gallery at Oakland Hills. By Amy Sancetta, AP. Did this mean they were shoo-ins to beat the USA in the Ryder Cup?

World: 0.999276
Annan Faults Both Sides of Terror War for Eroding Rule of Law U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will tell the 191-member U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that the rule of law in the post-Sept. 11 world has been eroded both by the United States and by other nations as they battle terrorism, and by Islamic extremists and their horrific acts of violence, according to senior U.N. officials.

Sports: 0.9997017
George: Loss evicts Marlins #39; playoff hopes MIAMI GARDENS - Monday was supposed to be moving day for the Florida Marlins, a playoff contender already marked extremely fragile.

Business: 0.998533
US rates seen headed up despite soft-spot worries Federal Reserve policy-makers were expected to raise US interest rates on Tuesday for a third time this year, continuing to lift borrowing costs from rock

Business: 0.9986003
Nike Profit Up 25 Pct. on Converse Boost Nike Inc. (NKE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday reported a 25 percent rise in quarterly profit, topping Wall Street estimates, on strong sales of Converse sneakers

World: 0.9981183
US Hostage Apparently Beheaded (CBS/AP) A video posted on an Islamic Web site Monday shows the apparent beheading of a man identified in the tape as American construction contractor Eugene Armstrong.

World: 0.9993999
Colombia militant gunned down A top leader of Colombia #39;s right-wing paramilitaries has been assassinated, throwing into further doubt the ongoing peace process with the government.

Sports: 0.99970454
James Lawton: In mourning for big fights of Las Vegas En route to Las Vegas for the world heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko and Britain #39;s Danny Williams, there is, inevitably, an old stirring of that anticipation which is familiar to almost anyone who has attended a big fight.

World: 0.9982504
PM to discuss strategic partnership Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived on Tuesday for the first major diplomatic foray that includes talks with US President George W Bush, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and address to the UN General Assembly.

SciTech: 0.99532497
Free Windows doesn #39;t stop Linux rush WINDOWS IS #39;free #39; in Iran, but even there is an increasing move towards Linux, according to an AFP report. Apparently, because Iran refuses to abide by international copyright laws, pirated copies of Windows make the product free and everyone uses it.

Business: 0.9976477
Nestle Confirms Targets After Rivals Warn Nestle confirmed its 2004 guidance on Tuesday, a day after competitors Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive cast doubts over the consumer goods industry #39;s outlook by issuing profit warnings.

World: 0.9990866
Jeanne death toll over 600 in Haiti (09/21/04)-- The death toll keeps rising in Haiti. Officials say at least 622 people have been killed by Hurricane Jeanne. Jeanne was downgraded to a tropical

SciTech: 0.99683243
Oracle uses Apple storage gear Apple Computer #39;s rack-mounted storage system received a vote of confidence Monday, with database giant Oracle endorsing the Xserve RAID as part of an initiative to cut storage costs.

SciTech: 0.9894456
Cisco, Fujitsu team on high-end networking Fujitsu has joined the networking parade by agreeing to sell Cisco #39;s high-end routers and switches in Japan. It should come as no surprise as the market for high-end routers heats up.

World: 0.99458534
Israel Unions Start Nationwide Strike JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli unions began a nationwide strike on Tuesday expected to affect about 400,000 public sector workers and severely hamper international travel.

SciTech: 0.98504746
Sony Shows Smaller PlayStation 2 (AP) AP - Sony Corp. on Tuesday showed a smaller book-size PlayStation 2 going on sale worldwide next month that will help the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant cut costs as video-game consoles continue to drop in price.

Sports: 0.9995883
Winning NFL Turnover Battle Does Count (AP) AP - Joe Gibbs had seen it before, although he didn't remember: On Dec. 7, 1986, his Washington Redskins turned the ball over seven times and lost to the New York Giants.

World: 0.99940026
Bush enforces new US diplomacy (AFP) AFP - President George W. Bush has rewritten US foreign policy during four years at the White House, with the war on terror now taking priority and doubt cast on some traditional alliances.

World: 0.6318614
India seeks new TV bids The Indian Board re-opens the bidding for TV rights after Australian threaten to cancel their tour.

World: 0.9993767
Iran Announces Uranium Conversion Tests Defying a key demand set by 35 nations, Iran announced Tuesday that it has started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

Business: 0.998207
Strong Chinese demand props up oil Crude hovers around \$46 a barrel amid demand from most populous country, damage reports from Ivan. LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held above \$46 a barrel Tuesday as China showed no letup in its strong demand

SciTech: 0.95248663
Ask Jeeves revamps search engine Ask Jeeves Inc. has made three significant enhancements to its search engine, as the Emeryville, California company continues to take aim at its much larger competitors

SciTech: 0.6141604
Internet Ad Revenues Jump 40 Percent Internet advertising revenues jumped 40 percent in the first half of this year, driven largely by the growing popularity of keyword ads tied to search results.

SciTech: 0.9962037
Child Abuse Leads to Adult Heart Disease By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter HealthDayNews -- Children who are abused or neglected grow up to be adults with a significantly greater risk of heart disease, a new study says. It's the first study to show a direct link between a wide range of childhood problems and ischemic heart disease -- blockage of the arteries that leads to heart attacks and other major problems, said Maxia Dong, a medical epidemiologist at the U.S...

SciTech: 0.78487027
Gates, Ballmer pay holds at about \$900,000 Paychecks stay the same for the top two, but compensation changes for other Microsoft workers as stock grants replace options.

SciTech: 0.84660614
Gates and Ballmer get pay raises Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer each received total compensation of \$901,667 in Microsoft Corp.'s 2004 fiscal year, up 4.4 percent from \$863,447 one year ago.

SciTech: 0.99532723
Will WiMax Replace DSL? (PC World) PC World - Despite Intel's support of the emerging wireless technology, some doubt its potential.

Business: 0.9985574
Stocks Edge Up, Goldman Earns Give Lift NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged up on Tuesday as investors expected the Federal Reserve to stay on a course of "measured" interest-rate increases, while major Wall Street investment banks rose on higher profits.

World: 0.99934036
Goss Gets Senate Panel's OK for CIA Post WASHINGTON - A Senate panel on Tuesday approved the nomination of Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., to head the CIA, overcoming Democrats' objections that Goss was too political for the job...

World: 0.9993861
Bush Condemns Beheading of U.S. Hostage (AP) AP - President Bush on Tuesday condemned the beheading of American hostage Eugene Armstrong, telling interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, "We will not allow these thugs and terrorists to decide your fate and decide my fate."

Business: 0.9971058
Martha Stewart Is Allowed to Start Prison Term Early A federal judge ordered Martha Stewart today to surrender for prison by Oct. 8, granting the Ms. Stewart's request to begin serving her sentence for lying about a stock sale.

Business: 0.99856144
Ontario Securities Commission accuses 4 fund mangers of improper ... TORONTO (CP) - The Ontario Securities Commission is warning four Canadian mutual fund managers of quot;potential enforcement proceedings quot; for improper trading.

Business: 0.9972915
Business Week Names Adler Its New Editor Stephen J. Adler, deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, has been named editor of Business Week magazine, succeeding Stephen B. Shepard, who announced last week that he would retire from the magazine to become the first dean of a new

SciTech: 0.931497
Noah's Ark Quest Dead in Water -- Was It a Stunt? In April a Christian activist announced a summer 2004 expedition to search for Noah's ark. The quest didn't happen, and now critics are questioning the project's credibility.

Sports: 0.9996637
Golf: Woods #39; bitter sip from cup MICHIGAN - Tiger Woods finished the 35th Ryder Cup on a personal winning note in the last-day singles, but the enigma of his relationship with the biennial team competition remains.

SciTech: 0.9919268
VeriSign bundles authentication tools Unified support for passwords, smart cards and tokens means better network security, the company says.

SciTech: 0.9393294
Study: MP3 player market to explode IDC says there's tough competition ahead for the iPod as manufacturers launch rival portable jukeboxes.

World: 0.9993304
Iraq #39;s Sunni-Shiite tension rising The killing of two Sunni clerics earlier this week could be part of a slide toward sectarian civil war, analysts say. By Howard LaFranchi Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.

SciTech: 0.9977654
Ask Jeeves Search Engine Gets Slim and Personal Ask Jeeves Search Engine Gets Slim and Personal\\Ask Jeeves has introduced new changes which have totally made over the search engine which hopes to give Yahoo, MSN and Google a run for their money. The new changes at Ask.com include MyJeeves personal search, a revamped local search, and an update...

SciTech: 0.99726534
News: WLANs go feral in corporate undergrowth Frustrated employees are taking IT into their own hands by installing DIY Wi-Fi access points (APs) in their offices while their IT departments don't even notice, according to Gartner.\

Business: 0.70344955
Jury calls WTC attack two events Silverstein had hoped the 11-member jury would determine that the language of the insurance policy treated the attacks as two occurrences.

SciTech: 0.9968534
Space O2 Generator Fails Again Repairs to the oxygen generator onboard the International Space Station seemed to work, but then failed the following day. Astronauts are again limited to backup oxygen supplies. By Amit Asaravala.

SciTech: 0.997644
Nothing Robotic About Robo-Art The ArtBots show in New York this past weekend proved that robots can wax artistic, too -- or at least carry out the instructions of their artistic creators. Cyrus Farivar reports from New York.

Sports: 0.99815995
Man United Midfielder Roy Keane Charged (AP) AP - Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane was charged with assault and criminal damage Tuesday over an alleged confrontation with a 16-year-old boy.

SciTech: 0.88841534
Boeing, IBM Strategic Alliance Boosts Net-Centric Technology From the 1950 #39;s until the present, one of the dominant companies in the world #39;s computer industry. Offers a variety of data processing hardware systems, system and application software, and information technology services.

World: 0.9993406
Goss Gets Senate Panel's OK for CIA Post (AP) AP - A Senate panel on Tuesday approved the nomination of Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., to head the CIA, overcoming Democrats' objections that Goss was too political for the job.

Business: 0.99844813
Jabil Circuit Posts Higher Profit SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Contract electronics manufacturer Jabil Circuit Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=JBL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">JBL.N</A> on Tuesday posted a higher quarterly profit on stronger demand for computers, cellphones and other electronic products.

World: 0.9993667
Stocks Close Higher on Brokerage Earnings NEW YORK - Stocks dashed higher Tuesday as investors welcomed strong earnings from financial services companies, upbeat economic data and some reassuring news from the Federal Reserve. The Fed's decision to raise short-term interest rates by another quarter-percentage point to 1.75 percent did not come as a surprise to the market...

Business: 0.99845636
Oil prices rise above \$47 per barrel Oil prices hurdled \$47 a barrel Tuesday, with further declines in the nation #39;s supply expected in the short-term as petroleum producers disrupted by Hurricane Ivan continue to regroup.

SciTech: 0.9450448
Amazon #39;s A9 Search Evens Out Google results with links to books at Amazon.com, the Internet Movie Database, Google Images, and GuruNet.com, plus site information, including similar links that others have followed.

SciTech: 0.9813261
When outsourcing, don't forget security, experts say When outsourcing IT operations offshore, companies often focus on lower costs and more productivity -- and fail to keep in mind the cultural differences that could affect their security, said experts at the Gartner IT Security Summit.

SciTech: 0.923897
Microsoft CFO: Expect more acquisitions Microsoft may seek to become a more distributed company as it eyes future large acquisitions, CFO John Connors said yesterday.

SciTech: 0.9966954
Put RSS Feeds On Your Web Page Put RSS Feeds On Your Web Page\\If you're interested in putting RSS feeds on your Web page but you don't have a lot of server/programming expertise, you might want to try the RSS Digest tool at http://www.bigbold.com/rssdigest/. This tools has some nice extras on it, though at the moment...

Business: 0.9866742
Ackermann refocuses Deutsche FRANKFURT Joseph Ackermann, the Deutsche Bank chief executive, announced a much-anticipated personnel shake-up Tuesday aimed at solidifying leadership in its profitable investment banking business and restoring confidence in its commitment to Germany, the

Business: 0.9755197
OECD ups EU/Japanese growth forecasts Growth in the US economy this year is likely to be 4.3, the OECD forecast today, lowering an earlier forecast of 4.7. But the Japanese economy was set to grow by 4.4 instead of 3 forecast earlier and the euro zone by 2 instead of 1.6.

Business: 0.9974776
Michigan regulators allow SBC to charge more for use of its ... State regulators unanimously voted Tuesday to allow SBC Communications Inc. to charge competitors more to use its network, but it was unclear when, or if, that increase would be felt

World: 0.9992391
No negotiation and no retreat, vows Bush When it came, the statement broadcast by the al-Jazeera Arabic news channel from Qatar was as chilling as it was ghoulish: A second American captive, Jack Hensley, 48, had

Sports: 0.99938774
Bears Place Brown on Injured Reserve (AP) AP - The Chicago Bears placed Mike Brown on injured reserve Tuesday, one day after announcing the safety would miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

SciTech: 0.99078965
Academics get NSF grant for Net security centers National Science Foundation grants \$12.6 million to university scientists to study worms, viruses and the Net's ecology.

World: 0.9993894
Turkish Company Freezes Operations in Iraq (AP) AP - A Turkish construction company announced Tuesday that it was halting operations in neighboring Iraq in a bid to save the lives of 10 employees kidnapped by militants.

Sports: 0.99965286
Maradona finalmente le dice quot;adis quot; a la Argentina Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona finally departed for Cuba Monday where he will resume his treatment for cocaine addiction. Maradona boarded a plane bound for Havana, telling fans he would return in a month #39;s time.

Sports: 0.99805534
Giants Give Up Right to Void Bonds' Deal (AP) AP - Barry Bonds will have two more seasons to break Hank Aaron's career home run record with the San Francisco Giants, who decided Tuesday to drop their right to void the final year of his contract.

SciTech: 0.78297895
Wireless carriers: Privacy bill not needed WASHINGTON - Representatives of wireless telephone carriers planning a telephone directory service told a U.S. Senate committee Tuesday that legislation to protect their customers' privacy isn't needed, because their plan already does.

SciTech: 0.9732292
MP3 Portable Market to Hit \$52B by 2008 Apple will be getting some stiff competition in the coming year. A slew of manufacturers will soon offer players utilizing small 1 quot; hard drives that help propel the iPod and allow them to compete more favorably in the market.

World: 0.9676359
How Deadly Are Scorpions? A Malaysian woman has broken the world record for time spent living in a scorpion-filled box. Nur Malena Hassan, 27, has so far endured 32 days in a glass case with 6,069 scorpions; she

SciTech: 0.9970061
Cisco Unveils SAN Products Targeted At Disaster Recovery Cisco Systems unveiled two SAN products that it says will help companies evade or recover quickly from disasters affecting corporate data.

World: 0.9993376
At UN, Bush defends decision to invade Iraq President Bush went before a skeptical hall of world leaders Tuesday to mount a vigorous defense of the war in Iraq, telling the United Nations that the Iraqi people are

Business: 0.93128526
Online advertising up 43pc in US NEW YORK - US internet ad revenue jumped to a record US\$2.37 billion (\$3.5 billion) in the second quarter, surpassing the highest levels of the dotcom era.

World: 0.9990858
Yudhoyono's Apparent Win Boosts Markets (AP) AP - Former General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took a seemingly unassailable lead Wednesday in Indonesia's presidential election, cheering investors amid hopes he will introduce much-needed economic reforms and provide firm leadership in the war on terror.

Sports: 0.9996939
Bonds #39; contract reworked; will stage assault on Aaron #39;s record as ... Now that Barry Bonds is assured of staying with the San Francisco Giants for two more seasons, he already is looking beyond. His children won #39;t let him think about retirement just yet.

Sports: 0.99968183
Former Red left hole struggling bullpen has yet to fill Nearly six months have passed since the Reds traded Chris Reitsma to Atlanta, but Sean Casey still regrets the move. quot;You look at all the success the Braves

World: 0.9672043
Flick Collection Opens in Berlin Friedrich Flick, who made his fortune as an arms supplier to the Nazis during World War II, once presented old master paintings to Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief Hermann Gring as a birthday gift.

Business: 0.9859168
Legal Loophole Inflates Profits in Student Loans The White House could have closed a loophole through which student loan companies are billing the federal government nearly a billion dollars, but chose not to.

Business: 0.72256863
Guilty Plea Seen in Computer Associates Case Steven Woghin, the former general counsel of Computer Associates, will plead guilty to criminal charges.

Sports: 0.99961406
Washington chooses a stadium site for Expos The DC Sports and Entertainment Commission outlined its plans Tuesday night in a meeting with city government officials. An official involved in the process, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated

World: 0.9903198
Walking link to low dementia risk Walking may protect the elderly from developing dementia, research suggests.

World: 0.99938
Bush, Lawmakers Discuss Social Security (AP) AP - President Bush sought support from congressional leaders of both parties Monday for his aggressive proposal to overhaul Social Security during his second term.

Business: 0.9985783
Dimon solidifies control at nation #39;s second-largest bank NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Dina Dublon is resigning as chief financial officer after 23 years at JP Morgan Chase in a shakeup that further solidifies Jamie Dimon #39;s control at the nation #39;s second-biggest bank.

Sports: 0.9990388
The upper hand: McNabb and Eagles down Vikings Breaking free: Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb pushes away Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield before scrambling for more yards in the third quarter Monday night.

Sports: 0.99968827
Giants creep up in division There was only an quot;uh oh quot; inning for Brett Tomko in the first frame as the Giants pitcher gave up two home runs, but the right-hander got on track and breezed to a

World: 0.9993942
Bush Mixing Diplomacy and Campaigning (AP) AP - President Bush, straddling the worlds of diplomacy and re-election politics, is getting in another meeting with a foreign leader before hitting the road to Pennsylvania, a state at the top of his campaign wish list.

World: 0.9993358
US hostage killed by Iraqi captors A US hostage being held with Briton Ken Bigley has been killed by his captors. US officials said the body of Eugene Armstrong had been found.

Sports: 0.9996654
Lab test puts Hamilton #39;s gold at risk Olympic champion Tyler Hamilton, the stoic Marblehead cyclist whose name has become synonymous with resilience and grit, could lose his gold medal and be banned

Sports: 0.9976496
Clash of the unpredictables: WI-Pak tie What would happen when two of the worlds most talented and unpredictable sides rub shoulders and that too in an ICC Champions Trophy semi-final?

SciTech: 0.9671807
Sony shows off new, smaller PlayStation Sony on Tuesday showed a smaller, book-sized PlayStation 2 that will go on sale worldwide next month and help the Japanese electronics giant cut costs as video-game consoles continue to drop in price.

World: 0.9991798
Pota #39;s dead, terror teeth remain NEW DELHI: The ordinances to repeal the stringent anti-terror law, Pota, and amend an existing law to provide teeth to it to tackle terror received Presidential assent on Tuesday night.

SciTech: 0.9904012
Plan Would Turn Restore Wash. Estuary NISQUALLY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Wash. - 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.

World: 0.9994128
Second Beheading Reported (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles Times - BAGHDAD #8212; Militants said Tuesday that they had beheaded a second American hostage in as many days and threatened to kill a British captive, increasing pressure on President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to confront a recent wave of kidnappings of foreigners in the Iraqi capital.

Sports: 0.9997191
Pantano replaced by Glock Jordan have terminated the contract of Italian driver Giorgio Pantano and called in Timo Glock as a replacement. The team said contractual difficulties were behind the split, and confirmed German Glock would race in Sunday #39;s inaugural Chinese Grand Prix.

SciTech: 0.9950572
PeopleSoft goes a bundle on IBM 'Most Significant Enterprise Applications Alliance in History,'it sez here...

SciTech: 0.9974413
Bloglines aims for simplicity (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - There's been a lot of innovation in online publishing lately, but regular Internet users might be scratching their heads at some of the lingo. Social software, blogs and RSS technology? What does it all mean?

Business: 0.6508741
Vodafone targets Japan with 3G offensive Vodafone has unveiled plans for 10 new third-generation handsets for Christmas to help shore up its struggling Japanese unit. Vodafone VOD.

World: 0.99942493
Al-Qaeda Group Kills a Second US Hostage in Iraq (Update3) An Iraqi group linked to al-Qaeda killed a second US hostage, Jack Hensley, and threatened to kill a British hostage unless Iraqi women detainees are freed, the group said on its Web site.

SciTech: 0.9866578
Number of Kids on Antidepressants Drops Dramatically NEW YORK (AP) -- The number of children taking antidepressants has dropped dramatically since the Food and Drug Administration cautioned that the drugs can provoke suicidal behavior, according to a study. Pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions found that the number of children taking antidepressants fell 18 percent in the first quarter and an additional 5 percent in the second quarter...

SciTech: 0.85229754
PeopleSoft, IBM strike middleware alliance PeopleSoft Inc. is deepening its ties with IBM Corp., announcing on Tuesday a sales and development partnership it called the most significant enterprise applications alliance in the companies' history.

Business: 0.9834014
FedEx Quarterly Earnings More Than Double The world's top air-express shipper said earnings soared on strong revenue growth in its international, ground and freight services.

Business: 0.9935555
PeopleSoft gets closer to IBM As the threat of a hostile takeover by Oracle rumbles on, PeopleSoft has announced a \$1bn partnership with IBM. Speaking at PeopleSoft #39;s user conference in San Francisco yesterday, the company #39;s chief executive

Business: 0.9985684
Morgan Stanley Profit Falls 34 Percent NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MWD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MWD.N</A> on Wednesday said quarterly profit dropped 34 percent amid reduced trading revenue, falling well short of Wall Street's already-lowered expectations after a summer of sluggish market activity.

Business: 0.8614526
VZ Wireless Slams National 411 Directory WASHINGTON -- Verizon Wireless, the nation #39;s largest wireless carrier, clashed with other cellular carriers on Tuesday, telling a US Senate committee that a proposal for a national wireless telephone directory is a quot;terrible idea quot; and that the proposal

Sports: 0.9820502
First drug cases at Paralympics Athens - Two weightlifters from Azerbaidjan have been banned from competitions for life after testing positive for drugs, in the first two doping cases of the Athens Paralympics, officials said here on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9939896
Women, and the future of IT Interview Professor Wendy Hall talks to The Reg

Business: 0.99797827
US Stocks Fall, Cisco Leads Techs Lower Stocks fell on Wednesday after investment bank Morgan Stanley (MWD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said quarterly profit fell, casting doubt on corporate profit growth, while a brokerage downgrade on Cisco Systems Inc.

Sports: 0.99908626
Team Directors Criticize Hamilton Test Procedure Two Spanish cycling team directors have criticized how American Tyler Hamilton #39;s positive test for a blood transfusion was carried out.

Sports: 0.9997154
Indian board plans own telecast of Australia series The Indian cricket board said on Wednesday it was making arrangements on its own to broadcast next month #39;s test series against Australia, which is under threat because of a raging TV rights dispute.

SciTech: 0.9981179
Mars Express Instrument Finds Possible New Evidence When Vittorio Formisano, the principal investigator for the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) aboard the European Space Agency #39;s Mars Express, announced Monday that his team found that concentrations

Sports: 0.9987318
Olympic traffic measures needed at Paralympics: experts Experts recommend that the traffic control measures taken during last month #39;s Olympic Summer Games and the current Paralympics should be kept in Athens permanently, as they

Sports: 0.9986682
MLS MVP Preki Undergoes Ankle Surgery (AP) AP - Reigning Major League Soccer MVP Preki will miss the rest of the season after left ankle surgery.

SciTech: 0.9926197
Cape Clear, Neon in Web services deal Cape Clear Software and Neon Systems Inc. on Wednesday announced they are working together to integrate their respective technologies and allow users to quickly integrate mainframe applications and data through the use of Web services.

SciTech: 0.9693544
Ireland launches phone fraud crackdown In an effort to stop scams that cause unwitting Internet users to be charged premium rates for calls placed by software surreptitiously installed on their PCs, Ireland is going to block outgoing calls to 13 countries.

World: 0.99938786
Lesbians fight to retain post-Soviet freedom (AFP) AFP - Since emerging from the shadow of the prudish Soviet Union a decade ago, sexual minorities have fought to gain a foothold in Russian society. But Russian lesbians now say they are facing growing pressure from authorities to return to the closet.

SciTech: 0.987352
NetManage Looks to SOAs with Librados Buy NetManage (Quote, Chart) agreed to acquire privately held Librados for an undisclosed sum. The deal would give NetManage application adapters to help its Host Services Platform server applications via service

World: 0.9994067
Sharon Says Gaza Evacuation Set for 2005 (AP) AP - Israel's evacuation of the Gaza Strip will begin next summer and will take about 12 weeks, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday, reversing an earlier decision to speed up the pullout.

SciTech: 0.99228036
Tracking Service Aims to Ease Product Returns (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - A Texas company tries to take a little bit of the sting out of the biggest online retail nightmare: returns.

Business: 0.99243635
DaimlerChrysler, Mitsubishi in venture Automaker DaimlerChrysler AG said Wednesday it has signed a contract with Japan #39;s Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in which the two companies renewed their commitment to joint production and development projects.

World: 0.9993705
Israel Urges Sanctions on Iran for Nuke Program UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Israel urged the United Nations on Wednesday to move toward sanctions against Iran because Tehran is never going to abandon its alleged quest for nuclear weapons.

Sports: 0.9663054
Paralympics: China Surges As First Doping Cases Result In Lifetime ... ATHENS (AFP) - The Athens Paralympics weathered its first doping scandal, while juggernaut China continued to dominate the competition, racking up nearly twice as many as second-place Britain over the first four days of competition.

Business: 0.99848974
GM May Close Plant 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> will likely cut some jobs in Europe and may close a plant there as part of a restructuring plan under development to try to return the region to profitability, the U.S. automaker said on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9986078
Ex-Enron executive testifies about cover-up The first witness in the first Enron criminal trial testified this morning she believed those higher up than both she and the Enron accountant now on trial were in on an effort to hide illicit

World: 0.9992748
Iraq promises to release one of two high-profile women prisoners BAGHDAD Iraq promised Wednesday to release one of two high-profile women prisoners, but officials denied the decision was linked to demands by militants who purportedly killed two American hostages and are threatening to execute a Briton unless all female

Business: 0.53791565
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait still risky investments: study (AFP) AFP - Investing remains risky in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, notably because the presence of US forces in the region makes these countries vulnerable to terrorist attacks, a security consulting firm said.

SciTech: 0.99782264
AT T Builds VoIP Alliance (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - With its Internet-based phone service well established, AT T (NYSE: T) now is \focusing on establishing common ground among the broad array of technology\providers that help the operator deliver VoIP to businesses and\consumers.

SciTech: 0.80400777
Toyota: Some security firms promise too much If "it sounds like you are being offered a panacea, then it's time to change the conversation," says an exec for the firm.

World: 0.99784935
Something Positive in Zanu Pf BELIEVE it or not, I still have personal friends who are ardent Zanu PF supporters with whom I socialize now and then. With one of them however, our political differences were beginning to affect our personal relationship.

SciTech: 0.9721549
Study: MP3 Player Market Booming Sales of portable digital-audio players are booming, and IDC predicts the market will generate \$58 billion by 2008. The research firm says Apple #39;s iPod will continue to be a major participant

SciTech: 0.8880764
Yahoo: Internet withdrawal anguishing com September 22, 2004, 12:36 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

World: 0.97237647
US not to free female scientists : With time running out to save a British hostage in Iraq, US officials said today they were not about to free female Iraqi prisoners as demanded by an al Qaida ally whose group has already beheaded two Americans.

SciTech: 0.98559165
GAO: Outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth A new GAO report indicates that offshore outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth over the next decade, but the study released today is sprinkled with caveats and qualifiers and shows more study is needed.

World: 0.99863786
Kashmir Talks: Failure Could be Fatal GIVEN their sordid 58 year-long history, its easy enough to sink into pessimism when discussing India-Pakistan relations. The just-concluded first round of comprehensive talks between the

SciTech: 0.9974732
Briefly: T-Mobile sells Sidekick II roundup Plus: Spyware bill moves to Senate...Supercomputer center gets new No. 2...MIT, Caltech offer low-tech voting advice.

SciTech: 0.9691692
Attacks disrupt some credit card transactions Flood of data interrupts Authorize.net's credit card processing for Internet merchants, leaving the company scrambling.

SciTech: 0.99725384
Researchers Study Plastics From Feathers (AP) AP - Researchers at Iowa State University are pecking away at ways of making environmentally friendly plastic. From golf tees to a biodegradable flower pot that can be planted directly in the ground, scientists are studying ways of making plastics from things such as chicken feathers and soy protein.

SciTech: 0.99799997
REVIEW: New IMac G5 Short on Extras (AP) AP - For six years, iMacs have set the standard for the PC industry with eye-popping designs, clever utilization of space and leaps forward in usability. Lately, though, Apple Computer Inc. seems to be making more waves with iPod music players than its venerable consumer PCs.

Sports: 0.9939492
CBS Fined #36;550,000 for Jackson Stunt (AP) AP - CBS got the bill Wednesday for Janet Jackson's eye-catching flash dance during the Super Bowl halftime show: a record #36;550,000.

Sports: 0.9973636
Hagans Sizes Up Well Quarterback Marques Hagans has impressed in wins over Temple, North Carolina and Akron, completing 43 of 59 passes for 568 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Business: 0.9593381
Commission backs 5bn British Energy deal British Energy, the nuclear generator, yesterday welcomed a decision by the European commission to approve a government-backed 5bn rescue plan.

World: 0.9990689
Job-Loss Panic Rises in Western Europe (AP) AP - Stephane Zervos first suspected his job was threatened when his bosses removed most of the heavy equipment from the car wheel factory where he'd worked for 24 years.

Sports: 0.9776854
As Mets Look Ahead, They Keep Looking Back A handful of potential managers, including Lenny Dykstra, has emerged from the Mets' 1986 World Series-winning team.

Sports: 0.9997253
Ancelotti demands more from #39;world #39;s best defence #39; AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said he expects better from his defence after the shock 2-1 home defeat to promoted Messina on Wednesday.

World: 0.99897563
4 nations lobby jointly for permanent seats UNITED NATIONS - Japan, Brazil, Germany and India formed a lobbying group to help one another get permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council and head off proposals that might work against them.

Sports: 0.9978137
AL Capsules Vernon Wells hit a go-ahead, two-run triple off Orlando Hernandez in the seventh inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past the New York Yankees 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Sports: 0.99960226
Zambrano zeroes out Bucs Carlos Zambrano picked up his career high 15th win, combining with two pitchers on a six-hit shutout to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night over

Business: 0.8110879
Dollar Gains Vs Yen (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar rose to a five-week high\against the yen on Thursday as rising oil prices hurt Asian\currencies and the market decided that U.S. interest rates were\still on a rising path.

Business: 0.998566
Fannie Mae Used Improper Accounting-Probe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fannie Mae used improper accounting to manipulate its quarterly earnings reports, regulators said, touching off the mortgage finance industry's second such controversy in less than 18 months.

World: 0.9993901
Latham stands by Bali claims candidate Federal Labor leader Mark Latham has ruled out disendorsing Queensland Labor candidate Ivan Molloy, over comments about the Bali bombings.

Business: 0.98970526
Unctad optimistic on global FDI inflows The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) on Wednesday said that though global inflows of FDI fell in 2003 for the third year in a row to \$560 billion, prospects for the current year are promising.

Business: 0.98062414
Shell to invest in major shake-up OIL group Shell has pledged to invest \$45bn (25bn) and make major disposals in a shake-up of the business, following its reserves crisis earlier this year.

Business: 0.9985392
Probe Examining Fannie's Promises Fannie Mae chief executive Franklin D. Raines invited reporters to his Wisconsin Avenue headquarters a year ago to complain good-naturedly that recent disclosures of accounting manipulations at smaller rival Freddie Mac had unjustly hurt his company.

Business: 0.9985446
Former Enron employee testifies about cover-up to Merrill Lynch ... NEW YORK, September 22 (newratings.com) - A witness in the first Enron criminal trial, and a former executive at the company, testified today that she believed that the Enron executives now on trial were involved in an effort to hide an illicit deal

Business: 0.99085605
American Eagle Reaches Deal With Pilots Union leaders representing pilots at American Eagle, the commuter division of American Airlines, have accepted a tentative contract agreement that includes pay raises.

Sports: 0.99966145
Bucs still seeking first offensive touchdown In good times and bad, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could count on two things -taunch defense and stench offense. By Chris O #39;Meara, AP.

SciTech: 0.98045933
Chambers: Cisco, Fujitsu Team On Japan Networking; 2005 Product ... Land of the rising routers. Cisco Systems (nasdaq: CSCO - news - people ) and Fujitsu (otc: FJTSY - news - people ) will join forces to develop high-end routers for Internet networks in Japan.

Business: 0.7546113
Russian atmosphere hard for Westerners The government has eviscerated Russia #39;s Western-style oil company, Yukos, in what has been widely viewed as political payback.

Business: 0.99809843
Maker of Twinkies goes into bankruptcy Onge. Interstate Bakeries Corp. has filed for bankruptcy, a casualty of rising costs and reduced demand for carbohydrate-rich breads and pastries, including its Wonder Bread and Hostess Twinkies.

Business: 0.9984586
Wonder Bread, Twinkies maker files for bankruptcy Interstate Bakeries Corp., the purveyor of lunch box staples Wonder Bread and Twinkies, filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, felled by the combination of a more health conscious public and smothering operational costs.

Sports: 0.9993549
Olympics-Five sports on shortlist for possible Games inclusion Golf, rugby and squash are on a shortlist of five sports to be assessed for possible inclusion in the 2012 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee is reviewing

Business: 0.9856016
British Energy to delist to save rescue plan Beleaguered British Energy has applied to delist its shares as it tries to stop shareholders from blocking a restructuring plan to keep the company in business.

Business: 0.9666539
Global foreign investment falls Foreign investment levels decline in 2003, a UN report reveals, but there are signs of recovery - especially among developing nations.

SciTech: 0.97233534
Brits to lose 12 current of IT jobs by 2010 New report on offshoring's implications from the British Computer Society.

World: 0.99917394
Iraq PM to address US Congress Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is to address a joint session of the US Congress as well as meeting President Bush.

World: 0.9994073
Palestinian says Americans' killers can't be arrested GAZA -- Palestinian security forces know who was behind the killing of three Americans in Gaza nearly a year ago but cannot act against the factions while fighting with Israel continues, a top Palestinian security official said.

Sports: 0.9967206
Cabrera's Homer Leads Red Sox Past Orioles (AP) AP - Orlando Cabrera flung off his helmet, stepped on home plate and was mobbed by his teammates after leading the Boston Red Sox to another dramatic victory.

Sports: 0.99956876
Pro tours: The stops the talk PGA Event: 84 Lumber Classic Site: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort amp; Spa, Mystic Rock Course (7,276 yards, par 72), Farmington, Pa. Schedule: Today-Sunday. Purse: \$4.2 million. Winner's share: \$756,000. Television: ESPN (today, 3:30-6 p.m.; tomorrow, 3:50-6; Saturday, 3:30-5:30; Sunday, 3-6). Last year: J.L. Lewis closed with a course-record 62 for a two-stroke victory over Frank Lickliter, Stuart Appleby, and Tim Petrovic....

Sports: 0.9979085
Serena Williams, Sharapova reach quarterfinals Serena Williams struggled before finding her game Wednesday and reached the China Open quarterfinals with Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.

Sports: 0.99851674
Ralf ready for racing return in China Ralf Schumacher is adamant memories of his horror crash at Indianapolis three months ago will not hamper his comeback in this weekends Chinese Grand Prix.

Sports: 0.9997049
Button decision delayed Jenson Button must wait until next month before discovering which Formula One team he can race for next season. He wants to leave BAR for Williams but both teams claim to have a deal with the British driver

Business: 0.9984875
Lawsuit alleges Wal-Mart biased against black truckers LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A Mississippi man is suing Wal-Mart, claiming the world #39;s largest retailer discriminates against blacks from seeking truck-driving jobs in 12 Southern states, including Virginia.

Business: 0.9985728
U.S. Stocks Headed for Flat Open NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks appeared set for a modest rebound at the open on Thursday, as oil prices retreated a day after spiking to more than \$48 a barrel, a rise that fueled a sharp slide in stocks on concern that energy prices would hurt corporate profits and consumer spending.

Sports: 0.99668413
Sonics sign Turkish captain, adding veteran leadership The Sonics signed guard Ibrahim Kutluay yesterday. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but it is expected to be a two-year deal worth about \$3.

SciTech: 0.9672221
Southern Africa Faces Food, Water Crises - Study (Reuters) Reuters - Southern Africa faces major\challenges to feed its swelling populations and to keep its\wells from running dry, a study showed Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.996021
Americans Have Dirty Paws New report gives them a 'C' for hand hygiene HealthDayNews -- Americans are doing a crummy job of keeping their hands clean. They got a "C" in hand hygiene in the 2004 Clean Hands Report Card produced by the Soap and Detergent Association...

Sports: 0.5893576
Japanese Baseball Players, Owners Reach Deal (Reuters) Reuters - Japanese baseball players and club\representatives reached a deal Thursday to end the first strike\in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan, with owners\agreeing to let newcomers into the leagues as early as next\season.

Business: 0.9986035
Treasuries Tussle with Profit-Takers NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields held near six-month lows on Thursday, though the market was struggling to extend recent hefty gains in the face of profit-taking.

World: 0.9994166
S Leone takes control of Freetown UN peacekeepers hand control of security in the Sierra Leone capital, Freetown, to local forces after the end of a brutal war.

World: 0.99940205
Iraqi Leader Thanks U.S. in Speech to Congress Offering a simple, "Thank you America," Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared Thursday that his country is succeeding in its effort to move past the war that ousted Saddam Hussein.

Sports: 0.9946609
Japan #39;s baseball players avert another strike Japan #39;s baseball players averted a second strike this weekend after agreeing that a new team will be allowed to join Japanese professional baseball next season.

Business: 0.99592364
Lehman nears \$220M Enron settlement Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is close to settling a class action lawsuit for \$220 million stemming from allegations that it colluded with other brokerages to mislead Enron Corp.

Business: 0.99771297
Bailout plan shelved for Donald Trump #39;s casinos A proposed bailout of Donald J. Trump #39;s casino company has been shelved, and Trump now says he may take the company private. The company #39;s shares fell 10 percent.

SciTech: 0.99116254
Sony Shift to Support MP3 <a href="http://arstechnica.com/news/posts/20040923-4222.html">Sony considers adding native mp3 support to its players</a> Ars Technica

Sports: 0.9968213
Hodge called up as Ponting returns home Victorian batsman Brad Hodge has been called in to the Australian Test squad in India, as a replacement for injured captain Ricky Ponting.

World: 0.99934715
U.S. Won't Release Female Iraq Prisoners BAGHDAD, Iraq - Authorities insisted on Thursday that they won't give in to militants' demands to free female Iraqi prisoners despite the plea of a tearful British hostage begging Britain to save his life in a video released by his captors. Meanwhile, Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, said that increasing violence must not be used as a pretext for delaying elections scheduled for late January...

SciTech: 0.9980552
Infocus: Detecting Worms and Abnormal Activities with NetFlow, Part 2 This paper discusses the use of NetFlow, a traffic profile monitoring technology available on many routers, for use in the early detection of worms, spammers, and other abnormal network activity in large enterprise networks and service providers. Part 2 of 2.

World: 0.9992373
Terror scares hit Australia Australia #39;s frayed nerves were given another jolt yesterday by the discovery of a home-made firebomb on a Virgin Blue airliner and the unrelated arrest of a man accused of threatening terror attacks in Southeast Asia.

Business: 0.99855417
Halliburton Says It May Separate KBR Unit NEW YORK (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HAL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HAL.N</A> said on Thursday it would restructure its KBR unit and may shed the business if the company's stock performance continues to lag behind peers.

Business: 0.99857056
Stocks Off on Exxon Downgrade, Oil Price NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks slipped on Thursday after Exxon Mobil Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=XOM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">XOM.N</A> was downgraded by a brokerage and oil prices rose, raising investor concerns about the health of corporate profits and economic growth.

SciTech: 0.9956956
Take-Two Sees Higher Sports Prices for New Consoles NEW YORK (Reuters) - Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=TTWO.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">TTWO.O</A> on Monday said that prices for its sports video games will likely return to higher levels once new game consoles arrive in late 2005 or 2006.

Business: 0.9966511
Computer Associates exec pleads not guilty Sanjay Kumar, the former chief executive of Computer Associates of Islandia, NY, pleaded innocent Thursday to charges he helped inflate financial results.

SciTech: 0.98679084
Dinosaur May Have Been Stealth Hunter (AP) AP - The strike would have come out of nowhere: One second the fish was swimming placidly, no danger in sight, a moment later it was lunch.

Business: 0.9981567
Beacon Shares Gain 22 Percent in Debut Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. saw its shares jump nearly 22 percent in its first day of trading Thursday after the company priced its initial public offering at the midpoint of its expected \$12 to \$14 price range.

Sports: 0.9974854
Mass. court denies new trial for convict BOSTON -- The state appeals court on Thursday declined to allow a new trial for a father convicted of beating a man to death at their sons #39; hockey practice.

SciTech: 0.9974782
VeriSign Touts Childrens' Online Identity Token WASHINGTON (Reuters) - VeriSign Inc. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=VRSN.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">VRSN.O</A> and a children's safety group unveiled a new technology on Thursday that they said would make it easier for children to avoid child predators online.

Business: 0.9757396
Bush Set to Open Oil Reserve Spigot (Reuters) Reuters - With oil prices close to #36;50 a\barrel, the Bush administration is set to allow oil refineries\to borrow crude from the government's emergency petroleum\stockpile to make up for supplies disrupted by Hurricane Ivan,\a congressional source briefed on the pending decision told\Reuters on Thursday.

World: 0.9994142
Nigerian army kills 24 Islamic militants near Cameroon border (AFP) AFP - The Nigerian army killed 24 Islamic militants who had taken refuge in the mountainous northeastern region bordering Cameroon, the spokesman for the northeastern state of Borno said.

World: 0.99721646
Leaders converge on Melbourne PRIME Minister John Howard and Labor leader Mark Latham will converge on Melbourne today as the city gets into the swing of AFL celebrations.

Sports: 0.9996753
Pascual Rodriguez wins 18th stage of Vuelta race; Heras still ... Spaniard Javier Pascual Rodriguez inched ahead of Colombia #39;s Ivan Parra at the finish line to take the 18th stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling tour Thursday.

Business: 0.9985825
US opening oil reserve NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The federal government said Thursday it plans to loan a limited amount of crude oil from the nation #39;s strategic reserve in a bid to offset shortages caused by Hurricane Ivan.

SciTech: 0.9950111
Microsoft antispam suit targets 'bulletproof' Web host Microsoft has filed nine lawsuits against individuals and companies allegedly involved sending out spam, including one suit against a Web hosting company that claimed it was "bulletproof" and couldn't be shut down.

World: 0.9993861
Rumsfeld Raises Prospect of Limited Iraq Elections (Reuters) Reuters - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on\Thursday raised the possibility that some areas of Iraq night\be excluded from elections scheduled for January if security\could not be guaranteed.

World: 0.9993666
Russia Seeks UN Terrorist Asylum Abuse Crackdown UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday proposed a U.N. crackdown on the abuse of political asylum for terrorist purposes, raising pressure on Western states to hand over wanted Chechen activists.

Business: 0.998601
American Airlines revenue weakens American Airlines holding company AMR Corp. (AMR: Research, Estimates) on Wednesday said the airline #39;s August revenue was weaker than expected after hurricanes and high fuel prices

World: 0.9994211
PM Promotes His Image of Mostly Safe Iraq (AP) AP - It may have seemed odd that interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi felt compelled to spend a few of his precious first minutes at the White House giving reporters a geography lesson.

World: 0.9994087
PLO chief holds landmark talks in Damascus A high-ranking Palestinian Liberation Organization delegation led by Chairman Mahmoud Abbas held landmark talks with the Syrian leaders in Damascus Monday.

World: 0.99941254
US planes again hit Sadr City BAGHDAD US warplanes fired on targets in the east Baghdad slum of Sadr City on Thursday, the second day of fighting in the Shiite militia stronghold.

Sports: 0.9995671
Track heads in the right direction RENAULT #39;S Formula One team boss Flavio Briatore paid the Shanghai International Circuit the greatest compliment when he said yesterday: #39;It #39;s going to be difficult to beat this one.

World: 0.998998
Bambang unveils plans for his first 100 days JAKARTA - Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is almost certain to emerge the winner of the country #39;s first direct presidential polls, has begun to unveil plans for his first 100 days in power.

Business: 0.99849856
US may draw on oil in reserve WASHINGTON Oil prices climbed toward \$49 per barrel Thursday even as the Bush administration considered drawing crude from the US emergency stockpile and lending it to refiners whose supplies were disrupted by Hurricane Ivan.

SciTech: 0.9787635
Ireland blocks calls to 13 countries to thwart internet scam Ireland #39;s telecom regulator said this week that is taking quot;extraordinary quot; measures to protect internet users from rogue autodialer programs that hijack their modems and run up long-distance phone charges by suspending direct dialing to 13 countries, most

Sports: 0.9996958
One assist, goal for hometown star STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- First, Peter Forsberg watched as his retired jersey No. 21 was lowered from the rafters at Kempehallen. Then, after getting a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd, the locked-out Colorado

Business: 0.9910058
Jamaica had record FDI inflows in 2003 Jamaica last year attracted its highest level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows yet, US\$720.4 million, outperforming traditional powerhouse investment hosts such as Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and even Argentina.

Business: 0.99810034
UPDATE 2-Ottawa sets Petro-Canada price at C\$64.50 Ottawa has set a price per share of C\$64.50 (\$50.42) in the sale of its 19 percent stake in Petro-Canada (PCA.TO: Quote, Profile, Research), as analysts

World: 0.99931824
China admits it #39;s worried over stalled N.Korean nuclear talks China admitted Tuesday it was worried about the apparent stalling of six-party talks about North Korea #39;s nuclear weapons program and blamed the lack of trust between Pyongyang and Washington.

SciTech: 0.972819
BLOG That #39;s the most look-ed up world on Merriam-Webster #39;s ... A FOUR-LETTER term that came to symbolise the difference between old and new media tops US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster #39;s list of the 10 words of the year.

SciTech: 0.9167958
Survey finds #39;web withdrawal #39; NEW YORK: Nearly half of US Internet users say they could not go without the Web for more than two weeks, with many suffering quot;withdrawal quot; symptoms while offline, according to a recent survey.

SciTech: 0.99450964
Dino sucked in prey with its giraffe neck The fossil of a sea reptile with a neck twice as long as its body is solving the mystery of how some ancient reptiles used such unusually long appendages.

SciTech: 0.99230146
Who is Hurt by Microsoft #39;s Neglect of Older Browsers? Microsoft may find the burden of securing older versions of Windows browsers a burden. Tough. But its neglect hurts the entire Internetand leaves and opening for open-source replacement.

Sports: 0.99970955
England job remains full-time THE Football Association yesterday insisted it has no plans to reduce the England coach #39;s job to a part-time position. A report in the Daily Mirror claimed the FA was considering appointing a Premiership boss

SciTech: 0.9520963
Making Windows More Secure HEY labor long hours to write their software, testing and perfecting it. They toil in obscurity, fully aware that they #39;ll never get credit for their work.

Business: 0.9985858
ID Biomedical Gets US Flu Drug Deal ID Biomedical Corp. (IDB.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (IDBE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) signed a 10-year US distribution deal for its Fluviral drug that could reap

World: 0.8094176
In Indonesia, Businesses Hopeful After Election After suffering through two shambling administrations, Indonesia appears to have a new president who many of its business leaders say they believe will uproot corruption and revive investment.

SciTech: 0.8686961
Hubble heats debate over ionised universe Astronomers poring over the deepest image ever taken of the universe are coming to different conclusions about what made space transparent to light billions of years ago.

Sports: 0.95417225
World awaits Chinese Grand Prix A quarter of a billion dollars to build the track. Tens of millions in racing fees. More than 150,000 live spectators and a television audience of hundreds of millions.

Sports: 0.9996675
Week of September 25th, 2004 Why to watch: Miami might be 2-0 and once again among the college football elite, but no one #39;s thinking Orange Bowl quite yet.

Sports: 0.9981822
Happy returns for Cabrera Fly from New York to Colombia on Monday, be with your wife as she has surgery, make sure things are OK there, fly to Boston overnight on Tuesday and hit a game-winning home run in the 12th inning on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99853027
Lehman May Settle Over Enron NEW YORK, Sept. 23 -- Investment banking firm Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is nearing an agreement to pay approximately \$200 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit over its work for bankrupt energy trader Enron Corp., sources familiar with the case said.

Sports: 0.9682852
Hamilton Keeps Gold but One Test Confirms Doping The American cyclist Tyler Hamilton will keep his gold medal from the Athens Olympics after a testing lab mishandled his blood sample.

Business: 0.9835842
Japan Shares Down 1.6 Pct TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average dropped 1.65 percent by mid-afternoon on Friday and was on course for a sixth day of losses as worries over high oil prices and uncertainty over the U.S. economic and market outlook hit a broad range of stocks.

Business: 0.99458057
U.S. Treasuries Recover, JGB Rally Helps LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices rose on Friday, with a rally in Japanese government bond (JGB) prices helping the market recover some ground from the previous day's sell-off.

Business: 0.9985102
GE pledges to meet rules of disclosure in SEC pact General Electric Co. yesterday agreed to a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused the company of failing to provide shareholders

World: 0.9992993
Palestinians kill three Israeli soldiers Palestinian fighters sneaked onto an Israeli military post at a small Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip early yesterday under cover of darkness and a thick morning fog

World: 0.9543922
In Mexico visit, enmity greets Harvard scholar MEXICO CITY -- Ever since the release earlier this year of his book quot;Who are We?: The Challenges to America's National Identity, quot; which argues that Mexican immigrants pose a threat to American culture, Samuel P. Huntington has been the US academic Mexicans love to hate.

Business: 0.99850476
Cadbury Says Annual Results to Be at Low End of Range (Update1) Cadbury Schweppes Plc, the maker of Dr Pepper and 7Up, said results will be at the lower #39; #39; end of the range it has targeted in the current fiscal year because of lack of demand in the US and European drinks markets.

Sports: 0.999278
Davis Cup: Australia takes 2-0 lead in World Group playoff :Lleyton Hewitt gave Australia a 2-0 lead in its Davis Cup World Group playoff today with a record-setting 6-0 6-2 6-2 win over Mehdi Tahiri of Morocco on grass at Royal Kings Park.

Sports: 0.9991529
Mountain climbers The Big East is under siege again. Oh, it's not as overt as the move by the Atlantic Coast Conference two years ago, which went on a membership drive, targeting Miami, Syracuse, Boston College, and eventually Virginia Tech.

Sports: 0.9989786
India,Sports ; Jankovic to joust with Sharapova for semis spot The win puts world number 36 Jankovic into a clash with the current teenage queen of the game Sharapova, who has played only one match to reach the last eight here after a bye.

Business: 0.98915136
IBM as PeopleSoft #39;s Hero? Hardly Big Blue --a white knight? It #39;s easy to see how industry watchers got carried away with speculation that IBM (IBM ) might be riding to rescue of beleaguered PeopleSoft (PSFT ). On Sept.

World: 0.9993782
UK to Host Mideast Conference: Report LONDON, December 6 (IslamOnline.net amp; News Agencies) - Britain received a green light from Washington to host a conference on Middle East peace after the Palestinian presidential elections, a British news paper reported Monday, December 6.

Business: 0.9964329
Update 2: Alitalia, Unions Sign Deal Alitalia signed a deal with eight of nine unions Friday to split the loss-making Italian airline in two - part of the company #39;s plan to stave off bankruptcy.

SciTech: 0.9977222
Symantec warns of weakness in its firewall and gateway products Security specialist Symantec has admitted to a number of vulnerabilities in its firewall and gateway products. The weaknesses make them liable to denial of service attacks and other compromises.

Sports: 0.99972075
McDOWELL SUCCEEDS WHERE AMERICANS FAIL Nobody and nothing could overshadow Colin Montgomerie last week, but Ulsterman Graeme McDowell was doing it at Woburn again today.

World: 0.994555
Thirteen people killed in power plant explosion in Hebei Thirteen people were killed and one seriously injured in an explosion at a power plant in Wu #39;an City in north China #39;s Hebei Province when the plant began trialoperation on Thursday afternoon.

Sports: 0.9995559
Transactions BASEBALL Boston (AL): Activated DH Ellis Burks from the 60-day disabled list; released P Phil Seibel. Milwaukee (NL): Sent INF Matt Erickson outright to Indianapolis (IL).

SciTech: 0.9859865
#39;Blog #39; To Be Included in 2005 Dictionary The most requested online definition this year was quot;blog quot; -- a word not even yet officially in the dictionary, Merriam-Webster says.

Business: 0.9968239
U.S. Treasuries Inch Up, Await Data LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices inched higher on Friday, with a rally in Japanese government bond (JGB) prices helping the market recover some ground from the previous day's sell-off.

SciTech: 0.9950316
Samples From Genesis Craft Sent to Calif. (AP) AP - The first solar-wind samples recovered from the crashed Genesis space capsule have been sent to researchers in California.

SciTech: 0.9971367
Symantec Firewall/VPN Appliance 200/200R (firmware builds prior to ... Rigel Kent Security amp; Advisory Services notified Symantec of three high-risk vulnerabilities they identified in the Symantec Firewall/VPN Appliance during an assessment.

Sports: 0.9995536
F1 debuts in China Formula One made its long-awaited debut in the People #39;s Republic of China today as the stunning new Shanghai International Circuit echoed to the banshee wail of Formula One engines being used in anger for the first time.

World: 0.99939823
Palestinian Attack Kills Woman in Gaza Settlement (Reuters) Reuters - A Palestinian mortar bomb slammed into a\house in a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip Friday, killing\a woman and fueling settler anger over Prime Minister Ariel\Sharon's plan to pull Israelis out of the area.

SciTech: 0.99616015
Massive Merger of Galaxies is the Most Powerful on Record Scientists have now officially witnessed the perfect cosmic storm. Thanks to the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton observatory, they watched a nearby head-on collision between two galaxy clusters. The clusters smashed together thousands of galaxies and trillions of stars in one of the most powerful events ever witnessed.

Business: 0.9985636
Boeing thinks Airbus is too optimistic on sector recovery The head of US aircraft maker Boeing, Harry Stonecipher, said Friday that the recovery in the sector would not be as strong as arch-rival Airbus was anticipating.

Business: 0.9305939
Heathrow refuellers to push ahead with strike plans Aircraft refuellers at Heathrow Airport have vowed to push ahead with strike plans this weekend, potentially disrupting flights, after last-ditch pay talks collapsed, their union says.

SciTech: 0.86200505
Group Questions E-Voting Security Black Box Voting hopes to halt the use of Diebold's voting machines.

SciTech: 0.9946936
Internet Emerging As Potent Terrorist Tool By THOMAS WAGNER LONDON (AP) -- The images coming out of the latest hostage crisis in Iraq - capped by dramatic video of British captive Kenneth Bigley begging for his life - have transfixed Britons, left governments looking helpless, and revived a classic dilemma about whether to negotiate with terrorists. But the plight of the British construction worker and his two murdered American colleagues has also raised new concerns about terrorists' tremendous ability to set agendas in an Internet age that makes their messages - even in the form of shocking beheading videos - all but impossible to stop...

Business: 0.98871875
Boeing CEO: Jet Market Recovery Slower (Reuters) Reuters - Boeing Co. Chief Executive Harry\Stonecipher said on Friday the U.S. aircraft maker's archrival\Airbus was exaggerating the speed of recovery in the commercial\airplane market.

Business: 0.99353963
UK Watchdog Turns Up Heat on Banks LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's financial regulator will step up scrutiny of investment banks' management of conflicts of interest and risk in the wake of a number of high profile cases such as WorldCom, Enron and Parmalat.

World: 0.99942195
UN Refugee Chief Backs Autonomy for Sudan #39;s Darfur Region The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says granting more autonomy to southern Sudan could help end the bloody conflict there.

Business: 0.81507427
Strikes at London airports London - A 48-hour strike by aircraft refuellers at London Heathrow airport got under way on Friday, with baggage handlers at Gatwick airport also preparing to walk out, threatening a weekend of travel disruptions.

SciTech: 0.9801547
Security firm justifies virus writer's job SecurePoint says the alleged Sasser author was "just an immature boy with mindless intent" who wants to make amends.

World: 0.9993562
Nova Scotia becomes sixth province, territory to allow same-sex marriages (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - Nova Scotia became the sixth province or territory to allow same-sex marriages when the province's Supreme Court ruled Friday that banning such unions is unconstitutional.

Business: 0.98852706
Comcast part of group wanting to buy MGM A consortium led by Sony Corp. of America that includes Comcast Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Inc.

Business: 0.998591
Durable Goods Fall, Aircraft Orders Slump (Reuters) Reuters - Orders for long-lasting U.S. durable\goods slipped unexpectedly in August as civilian aircraft\demand plunged, but beat forecasts once transportation was\stripped out, government data showed on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9917828
Rumors abound about Google #39;s browser <a href="http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/showstory.jsp?storyid=53949">Google Browser on Its Way?</a> Techtree.com

Sports: 0.9997187
Boston Red Sox Team Report - September 24 (Sports Network) - A sensational pitching matchup is on tap at Fenway Park this evening when Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox welcome Mike Mussina and the hated New York Yankees to town for another chapter in baseball #39;s fiercest rivalry.

SciTech: 0.9959331
Astronomers Spot Monster Collision of Galaxies (Reuters) Reuters - If you think Earth is a mess,\consider the turmoil in the constellation Hydra, where\astronomers have spotted two monster galactic clusters slamming\together in one of the biggest collisions ever recorded.

SciTech: 0.6289876
Airbus drops out of Microsoft appeal Aircraft builder withdraws its request to intervene in Microsoft's antitrust appeal; Boeing also forgoes intervention.

SciTech: 0.99584347
Linux security boost p2pnet.net News:- A European consortium, including Linux-distributor Mandrakesoft, has won an \$8.6 million contract to boost Linux #39; security, says a TechWeb story, going on that the French Ministry of Defense is, quot;expected to make the operating system

SciTech: 0.99741495
Microsoft Sues BulletProof Web Hosts Anonymous writes quot;Microsoft Corp. filed nine lawsuits against individuals and companies alleged to be involved in the distribution of spam, the company said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9773207
Mom Hugs 'Miracle' Baby After Ovarian Transplant (Reuters) Reuters - Ouarda Touirat, her day-old baby\daughter nestling in her arms, said Friday she had never lost\hope that she could conceive after cancer treatment left her\infertile.

Business: 0.9974004
China Minmetals in talks to buy Noranda TORONTO -- One of Canada #39;s largest and best-known miners, Noranda Inc., is in exclusive talks to be acquired by a Chinese metals producer, the two companies confirmed Friday.

Business: 0.99858606
Morningstar Faces Possible SEC Lawsuit NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators may file suit against Morningstar Inc., a provider of mutual fund and stock research, over incorrect data it published about a mutual fund, the company said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9976426
Microsoft Changes Its Tune on Porting SP2 Fixes Microsoft Watch: Redmond had told developers privately earlier this year of plans to port some SP2 fixes to older versions of Windows.

Sports: 0.99937755
Calvin Murphy removed as Rockets broadcaster Murphy will go to trial Nov. 4 on charges he molested his daughters, a state district judge said Tuesday. Murphy is charged with three counts of indecency with a child and three counts of aggravated sexual assault, punishable by up to life in prison.

World: 0.9993481
Bush, Kerry Economic Budgets Exceed \$1T WASHINGTON - President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry have starkly different economic priorities with a common thread: price tags exceeding \$1 trillion that could pump already huge deficits skyward over the next decade...

Business: 0.8873403
Some Md. MDs Curtail Surgeries in Insurance Protest Physicians in a northwest Maryland county plan to halt non-emergency surgeries for at least two weeks to protest a 33 percent increase in malpractice insurance premiums.

Business: 0.99852103
US stocks up on durable goods news; chips down US stocks got a mild boost on Friday as government data showed better-than-expected demand in August for durable goods other than transportation equipment, but climbing oil prices limited gains.

SciTech: 0.9829875
Locusts Encroach on West African Rice-Growing Area (Reuters) Reuters - West Africa's worst locust plague for 15\years has encroached on one of the region's largest\rice-growing areas, authorities in Mali said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.98675704
Intel shelves plans for Wi-Fi access point Due to lack of demand, the chipmaker postpones plans to build Wi-Fi access points into desktop PCs this year.

Business: 0.9983897
Rivals Ocean Spray, Northland make peace Cranberry juice rivals Ocean Spray and Northland have ended their legal battle and agreed to join forces. The companies said Friday that Ocean Spray will take over its smaller rival #39;s

World: 0.998958
Calif. OKs World's Toughest Smog Rules LOS ANGELES - California air regulators Friday unanimously approved the world's most stringent rules to reduce auto emissions that contribute to global warming - a move that could affect car and truck buyers from coast to coast. Under the regulations, the auto industry must cut exhaust from cars and light trucks by 25 percent and from larger trucks and sport utility vehicles by 18 percent...

Business: 0.99798065
Ocean Spray to Buy Northland Assets Looking to expand its fruit receiving and concentrating operations in the nation #39;s largest cranberry-producing state, Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.

Business: 0.738952
CA, Partners Move On As Kumar Faces Charges Concern over the fate of former Computer Associates International chairman and CEO Sanjay Kumar accompanied the collective sigh of relief felt by CA partners last week when federal prosecutors settled a two-year-old accounting fraud investigation with the

SciTech: 0.95084345
Peter Griffin: A9.com makes searching personal I #39;ve really taken to A9.com. It #39;s almost as if this new player in the search engine game has been built specifically for me.

Sports: 0.999129
England seek first one-day title against surprise package Windies LONDON: England have never won a major international limited-overs title while West Indies World Cup glory days date back to 1975 and 1979.

Sports: 0.99967813
Wenger keep tabs on SWP Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has upped the stakes ahead of Saturday #39;s clash against Manchester City by claiming he would love to sign Shaun-Wright Phillips.

Sports: 0.9994615
A Greek tragedy for Fab Three PARIS: Greece #39;s shock Euro 2004 triumph in July has had unexpected consequences with three European Players of the Year calling time on their national sides.

Sports: 0.99768794
Ichiro Makes Run at Historic Record Ichiro Suzuki, baseball #39;s sang-froid player, is racing to shatter an elusive record for hits in a single season, aiming to bring glory to himself, the Seattle Mariners and his country Japan.

SciTech: 0.98913455
First Look: Creative Zen Portable Media Center New device plays back audio and video on the go, but it sports a hefty price tag.

Business: 0.9977387
San Diego fiscally sound, mayor says SAN DIEGO - In the wake of another downgrading of San Diego #39;s credit rating, Mayor Dick Murphy today reassured the public that the city is fiscally sound.

Sports: 0.9997087
Vaughan confident England can cap memorable season ENGLAND captain Michael Vaughan leads his side against the West Indies today quietly confident of claiming his first major one-day trophy in the ICC Champions Trophy final against West Indies.

World: 0.9678601
Scientist Ramanna mourned BOMBAY: Raja Ramanna, the scientist who pioneered India #39;s drive to become a nuclear power, died yesterday in Bombay at age 79.

World: 0.99933666
Seoul says firms shipped lethal chemical to DPRK SEOUL: South Korean authorities stopped a shipment of a potentially lethal chemical to North Korea this year, but at least two other shipments got through to the communist state, South Korea said on Friday.

Business: 0.96075475
Putin Says Russia Could Be a Yukos Bidder President Vladimir V. Putin said on Friday that state-run companies might bid for assets of Yukos in any sale to collect back taxes.

World: 0.9994017
Sudan 'foils Islamist coup plot' Sudan says it has foiled a coup plot by backers of detained Islamist leader, Hassan al-Turabi.

Sports: 0.9932134
One-Two Economic Punch Proposals for two major league sports stadiums that would face each other across the Anacostia River evolved independently, D.C. officials said Friday.

Sports: 0.99729496
MLB: New York Yankees 6, Boston 4 Hideki Matsui homered and drove in two runs Friday night as the New York Yankees increased their division lead with a 6-4 win over Boston.

Business: 0.99620026
US Airways' Unions Brace to Fight Deep Cuts US Airways' 28,000 employees waited last night for the airline to file a petition with the judge in its bankruptcy proceeding, seeking to void existing labor contracts and impose a 23 percent pay cut on workers.

Sports: 0.99969494
Pedro: Yanks? No Thanks: Bombers psyche out ace #39; Pedro Martinez last night uttered the absolute last words any Boston fan wants to hear from their ace - now, or ever: Call the Yankees my daddy.

World: 0.99932444
Dodgers Nip Giants 3-2 in Crucial Series SAN FRANCISCO - Shawn Green can sit out Saturday knowing he was a huge help to the Dodgers during their crucial series against San Francisco. Green hit a two-run homer in Los Angeles' 3-2 victory over the Giants on Friday night, a day before the first baseman will miss a game to observe the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur...

Business: 0.9982603
Refiners line up for stockpiled oil Oil futures hit a record high Friday as the government began lending oil from emergency reserves to refineries running low on crude after Hurricane Ivan.

Business: 0.9913059
Fannie Mae mess worries investors The fallout from allegations of serious accounting problems at Fannie Mae has rattled investors and could even bump up mortgage rates down the road.

Sports: 0.99958426
US leads 2-0 in Davis Cup Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish served 19 aces to defeat Max Mirnyi in the second singles match 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Roddick #39;s serve in the final game of the match eclipsed his own record of 153 mph set at the Queen #39;s Club tournament in England in June.

Sports: 0.99971586
Yanks beat Pedro again; Santana wins 20th All the Boston Red Sox got from Pedro Martinez this week was a pair of losses to the Yankees. The AL Central-champion Twins drank a champagne toast to Santana after he became the second 20-game winner in the

Sports: 0.99969685
No. 21 Boise State holds off BYU 28-27 What started as another Boise State blowout came down to the final seconds. The No. 21 Broncos jumped to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter, but needed a missed field goal with

Business: 0.9979322
US Airways To Ask Court For Pay Cuts S Airways said yesterday that it would ask a bankruptcy judge to approve emergency pay cuts - which its unions said would be 23 percent - and other moves to raise cash.

Sports: 0.99970645
Yanks deflate Sox This wasn #39;t Game 7 with the American League pennant at stake, but it certainly had the kind of bad vibes that the Boston Red Sox felt last October.

World: 0.99927455
Pakistan and India agree to cooperate on easing tensions and ... The leaders of India and Pakistan promised Friday to work together to quot;restore normalcy and cooperation quot; between their countries and seek peace in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

Sports: 0.99883825
Shanghai, Qualifying: Surprises all round Michael Schumacher spun and Sauber looked strong this afternoon. Fernando and Jacques went sixth and thirteenth.

Sports: 0.99967754
Time to step up Charlie Garner didn #39;t come to Tampa to watch the Tampa Bay Bucs offense stumble around like it has in the first two games of this season.

Business: 0.9986161
Oil Prices Rise Despite US Move To Draw On Strategic Reserve NEW YORK, Sept 23 (AFP) - Oil prices edged closer to record territory Thursday as markets shrugged off news that the US government may draw from its strategic reserves to make up for shortages due to Hurricane Ivan.

Sports: 0.9996007
Kuznetsova Beats Sharapova to Make China Open Final BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova beat compatriot and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2 for a place in the final of the \$585,000 China Open WTA tournament on Saturday.

Business: 0.98677725
Putin Says State Companies May Buy Yukos Oil Assets (Update3) Russian President Vladimir Putin said state-run companies may bid for OAO Yukos Oil Co. assets in any sale to collect back taxes, raising the prospect of further government control over the nation #39;s oil and gas industry.

World: 0.9993249
Israel Destroys Refugee Homes, Kills One GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A day after a mortar round killed an Israeli-American woman in a nearby settlement, the Israeli army charged into a Palestinian refugee camp Saturday, killing one person and tearing down 35 homes, witnesses and a U.N. aid official said...

SciTech: 0.99791414
Firefox Browser Turns 1.0 as Browser Wars Re-emerge Mozilla released a Preview Release of version 1.0 of its new, lightweight browser, named Firefox, even as Web traffic metrics indicate that Microsofts Internet Explorer may be losing market share for the first time in many years.

Sports: 0.99969864
Australia better prepared, says Gilchrist Mumbai - Australia #39;s stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist said on Saturday his team was seeking a momentous Test series triumph in India.

Sports: 0.99967825
Serena sails into final at China Open Though in an unfamiliar city, top seed Serena Williams turned the inaugural China Open WTA tennis tournament into a home court here on Saturday as she stormed into the singles

World: 0.9994261
UN Refugee Chief Tours Sudanese Refugee Camp in Chad The top United Nation refugee official is in Chad, where Saturday, he toured a camp for Sudanese refugees who have fled violence in the western Darfur region.

World: 0.99931216
Hu issues certificates to two new generals Chinese President Hu Jintao presented on Saturday certificates to two nearly promoted generals in his capacity as chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China.

Business: 0.9587627
This week in the state Legislature The Senate is expected to vote on the overall \$3.3 billion spending plan for the state Department of Transportation, which supports state and local highway programs, public transportation programs and department administration (House Bill 5528).

Business: 0.99590826
Airport Staff Walk-Out Fails to Disrupt Flights A strike by hundreds of baggage handlers and maintenance workers at Gatwick Airport failed to disrupt flights today. The workers mounted picket lines outside

Sports: 0.99886143
Boro left feeling Blue Accepting mediocrity has been part and parcel of following Middlesbrough over the years, yet this campaign was supposed to bring something new.

World: 0.99319386
Men, Women More Different Than Thought CHICAGO - Beyond the tired cliches and sperm-and-egg basics taught in grade school science class, researchers are discovering that men and women are even more different than anyone realized. It turns out that major illnesses like heart disease and lung cancer are influenced by gender and that perhaps treatments for women ought to be slightly different from the approach used for men...

Sports: 0.999705
Gilchrist confident about India tour SYDNEY, Sep 25: Australia #39;s stand-in captain and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has said that his twin responsibilities will not come in the way of seeking a winning start for his team against India in next month #39;s Test series.

Sports: 0.9996495
Bremen, Bayern amp; Stuttgart Win As Wolves Stay Top VfL Wolfsburg remain clear at the top of the Bundesliga table after a last-minute Diego Klimowicz strike condemned Kurt Jara #39;s Kaiserslautern to defeat at the Volks-Wagen Arena, on a day that saw Miroslav Klose hit a hat-trick for Werder Bremen at Bochum.

Sports: 0.9975803
No. 13 LSU 51, Mississippi State 0 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.

Sports: 0.9996661
NFL Postpones Miami Game, Due to Hurricane Jeanne The National Football League has postponed Sunday #39;s scheduled game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins in Miami due to the threat of Hurricane Jeanne.

Sports: 0.99140537
Robby Gordon Planning to Proceed With Caution Robby Gordon plans to join the oil spills, the tire chunks, the sharp pieces of debris and the other typical racetrack hazards on Sunday.

Business: 0.99846894
US 2-Year Treasuries Fall for Week as Fed Raises Target Rate The benchmark two-year US Treasury note had its biggest weekly decline in a month on speculation the Federal Reserve will follow up this week #39;s interest-rate increase with at least one more this year.

World: 0.99938095
Four held in anti-terror raids Three of the men were seized in a quot;pre-planned quot; operation by officers from the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch at a hotel in Brent Cross, north London.

Business: 0.99698514
Boeing gets downpayments Boeing has received downpayments for up to 200 of its new 7E7 planes in addition to the known 52 orders it has gained, Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher said in an interview published on Thursday.

Business: 0.9985562
Boeing CEO says market slower than Airbus suggests BERLIN: Boeing Co. Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher has said the US aircraft makers archrival Airbus was exaggerating the speed of recovery in the commercial airplane market.

Sports: 0.9991536
Cricket swings to Calypso once again From the time you touch down in the British Isles, you get an overwhelming sense of grey. The skies are almost always leaden, the clothes people wear are generally either black or neutral shades guaranteed

Sports: 0.9996861
UPDATE 1-Struggling Singh stays ahead in Pennsylvania World number one Vijay Singh stayed two shots clear of the field after struggling to a level-par 72 in the third round of the \$4.2 million Pennsylvania Classic on Saturday.

World: 0.99900573
Italy and Libya move on migrants Italy's Interior Minister visits Libya to pave the way for joint efforts to curb illegal immigration into the EU.

Sports: 0.9996778
Cup chase lands in Dover When the green flag drops for today #39;s MBNA America 400 at Dover International Speedway, 43 drivers will be lined up to cross the start/finish line.

World: 0.99684876
How long will the pop press stomach the horrors of Iraq? The sickening accounts of the ordeal of Ken Bigley have brought home to everyone the true wretchedness of the present situation in Iraq.

World: 0.9994111
UN chief promises more staff to Iraq when possible UN Secretary-General Kofi An nan meets with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi at UN headquarters in New York, Sep 24. (Xinhua Photo).

SciTech: 0.99699354
Quicken, Money Duel to a Draw (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - The Intuit-Microsoft battle for supremacy in the personal-finance software market is as long-running as some sports rivalries -- except that few users seem to care all that much about the outcome of this contest.

Sports: 0.999648
Red Sox explode in the 8th for 12-5 win The New York Yankees are going to the playoffs, and they will probably go there as AL East champions, too. They just won #39;t be clinching the division in Fenway Park.

Sports: 0.99524236
Howard Wins Big The Bison win their second straight game with a 53-7 domination of nonconference Savannah State before 5,205 at Greene Stadium.

Sports: 0.99493426
Live: Chinese Grand Prix Michael Schumacher has set the stage for what promises to be a thrilling fightback through the field by qualifying at the back of the grid for the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, which starts at 0700.

World: 0.99940574
Muslim Council joins fight for hostage #39;s life Efforts to secure the release of Iraq hostage Ken Bigley are being stepped up as a delegation from the Muslim Council of Britain #39; heads to Baghdad for talks.

World: 0.99933404
AFP Interview: UN refugee chief says Sudan likely to grant Darfur ... ABECHE, Chad, Sept 26 (AFP) -- The Sudanese government has seen the writing on the wall and is likely to grant some autonomy to the violence-wracked Darfur region but the rebels should now do their bit to end the world #39;s worst humanitarian crisis, UN High

World: 0.99940884
Riyadh says killing of Frenchman was "terrorist attack" (AFP) AFP - A French national shot dead in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah overnight was the target of a quot;terrorist attack quot; according to initial investigations, an interior ministry spokesman told AFP.

Sports: 0.9996729
Dover #39;s place in #39;Chase #39; looks secure NASCAR officials spent several days last December going through different scenarios when they met to come up with their quot;Chase for the Nextel Cup quot; plan.

Sports: 0.9997129
Barrichello Wins Chinese Grand Prix SHANGHAI, China - Rubens Barrichello won the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, taking advantage of Formula One champion Michael Schumacher #39;s disastrous weekend and outlasting runner-up Jenson Button by just over a second.

Sports: 0.9993845
Mark it down: Notre Dame is back Shaking down the thunder from a puffy gray-white sky on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame reminded the usual 80,795 suspects that an opening loss to Brigham Young was an aberration.

Sports: 0.99963856
Orioles to get paid off for Expos #39; move to DC In this crevice of the baseball globe, as the season heads to the bottom of the ninth, nothing has changed. It #39;s an annual rite for both teams by the bay to be in prime playoff position with a week to go, and

World: 0.9971047
Half of men on Pitcairn Island on trial for alleged sex abuse a small, prefabricated affair, consisting of just six cells. They have an incentive to build it well: seven of them could soon be living there.

SciTech: 0.99406564
Is Google working on a web browser! After coming up with Gmail and Google News, rumours are rife that search engine Google is now working on a web browser, reports BBC.

SciTech: 0.71859664
Soldiers' War Blogs Detail Life in Iraq Iraq war blogs are as varied as the soldiers who write them. Some sites feature practical news, war pictures and advice. Some are overtly political, with more slanting to the right than to the left. Some question the war, some cheer it.

SciTech: 0.9979796
Could Newer Browsers Dethrone IE? Every time a new IE security flaw is announced, or whenever someone gets fed up with hackers manipulating their Web browser, Firefox and other Mozilla-based browsers get a bump in the marketplace.

Sports: 0.9991992
Fans Honour Legend Clough Thousands of football fans fell silent today to honour the life and achievements of legendary manager Brian Clough. A public tribute was held in Nottingham city centre and a minute

World: 0.99938405
Karzai Travels North on First Domestic Trip Since Rocket Attack Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday made his first domestic trip outside the capital, Kabul, since a trip cut short by a rocket attack 10 days ago.

World: 0.9992704
Pinochet questioned by investigative judge An investigative judge has questioned former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for half an hour to decide whether to indict him in one of hundreds of human rights cases stemming from his 1973-1990 rule.

Sports: 0.99929905
Dolphins and Steelers Will Play Sunday Night (Reuters) Reuters - The Miami Dolphins and\Pittsburgh Steelers will play their scheduled game Sunday night\at 8:30 p.m.

World: 0.9994205
UN refugee chief sees Darfur autonomy as way out of crisis NDJAMENA : UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers said that Sudan should grant more autonomy to Darfur as he began a visit to address the crisis over the exodus of more than 1.4 million refugees from the troubled region.

World: 0.999406
Israel sends Syria tough message with Hamas strike Widening its pursuit of Hamas beyond the occupied territories, Israel reached into Damascus Sunday, dealing a blow to both Hamas and Syria.

Sports: 0.9991067
Serena takes China title Serena Williams got back to winning ways with victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the China Open on Sunday.

Sports: 0.99966836
Giants most important game of the year will be an everyday ... SAN FRANCISCO - Lets defer to the slugger-philosopher, Barry Bonds, for Saturdays life-lesson. It he said in reference to the San Francisco Giants latest biggest win of the season, is as big as it is today.

World: 0.9993098
Labour delegates force Iraq vote Iraq is chosen for a vote at Labour conference but Tony Blair says he will not apologise for the war.

Sports: 0.9989497
A win worth a Calypso or two London, September 26: Just the way the Brazil is synonymous with soccer and Tom with Jerry, West Indies cricket has always been synonymous with fast bowlers, with batsmen who had more flair than wood in their willows; and with calypso.

SciTech: 0.9932273
'Wikis' Offer Knowledge-Sharing Online (AP) AP - Taran Rampersad didn't complain when he failed to find anything on his hometown in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Instead, he simply wrote his own entry for San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. Wikipedia is unique for an encyclopedia because anybody can add, edit and even erase. And the Wikipedia is just one #151; albeit the best known #151; of a growing breed of Internet knowledge-sharing communities called Wikis.

SciTech: 0.8941723
Sony, Nintendo power up for battle of the portable game consoles (AFP) AFP - Riding on the global success of PlayStation 2 (PS2), Sony has launched its first hand-held game console to challenge rival Nintendo, whose Game Boy Advance monopolizes the worldwide portable game market.

Business: 0.9956808
US Airways wants court to cut pay Troubled carrier US Airways has asked a US bankruptcy court to impose big wage and cost cuts, warning that otherwise it might fail to survive.

Sports: 0.99971014
NFL Game Summary - Jacksonville at Tennessee Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Fred Taylor scored on a one-yard run with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 15-12 victory over the Tennessee Titans at The Coliseum.

Sports: 0.99961096
Giants 27, Browns 10 Kurt Warner and Michael Strahan made sure the New York Giants didn #39;t have a letdown against the injury-ravaged Cleveland Browns.

Sports: 0.99901354
Soccer: Vller quits Roma after Bologna loss Rudi Vller said Sunday that he had left Roma of the Italian league. He had been manager for less than four weeks. Roma lost 3-1 to Bologna in Serie A on Saturday, even though its opponents played for 40 minutes with just nine men.

World: 0.9990601
Haitian storm survivors give thanks Amid the destruction from Tropical Storm Jeanne, Haitians have prayed for the 1,500 dead and given thanks that their lives were spared at services on Sunday.

World: 0.9994049
No progress in N.Korea, Japan talks on abductees : Talks between Japan and North Korea aimed at resolving a dispute over Japanese nationals abducted by the North decades ago ended Sunday without progress, Japanese officials said.

Business: 0.84672254
UK writing off poor nations' debt Gordon Brown says the UK will write off its share of debts owed by the world's poorest countries to the World Bank.

Business: 0.9986039
Financial planning an option for Coles COLES Myer Ltd chief executive Mr John Fletcher yesterday said he was interested in branching out from the retail business into financial planning services for the groups customers.

Sports: 0.99967325
Green Bay Packers INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The showdown between Peyton Manning and Brett Favre turned into an Arena Football League spectacle. Manning threw for 320 yards and five touchdowns in the first half when the Indianapolis

Business: 0.90831363
Bill Gates is the richest for 11 years successively Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, still remains the richest person in the USA, according to Forbes Magazine. Gates has been keeping the first place for already 11 year in a raw among the richest Americans.

World: 0.99924964
Iran deploys new missile TEHRAN: Iran added one more missile to its military arsenal and the defense minister said Saturday his country was ready to confront any external threat.

World: 0.90367246
Jet lands in UK after bomb alert An Olympic Airlines flight on its way from Athens to New York is diverted to Stansted Airport after a security alert.

World: 0.99940467
U.S. Military Arrests an Iraqi Commander The arrest of a commander of the Iraqi National Guard raises concerns about the loyalty and reliability of the new security forces.

Business: 0.97776
Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Shed 1 Percent, Dollar Up Tokyo stocks shed more than 1 percent Friday, extending declines to a sixth straight session driven by Wall Street #39;s weakness and worries that higher oil prices may crimp corporate profits.

Sports: 0.998823
Kim Captures 1-Shot Win at Longs Drugs (AP) AP - Christina Kim made a charge on the back nine Sunday, shooting a 6-under 65 at the Longs Drugs Challenge for a one-shot victory over Karrie Webb and her first LPGA win.

Sports: 0.9986971
Angels Suspend Guillen Without Pay (AP) AP - Angels left fielder Jose Guillen was suspended for the rest of the season Sunday because of his outburst after being lifted for a pinch runner a day earlier.

World: 0.99924564
U.S. Wants to Lease Swedish Submarine (AP) AP - The United States wants to lease a Swedish attack submarine for naval exercises in the Baltic Sea in a deal possibly worth tens of millions of dollars, defense officials said Sunday.

World: 0.9992538
Japan Ministers Resign Ahead of Reshuffle TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese cabinet ministers tendered their resignations on Monday, setting the stage for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to make new appointments aimed at boosting his popularity and tightening his grip on power after a set-back in July's upper house elections.

SciTech: 0.9724946
MedImmune CEO Talks Finance and Science David Mott, a Dartmouth-educated Wall Street investment banker, is increasingly leveraging his reputation in the local and national biotech communities. -The Washington Post

SciTech: 0.91310424
Is Google News Biased? Google News tends to favor news stories with a conservative bias, according to new media observer J.D. Lasica, a claim which Google denies.

Sports: 0.99968004
Fans put in position of deciding which team comes first Say you #39;re a Raiders fan and the Silver and Black are playing the Broncos in late December. You want Denver to hurt the hurt that only comes with having your hiney handed to you.

World: 0.99939823
Pakistan #39;s top wanted terrorist killed Pakistani security forces Sunday killed the country #39;s most wanted terrorist allegedly involved in an assassination attempt on President Pervez Musharrafand indicted in the murder of a US journalist.

World: 0.99940693
Pakistan al-Qaeda suspect killed Pakistan says it has dealt a major blow to al-Qaeda #39;s operations after its security forces shot dead the country #39;s most wanted terror suspect.

Sports: 0.9994293
Paralympians stripped of medals for failing tests A visually impaired cyclist from Slovakia, competing in the men #39;s tandem event, was stripped of his silver medal and three weightlifters were slapped with two-year bans after testing positive for banned substances at the Athens

World: 0.991776
Press blame Right for swaying citizenship votes On Sunday voters rejected government-backed plans to simplify naturalisation procedures for second-generation foreigners. They also turned down a proposal to grant children born in Switzerland to foreign parents the automatic right to a Swiss passport.

Sports: 0.9995065
Tennis: GB lose out in Davis Cup Great Britain has been relegated from the Davis Cup group with the world #39;s best teams in after losing to Austria. Greg Rusedski lost the crucial match to Stefan Koubek 7-6 6-4 7-5 to see Britain lose out in the tie 3-2.

World: 0.9991731
Experts dampen bird flu fears International health officials at an emergency meeting in Bangkok Monday said there is no evidence that bird flu has been passed from one human to another.

World: 0.99928457
Hamas official killed in blast JERUSALEM -- A Hamas official was killed Sunday when his sport utility vehicle exploded in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, seconds after he started the engine, according to witnesses and the Palestinian militant group #39;s leaders, who accused Israel of

Business: 0.998563
Crude oil prices near continued march toward symbolic \$50 US level Crude oil prices neared their all-time record high of \$49.40 US as supply fears in Iraq and other key producers pushed up early trade Monday, while the market took stock of hurricane Ivan #39;s impact on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

World: 0.99933773
Diverted London Airliner Given All-Clear A police search concluded there was no threat to a New York-bound Greek airliner forced to make an emergency landing in Britain following a bomb threat that mentioned Iraq, officers said Monday.

Sports: 0.9996489
Defensive adjustments keep it close The Chargers #39; defense had one of its better games in recent years, despite allowing 23 points. One of the keys was an adjustment to disrupt the Broncos #39; passing game.

Sports: 0.9996611
Sox punish cocky Yankees BOSTONThese Yankees are an arrogant bunch. Six consecutive first-place finishes tend to do that. But very rarely do you see a team in the heat of a pennant race facing the team chasing them send out a starting pitcher just to see him get work.

Sports: 0.99967647
It #39;s a record: Singh surpasses Woods again When Vijay Singh started out as a pro golfer more than 20 years ago, \$10 million seemed an unreachable goal. One more victory -- and, the way he #39;s playing, that could be only one more tournament away -- and

SciTech: 0.9729858
Sims 2 plays with life addicts The Sims 2 adds DNA into the mix and much more realistic 3D graphics, which gives the game an eerie feeling of reality.

World: 0.99934286
DEBKAfile Special Analysis Before deporting him to Lebanon in 1991, the late Yitzhak Rabin called Ezz-Eldin Sheikh al-Khalil the snakes head, singling him out as the terror master who raised and handled Hamas most accomplished terror operatives, Adnan al Hool and

Business: 0.9960912
DATA VIEW: Singapore Aug Indus Output Below Expectations SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore #39;s industrial output rose a smaller-than-expected 5.3 on year in August, as the production of pharmaceuticals fell sharply from a high base a year ago.

SciTech: 0.99601537
Now Virgin to offer trips to space LONDON, England -- British entrepreneur Richard Branson announced his company has signed a deal to offer the world #39;s first commercial flights to space under the branding quot;Virgin Galactic.

SciTech: 0.8493604
Plan B Proposes Its Own Alternatives Donnie Downs, president and chief executive of Plan B Technologies Inc., said the company itself is a "plan B."

World: 0.7370381
European Press Review: Climate Change European editorials on Monday commented on the results of the local elections in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Business: 0.9434406
Hurricane Ivan blows Courts #39; profits away MILLIONS of pounds are likely to be wiped off profits at the Caribbean arm of furniture retailer Courts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ivan.

Business: 0.98516786
FM, Reddy to attend IMF-WB meet Finance Minister P Chidambaram will lead a high-level delegation for the annual IMF-World Bank meeting in Washington from October 1, where New Delhi would press for higher aid flows for infrastructure and social development.

SciTech: 0.99745935
Red Hat opens losing propaganda offensive against Sun Opinion Heaven help us all - there #39;s a blog battle being waged between Red Hat #39;s chief cheerleader Michael Tiemann and Sun Microsystems #39; President Jonathan Schwartz.

SciTech: 0.9875514
Microsoft closes Hotmail to Outlook and Outlook Express users From today, new users of Microsoft #39;s Outlook and Outlook Express won #39;t be able to view Hotmail emails for free. The company has announced that in future the service will only be available to subscribers of the MSN premium services costing \$19.

Sports: 0.9997124
The Wayne Rooney era begins at Manchester United Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson calls him the best English player in the last 30 years, and he #39;s expected to debut for the club Tuesday in its Champions League match at Old Trafford against Turkey #39;s Fenerbahce.

SciTech: 0.9685458
The Sims 2; Demon Stone; The Number Devil Getting a life gets a lot more complicated in this sequel to the best-selling computer game in history.

SciTech: 0.9886889
McData offers SAN consolidation McData plans to introduce a new SAN router this week designed to connect the growing number of isolated SAN networks in corporations.ADVERTISEMENT<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> What sold them on improving their network? A system that could cut management costs from the get-go. Find out more.

World: 0.7374752
Greek School Bus Crash Kills Seven, Injures 24 KAMMENA VOURLA, Greece (Reuters) - A bus carrying school students and teachers to the Athens Paralympic Games collided with a truck in central Greece on Monday killing at least seven people and injuring 24, officials said.

Business: 0.99850154
Walgreen 4th-Qtr Net Rises 18 Percent on Drug Sales (Update1) Walgreen Co., the largest US drugstore chain, said fourth-quarter profit rose 18 percent, helped by sales of prescription drugs. Net income had its biggest gain in almost two years, climbing

Business: 0.99741286
Before the Bell - ESS Technology drops 4.4 pct Shares of ESS Technology (ESST.O: Quote, Profile, Research), a maker of computer chips for DVD equipment, fell 4.4 percent in premarket trading on Monday after the company lowered its third-quarter revenue and earnings

World: 0.9993191
Sports Court Hears Hamm Gold Medal Appeal LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Paul Hamm appeared before the sports world's highest court Monday to argue why he should he keep his Olympic gymnastics gold medal. The Court of Arbitration for Sport convened to hear the appeal from a South Korean gymnast who believes he was unfairly deprived of the gold in the men's all-around event in Athens last month because of a scoring error...

Business: 0.99829096
Comcast gets option on TW Cable NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Comcast said Monday that it has an option to cut its stake in Time Warner Cable to 17 percent from 21 percent in exchange for stock in a unit that will hold cable-television systems and cash.

World: 0.9993718
Rivalry Blamed in Philippine Communist Leader #39;s Death A leader of a Philippine communist breakaway group has been killed, in what may be rivalry among former comrades. The shooting is the latest in a series of assassinations of Communist Party defectors.

Business: 0.9850841
Touchy Times at Midas The auto maintenance company has a simple business but a complicated prognosis.

World: 0.99935216
Blair, Paisley confer on N. Ireland British Prime Minister Tony Blair met in London with Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley Monday about power sharing with Northern Ireland #39;s Assembly.

Business: 0.9899303
Microsoft Lawyer Says Company Able To Comply with EU Antitrust ... Microsoft attorney Brad Smith, said: quot;We will certainly be prepared to comply with the court #39;s order whatever it may be. We have invested a tremendous amount of time and energy and spent millions

Business: 0.99860066
Hilfiger tumbles on grand jury probe CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Tommy Hilfiger Corp. tumbled Monday after the company disclosed that a grand jury was looking into the buying-office commissions the retailer pays to a non-US subsidiary.

SciTech: 0.8773051
Siemens, Freescale Extend Auto Partnership Siemens VDO Automotive and Freescale Semiconductor have renewed their automotive relationship, representing about \$245 million for components including ASICs, microcontrollers, analog and sensor components, beginning in 2006.

Business: 0.99851364
Stocks Slip on Oil, Downgrade of Semis NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were knocked lower on Monday, with the Dow dipping briefly below 10,000, as record high oil prices threatened to hurt corporate profits and a brokerage downgrade hit semiconductor shares.

Business: 0.9974503
Fannie Mae agrees to accounting changes Fannie Mae, facing questions about its accounting similar to those that shook up Freddie Mac last year, has agreed to changes that will bring it in compliance with accounting standards.

SciTech: 0.99169534
Cybertrust CEO Says Merger Driven by Users SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Betrusted Holdings Inc. in New York and TruSecure Corp. in Herndon, Va., last week said they #39;re merging to form a single IT security services vendor.

World: 0.9992694
Presidential campaign turns even nastier (AFP) AFP - The US presidential race hit a new low in nastiness with images of Osama bin Laden and epithets such as quot;despicable quot; and quot;un-American quot; bombarding voters before a crucial series of televised debates.

World: 0.99704653
A Graphic Film of Protest, and Cries of Blasphemy The director of a 10-minute film shown on Dutch television hopes to draw attention to what she says is widespread but hidden violence against Muslim women.

World: 0.9993399
Bishop Indicted on Child Rape Charges SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Bishop Thomas Dupre, the former head of the Springfield Diocese, was indicted Monday on child rape charges, accused of molesting two boys in the 1970s, the county prosecutor said...

SciTech: 0.99288344
Sidebar: Microsoft Enters Data Backup Arena SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - CHICAGO -- Microsoft #39;s announcement of a disk-to-disk backup application designed to consolidate data backups on Windows servers positions the company to compete against storage management stalwarts such as Veritas

Sports: 0.9984409
Button happy with 2nd JENSON Button was happy to settle for runners-up spot despite falling agonisingly short of a maiden Formula One win for the second race in succession.

World: 0.972547
Holiday Stamps to Be Issued in Oct. (AP) AP - Holiday postage stamps celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa will be issued next month, the U.S. Postal Service announced Monday.

SciTech: 0.9967714
Shaving Time From The Virus Race IronPort Systems has launched the latest version of its IronPort C-Series E-mail Security Appliance, adding Virus Outbreak Filters that the company said could respond to new virus outbreaks within minutes.

Business: 0.9985505
US Airways May Liquidate by February ALEXANDRIA, Va. Sept. 27, 2004 - US Airways Group Inc. warned in a bankruptcy court filing that it may have to liquidate by February if a judge does not impose a temporary 23 percent pay cut on its union workers.

Business: 0.7106986
Dell, AOL team up in schools initiative ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Dell Inc. and America Online Inc. announced a partnership Monday to provide 5,000 low-income students with free refurbished personal computers and a year #39;s worth of Internet access.

SciTech: 0.99485165
Cisco #39;s SMB Goods Cisco Systems is accelerating its push into the SMB market with the launch this week of entry-level switching modules, an aggregation switch and a Web-based management tool that helps smaller customers gain easier access to high-level features.

SciTech: 0.840412
Gold Indian Coin Expected to Fetch #36;27,000 (Reuters) Reuters - An Indian gold coin which is nearly\1,900 years old and shows one of the earliest depictions of\Buddha is to be sold at auction where it is expected to fetch\up to 15,000 pounds ( #36;27,000).

Business: 0.9986259
Treasuries Benefit on Spike in Crude Oil NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices climbed on Monday as investors bet oil prices near record highs might dent U.S. consumption and force the Federal Reserve to slow the pace of interest rate hikes.

Sports: 0.99963224
Mashburn #39;s season blocked by knee injury; may retire Barely more than a year removed from his best season, Jamal Mashburn is likely done playing in the NBA. Mashburn and the New Orleans Hornets announced Monday, a week before the opening

SciTech: 0.99389267
Elephant DNA Could Help Stem Ivory Trade (AP) AP - Analyzing the DNA of elephants may help trace the origins of ivory being sold illegally, information researchers hope will help foil such trade.

Business: 0.99832255
NYMEX Oil Rises on Nigerian Rebel Threat NEW YORK (Reuters) - NYMEX crude oil futures jumped 36 cents in electronic trading on Monday evening to the psychological \$50 a barrel level, the highest in the 21 years oil futures have traded on the exchange, as Nigerian rebels decided an "all-out" war against the government starting Oct. 1.

SciTech: 0.9971819
Dell upgrades high-performance cluster line To boost performance for high-end users, Dell Inc. is upgrading its high-performance computing clusters by adding support for larger Topspin InfiniBand switches and PCIe host channel adapters.

SciTech: 0.9835608
DHS faces IT management challenge, GAO says A quot;formidable information and technology management challenge quot; faces the Homeland Security Department, according a report released today by the Government Accountability Office.

Business: 0.9416162
Oil Near \$50 on Supply Fears in Nigeria Oil prices rose to record highs Monday near \$50 a barrel for US crude as Nigeria emerged as the latest focus for worries about supply in an already tight worldwide energy market.

SciTech: 0.9892574
Cisco switch products target small business Cisco Systems is aggressively targeting small and midsize businesses with a set of Ethernet switching products designed to greatly reduce the cost and complexity of operating a network.

Sports: 0.9994273
Court to hear case in gymnastics flap One way or another, Paul Hamm #39;s gold-medal odyssey is about to end. Whether he gets to keep the medal and the title he won a month ago in the Olympic men #39;s gymnastics all-around will be up to the sporting world #39;s highest authority.

Sports: 0.99966276
Junior: Late father #39;had a lot to do #39; with rescue NEW YORK -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has trouble remembering those frantic seconds when he escaped from his burning racecar. He believes, however, that his late father figured in his survival.

World: 0.98732215
5 dead in Dubai airport accident DUBAI - A steel mesh wall collapsed on workers building a multi-billion-dollar extension to Dubai #39;s international airport yesterday, leaving five dead and 12 injured, authorities said.

SciTech: 0.9137907
Cray promotes two execs Ly-Huong Pham becomes the supercomputer maker's senior vice president of operations, and Peter Ungaro is made senior vice president for sales, marketing and services.

Sports: 0.9986979
Manchester United admits paying 11m to transfer middle-men The role of agents in multimillion-pound football transfer deals came under fresh scrutiny yesterday after Manchester United revealed payments of 11m to middle-men for their help in signing players.

Business: 0.9980411
Sky-high oil prices will ground air transport profits: IATA MONTREAL, Canada : Sky-high oil costs will keep air transport profits in the basement, with losses between three billion and four billion dollars this year, despite a pickup in traffic, the international air trade association said.

Business: 0.998613
UPDATE 3-Walgreen profit rises, more stores planned Walgreen Co. (WAG.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the top US drugstore chain, on Monday said quarterly profit rose 18 percent on strong sales of prescription drugs

Sports: 0.9986926
Troubled Real and Roma meet as Champions League resumes Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Two clubs with storied tradition but in the midst of current turmoil will meet Tuesday when Real Madrid and Roma highlight Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League group play.

Sports: 0.9997223
No. 12 Virginia loses key defensive player Charlottesville, VA (Sports Network) - The No. 12 ranked Virginia Cavaliers will be without defensive end Chris Canty for the remainder of the season.

Sports: 0.99859935
Redskins Underway The Redskins and Cowboys are underway from FedEx Field, a game that marks the first time legends Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells have faced each other since 1990.

World: 0.99932015
Hostages plight clouds meeting of Blairs party BRIGHTON, England The annual conference of Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s Labour Party opened here Monday under the pall of the war in Iraq, as the fate of the British hostage Ken Bigley remained uncertain amid fresh appeals for his release from family

SciTech: 0.9804325
Senate weighs H-1B visa changes U.S. senators are debating a controversial measure to exempt foreign student graduates from the cap on H-1B visas.

Sports: 0.998102
Hamm Pleads Case as the One and Only Champ is Olympic gold medal safe in his parents #39; Wisconsin farmhouse, lovingly tucked into a white gym sock, the gymnast Paul Hamm had one goal in mind when he boarded a plane for Europe last week: to remain the Olympic all-around champion.

SciTech: 0.9953419
Microsoft Crafts Backup Plan (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Microsoft Corp. officials said yesterday that the company has spent millions of dollars preparing a version of its Windows operating system without a program for playing digital music and videos, in the event it loses its bid to postpone antitrust sanctions ordered by European authorities.

Business: 0.96325517
Crude Oil Futures Rise Above \$50 on Threat to Nigerian Supply Crude oil futures rose above \$50 a barrel in New York on concern rebel attacks in Nigeria may reduce production while US inventories are near a 29-year low because of disruptions caused by Hurricane Ivan.

World: 0.9993747
President terms Farooqi #39;s death big achievement THE HAGUE: President General Pervez Musharraf Monday described the killing of Amjad Farooqi as big achievement by security forces and said quot;important terrorist has been eliminated.

Business: 0.9982663
Stocks Fall on Oil, Dow Ends Below 10,000 The blue-chip Dow Jones average closed below 10,000 for the first time in about six weeks on Monday as a spike in oil prices to nearly \$50 a barrel renewed concerns about corporate profits while analysts cutting recommendations hurt

Sports: 0.9997055
AL Wrap: Red Sox Down Devil Rays to Clinch Playoff Spot NEW YORK (Reuters) - Manny Ramirez belted his league-leading 43rd homer and Johnny Damon hit a three-run shot as the Boston Red Sox clinched a playoff spot with a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St Petersburg on Monday.

Sports: 0.99970454
Oswalt wins 19th as Astros keep up the pace Roy Oswalt became the NL #39;s first 19-game winner, and the Houston Astros stayed close in the wild-card race with a 10-3 victory over the St.

Sports: 0.91455054
Boston Secures Spot The Red Sox clinch a second straight trip to the playoffs, topping Tampa Bay, 7-3, Monday behind Manny Ramirez's 43rd homer.

Sports: 0.999708
Gold belongs to Hamm Maybe there #39;s some technical justification for why Paul Hamm was forced to defend his gymnastics gold medal Monday before a sports court in Switzerland.

Business: 0.99629825
Vodafone keen on future expansion Vodafone said today it remained keen on purchases in France, eastern Europe and Asia and Africa as it detailed annual cost cuts expected to reach 2.

Sports: 0.99810237
SHANGHAI ATP: Canas struggles to first round win SHANGHAI: A tired but determined Guillermo Canas of Argentina held off a strong early charge from Spains Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to win his first round Shanghai ATP match 7-6, 6-1 on Monday.

Sports: 0.999371
Skipper gives support while league sends warning Moises Alou has a right to his opinion, Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker said Monday. Alou said everything he needed to say Sunday.

World: 0.99905103
Blair readies crucial party speech under Iraq cloud Britain #39;s Tony Blair faces one of the trickiest speeches of his career today, seeking to win back his Labour party after rifts over Iraq and spell out new policies to set up next year #39;s re-election bid.

World: 0.99928015
North Korea Resists Talks on Nuclear Arms North Korea said Monday that it will not resume talks on its nuclear weapons program until the Bush administration ends its quot;hostile policy quot; against Pyongyang and

Business: 0.99744785
Hurricanes, unrest in Nigeria feed supply concerns SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Fueled by new supply worries in the United States and Nigeria, crude-oil futures made history Monday when the price topped \$50 per barrel late Monday and one analyst said additional disruptions could push prices to \$60 per barrel

Business: 0.99854445
Former Executive Testifies, Offering Insider #39;s Look at Enron #39;s ... A former executive who was a participant in the wrongdoing that helped cripple Enron testified on Monday, providing the first glimpse through the eyes of a principal of

SciTech: 0.99581665
Virgin to Launch Commercial Space Flights by 2007 SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 -- London -- The ultimate high-end incentive trip took another step closer to reality yesterday when Richard Branson, head of the Virgin Group, announced plans to launch commercial space flights by 2007.

Sports: 0.9990206
Angels 5, Rangers 3 Chone Figgins and Troy Percival saved the Anaheim Angels, and gave them a little boost in the AL West race. Figgins had RBI hits in the last two innings and scored the go-ahead run on an infield grounder.

Business: 0.99783844
Oil Nears \$50 as Gulf Storms Curtail Output Crude oil prices settled at \$49.64 a barrel, up 76 cents as traders expressed concern that recent hurricanes had hurt output in the United States.

World: 0.99857986
May have been transmitted between humans- report Thailand confirmed its second death from bird flu Tuesday, and said the fatal case might have been transmitted by a human victim rather than a bird, according to published report.

Business: 0.99851733
INDUSTRY REPORT: Gambling -- Casinos to be sold Harrah #39;s Entertainment Inc. and Caesars Entertainment Inc. agreed to sell four casino hotels to an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC for about \$1.

SciTech: 0.9975211
Using DNA to stop elephant poachers It #39;s like doing cold-case detective work on elephants, but University of Washington scientist Samuel Wasser has devised an innovative method for pinpointing the DNA fingerprints of poached elephant tusks.

World: 0.999332
Cowboys Defeat Redskins 21-18 LANDOVER, Md. - Bill Parcells celebrated the touchdown with a big smile and his fist thrust high in the air...

World: 0.9993142
Israel levels new accusations against Syria Without acknowledging responsibility for the car-bombing death of a Hamas activist in Syria, Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim yesterday issued a toughly worded

Business: 0.9556619
Japan Shares Fall to Low on Oil Worry TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average fell 0.4 percent to a six-week closing low on Tuesday, marking an eight-day losing streak, after oil prices topped \$50 a barrel, fanning concern over the business outlook for Japanese companies.

Business: 0.9876046
Banknorth investors voice doubts on bid Banknorth Group Inc.'s biggest investors are voicing concerns about the proposed sale of a controlling stake to Toronto-Dominion Bank.

Sports: 0.99957496
Hearing held on Hamm medal Paul Hamm said yesterday that he would give back his Olympic gold medal if sport #39;s highest court ordered him to. But lawyers for the American gymnast and the

Business: 0.9985904
Independent directors demanded Black #39;s resignation, investor says Catalyst Fund General Partner I Inc., a disgruntled shareholder of Hollinger Inc., claimed yesterday that the company #39;s independent board members have demanded the resignations of Conrad Black, his wife and other insiders -- a charge disputed by the

World: 0.9993893
US forces bomb Falluja many people were killed. The US military last week claimed to have killed around 100 of Zarqawi #39;s. militiamen who have the area largely under their control.

Business: 0.9985642
Hilfiger shares plunge amid probe Shares of Tommy Hilfiger Corp. plummeted 22 percent yesterday following Friday #39;s announcement that the apparel maker #39;s US division received subpoenas from the US Attorney #39;s Office regarding

Sports: 0.9977743
Soccer Coach Raymond Goethals Dies at 83 (AP) AP - Raymond Goethals, the Belgian soccer coach who led Olympique Marseille to the 1993 European Champions Cup title, died Monday, according to news reports. He was 83.

Business: 0.9985391
Citigroup #39;s Krawcheck Named Finance, Strategy Chief (Update2) Citigroup Inc., the world #39;s biggest bank, named Sallie Krawcheck chief financial officer and head of strategy, making her the highest-ranking woman on Wall Street and giving her responsibilities outside the brokerage industry.

Business: 0.9942888
Virgin Mobile growth prospects disappoint Richard Branson #39;s Virgin Mobile has forecast substantially higher earnings and margins, but disappointing predictions for service revenue

World: 0.99884665
US Army considers shorter combat tours WASHINGTON -- The US Army may shorten yearlong combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan amid concerns the long and perilous duty is making it difficult to recruit soldiers and keep current ones, officials said yesterday.

SciTech: 0.9766198
AOL aims to boost IM on mobiles AOL has kicked off an initiative designed to make it easier for developers to engineer, test and distribute licensed AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) clients for mobile devices.

World: 0.8766547
Nigerian oil flows despite rebel threat-companies Oil should continue to flow from Nigeria, the world #39;s seventh largest exporter, despite a rebel threat to attack foreign oil workers in an quot;all-out war quot; due to start on Friday, multinational energy companies said.

Business: 0.99316436
UK Bankers Begin Extradition Hearing on Enron-Related Charges Three British bankers will today begin fighting extradition to the US on fraud charges related to Enron Corp., the first test of new British extradition laws.

Business: 0.99686855
Pepsi Bottling Profit Rises (Reuters) Reuters - Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., the\largest bottler of Pepsi drinks, on Tuesday said quarterly\profit rose on volume growth in the United States and Europe.

SciTech: 0.81812894
Microsoft, Amazon.com file phishing, spamming lawsuits Microsoft and Amazon.com Monday filed one joint and several separate lawsuits against companies and individuals accusing them variously of trying to defraud consumers by imitating Amazon and Microsoft, the companies said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.80042964
Meet UK #39;s #39;Dr Dolittle #39; of animal behaviour London - Lincoln University in the east of England has appointed Britain #39;s first professor of animal psychiatry, a report said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.998481
Motorola to Cut 1,000 Jobs, Take Charge NEW YORK (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment maker Motorola Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MOT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MOT.N</A> said on Tuesday that it would cut 1,000 jobs and take charges of about \$50 million for severance benefits as it tries to increase productivity.

SciTech: 0.54263747
Viagra bought online 'often fake' Half of Viagra tablets sold on the Internet are fake, research suggests.

SciTech: 0.9976889
National Registry Push Could Ease Drug Study Hunt By LAURAN NEERGAARD WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists are conducting thousands of medical experiments that can offer tantalizing hope to the ill, but tracking them down and getting enrolled can be incredibly difficult. It might get easier, thanks to a growing push by doctors and lawmakers to force drug companies to list on a national registry every study they conduct...

SciTech: 0.95839554
First Look: Intuit's QuickBooks for Newbies New Simple Start Edition accounting software targets small businesses still using pencil and paper.

Business: 0.90119094
PC Sales Hot For 2004, But Will Soon Cool Off PC shipments in the second quarter grew faster than any three-month period since 1999, IDC said Monday, citing the continued pent-up demand for replacement systems as the driving force behind the sales surge.

Business: 0.9985354
Stocks Open Higher, Shrug Off Oil Spike NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday, with beaten down shares offering bargains to investors and oil producer stocks bolstered by crude oil prices breaking through the \$50 a barrel mark.

SciTech: 0.9873968
Russians Next In Line To Receive Cheap Windows After Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, Microsoft has identified Russia as the fourth market for its low cost scaled down operating system, Windows XP Starter Edition (XP SE).

SciTech: 0.9947724
DNA map of elephants to net Africa #39;s ivory poachers Scientists say a DNA map of Africa #39;s elephant herds will help combat the illegal trade in ivory. The map is a genetic profile of elephant groupings across the continent, from the dense forests of western and central Africa to the vast eastern savanna.

World: 0.9745521
Oil Companies In Nigeria Say They Won #39;t Give In To Threats Major oil companies operating in Nigeria #39;s oil-rich southern region say they will not give in to threats of attacks on their facilities and employees by militias.

Business: 0.99847883
Motorola to Cut 1,000 Jobs NEW YORK (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment maker Motorola Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MOT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MOT.N</A> said on Tuesday that it would cut 1,000 jobs and take related charges of about \$50 million to focus on its wireless business.

World: 0.99940395
Pakistan's Musharraf calls for unity against global terrorism (AFP) AFP - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf kicked off a three-day visit to Italy by calling on the world community to stand united in the fight against global terrorism.

World: 0.99937266
Consumer Confidence Dips in September NEW YORK - Job worries helped push consumer confidence down in September for the second consecutive month, a New York-based private research group said Tuesday. The Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.9 points to 96.8 from a revised reading of 98.7 in August, according to The Conference Board...

Business: 0.9983752
Snap-on warns for 3Q, 2004 Vehicle tool maker sees profit below forecasts amid high steel prices, soft demand in Europe. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Snap-on Inc., which makes vehicle-repair tools, said Tuesday its third-quarter and full-year

Business: 0.9985739
Chicago Fed conf. sees US 2005 GDP down at 3.3 pct US economic growth is expected to slow in 2005 due to rising interest rates and high crude oil prices, according to a forecast of participants at a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago conference released on Monday.

Sports: 0.9993455
Philippoussis is humbled by Weiner SHANGHAI, China -- Defending champion Mark Philippoussis suffered a first round humiliation in the Shanghai Open, losing to unheralded American Glenn Weiner 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Sports: 0.99952066
Browns' Lee Suggs Ready for Return (AP) AP - Browns running back Lee Suggs, inactive for Cleveland's first three games with a neck stinger, has been granted medical clearance to practice at full speed this week.

Sports: 0.999699
Top Seed Federer Struggles Through in Thai Opener BANGKOK (Reuters) - Top seed Roger Federer toiled to beat battling Frenchman Nicolas Thomann and reach the second round of the Thailand Open on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9960049
Russia Next to get Windows XP Starter Edition The Windows XP Starter Edition Pilot program has expanded to add a fourth country, Russia, which now becomes the fourth market to join Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

SciTech: 0.9977852
Freescale Unveils Dual-Core PowerPC Freescale Semiconductor Inc. took some of the wraps off of its dual-core microprocessor design, which the company said would be tailored to embedded applications.

World: 0.9994099
Sudan Reportedly Hiding Arab Fighters in Southern Sudan Under international pressure to disarm and disband Arab militias in troubled Darfur, Sudan #39;s government is instead reportedly moving hundreds, possibly thousands, of the fighters from Darfur to remote areas of southern Sudan.

Business: 0.9985511
Lowe's Sees Profit Rising in 2005, 2006 ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LOW.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">LOW.N</A> on Tuesday said it expects diluted earnings per share to rise in both 2005 and 2006 as it benefits from increased remodeling activity and home ownership.

Business: 0.9985656
S amp;P cuts SBC, BellSouth debt ratings WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Standard amp; Poor #39;s on Tuesday cut the debt rating of BellSouth and SBC Communications, citing stiff competition and potential problems in absorbing AT amp;T Wireless.

SciTech: 0.99761534
Freescale Details 90nm Dual Core Processor Architecture Freescale Semiconductor Inc. today unveiled the embedded MPC8641D Dual Core processor designed to deliver a performance jump and increased system bandwidth while keeping power under control.

Business: 0.9412879
US Airways' Holding Pattern A decision on labor relief may be the difference between survival and liquidation.

Business: 0.99849904
US consumer confidence down for second month as job woes deepen (AFP) AFP - US consumer confidence fell for the second straight month in September as the outlook for jobs deteriorated, the Conference Board said.

Business: 0.9960044
DaimlerChrysler, Bombardier Settle Dispute German-American automaker DaimlerChrysler and Canadian transportation company Bombardier have settled a dispute over the 2001 sale of railcar maker Adtranz, the companies said in statements Tuesday.

World: 0.99042165
Indian-Americans hail Manmohan speech New York, Sep 27 (UNI) Members of the Indian-American community who attended a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh welcomed his speech and expressed confidence that India would soon be a developed economy.

Business: 0.99848515
Bombardier, DaimlerChrysler Settle Bombardier Inc. (BBDb.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) and DaimlerChrysler AG (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) ended a three-year dispute over the Montreal company #39;s acquisition of train

World: 0.9993736
Strong Earthquake Strikes Central Calif. PARKFIELD, Calif. - A strong earthquake struck Central California on Tuesday that was felt from San Francisco to the Los Angeles area...

Sports: 0.9986677
Real Madrid 4 Roma 2 Real Madrid captain Raul was the hero as he scored twice to help his side overturn a two-goal deficit and beat Roma, easing the crisis with the Spanish club while making even worse what has been a dreadful season so far for Roma.

Business: 0.99854493
Hicks Muse Pays for ConAgra's Swift Stake NEW YORK (Reuters) - ConAgra Foods Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CAG.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CAG.N</A> on Tuesday said private equity firm Hicks, Muse, Tate Furst Inc. exercised its option to buy the company's minority stake in Swift Foods, and that ConAgra received \$194 million in the transaction.

SciTech: 0.98750323
More Older People Turning to the Internet to Find Love Mary Bellis Waller, now 64, posted on two Internet dating sites during her search for a companion. Waller was a pioneer of online dating among people her age, and thousands of others age 60 and older are also turning to the Internet to find romance.

SciTech: 0.9981565
Hackers Target Flaw in Microsoft's JPEG NEW YORK (AP) -- In a harbinger of security threats to come, hackers have exploited a newly announced flaw in Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) programs and begun circulating malicious code hidden in images that use the popular JPEG format...

SciTech: 0.99731344
News: Schwarzenegger signs bill banning paperless voting systems The Associated Press By Rachel Konrad

World: 0.995767
Putin's Chechnya options narrow On the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Chechnya, some say there are few alternatives to negotiations.

SciTech: 0.99309915
New defense consortium aims for greater systems interoperability SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - An international consortium of 28 defense-oriented companies hopes to develop standards for a network-centric framework that allows a variety of communications and information systems and sensors to interact on a

Sports: 0.99944836
49ers #39; home to be renamed Monster Park after stereo cable company Some fans think 44-year-old Candlestick Park is already a dinosaur. Now the San Francisco 49ers #39; home stadium has the name to match.

Business: 0.9819093
Jury Orders Medtronic to Pay \$109 Mln to Inventor A jury in federal court in Tennessee has ordered Medtronic Inc. to pay at least \$109 million to an inventor in a dispute over rights to spinal fusion technology.

Sports: 0.99647254
Angry Philippoussis loses again Defending champion Mark Philippoussis crashed out in the first round of the Shanghai Open on Tuesday, losing to American Glenn Weiner 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Sports: 0.99940586
Syracuse Guard Ruled Ineligible for Fall (AP) AP - Syracuse point guard Billy Edelin has been declared ineligible for the first semester of the academic year because he does not meet NCAA academic requirements, school officials said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9797355
China Wins Paralympics China dominated the medals race at the Paralympic Games that ended Tuesday, and Chinese officials expect a similar performance when Beijing hosts the games in four years

SciTech: 0.9944636
High-Tech Start-Up Strives For Open-Source Compatibility SourceLabs could create some buzz because of its pedigree team of founders. The company is led by Chief Executive Byron Sebastian, a former executive at San Jose #39;s BEA Systems, who founded the company in spring.

World: 0.9994074
Unrest Spreads To Southern Iraq (CBS/AP) As US forces continued to bombard the restive city of Fallujah and clashed with militants in the streets of Baghdad, there was unrest in the normally quiet British-patrolled city of Basra.

World: 0.9985531
Taiwan Acknowledges Minister #39;s Improper Wording #39; on Singapore Taiwan Foreign Minister Chen Tan- sun, who dismissed Singapore as a country the size of a booger, #39; #39; regretted his improper wording, #39; #39; said Foreign Ministry spokesman Michel Lu.

SciTech: 0.9968748
Why I will clone human cells: Dolly creator THE scientist who made his name by cloning Dolly the sheep said yesterday that he was quot;very optimistic quot; about gaining a licence to clone human embryos to aid understanding of motor neurone disease.

Sports: 0.9987696
Redskins Coach Bemoans Questionable Calls (AP) AP - Apparently even a Hall of Fame coach doesn't get a break from the officials.

Business: 0.99776435
Salaries Cut 10 at Delta in Bid to Remain Solvent elta Air Lines said yesterday that it was cutting the pay of executives and other salaried workers by 10 percent and making other changes meant to help it avoid a bankruptcy filing.

World: 0.99938273
Gunmen free CNN journalist Palestinian gunmen yesterday released a CNN journalist abducted in Gaza City apparently to pressure members of an Arab minority group not to serve in the Israeli army.

Business: 0.8493573
Google Shares, Once Devalued, Just May Be Winners After All Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to sharply lower the price of its shares in its initial public offering in August, has decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.

SciTech: 0.9890422
I.B.M. Supercomputer Sets World Record for Speed An I.B.M. machine has reclaimed the title of fastest supercomputer, overtaking a Japanese computer that had caused shock waves at United States government agencies when it set a computing speed record in 2002.

Sports: 0.99959093
Vandeweghe keeps interest in forward White The Nuggets could be re-signing free-agent forward Rodney White in the near future if White is able to resolve his off-court problems.

Business: 0.99828833
SEC Wants Fixes, Instead of Fines Rather than rapping knuckles after abuse is uncovered, chairman William H. Donaldson wants the SEC staff to work with and get to know Wall Street well enough to get the jump on problems before investors lose money.

World: 0.9993913
Feds: Syrian Clampdown on Terror Positive (AP) AP - A Syrian crackdown on terror groups would be the best way to halt violence in Syria and promote peace in the Middle East, the State Department said Monday after the assassination in Damascus of a leader of Hamas' bombing unit.

Business: 0.97947043
Currency Trading Rises to Record \$1.9 Trillion a Day (Update3) Foreign-exchange trading surged to a record daily average of \$1.9 trillion this year as hedge funds and other money managers increased bets on currencies, according to the Bank for International Settlements.

SciTech: 0.996774
Hackers take advantage of Microsoft #39;s JPEG flaw NEW YORK - In a harbinger of security threats to come, hackers have exploited a newly announced flaw in Microsoft Corp. programs and begun circulating malicious code hidden in images that use the popular JPEG format.

Sports: 0.99818736
Astros 2, Cardinals 1 Jeff Bagwell drove in two runs and Brandon Backe pitched five solid innings to help the Houston Astros gain ground in the NL wild-card race with a 2-1 win over the St.

World: 0.9991109
China, Singapore Say World Must Help Calm Taiwan Row China and Singapore on Monday urged the international community to help calm Beijing #39;s dispute with Taiwan over its push for independence.

Business: 0.9913629
Tokyo Stocks Turn Lower by Midday TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei fell 0.19 percent by midday on Wednesday, erasing initial gains and extending losses into a ninth straight day as worries about high oil prices and domestic economic uncertainty hit exporters and tech stocks.

Sports: 0.9978897
Gunners Ready for Tough Test Fredrik Ljungberg admits Rosenborg have exceeded expectations in the Champions League, but is looking to put one over on his Scandinavian cousins tonight.

Sports: 0.9995858
Kasprowicz Prested #39; after Aussies lose series-opener Michael Kasprowicz will miss the must-win second limited-overs international in Sydney, but not because of his disastrous late over that gave New Zealand a stranglehold on the first game, Australian cricket selectors said Monday.

World: 0.9993187
Official: MLB to Move Expos to Washington WASHINGTON - Major League Baseball will announce Wednesday that Washington will be the new home of the Montreal Expos, bringing the national pastime back to the nation's capital for the first time in 33 years, The Associated Press has learned. A city official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington has been notified by Major League Baseball of the impending announcement...

Sports: 0.9996394
Real Back on Track David Beckham could not hide his relief after Real Madrid overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat Roma 4-2 in Champions League Group B. Madrid opened their campaign with a shock 3-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen

World: 0.9994029
Gangs on Prowl in Storm-Wracked Haiti (AP) AP - Victims who lost relatives, homes and belongings in Tropical Storm Jeanne are now tormented by street gangs who attack food convoys, raid homes at night and shoot those who get in their way.

Business: 0.998596
Business Glance SOMERS, NY - Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., the largest bottler of PepsiCo Inc. beverages, Tuesday said its profit for the latest quarter rose 4.4 percent as volume improved.

SciTech: 0.8101535
Particle lab celebrates 50th birthday The European research facility which helped shape our view of matter and invented the world wide web is exactly 50 years old.

World: 0.9991099
Taiwan FM apologises for #39;rude words #39; against Singapore TAIPEI (dpa) - Taiwan Foreign Minister Mark Chen apologised to Singapore on Tuesday over the words he used in describing the Southeast Asian city-state.

Sports: 0.9996426
Liberty rally to edge Shock Bethany Donaphin didn #39;t have time to think when she got the ball with the score tied and clock winding down in regulation. Donaphin hit a turnaround jumper with 0.5 of a second remaining to lift the host New

Business: 0.98881274
Motorola cuts may not hurt Chandler Although Motorola Inc. announced it is cutting 1,000 jobs at its facilities worldwide, Chandler economic development officials Tuesday said the city should not see a negative impact at the company #39;s two sites.

Business: 0.99437016
Sales boost for House of Fraser Shares in UK department store group House of Fraser have risen after the firm said it had cut half-year losses and was seeing solid sales growth.

Sports: 0.9997123
Tendulkar not giving up on first Test India #39;s star batsman Sachin Tendulkar says he may be fit for next week #39;s first Test against Australia, after revealing the tennis elbow injury was showing quot;tremendous improvement.

SciTech: 0.9971998
The Crusade Against Evolution In the beginning there was Darwin. And then there was intelligent design. How the next generation of 'creation science' is invading America's classrooms. By Evan Ratliff from Wired magazine.

Business: 0.99758565
Shares Gain While Oil Holds Near \$50 LONDON (Reuters) - European stock markets rose and absorbed three separate share placings on Wednesday, boosted by Wall Street's strong finish while oil prices held close to \$50 a barrel ahead of U.S. oil inventory data.

Business: 0.98786616
New \$50 bill designed to counter counterfeits WASHINGTON - The green is still there, but with touches of blue, red and yellow. A stylized image of the Stars and Stripes now waves in the background.

Sports: 0.99703753
Angels Ascend to First-Place Tie With A's (AP) AP - For the first time in over three months, the Angels are back in first place.

SciTech: 0.9817869
Microsoft #39;s low-cost operating system Aimed at making cheaper PCs, Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled low-cost Windows XP Starter Edition operating systems in India in Hindi targetting the first-time home users.

SciTech: 0.9970395
Supernova Warning System Will Give Astronomers Earlier Notice Duke University -- A Supernova Early Warning System (SNEWS) that detects ghostlike neutrino particles that are the earliest emanations from the immense, explosive death throes of large stars will alert astronomers of the blasts before they can see the flash. SNEWS "could allow astronomers a chance to make unprecedented observations of the very early turn-on of the supernova," wrote the authors of an article about the new system in the September issue of the "New Journal of Physics." They also noted that "no supernova has ever been observed soon after its birth." Big stars end their lives in explosive gravitational collapses so complete that even the brilliant flashes of light usually announcing these extremely rare "supernova" events stay trapped inside, unseen by astronomers, for the first hours or days...

Business: 0.998473
Fannie Mae woes may hit stock If Fannie Mae (FNM) is hampered by new limits on its operations, shareholders of the USA #39;s biggest mortgage-investment company are likely to feel the pinch more than the nation #39;s mortgage borrowers.

SciTech: 0.9904579
India to get started on Starter Edition The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant today announced a year-long pilot program to start shipping the Windows XP Starter Edition to India in early 2005.

Business: 0.9884906
India 4th largest economy: World Bank Ahead of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meeting, the World Bank on Tuesday placed India as the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, even as it said the country lagged behind in technology and efficiency.

World: 0.9833229
Cricket: Dubai global academy The International Cricket Council are to open a global cricket academy designed to improve standards of lesser nations.

Business: 0.99460214
Telecom equipment maker Agere to cut 500 employees, 7.6 of ... Telecommunications equipment maker Agere Systems Inc. said Wednesday it will lay off 500 employees, or 7.6 per cent of its workforce, as part of a corporate restructuring.

SciTech: 0.9742512
JPEG exploit could beat antivirus software Most IT Managers won #39;t question the importance of security, but this priority has been sliding between the third and fourth most important focus for companies.

World: 0.9993887
No-Confidence Vote Planned Against Palestinian PM RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Lawmakers angered by the Palestinian leadership's failure to make reforms plan to force a parliamentary no-confidence vote that could bring down the government appointed by Yasser Arafat, legislators said.

Business: 0.9938024
Air Canada to Buy 45 Aircraft From Embraer Scheduled to fly out of bankruptcy-court shelter this week, Air Canada announced a deal Wednesday to buy 45 Embraer aircraft in a deal worth at least \$1.

SciTech: 0.9600902
IBM Says Its Supercomputer Is World's Fastest NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp. on Wednesday said it has developed the world's fastest computer, putting it back on top after a Japanese supercomputer claimed the title some two years ago.

SciTech: 0.9975478
.Mac bumps up storage capacity, improves mail (MacCentral) MacCentral - Apple has improved the services offered to subscribers of.Mac. Previously, the amount of storage for a basic.Mac account was 100MB, with a maximum of 15MB for e-mail. The service's base online storage has been increased to 250MB, e-mail service has been enhanced, and the cost of upgrading has been reduced..Mac's basic subscription price remains the same -- US #36;99.95 per year.

Business: 0.797873
Oil Falls Below \$49 on Nigeria Cease-Fire LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped from record highs above \$50 a barrel on Wednesday as the U.S. government reported a surprise increase in crude stocks and rebels in Nigeria's oil-rich delta region agreed a cease-fire.

SciTech: 0.99724305
Invading Bullfrogs Appear Nearly Unstoppable The North American bullfrog population is booming. That may sound like good news, but it isn't #151;not when the frog has leaped far beyond its native habitat.

SciTech: 0.9912388
Microsoft to offer stripped-down XP in India BANGALORE, INDIA -- Microsoft Corp. will introduce the Windows XP Starter Edition in India early next year, the company said Wednesday, two days after announcing similar plans for Russia.

Business: 0.9983163
Jos. A. Bank Profit Jumps Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (JOSB:Nasdaq - news - research) posted a handsome third-quarter profit Monday, as strong Internet and catalogue sales helped drive a 17 hike in net income.

World: 0.9993673
U.S. Asks Laos to Check Massacre Report (AP) AP - The State Department said Monday it is taking seriously allegations that Laotian military forces may have massacred children of the country's Hmong ethnic minority.

SciTech: 0.9961004
Date with destiny for private rocketeers LAS VEGAS - A three-seat rocket plane with stubby wings and a nose studded with round windows will try to blast out of Earth #39;s atmosphere above the Mojave Desert today to qualify for a US\$10 million (\$15.

Business: 0.99738175
Stewart #39;s Prison Chosen That prison is located in West Virginia which means that she is not headed to a facility in Connecticut or Florida, as she had hoped.

Business: 0.99777323
EU antitrust ruling on MCI overturned In a fresh blow to Europe #39;s antitrust enforcers, a top appeals tribunal said regulators wrongly blocked MCI WorldCom #39;s aborted bid to buy Sprint Corp in 2000.

SciTech: 0.85719675
Verizon Wireless Offers AOL Mail Verizon Wireless has launched AOL Mail, a move that will give its Get It Now customers, who are AOL members, wireless access to their e-mail.

Sports: 0.9997018
Sports: Cobbs out for the season DENTON, Texas Last season #39;s NCAA rushing and scoring leader will miss the rest of this football season. North Texas running back Patrick Cobbs has sprained ligaments in his left knee.

Business: 0.98533696
Air Canada confirms order for 45 Embraer jets MONTREAL : Air Canada said it sealed a deal with Brazil #39;s Embraer SA for 45 Embraer-190 aircraft, worth 1.35 billion US dollars at list price.

SciTech: 0.99466646
Start-up OQO to launch hand-size PC Want a full-fledged Windows XP computer that's about the size of a Pocket PC? Tiny machine debuts after two years of delay.

Sports: 0.9996922
Baseball #39;s return: a long time coming for DC The last time the nation #39;s capital was home to the national pastime, the game was literally a riot. Fans stormed the field with two outs in the ninth inning of the Washington Senators #39; farewell appearance at RFK Stadium on Sept.

SciTech: 0.8395941
Will iTunes ever make a lot of money for Apple? On its latest earnings call (7/14/04), a question was asked about the profitability of iTunes, and management responded by stating that it made just a small profit.

SciTech: 0.8365299
Salesforce.com Launches On-Demand Support System On-demand CRM provider Salesforce.com Wednesday rolled out a parallel service its calling Support.com and aiming at corporations with far-flung call centers, help desks, and on-call technicians.

World: 0.9993723
Hungary's Parliament Elects Prime Minister (AP) AP - Parliament on Wednesday elected one of Hungary's wealthiest businessmen as prime minister, ending two months of political uncertainty.

Sports: 0.98178273
Washington Baseball Fans Await Word on Expos (Reuters) Reuters - Baseball fans in the nation's\capital were anxiously awaiting formal word on Wednesday that\the financially beleaguered Montreal Expos would relocate to\the city for the 2005 season.

Business: 0.84113145
Workers from 4 SF hotels go on strike Hotel workers at four San Francisco hotels have commenced a two-week strike this morning after working without a union contract for more than six weeks.

Sports: 0.99970657
CSKA Moscow 2 Paris St Germain 0 CSKA Moscow clinched their first-ever Champions League win on Wednesday as Paris St Germain #39;s revival came to a shuddering halt at the Lokomotiv Stadium.

SciTech: 0.9953459
Microsoft open-sources Web authoring application Company's third open-source contribution is the first time it has shared code for actual application.

Business: 0.5097074
Colombia back in business, needs reforms-Uribe Colombia is back in business and the Andean country has ample room for growth backed by aggressive and transparent government policies but with some challenges

SciTech: 0.99703705
SpaceShipOne Rolls Toward Victory MOJAVE, California -- A Southern California aerospace team took a big step toward capturing the \$10 million Ansari X Prize Wednesday, but not without surviving a scary moment when the pilot found himself in a rapid spin as he roared across the threshold

SciTech: 0.9849685
Mammoth toxic algae bloom sighted off Washington state coast SEATTLE - A toxic algae bloom 30 miles wide has been detected 15 miles off the northwest coast of Washington state, the largest and most potentially lethal yet found by scientists in the region.

Business: 0.99846196
U.S. Stocks End Higher NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday as investors snapped up semiconductor shares at bargain prices and bought some blue chips after crude oil retreated from record high prices.

Business: 0.99718744
Disney Rules Out New Deal with Pixar Studios In January Disney and Pixar terminated their talks to extend a distribution partnership that has created such cartoon hits as quot;Finding Nemo quot; and the quot;Toy Story quot; series.

SciTech: 0.9974291
Apple beefs up.Mac storage limits Customers of Apple #39;s.Mac Internet service can hit the delete button less often now that the company has boosted the amount of storage it gives subscribers.

Sports: 0.99966884
Diamondbacks Ink Fassero Phoenix, AZ -- The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed free agent pitcher Jeff Fassero for the remainder of the 2004 season. The move comes just five days after he was released by the Colorado Rockies.

Sports: 0.9990181
Judge Clears Release of Kobe Evidence (AP) AP - A judge cleared the way for the release of documents and other evidence in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99401313
Cendant to Buy Orbitz for \$1.25 Billion CHICAGO (Reuters) - Travel and real estate heavyweight Cendant Corp. on Wednesday said it will buy travel Web site Orbitz Inc. for about \$1.25 billion, making it the second-largest competitor in the online travel industry.

SciTech: 0.8305159
For Neglected Video, a Hollywood Touch A growing cottage industry is taking customers' raw home video and putting it on DVD, in some cases producing short movies with sophisticated cinematic effects and a musical soundtrack.

SciTech: 0.99086
Time on a Chip: The Incredible Shrinking Atomic Clock Researchers are developing tiny atomic clocks that could be made using standard semiconductor processes and slipped into cellphones, hand-held computers and global positioning system receivers.

Sports: 0.99965966
Expos set for Washington Expos president Tony Tavares told reporters of the move after the Expos #39; final home game. That news was later confirmed to Washington mayor Anthony Williams by MLB officials.

SciTech: 0.99433905
Instant messaging worm exploits JPEG flaw (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Security experts have spotted the first attempts to create an Internet worm that propagates using instant messages and exploits a recently disclosed flaw in Microsoft software.

SciTech: 0.9937733
IBM Says Blue Gene Breaks Speed Record (AP) AP - 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.

SciTech: 0.9952276
Web Founder Says Cooperation Needed (AP) AP - The inventor of the World Wide Web told a technology conference on Wednesday that making the Web more useful hinges on a familiar challenge: Getting the players behind the technology to agree on standards governing how computers communicate with one another.

World: 0.9993862
Britain extends citizenship rights to Gurkha soldiers (AFP) AFP - Britain has extended full citizenship rights to Gurkha soldiers from Nepal who serve in the British armed forces, Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.

Sports: 0.9972229
Catch a piece of history but hire a lawyer first When Steve Williams picked up the ball Barry Bonds had just hit for his 700th home run, he thought he had his hands on a piece of history.

SciTech: 0.9951567
Red Hat acquires AOL #39;s Netscape server software In a move to add more open-source arrows to its quiver, Linux seller Red Hat has acquired the Netscape server software products of AOL Time Warner, the companies plan to announce Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9947379
Success For Spaceship One MOJAVE -- Burt Rutan #39;s space ship one made its first trip into sub-orbital outer space in pursuit of the \$10 million Ansari X Prize.

World: 0.99919623
Typhoon Meari kills nine in Japan moving northeast over large parts of the country including Tokyo, with winds up to 67 miles per hour. Media reports said at least nine had died, but public broadcaster NHK said the toll had reached 11.

Sports: 0.9996537
ALL EYES ON WOODS #39; FITNESS With world number one Vijay Singh missing because of Hurricane Jeanne and Masters champion Phil Mickelson another no-show, there was even more attention than usual on Tiger Woods at Mount Juliet in County Kilkenny this afternoon.

SciTech: 0.703358
Schwarzenegger Signs 'Foie Gras' Bill (AP) AP - California will end the force feeding of ducks, geese and other birds to produce the gourmet liver product foie gras by 2012 under legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzengger.

SciTech: 0.8238664
Microsoft, Amazon File Lawsuits Against Spammers Microsoft and Amazon.com have joined forces to take legal action against US and Canadian-based companies for allergy sending fraudulent e-mails to Amazon and Hotmail users, claiming to represent these companies.

SciTech: 0.9951652
An Interview with Bill Baker, SQL Server BI General Manager This article is the first in a new, regular series of articles and interviews with top Microsoft program managers. Our goal is to give you a close-up, helpful and informative look at things

World: 0.9993007
Australian PM fails to apologize on wrong pre-war intelligence on ... Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday he won #39;t automatically follow his British counterpart Tony Blair who has said he could apologize for faulty evidence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Business: 0.99513054
Around The Region In another move to cut costs, Continental Airlines is closing 14 of its ticketing offices systemwide, including three in the Houston area.

Business: 0.9983694
Grand Jury Adds to HealthSouth Charges Federal prosecutors yesterday announced new perjury and obstruction-of-justice charges against HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard M. Scrushy, accusing the former chief executive of the rehabilitation

World: 0.99908984
Greenland criminals take road back to society, not prison (AFP) AFP - Some 20 people gather for a lunch of whale meat and potatoes inside a large wooden building facing a frozen fjord bathed in sunlight. No, these are not tourists on vacation, but rather criminals serving time in one of Greenland's open penal centers.

SciTech: 0.98283815
Senate Bill Aims at Makers of File-Sharing Software The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a copyright bill that stands at the center of the file-sharing debate.

World: 0.9994179
Car Crashes Into Japan Parliament Gate -Jiji (Reuters) Reuters - A car crashed into a gate of Japan's\parliament building in central Tokyo on Thursday and caught\fire, Jiji news agency said.

Sports: 0.9996952
Pedro, Red Sox offer up few Rays of hope In Pedro Martinez stats, news #39; first start since conceding to the New York Yankees stats, schedule by declaring that the Red Sox stats, schedule #39; rivals were his daddy, #39; #39; the Tampa

Sports: 0.9992849
Sales, Sun surge ahead The Connecticut Sun had an off game last Saturday, when they dropped the opener of their WNBA Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Washington Mystics.

Business: 0.9972362
Lehman in Talks to Buy UK Hedge Fund -WSJ (Reuters) Reuters - Investment bank Lehman Brothers\Holdings Inc. is negotiating to buy GLG Partners, a large\British hedge fund, the Wall Street Journal reported on\Thursday, citing unnamed sources.

World: 0.99939346
Israeli Tanks Surge Into Gaza Refugee Camp -Witnesses GAZA (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.

Sports: 0.99964726
Sharapova Sweeps Into Korea Open Quarters SEOUL (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova disposed of Japan's Miho Saeki 6-3, 6-1, on Thursday to sweep into the quarter-finals of the Hansol Korea Open.

Sports: 0.9995951
Patriots have memory to feel sorry about Do not bring up last season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick despises talk of the past, except when it helps him prepare his team for the upcoming week.

Business: 0.99393904
Neck stents boosted in two studies Boston Scientific Corp. and Medtronic Inc., competing to enter the US market for stents that keep neck arteries open, said separate studies showed their devices prevent complications including stroke after 30 days.

Sports: 0.99939203
NFL: QB shuffle: Miami gives Fiedler the ball By all accounts, Jay Fiedler is a good guy. He signs autographs, performs charity work and always speaks well of others, even the New York Jets.

World: 0.9993649
Thailand Tackles Bird Flu Epidemic BANGKOK, Thailand Sept. 30, 2004 - Millions of volunteers led by emergency teams fanned out across Thailand on Thursday in a new drive to fight bird flu after the prime minister gave officials 30 days to eradicate the epidemic.

SciTech: 0.99686843
Rough ride won #39;t stop next X Prize shot The rolling experienced by SpaceShipOne on its first Ansari X Prize flight on Wednesday will not jeopardise the team #39;s chances of winning the \$10 million purse, team members said in a post-flight briefing.

Sports: 0.9996873
Dolphins won #39;t let Jets fans rankle them DAVIE Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt promoted quarterback Jay Fiedler in hopes of providing a spark to his winless squad. Perhaps simply playing the archrival Jets will be enough to jump-start a season on the brink.

World: 0.9994024
Multiple Bombings Kill At Least 37 In Capital _ At least three bombs exploded near a US convoy in western Baghdad on Thursday, killing 37 people and wounding more than 50, officials said.

Business: 0.9986029
Jobless Claims Rise on Hurricanes The number of Americans seeking initial jobless benefits jumped by 18,000 last week, the government said on Thursday, but it attributed the entire rise to the effects of hurricanes that have battered the southern United States.

Business: 0.9986035
General Mills goes whole grains NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - General Mills announced plans Thursday to start using healthier whole grains in all of its ready-to-eat cereals, including children #39;s cereals such as Trix, Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms.

Sports: 0.9997105
Cricket: Ponting out of two Tests against India SYDNEY : Australia captain Ricky Ponting #39;s thumb injury has forced him out of the opening two cricket Tests against India starting next week, Cricket Australia (CA) said.

World: 0.999278
Musharraf meets Pope John Paul Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf met Pope John Paul II, who urged him to adopt a quot;spirit of dialogue and tolerance quot; in his region.

World: 0.9991767
Gurkhas win citizenship fight The Gurkhas who have served in the British Army have won an historic fight to be allowed to apply for British citizenship. The decision comes after a lengthy fight by the Nepalese soldiers for the right to

World: 0.9993431
Footage Shows 10 New Hostages in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Arab news network Al-Jazeera showed video Thursday of 10 new hostages seized in Iraq by militants. Al-Jazeera said the 10 - six Iraqis, two Lebanese and two Indonesian women - were taken by The Islamic Army in Iraq...

Business: 0.99842995
GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares and dollar turn south after US data European shares turned negative and government bonds were struggling for direction on Thursday after US data showed subdued inflation numbers, flat spending and a rise in unemployment.

SciTech: 0.9717155
Going Private: The Promise and Danger of Space Travel A flurry of space tourism milestones and announcements in recent days signals that human spaceflight is shifting from governments to the private sector, space experts say.

Business: 0.9985158
Blue Chips Drop After Merck Announcement NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were lower on Thursday after drug company and Dow component Merck Co.<A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MRK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MRK.N</A> said it was withdrawing a key drug, casting a dark mood over the market as oil prices remained above \$49 a barrel.

SciTech: 0.9966467
Palm Shows New SmartPhone OS Rev PalmSource #39;s latest iteration of the Palm OS operating system, code named Cobalt, is expected to be available in consumer mobile phone devices in the first half of 2005.

Sports: 0.9997086
Woods plays through the pain barrier The uncertainty over Tiger Woods #39; participation at the World Golf Championship at Mount Juliet ended this morning when the American ace decided to play despite injury.

World: 0.9991788
What Do Women Want in a Presidential Candidate? (Reuters) Reuters - Tammy Hough is a life-long\Republican, a socially conservative stay-at-home mother and a\woman who puts American security as a top priority, so many\pundits see her vote as an easy one for President Bush. But\she's not so sure.

SciTech: 0.9231042
Pharma Groups Work on EPC Issues Sept. 30, 2004Reacting to calls from pharmaceutical retailers, distributors and manufacturers, EPCglobal has added a new action group to specifically study the pharmaceutical industry

SciTech: 0.99651814
Red Hat taps Netscape to broaden its landscape Linux seller plans to release Netscape Enterprise Suite as open-source software in a bid to expand beyond its core product.

Business: 0.998604
General Mills converting all US cereals to whole grain GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- Breakfast cereal maker General Mills is converting all of its cereals to whole grain. The company says it becomes the first leading food company to make the move involving cereals.

Business: 0.99850035
Nortel Cuts Fewer Jobs, Exits Real Estate 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 said it would eliminate about 10 percent of its work force, slightly less than previously estimated, and consolidate real estate in a cost-cutting plan that will save \$500 million in 2005.

World: 0.9994128
23 Palestinians, 3 Israelis Die in Gaza Fighting JABALYA, Gaza (Reuters) - Twenty-three Palestinians and three Israelis were killed Thursday, Gaza's bloodiest day for more than two years, as Israel's army struck back after a rocket attack killed two Israeli children in a border town.

SciTech: 0.92573094
Tesco steps up RFID efforts Tesco is rolling out radio barcode technology across its 98 Tesco Extra stores to track high-value items between its internal distribution centres and its outlets.

World: 0.99940145
Baghdad Bombings Kill One US Soldier, Wound 13 WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2004 -- A series of car bombings in Baghdad today killed one American soldier and wounded 13 others. The bombings also killed at least two Iraqi policemen and reportedly injured scores of other Iraqis.

Sports: 0.99964523
Cubs brushed back Chicago loses wild-card lead after ninth-inning ... Austin Kearns knows he #39;ll be back home in Louisville, Ky., once the regular season ends on Sunday. The Cincinnati Reds outfielder did his best Wednesday to keep the Chicago Cubs

Sports: 0.9996408
Glory days long gone for Roy Jones What a shocker! The great Roy Jones lying unconscious on the canvas for five minutes. And who was the man who put him there? Unlikely light-heavyweight journeyman Glen Johnson - who, by his own admission, isn #39;t that flash.

World: 0.9992607
POLITICAL POINTS 1:27 PM Sorry Is the Hardest Word It did not go unnoticed among the press corps traveling with President Bush that British Prime Minister Tony Blair apologized this week to fellow Labor Party officials for the fact that, as it

SciTech: 0.9974292
IBM Claims Computing Crown (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - IBM (NYSE: IBM - News) has new bragging rights. Press reports indicate that the technology giant has created the world's fastest supercomputer two years after a Japanese computer claimed that title.

SciTech: 0.9981219
Red Hat Acquires Netscape Server Software (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT) has acquired Netscape \server-software products of AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL), as part of the Linux vendor's "open-source architecture" strategy.

Sports: 0.99891675
Dunn Sets Major League Strikeouts Record (AP) AP - 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.

SciTech: 0.98384386
Privacy questions arise as RFID hits stores BALTIMORE--Proponents of radio frequency identification used to have a quick and easy response to consumer advocates charging that the technology posed an alarming threat to privacy.

World: 0.99940205
Bush, Kerry brace for key presidential debate (AFP) AFP - The US presidential candidates were set to go head to head in a bruising, high-stakes televised debate, with Republican incumbent George W. Bush aiming to lock in his lead in the race and Democratic challenger John Kerry banking on a comeback.

Business: 0.98933804
Treasury Chief Urges Debt Relief for Poor Nations Global lenders need to offer more grants and debt relief to poor countries and tailor lending toward the private sector, Treasury Secretary John Snow said today.

Business: 0.99772424
Bay Bridge span faces re-bid, possible redesign The eastern span of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, currently under construction and over budget, will be re-bid, according to Sunne Wright McPeak, secretary of California #39;s Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, which oversees Caltrans, the

SciTech: 0.8249825
EBay Expands PayPal Buyer Protection Up to \$1,000 PayPal, eBay Inc. #39;s (EBAY.O: Quote, Profile, Research) online payment service, will expand its US buyer protection program to cover up to \$1,000 for qualified transactions, the company said on Thursday.

Business: 0.9985688
Merck Pulls Arthritis Drug from 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> pulled its arthritis drug Vioxx off the market on Thursday after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke. The move sent the company's shares plunging almost 27 percent and erased \$25 billion of its market value.

Sports: 0.99966383
Baseballer shot on bus CLEVELAND Indians righthander Kyle Denney was reported to be in a stable condition after being shot in the leg on the team bus yesterday.

Sports: 0.99968016
Born to coach For the reason, with apologies to Michael Vick, look no further than the third-youngest head coach in the NFL. James Lawrence Mora, the son, is already starting to look suspiciously like father James Earnest

Sports: 0.9997025
Notes: Two-strike, two-out blues Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker talked to LaTroy Hawkins on Thursday, and said he #39;ll go to the right-hander again if the team is in a save situation.

Sports: 0.9997186
ON SOCCER Rooney #39;s United debut makes cost look cheap The much-anticipated debut of Wayne Rooney for Manchester United lived up to its billing. It didn #39;t take long for Rooney to make a splash as he became the first United player in 99 years to score a hat trick in his debut.

Business: 0.99650013
Update 2: General Mills to Make Cereals Whole Grain The Trix Rabbit and that Lucky Charms leprechaun are going on a whole-grain diet. General Mills announced Thursday that it will convert all of its breakfast cereals to whole grain.

Sports: 0.99930894
Kendall Gives Jets' Offensive Line a Boost (AP) AP - Ask Curtis Martin to pick one of the most important additions to the New York Jets this season, and he has a quick answer: left guard Pete Kendall.

SciTech: 0.9968238
Dog Extinctions Show Why Bigger Isn #39;t Better Fossils from extinct dogs show why bigger is not better -- giant meat-eating animals died out because they relied too heavily on hunting other big animals, scientists reported on Thursday.

Business: 0.9985037
Bid to create grocery giant METCASH stunned long-term suitor Foodland (FOA) yesterday with an audacious \$846 million takeover bid to create a supermarket heavyweight better able to compete with its bigger rivals.

Sports: 0.9997216
Ichiro now one hit from Sisler #39;s hits record In a fitting microcosm of the Seattle Mariners #39; season, Ichiro Suzuki took oen more step toward history while his embattled team suffered another loss.

World: 0.99940705
Bombs kill 35 children in Iraq Three bombs exploded at a neighborhood celebration today in western Baghdad, killing 35 children and seven adults, officials said.

SciTech: 0.98386395
Is Piracy Pushing Linux Sales? More PCs run the alternative OS, but many will end up with a pirated version of Windows, report says. Linux may be shipping on a growing number of PCs sold in the emerging markets of Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

World: 0.9993654
Witnesses to Confront Cali Cartel Kingpin Thirteen years into their probe, U.S. investigators have assembled a team of smugglers, accountants and associates to testify against Colombian cartel kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela.

World: 0.99933404
Iran leader reasserts arms views NEW YORK Iran #39;s foreign minister has said that his country will never give up its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful use, though he denied any intent to produce nuclear weapons.

SciTech: 0.99324554
Experts Predict Mount St. Helens Eruption (AP) AP - The flurry of earthquakes at Mount St. Helens intensified further Thursday, and one scientist put the chance of a small eruption happening in the next few days at 70 percent.

SciTech: 0.90936416
Minding the Search Engine Business Microsoft just swears that it hasn #39;t given up on Internet Explorer and that it #39;s really, really important to the future of Microsoft, to the next version of Windows, etc.

Sports: 0.9996024
Singer: Minaya returns home NEW YORK -- Omar Minaya stood behind a small lectern in a danky room in the bowels of Shea Stadium, and allowed his life to flash before his eyes.

Sports: 0.999691
Tigers split at Tampa After riding Jeremy Bonderman #39;s four-hitter to an 8-0 victory over Tampa Bay in Thursday #39;s first game, the Tigers watched their worn-out bullpen come unglued -- again -- when

Sports: 0.9992655
Three Hold First-Round Lead at SFB Classic (AP) AP - John Senden closed his 7-under 65 with his second eagle of the round and shared the lead with Harrison Frazar and Glen Day after the first round of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic on Thursday.

Sports: 0.9925494
Biggest threat to Britain #39;s grand prix heritage Henry Ford once said that his factories didn #39;t make cars, quot;they make money. quot; It is a philosophy Bernie Ecclestone would surely understand more than most after his surgically dispassionate decision yesterday not to include the British grand prix on the

Sports: 0.99864835
Rick Fox Retires Rick Fox retires Thursday, ending a 13-year pro career during which he was part of three NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sports: 0.9992768
Brewers Hand Cards Fourth Straight Loss (AP) AP - Matt Morris struggled in his final tuneup for the playoffs, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 Thursday night to send the NL Central champions to their first four-game losing streak of the season.

Sports: 0.9995608
IAAF to increase anti-doping measures The IAAF will increase testing and funding as well as cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency in its bid to detect and stem the use of new performance-enhancing substances, the sport #39;s governing body said Sunday.

SciTech: 0.9981002
Creators of private spaceship announce plans for second launch ... The creators of a private rocket plane will go ahead with plans for another launch next week in a quest to claim a multimillion-dollar prize, despite a harrowing flight in which the spacecraft rolled dramatically while hurtling toward

Sports: 0.99971074
Mariners torment old foe A #39;s Ichiro, Madritsch and Cabrera are having a blast in an AL West race they watched from a distance. OAKLAND - George Sisler stayed on top for at least another day, but the Seattle Mariners took down the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99952376
MLB: Milwaukee 7, St. Louis 6 Scott Podsednik and Keith Ginter both had a homer and three RBI Thursday night to help Milwaukee edge St. Louis, 7-6. In his final start prior to the playoffs, St.

Business: 0.9985977
Fannie Mae criminal probe begun Federal prosecutors in Washington have opened an investigation into possible wrongdoing at mortgage giant Fannie Mae, just days after regulators accused

Sports: 0.99966717
Sports in brief He yelped after his second drive. His knees buckled after making contact on the sixth tee.. (See photo at left.) He stopped a half-dozen times and lifted his shirt so his caddie could rub heating cream between his shoulder blades.

Business: 0.9985997
US launches probe of Fannie Mae woes WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into possible wrongdoing at mortgage giant Fannie Mae, just days after regulators accused the company of shoddy accounting practices, according to sources familiar with the probe.

Sports: 0.9865368
British Grand Prix gets axed The British Grand Prix has been dropped from the provisional calendar of Formula One races for next year, media reports said yesterday.

World: 0.9993259
80 Killed in U.S. Offensive in Iraq SAMARRA, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major assault Friday to regain control of the insurgent stronghold of Samarra, and hospital officials said at least 80 people were killed and 100 wounded...

SciTech: 0.9924866
SpaceShipOne,take two 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.

World: 0.99671763
BA flight makes emergency landing in Amsterdam, escorted by F-16 ... A British Airways passenger plane flying from Berlin to London reported an unspecified security threat and made an emergency landing in Amsterdam on Thursday, escorted by two Dutch F-16 jet fighters, the airline said.

Sports: 0.99903226
Different Shea provides late-game heroics for Hanover Hanover boys' soccer coach Jim Sylvia is beginning to see a pattern in his team's play. Luckily, it's not the kind of trend to complain about.

Sports: 0.9983551
UEFA Cup Round-up Newcastle eased their way into the UEFA Cup group stages on Thursday night as Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert hit the goals trail again in a 5-1 victory over Bnei Sachnin in Israel.

World: 0.9992655
Bush, Kerry Differ on Approach to North Korea SEOUL (Reuters) - The determination of North Korea to develop nuclear arms could harden after President Bush and his rival, Senator John Kerry, clashed over how to proceed with six-party talks on Pyongyang's ambitions, analysts said.

Sports: 0.99970585
Huskies trip up Pitt Connecticut linebacker Alfred Fincher matched his career high with 17 tackles and helped the Huskies secure their first Big East win as a conference member

Sports: 0.9996934
Friday is all right for fighting Tonight will be a busy one on the local fight scene with two cards. At the Bayside Expo Center, Ray Oliveira will take on Hicklet Lau for the vacant International Boxing Union welterweight title. On the same card, heavyweight prospect Matt Godfrey (4-0, 2 KOs) of Providence will face Andrew Hutchinson.

Business: 0.97530955
Nikkei Closes Higher After Strong Tankan TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average closed up 1.49 percent on Friday, the first day of the fiscal second half, as a strong reading in the Bank of Japan's "tankan" business survey prompted investors at home and abroad to jump into the market.

SciTech: 0.6799414
Netflix, TiVo Promise New Service The two companies say they will jointly develop a set-top box to download movies over the internet. Netflix will arrange the movie licensing from Hollywood studios, and TiVo will take care of the product technology.

World: 0.9992943
Indonesia police identify embassy attacker Indonesian police on Friday identified the man they suspect was the suicide bomber in an attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta last month, and said the 30

World: 0.9988424
Wen calls for better leadership from party BEIJING - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday pledged to improve the leadership of the Communist Party at a time when its popularity is waning.

SciTech: 0.977267
Dare you fight the possessed tomatoes? Quirky, stick-figure "Kingdom of Loathing" shows continued promise of independent game-writing.

Business: 0.8934185
Netflix, TiVo sign VoD alliance Netflix, the online DVD rental company, and TiVo yesterday said they will work together to deliver movies digitally down the wires, presumably specifically to the latter #39;s PVR equipment.

SciTech: 0.99786747
Genome mapped of CO2-absorbing algae US scientists have charted the genetic map of a microscopic algae that absorbs huge amounts of greenhouse gases. quot;These organisms are incredibly important in the global carbon cycle, quot; said Virginia Armbrust

Sports: 0.99491876
Millwall to complain to UEFA The Lions lost 3-1 to Ferencvaros - failing to progress to the next round of the UEFA Cup - on a night that saw four visiting fans suffering stab wounds and numerous other incidents of inter-fan violence.

Sports: 0.99851817
Rejuvenated Real out to start scoring goals It has not gone unnoticed in Spain that the four goals Real Madrid put past Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday equalled their tally in five league matches after one of their worst starts to a domestic campaign for many years.

SciTech: 0.84454393
Net giants adopt anti-spam system Some of the net's biggest players such as AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo are stepping up efforts to combat spam.

SciTech: 0.5630369
EU Accuses Microsoft of Paternal View Microsoft Corp. said Friday that small companies and their customers would suffer most if it is forced to remove its digital media software from Windows, while the European Union accused it of being "paternalistic" in trying to decide what's best for everyone.

World: 0.9993832
Bin Laden Deputy Purportedly Seeks Strikes (AP) AP - An audio tape purportedly released by Osama bin Laden's deputy calls for attacks on U.S. and British interests everywhere, according to a broadcast Friday by Al-Jazeera television.

World: 0.9684203
Chirac seeks vote on Turkey bid French President Jacques Chirac says France should hold a referendum on Turkey's entry to the European Union.

Business: 0.97295624
Saudi setback hurts BAE Systems BAE Systems shares slid more than 4 per dcent in early trade after the company, while announcing quot;good progress quot; on its Eurofighter contracts, admitted further troubles in the controversial al-Yamamah programme.

Sports: 0.9997179
GAME DAY PREVIEW Game time: 7:30 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- After a season in which they fired their coach, the New York Liberty are hosting the top-seeded Connecticut Sun Friday in Game One of the best-of-three Eastern Conference finals.

World: 0.9978326
EU set to launch 'transit camps' EU ministers agree to set up five pilot reception centres in Africa to process asylum applications.

SciTech: 0.9650746
Sun makes run for supercomputing title With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority.

Sports: 0.99608374
Spears, Stosur advance to quarterfinals American Abigail Spears advanced to the quarterfinals of the Korea Open on Wednesday with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win over second-seeded Shinobu Asagoe of Japan.

SciTech: 0.996881
Threat of Extinction Looms Over Larger Species 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. Over 50 million years a succession of large carnivores evolved in North America, diversified, and then died out.

SciTech: 0.9971834
SpaceShipOne ready for X Prize Designer Burt Rutan #39;s SpaceShipOne cracked through Earth #39;s atmosphere and into outer space Sept. 29. Pilot Mike Mevill guided the aircraft to an altitude of 102,870 meters.

SciTech: 0.99520653
Red Hat Buys Technology from Netscape (Reuters) Reuters - Linux distributor Red Hat Inc. \said on Thursday that it had bought Netscape's computer user\identification and management technology from America Online\Inc., a unit of Time Warner Inc.

SciTech: 0.99462974
SpaceShipOne's 2nd Shot at X Prize Slated for Monday (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - The second attempt by the rocketplane SpaceShipOne to soar into space and snag \ the #36;10 million Ansari X Prize is planned for Monday, officials announced last \ night.

Business: 0.92607194
Siemens in 2.69bn deal with BBC German industrial giant Siemens has signed a 2.69bn contract to deliver technology services around the world to the BBC, a deal that will see it acquire the broadcasters technology subsidiary.

Sports: 0.9995752
Two Millwall fans stabbed, hospitalized BUDAPEST, Hungary -- UEFA has charged Hungary #39;s Ferencvaros after their fans threw missiles and shouted racist abuse in Thursday #39;s UEFA Cup tie against Millwall.

Sports: 0.99969363
Grizzlies make Swift move Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - The Memphis Grizzlies Friday re-signed forward Stromile Swift to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were not released.

Business: 0.74671537
Hewlett-Packard buys Synstar Palo Alto-based Hewlett-Packard Co. has bought IT services company Synstar plc, of Bracknell, England for about \$293.3 million. Synstar has some 1,500 customers across Europe, selling IT support for various computer platforms.

SciTech: 0.9959116
Sun ships Java upgrade, focuses on ease of use OCTOBER 01, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Sun Microsystems Inc. this week released Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) 5.0, an upgrade of its programming language with more than 100 new features designed to bolster

Business: 0.9985648
Ford Down, Nissan Up in September Sales DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=F.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">F.N</A> posted its fourth consecutive month of weaker U.S. sales with a 7 percent drop in September results on Friday, and the automaker doubled its incentives on some models to kick-start sales this month.

Business: 0.9965294
Employees from 10 hotels locked out The San Francisco Multi-Employer Group announced this morning that it has locked out UNITE HERE Local 2 employees from 10 hotels and staffed the vacated positions with replacement workers.

Business: 0.78640467
Research Is Definitely in Motion The Blackberry wireless device maker is straining to exceed expectations.

Business: 0.9829569
Level 3 Acquires Sprint #39;s Wholesale Dial-Up Internet Business Level 3 today announced that it has purchased Sprint #39;s wholesale dial-up Internet access business for \$34 million in cash. Sprint is one of the largest providers of wholesale dial-up service to ISPs in North America.

SciTech: 0.99615085
Salvaging Genesis Despite a seemingly calamitous crash to Earth last month by the Genesis spacecraft, large portions of the solar wind samples it had gathered in space appear to be salvageable, NASA scientists announced on Sept.

Sports: 0.9978994
National League Roundup Jerome Williams pitched seven innings in his first start in two months, and San Francisco jumped back into a tie for the NL wild-card lead by beating host San Diego.

Sports: 0.9945884
NL Wrap: Dunn Goes Deep as Reds Tame Cubs Adam Dunn hit his 44th home run of the season as the Cincinnati Reds dealt the Chicago Cubs a blow to their National League wild card aspirations with an 8-3 win at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

World: 0.99935955
Stocks Climb on Strong Economic Data NEW YORK - Newly optimistic investors sent stocks sharply higher Friday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials up more than 100 points, after economic data showed strength in manufacturing and construction. Wall Street greeted the departure of PeopleSoft Inc.'s chief executive by buying up technology shares...

Business: 0.9972734
Molson issues earnings warning MONTREAL - Molson Inc. has served up a warning of disappointing summer-quarter earnings, saying sales have been slow in Canada and profitability has been squeezed in Brazil.

SciTech: 0.9968836
Large mammals facing the fate of the sabre tooth THE future of the world #39;s large wild mammals is threatened by pressures similar to those that caused the extinction of two-thirds of such species at the end of the most recent Ice Age.

World: 0.9994153
Al Qaeda Urge Wide-Scale Muslim Resistance Al Qaeda #39;s No. 2 man Ayman Zawahiri called for an all-out armed resistance in the Muslim world against the West and Jews whom he described as crusaders.

SciTech: 0.8747926
U.S. cybersecurity chief resigns Amit Yoran leaves the Department of Homeland Security a little over a year after joining.

SciTech: 0.98196054
Update 2: US Cybersecurity Chief Abruptly Resigns The government #39;s cybersecurity chief has abruptly resigned from the Homeland Security Department amid a concerted campaign by the technology industry and some lawmakers to persuade the Bush administration to give him more authority and money for

Sports: 0.9974445
Novak, Canas Top Dogs Left at ATP Shanghai The seedings held Friday in the quarterfinals at the ATP stop in Shanghai, with No. 2 Jiri Novak stopping No. 8 Jan-Mike Gambill, and No.

Sports: 0.9996711
Cricket telecast: Prasar Bharati to move SC as aggrieved party #39; THE legal battle surrounding the awarding of telecast rights to Sony Entertainment Television for the forthcoming Australia tour of India is getting complicated with the Prasar Bharati CEO, Mr KS Sarma, saying that the national broadcaster would approach

Business: 0.9833097
Fortune's 100 Most Doomed? Your company made it to Fortune's 100 Fastest Growing Companies list. Is that a good thing?

SciTech: 0.98414654
Ig Nobel awards honor weird science advances If a herring asks you to pull his finger, be very afraid. Thats one of the lessons derived from this years Ig Nobel awards ceremony, an event that honors offbeat scientific achievements.

Sports: 0.99939346
Can Alabama pass? Can South Carolina run? Both have some reason for optimism. Guillon should benefit from his first start at Arkansas and from the more friendly environment of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

SciTech: 0.99741733
Briefly: MSN Messenger beta leaks onto Web roundup Plus: Level 3 to buy Sprint's dial-up business...Cisco CEO's salary shoots up from \$1...SanDisk ups capacity on flash memory cards.

World: 0.9993463
Bush, Kerry Trade Barbs Following Debate ALLENTOWN, Pa. - President Bush on Friday ripped into Sen...

Business: 0.8472568
China Pledges to Move Toward Flexible Exchange Rate China says it will move toward a flexible exchange rate for its currency, but there is no word on how long such a transition will take.

SciTech: 0.9603005
DOJ won't appeal Oracle ruling WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will not appeal a ruling by a California judge that would allow Oracle Corp.'s proposed hostile takeover of competing software vendor PeopleSoft Inc.

World: 0.9994012
US Supreme Court asked to rule on homosexuals' right to adopt children (AFP) AFP - The American Civil Liberties Union, the leading US civil rights group, petitioned the US Supreme Court to rule on the right of homosexuals to adopt children.

Sports: 0.9996575
WORLD RALLY NEWS Subaru: Solberg has a #39;relatively #39; good lead. Subaru World Rally team driver Petter Solberg took the lead on the all-new Rally Italia Sardinia on SS1 this morning Friday and held onto that advantage all day to end the leg more than thirty seconds ahead of second placed Marcus Gronholm.

Sports: 0.99967337
Jubilant Spain revels in glory of second Davis Cup Spain hailed the fulfilment of an old dream and the rise of a new star on Monday after the national team secured the country #39;s second Davis Cup title in five years.

SciTech: 0.9533403
IBM expands data centers, on-demand service Big Blue enhances its "on demand" offering for companies through its data centers.

Sports: 0.9997181
Ronaldo a doubt for Real Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Star striker Ronaldo could miss Real Madrid #39;s La Liga contest Sunday against Deportivo La Coruna due to injury.

World: 0.999405
US welcomes Sudan #39;s acceptance of expanded AU mission in Darfur The United States welcomed on Friday Sudanese official #39;s announcement to accept a larger AfricanUnion (AU) mission in the western region of Darfur and urged the speedy deployment of AU troops.

SciTech: 0.9905315
Nation's cybersecurity chief abruptly quits DHS post Amit Yoran, the government's cybersecurity chief, abruptly resigned yesterday after a year at the Department of Homeland Security, a move that raised questions about the Bush administration's ability to quickly improve cybersecurity.

World: 0.99934083
Europe ; Serbia calls on UN to annul appointment of Kosovo PM He (Haradinaj) is a war crimes suspect, and Serbian authorities will face numerous difficulties... with such a person, Kostunica said.

Business: 0.9984819
Saks announces store closings BIRMINGHAM, Ala. They #39;re closing eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and three Off Fifth outlet stores. Saks Incorporated says shutting down weaker stores will allow the company to focus on its more quot;productive quot; locations and further strengthen its brand.

World: 0.99895006
U.N. War Court Transfers First Case to Serbia BELGRADE (Reuters) - The U.N. war crimes prosecutor sent the first case to the Serbian judiciary Friday in a move that could warm ties between the Hague-based court and Belgrade.

SciTech: 0.99671555
Legal expert joins open-source screening firm Open Source Initiative general counsel Larry Rosen is now an advisor to Black Duck Software.

Business: 0.9985708
Greenspan Worried Congress to Bar Options Expensing WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan on Friday said he was very worried Congress would try to thwart efforts by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to require expensing of stock options.

Business: 0.9974758
Arthritis Drug Vioxx Pulled Off Market Sept. 30, 2004 -- Long-term use of the painkiller Vioxx doubles a person #39;s risk of heart attack and stroke, a huge clinical trial shows.

Sports: 0.99970967
Cubs plate three runs in ninth inning, fall a run short The Chicago Cubs need more than rally caps, good-luck charms or curse-busters now. Mike Hampton and Dewayne Wise each hit two-run homers to lead the Atlanta Braves to

World: 0.9993887
Russias strange bedfellows Ministers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) gathered in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on September 29 to formulate a common anti-terrorism strategy.

Business: 0.9985902
Saks to close 11 stores New York retailing group Saks said Friday it will close 11 stores and shed 700 jobs. The company said it will close down eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and three Off 5th Avenue

Business: 0.99851054
Saks announces store closings Saks says shutting down weaker stores will allow the company to focus on its more quot;productive quot; locations and further strengthen its brand.

World: 0.6934137
Bangkok animal trade talks open The rules controlling the trade in many at-risk wildlife species may change at a Bangkok meeting starting on Saturday. The 166 member states of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of

World: 0.99938023
Israel Kills Two Militants During Massive Gaza Raid GAZA (Reuters) - The Israeli army killed two militants Saturday in an air strike in the northern Gaza Strip, bringing the number of Palestinians Israel has killed in one of its deadliest Gaza raids to 39.

Business: 0.9969728
MDs: Vioxx not the only drug to help arthritis The withdrawal of Vioxx may take a bite out of Merck amp; Co. #39;s revenues, but it isn #39;ta setback for arthritis patients, doctors said Friday, because dozens of other drugs offer the same symptom relief.

SciTech: 0.9792995
Gates: Microsoft to offer anti-spyware Company Chairman Bill Gates says "this malware thing is so bad" the software giant plans to offer its own tools.

Sports: 0.99969494
Packers lose Flanagan for the season Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl center Mike Flanagan will undergo surgery on his left knee and miss the rest of the season. Coach Mike Sherman made the announcement after practice Friday, meaning for the second

Business: 0.9546271
Ex-Pentagon Official Gets 9 Months for Conspiring to Favor Boeing The former official was sentenced after acknowledging that she had favored the Boeing Company in Pentagon contracts while seeking a job at the company for herself.

SciTech: 0.85911435
Gates: US Need Not Fear Overseas Tech 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.

World: 0.99917537
ACLU Seeks to Challenge Gay Adoption Ban (AP) AP - The American Civil Liberties Union asked the Supreme Court on Friday to hear its challenge to Florida's ban on adoptions by gays.

World: 0.99938476
Five Blasts Reported in Spain After ETA Threats MADRID (Reuters) - Five explosions were reported in different parts of Spain Monday after the Basque separatist group ETA threatened to set off a total of seven bombs, Spanish media reported.

Business: 0.8209294
China at G-7 Meeting for First Time China made its debut last night in the club of the world's leading economic powers, asinternational pressure mounts to change a decade-old currency peg that critics accuse of giving Chinese products an unfair competitive edge.

Business: 0.9924603
Ex-Manager At Fannie to Skip Hearing The former Fannie Mae employee who assisted federal regulators in an investigation of the company's accounting will not testify at a congressional hearing next week.

Business: 0.996002
STOCKS amp; BONDS Technology Issues Lead Rally as the 4th Quarter ... tocks rose yesterday amid heavy trading on the first day of the fourth quarter as PeopleSoft and chip-related stocks sent the Nasdaq to its highest level in more than two months.

Business: 0.99185735
IMF urged to assist countries in prevention of financial crisis Developing countries on Friday urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF to develop effective lending facilities to assist countries in the prevention of financial crisis.

World: 0.9993874
Lebanon and Syria have not complied with UN resolution: Annan UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported that Syria has not pulled its forces out of Lebanon as called for by the UN Security Council, and said he had requested a timetable from Damascus for its full implementation.

World: 0.99941134
One hurt in blast at Philippines Muslim regional government complex (AFP) AFP - A powerful home-made bomb has exploded in a compound housing offices of an autonomous Muslim regional government in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato, wounding one person, police said.

Sports: 0.99869907
Astros Beat Rockies to Keep Wild-Card Lead (AP) AP - Jeff Bagwell hit a two-run homer and the Houston Astros overcame a sloppy start, remaining atop the NL wild-card standings with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.

Sports: 0.99736017
Baseball-Ichiro Breaks Hits Record, Adds Single The Seattle Mariners #39; Ichiro Suzuki registered three singles to equal, break and then add to the Major League hits record with his 259th of the season in a game against the Texas Rangers Friday.

World: 0.99901414
France Opposes Immigrant Transit Camps in Africa France, Sweden and Belgium shot down a German proposal to set up European Union refugee processing centres in North Africa, arguing that the idea would do more harm than good.

Sports: 0.99968624
Jeff Gordon Leads Contenders at Talladega TALLADEGA, Ala. - Joe Nemechek wasn #39;t surprised to be back at the front of the field, just that it took so long to get there. Nemechek, who earned the nickname quot;Front Row Joe quot; when he won six poles from 1997-00, got No.

Sports: 0.9996903
Jeff Gordon leads contenders at Talladega Joe Nemechek wasn #39;t surprised to be back at the front of the field, just that it took so long to get there. Nemechek, who earned the nickname quot;Front Row Joe quot; when he won six poles from 1997-00, got No.

World: 0.999343
Ukraine opposition seeks legal changes KIEV -- Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko yesterday pressed for the prime minister's removal from office, dismissal of electoral officials, and new legislation to guard against fraud in a new presidential runoff, warning that his supporters would continue to blockade government offices until outgoing President Leonid D. Kuchma meets those demands.

World: 0.99940515
Pakistan Ups Security, Shi #39;ites Mourn Bomb Victims Pakistan beefed up security Saturday as minority Shi #39;ite Muslims prepared to bury victims of a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in the eastern town of Sialkot that killed at least 30 people a day earlier.

Sports: 0.9982628
Angels One Win From AL West Title (AP) AP - The Anaheim Angels considered themselves a playoff team all along, even while they spent the summer playing catch up. Now they're one win away.

World: 0.9992718
Violent Protests Erupt Again in Haiti PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Oct. 2, 2004 - Supporters of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide took to the streets of Haiti #39;s capital for a second day, shooting wildly, smashing cars and blocking roads with burning tires.

Sports: 0.9970642
Sharapova advances to Korea Open final Reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova has thrashed Anne Kremer of Luxembourg to advance to the final of the Korea Open in Seoul.

Sports: 0.99928755
BC expects to need 'A' game It is not as though they need any more reminders. It is not as though they are not aware of the consequences. Boston College has Rutgers and Mississippi State and, to an extent, Pittsburgh as prime examples of what can happen to a Division 1-A team on any given day against a Division 1-AA opponent.

Business: 0.9984237
Auto sales surged in Sept. Auto sales soared 10 in September, led by a 25 surge at General Motors and increases for Chrysler and Toyota. GM had its biggest gain in two years after boosting rebates.

SciTech: 0.9978255
NASA puts off space shuttle flights until at least May WASHINGTON: The US space agency NASA has put off resumption of space shuttle flights from March until at least May, the agency has said.

Business: 0.995611
Perry OKs money for APS as more accusations arise The state #39;s Adult Protective Services agency will get an emergency infusion of \$10 million to correct the kinds of problems that have arisen in El Paso.

World: 0.9993987
Serial blasts rock NE: 19 killed GUWAHATI: A string of powerful bomb blasts rocked Nagaland and Assam on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi Saturday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 50.

Sports: 0.9996736
Mariners' Ichiro Breaks Hits Record, Adds Single SEATTLE (Reuters) - The Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki registered three singles to tie, break and then add to the Major League hits record with his 259th of the season in a game against the Texas Rangers Friday.

Business: 0.7889643
G7 fails to reach debt deal Hopes of a deal to write off completely the debts of some of the world #39;s poorest countries were dashed after the Group of Seven rich nations club failed to reach agreement.

Sports: 0.99967325
Tennis: Canas crushes Novak to reach Shanghai final, faces ... SHANGHAI : Argentina #39;s Guillermo Canas dominated Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic to book his place in the final of the 380,000-dollar ATP Shanghai Open tennis tournament against unheralded German Lars Burgsmuller.

Business: 0.99856395
Techs lead gains on Wall Street Shares surged on Wall Street on Friday night, pushing the Dow over 100 points higher, as tech stocks rallied and drug giant Merck staged a 1 per cent rebound following its 26 per cent fall on Thursday.

Business: 0.9985991
Oil, Profit Reports to Weigh on Stocks NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new reporting period for company earnings kicks into gear next week, giving investors a bit of hard data to chew on, and markets could be volatile if the price of crude oil stays north of \$50 a barrel.

SciTech: 0.9978694
Oceanic storms make the Earth #39;hum #39; Did you know that the Earth is constantly humming ie it produces a low frequency noise which can be picked up in the 2 to 7 mHz (millihertz) range, a range far below the one human ears can detect and scientist have now found that it is the energy produced

World: 0.99896824
Blair heads to country home for rest after heart op LONDON, Oct 2 (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saturday that he felt in quot;excellent quot; health as he set off for his official country residence to rest after a successful minor heart operation.

Business: 0.83554703
IMF, World Bank look to keep global recovery strong (AFP) AFP - Facing a global economy on the mend but threatened by surging oil prices and other factors, IMF and World Bank policymakers opened two days of meetings Saturday to discuss ways to keep the recovery on track.

Sports: 0.9996674
Sete returns to top form in Qatar; Edwards joins party with runner ... Sete Gibernau will go down in history as the first ever winner of the Grand Prix of Qatar after an incredible race today which he led from start

Business: 0.91361654
Poor nations seek WTO textile aid With 40 years of textile quotas about to be abolished in a move to help developing nations, a group of the world #39;s poorest countries are asking for a different approach: special trade deals to protect them from a free-for-all.

Sports: 0.9963521
Arsenal's Unbeaten Streak Reaches 48 Games (AP) AP - Arsenal extended its unbeaten streak in the Premier League to 48 games Saturday, getting two goals from Thierry Henry in a 4-0 victory over Charlton and bouncing back from a Champions League tie.

World: 0.99916613
22 killed, 100 injured in Nagaland twin blasts : India News gt; Guwahati, Oct 2 : At least 22 people, including women and children, were killed and over 100 injured when two simultaneous landmine blasts ripped through the busy railway station here and a crowded market place of this commercial town of

Business: 0.9979202
Update 4: Belo to Cut 250 Jobs, Mostly in Dallas Media owner Belo Corp. said Wednesday that it would cut 250 jobs, more than half of them at its flagship newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, and that an internal investigation into circulation overstatements

World: 0.9993475
New appointments hint Musharraf to remain COAS after Dec 31 ISLAMABAD: Military analysts have said that after the appointment of new Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Vice Chief of Army Staff it is clear that President General Pervez Musharraf will retain his cap of Chief of Army Staff beyond December 31

Sports: 0.99971706
Report: Bowa on His Way Out of Philly PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Larry Bowa will reportedly be fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of the season.

Business: 0.98911124
China vows currency shift but mum on date Washington, Oct. 2: In the face of growing international pressure, Chinese officials told top US officials on Friday that they would continue to push ahead with plans to float or revalue their currency, but

Sports: 0.99968755
No. 20 Wisconsin 24, Illinois 7 Tailback Anthony Davis #39; return from an eye injury sparked No. 20 Wisconsin #39;s stagnant offense and the Badgers #39; defense was as stout as ever in a 24-7 victory over Illinois on Saturday.

Business: 0.97669095
Putin the power broker Last Wednesday, at the stroke of noon, one of the most lucrative prizes in Russia #39;s oil industry went under the hammer. Russia #39;s Federal Property Fund, which controls sales of state assets, auctioned a 7.6

Sports: 0.9997099
Phillies relieve Bowa of his duties The Phillies ended months of speculation when they announced the dismissal of manager Larry Bowa before Saturday #39;s game against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

Sports: 0.99889565
New York Yankees Team Report - October 1 (Sports Network) - Orlando Hernandez tries to rebound from his first loss of the season this evening when the New York Yankees open a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at SkyDome.

Sports: 0.99579775
Angels Rally Past A's to Clinch AL West Crown (Reuters) Reuters - Garret Anderson capped a three-run\eighth inning rally with a run-scoring single as the Anaheim\Angels edged the Oakland Athletics 5-4 Saturday to capture\their first AL West pennant in 18 years.

Sports: 0.998502
Rapids Clinch MLS Playoff Berth (AP) AP - Dwyane DeRosario's goal in the 82nd minute lifted the San Jose Earthquakes to a 1-1 tie with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.

Sports: 0.9254114
A's Bullpen Blows Up and Angels Take Title Anaheim scored three runs in the eighth inning off Oakland relievers to rally for a victory and clinch the American League West title.

Sports: 0.99970263
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs RUSTON, Louisiana (Ticker) -- No. 17 Fresno State could not overcome a dominant performance by Ryan Moats or a poor one by Paul Pinegar.

World: 0.99938035
Ransom may buy life of Iraq hostage The brother of Iraq hostage Ken Bigley was investigating whether it might be possible to buy his sibling #39;s life. Paul Bigley was looking into reports in a Kuwaiti newspaper that a new Iraqi militant group

SciTech: 0.99360824
Security Beyond Antivirus Programs Comprehensive security programs that include firewall software, spyware defenses and diagnostic and repair tools are necessay to keep a PC in good health these days. -The Washington Post

Business: 0.6788811
Lucent's history a case study in wild rides If you've ever wondered what ignited America's late-1990s obsession with telecom and tech stocks, you could well argue it all started with Lucent Technologies.

Sports: 0.9997209
Finley #39;s slam wins wild West for LA LOS ANGELES - Steve Finley immediately raised his arms over his head, as if to show there really might be a Great Dodger in the Sky looking after him and the Los Angeles franchise after a nine-year title drought.

Sports: 0.9997105
Angels Rally Past A's to Clinch AL West Crown OAKLAND (Reuters) - Garret Anderson capped a three-run eighth inning rally with a run-scoring single as the Anaheim Angels edged the Oakland Athletics 5-4 Saturday to capture their first AL West pennant in 18 years.

SciTech: 0.9976712
Open Source Group Blasts Gartner For Linking Linux To Windows ... An Australian open-source industry group on Friday took exception to a Gartner report that pre-loading PCs with Linux is often a precursor to adding a pirated copy of Windows, calling the research quot;farcical.

World: 0.99583447
Turkey to Get Green Light for EU Entry Talks -Paper The European Commission #39;s report on Turkey next week will recommend that the European Union open accession negotiations with Ankara, the German daily Bild said Sunday, quoting sources at the EU executive.

World: 0.99918896
King's Widow Turns Focus on Voting Rights (AP) AP - The widow of Martin Luther King Jr. said the right to vote should be open to everyone in a democracy, including those who have been convicted of crimes.

World: 0.9994041
Eta suspects arrested in France French security forces have arrested 20 people suspected of being members of the outlawed Basque separatist group, Eta. Most were Spaniards living in the Basque region of south-western France.

World: 0.9992661
New Bomb Blast Wounds 15 in India Suspected separatists bombed a power line, a gas pipeline, a tea plantation and a crowded marketplace in northeastern India on Sunday, intensifying a campaign of violence

Sports: 0.9996375
Ichiro with 260 hits, Writes First New Chapter in 84 Years Japans quot;Baseball talent quot; Suzuki Ichiro (31,Seattle Mariners) has leapfrogged 84 years of outdated records of most hits in a season and stepped into the 260-hit peak.

World: 0.7976717
Brown calls for Labour unity Chancellor Gordon Brown has sought to quell speculation over who should run the Labour Party and turned the attack on the opposition Conservatives.

Business: 0.9954965
In The News: Instant Recall Oct. 11 issue - Last week Merck pulled its blockbuster arthritis-and-pain-relief drug Vioxx from the market. This week the 1.27 million Americans who were taking it are wondering what to do.

Sports: 0.99969757
ESPN.com news services HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros enter today #39;s contest against the Colorado Rockies knowing that a victory will earn them an improbable playoff berth.

Sports: 0.999635
Ft: Birmingham 2 Newcastle 2 Newcastle almost regained the lead when Bellamy headed a corner from Robert back across goal but Elliotts close range effort was somehow kept out by a pack of Blues bodies guarding the goal-line.

World: 0.99926096
Bus ambush kills 17 workers near Tikrit Gunmen ambushed a bus carrying unarmed Iraqis to work at a US ammunition dump near Tikrit yesterday, killing 17 and raising the toll from three days of intensified and bloody terrorist

Sports: 0.9996928
Flu sidelines Clemens on Sunday Roger Clemens was scratched from his start on Sunday after spending most of the overnight hours battling a stomach virus. Clemens #39; blood pressure was slightly elevated

Sports: 0.99968386
Final Score: NY Giants 14, Green Bay 7 Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - Kurt Warner threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey early in the fourth quarter to lift the New York Giants over the Green Bay Packers, 14-7, at Lambeau Field.

Business: 0.9986369
Oil Price Spike Had Chilling Effect -Fed The recent spike in oil prices has had some negative impact on the US economy, but the futures markets suggest that this will be a temporary phenomenon, a top Fed official said on Sunday.

Sports: 0.99965346
Streaking Patriots still stinging from last game at Buffalo Anytime someone tells Bill Belichick how great his team is, the New England Patriots coach needs only to slip in a tape of last year #39;s season opener to stay grounded.

World: 0.9993344
Gunfire Erupts in Pro-Aristide Haiti Slum PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Oct. 3, 2004 - Gunfire erupted in a slum teeming with loyalists of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Sunday, sending people scattering through trash-strewn streets following

Business: 0.9846912
A Painful Mistake In a world in which the fortune OF a pharmaceutical company can rise and fall on the strength of a handful of blockbuster drugs, Vioxx was a giant.

SciTech: 0.99265176
Trash Begins to Clutter Space Station (AP) AP - There's no space in the space station. With no garbage pickup by shuttles for nearly two years, the international space station is looking more and more like a cluttered attic.

World: 0.9993642
Liberals enter political minefield of minority government starting Monday (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A chastened Liberal government will find itself relying on support from the very opponents it steamrollered for over a decade when Prime Minister Paul Martin begins steering his party through the first minority Parliament in a quarter-century.

SciTech: 0.73660684
BlackBerry, Beloved Gadget, Continues to Thrive BOUT a year ago, PalmOne was poised to challenge the dominance of the BlackBerry, the wireless e-mail device made by Research in Motion that has become the gadget of choice among celebrities and politicians.

SciTech: 0.7973408
You have mail, always, with a BlackBerry Washington lawyer William Wilhelm knows from experience that not everybody loves his BlackBerry as much as he does. The girlfriend was fed up with a relationship

World: 0.9994223
Darfur rebels reject Khartoum bid to split them ahead of talks (AFP) AFP - Ethnic minority rebels in Darfur have rejected an attempt by the Sudanese government to divide them ahead of a new round of peace talks in Nigeria later this month, a Khartoum daily reported.

World: 0.9984633
US football: Patriots' historic win New England win a record-tying 18th straight game - plus an NFL round-up.

World: 0.9993383
Aussie ruling party leads in election polls, but gap narrows The government of Prime Minister John Howard had a narrow lead in opinion polls heading into the final week of campaigning ahead of the Australian federal election, but the opposition Labor party was narrowing the gap, according

Sports: 0.99971384
NL Wrap: Expos End Life in Montreal with Defeat to Mets NEW YORK (Reuters) - David Wright and Todd Zeile both homered to lead the New York Mets to an 8-1 win over Montreal at Shea Stadium on Sunday, handing the Expos a heavy defeat in their final game before moving to Washington next season.

Sports: 0.999713
AL Wrap: Indians, Twins Split Unique Doubleheader NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ben Broussard belted a two-run homer 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 regular season on Sunday.

Business: 0.98143125
Japan Shares Up 2 Percent by Midday Japanese stocks rose 1.9 percent by midsession on Monday as a strong performance by US semiconductor-related stocks gave a push to Japanese peers such as Advantest Corp.

SciTech: 0.9696972
Mexico's 'Fire Volcano' Erupts, No Evacuations Yet (Reuters) Reuters - Mexico's so-called "Fire\Volcano" spewed lava, glowing rocks and flames on Friday in an\eruption that authorities said was not yet serious enough to\evacuate nearby villages.

Business: 0.9979779
The Rippling Pain from Vioxx Prescription-drug recalls aren #39;t common, and they #39;re almost always controversial. Now that Merck (MRK ) is voluntarily withdrawing its Vioxx pain medication around the world, due to a heightened risk of cardiovascular

Business: 0.9969182
Bush defends tax cuts WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said Saturday he would renew some of the huge tax cuts that form a cornerstone of his economic rejuvenation policy and chided Democratic challenger John Kerry for opposing the cuts.

Sports: 0.9997253
This year #39;s Panthers could learn a thing or two from Michael Vick CHARLOTTE - Michael Vick head-butting an opposing linebacker may not have been the smartest thing for a National Football League quarterback to do.

Sports: 0.99971896
Falcons not cruising at 4-0; they #39;re working Jim Mora thought his team deserved a little something special. His Atlanta Falcons, with a thorough 27-10 pounding of the Carolina Panthers, had just extended their record to 4-0 for the first time since 1986.

SciTech: 0.99495184
New Tungsten Boasts Big Storage PalmOne #39;s Tungsten T5 comes with 256MB of flash memory, so you never risk losing your data. If you #39;re a pack-rat type who likes to keep a lot of data you can #39;t afford to lose on your personal digital assistant, PalmOne has a handheld for you.

Sports: 0.9992174
Dodgers ready for anything com. When Dodgers coach Glenn Hoffman makes out the daily schedule of Spring Training drills, there are entries for pickoffs and cutoffs, bunt situations and hit-and-runs.

World: 0.99941504
Six Shot Dead in New Northeast India Violence GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - Suspected separatist rebels stormed a village in India's northeast on Monday and shot dead six people, police said, taking the toll in the worst violence in years in the troubled region to 62.

Business: 0.9752856
SUSAN TOMPOR: Stores turn paper into e-checks I picked up my 6-year-old son from school last week, and we drove to Wal-Mart to see the future for paper checks. We grabbed a few of life #39;s staples: some Legos, a pack of 3x5 cards to create

Business: 0.99424523
Nikkei Up 2.5 Pct in Afternoon Tokyo #39;s Nikkei average jumped 2.5 percent by mid-afternoon on Monday as semiconductor-related stocks such as Advantest Corp. mirrored a rally by their US peers while banks and brokerages extended last week #39;s gains.

Sports: 0.99890935
Junior swears by win at Talladega Dale Earnhardt Jr. went from 11th on a restart on Lap 184 to first less than two laps later to win the EA Sports 500. He led nine times for 78 laps.

SciTech: 0.9905944
Informed and Awaiting a St. Helens Eruption The people who remember the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 are not as fearful as they were then, with scientists predicting a less powerful eruption.

World: 0.99902904
Tokyo Stocks Finish 2.6 Percent Higher (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks finished sharply higher Monday, fueled by Wall Street's gains last week. The U.S. dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.

World: 0.9992767
Gujarat riot murder retrial opens The retrial of 16 Hindus charged with the murder of 12 Muslims in the Gujarat riots of 2002 opens in Mumbai.

Business: 0.9926963
Update 2: Tokyo Stocks Finish 2.6 Percent Higher Tokyo stocks finished sharply higher Monday, fueled by Wall Street #39;s gains last week. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.

Business: 0.9983424
150,000 new jobs expected The economy probably added 150,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.4, a three-year low, according to a survey of economists.

World: 0.9991935
Poland to cut Iraq troops by 2006 Poland will reduce its commitment of forces to the war in Iraq by 40 percent by the end of 2005, the Polish Defense Ministry in Warsaw says.

Business: 0.9918331
FTSE hits 27-month high Top shares have jumped to their highest level for 27 months, tracking a buoyant start to the fourth quarter across global stock markets and as takeover speculation continues to rumble among banks and elsewhere.

SciTech: 0.99531883
Red Hat Buys Netscape Enterprise Suite Technologies Red Hat chairman and chief executive Matthew Szulik said in a statement: quot;Directory Server and Certificate Management System have already been widely deployed in the enterprise and are mature

Sports: 0.9949273
THIERRY HEELS THE WOUNDS THE MARK of brilliance is to produce the unexpected. The proof of genius is to do it time and again. Thierry Henry is a brilliant genius.

SciTech: 0.9951692
PeopleSoft ousts CEO, still opposes Oracle bid (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - PeopleSoft's board might have finally blinked. The business-software maker, facing a 16-month takeover siege from rival Oracle, has canned the CEO who bitterly opposed the deal and lost crucial regulatory support in its bid to stay independent.

SciTech: 0.758508
Worldpay struck by online attack Net payment system Worldpay is under attack from hackers delaying transaction times for hundreds of online retailers.

Sports: 0.9980475
Els Sweats Out American Express Victory (AP) AP - Emotionally spent from a Grand Slam season of heartache, Ernie Els reasserted himself as a major force Sunday by outlasting Thomas Bjorn in a brilliantly played duel in the cold rain in the American Express Championship. He closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory and his first World Golf Championship.

World: 0.9993261
Austria to Extradite Turkish Underworld Figure VIENNA (Reuters) - Convicted Turkish underworld boss Alaattin Cakici, sought on charges of corruption and extortion, will be extradited from Austria to Turkey, a district court ruled on Monday.

Sports: 0.9991679
Ex-Philly Eagles Coach Nick Skorich Dies (AP) AP - Nick Skorich, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1961-63 and the offensive line coach on the 1960 championship team, has died at the age of 83.

Sports: 0.9989812
Loeb looks for home comforts SEBASTIEN LOEB is dreaming of a title- winning homecoming after moving a step closer to the world championship in the Italian Rally.

Business: 0.9985526
Office Depot Chairman, CEO Nelson Resigns Office Depot Inc. (ODP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said Chairman and Chief Executive Bruce Nelson resigned quot;by mutual agreement quot; with the board, after four years at the helm.

SciTech: 0.9306341
Metcalfe, Allen back ZigBee start-up Ember, a start-up that is developing chips for ZigBee--a low-cost, low-power wireless networking standard--received \$25 million in venture capital funding this week.

Business: 0.9985506
Office Depot Chairman, CEO Nelson Resigns Office Depot Inc. (ODP.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the No. 2 US office supply chain, on Monday said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nelson has resigned and a search for his successor is underway.

SciTech: 0.99731404
PalmOne Announces Tungsten T5 PalmOne has introduced the new Tungsten T5 PDA. The new Tungsten T5 features 256MB of flash memory, which doesn #39;t lose data when the device loses its charge.

SciTech: 0.9972831
Gluecode delivers open source BPM engine (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Hoping to put in place the last missing piece of the Java stack, Gluecode Software and the Apache Software Foundation this week unwrapped Project Agila, which the companies claim is the first embeddable open source BPM engine.

Business: 0.99847287
PeopleSoft Raises Revenue Forecasts NEW YORK (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PSFT.O</A>, fresh from firing its chief executive amid a hostile takeover bid from Oracle Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O, target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ORCL.O,</A> on Monday said quarterly revenue would exceed Wall Street's expectations, helped by an increase in customers making larger orders for its business software.

World: 0.9993436
Poland to Reduce Force In Iraq Poland will significantly reduce its number of troops in Iraq by the end of 2005, the country #39;s defense minister said on Monday.

SciTech: 0.9651949
A First Look At PalmOne #39;s T5 NEW YORK - If PalmOne #39;s Tungsten T5 handheld was an automobile, it would be described as being a facelift rather than a complete overhaul of the model that preceded it, the Tungsten T3.

Business: 0.99856406
Top Court Upholds Visa, MasterCard Ruling WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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 American Express Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AXP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AXP.N</A> and Morgan Stanley. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MWD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MWD.N</A>.

Business: 0.9927718
IMF sees rising oil prices having little impact on global growth TOKYO: Rising oil prices are unlikely to deal a major blow to global economic growth although the trend may seem quot;uncomfortable, quot; a researcher with the International Monetary Fund says.

World: 0.99932694
AL moves to stop Israeli attacks against the Palestinians The Arab League AL has assigned the Arab group at the UN to call for convening an urgent meeting for the UN General Assembly or the UN Security Council to halt the quot;Israeli war of extermination against the Palestinian people.

SciTech: 0.8083439
EU Pursues Oracle-PeopleSoft Case (AP) AP - European Union regulators suggested Monday they are not bound by a U.S. decision to allow Oracle Corp. to pursue its #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. and are continuing to collect data on the deal.

World: 0.9994037
New Poll Shows Bush and Kerry in Dead Heat (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush is now in a\statistical dead heat with Democratic challenger Sen. John\Kerry for the Nov. 2 election, in a tightening of the race\after the first debate last week, a poll on Monday showed.

SciTech: 0.99694234
Coping With the Common Cold By Karen Pallarito, HealthDay Reporter HealthDayNews -- Determined this cold season to nip your sneezing, runny nose and scratchy throat in the bud before those nasty respiratory symptoms sideline you? There's a broad array of cold remedies you might want to try, ranging from over-the-counter preparations to basic ingredients tucked away in your kitchen pantry. So what'll it be? A combination pain reliever and nasal decongestant? Vitamin C and echinacea? Tea with honey? A brimming bowl of chicken soup? It turns out the best advice for dealing with the misery of a cold is the same principle mothers often apply when trying to coax their unruly toddlers to take a nap: Whatever works...

SciTech: 0.9520337
Ballmer: Microsoft is listening to customers Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer says the software giant is listening to customers, and wants to make the company and its employees more accountable for delivering on its plans.

World: 0.999244
Steep rise in Haiti storm deaths The number of deaths from floods in Haiti caused by tropical storm Jeanne has risen sharply to 1,970, with 884 still missing, officials say.

Business: 0.9984316
SunGard to Spin Off Data Recovery Unit NEW YORK (Reuters) - SunGard Data Systems Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SDS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">SDS.N</A> on Monday said it would spin off its data recovery business, sending its stock up 11 percent to a four-month high.

World: 0.99869376
Flight Diverted to UK After Bomb Threat A Singapore Airlines passenger jet from Frankfurt to New York was diverted to Manchester Airport in northern England on Monday after a bomb threat that police said may have been a hoax.

SciTech: 0.988284
Small office / Home office Wi-Fi device finds hotspots More and more venues are becoming hotspots. Using the wireless 802.11x protocol better known as Wi-Fi, these hotspots can be found in airports, libraries, coffeehouses, restaurants, shopping

Sports: 0.99857295
Rijkaard - has suffered Edmilson blow Barcelona have been stunned by the news that Brazilian centre-half Edmilson will be out of action for at least six months with a knee injury.

World: 0.999411
Car bombs strike Baghdad At least 10 people were killed and 76 injured when one exploded near an army recruitment centre outside the top-security Green Zone housing Iraq #39;s interim government and the US Embassy.

Business: 0.9985079
IRS Demands FICA from Chili's Owner NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brinker International Inc. which operates the Chili's restaurant chain, on Monday said it received a demand from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service regarding the company's share of FICA taxes on unreported tips of \$31.4 million during 2000 to 2002.

SciTech: 0.99024475
SpaceShipOne Wins X Prize Scaled Composites #39; SpaceShipOne broke the 100-km barrier for the second time, satisfying the conditions to win the \$10 million X Prize.

Business: 0.9983187
Top Court Upholds Visa, MasterCard Ruling WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card associations violated U.S. antitrust law by barring member banks from issuing credit and charge cards on rival networks owned by American Express Co. and Morgan Stanley.

World: 0.9993912
Video Shows Militants Killing Iraqi from Italy, Turk BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic militants distributed a video in Iraq on Monday showing the killings of two men who identified themselves as an Italian of Iraqi origin and a Turk.

World: 0.99936146
Iraq video shows 'hostage deaths' A video is released which apparently shows the killing of two hostages in Iraq, while two others are released.

World: 0.96275795
Turkey defiant over EU accession Turkey's foreign minister says the EU should not attach conditions to Turkey's bid to start membership talks.

SciTech: 0.63368744
Navy streamlines NMCI contract Officials at the Navy and contractor EDS said they have reached an agreement to revise performance measurements on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet contract, which EDS called a critical step toward billing NMCI seats on a 100 percent basis.

Sports: 0.99967635
Reeling Pack sends McKenzie to New Orleans Green Bay #39;s front office apparently had seen enough of cornerback Mike McKenzie. His holdout and mystery hamstring injury, which had kept him out of the past

SciTech: 0.72947276
Cox brings VoIP service to more cities Company also plans to launch a business-class Net phone service in Roanoke, Va., as cable providers battle to gain market share.

Business: 0.9137159
Lockheed Martin led group wins 3 billion dollar US Postal Service ... OWEGO, United States : A group of technology and telecommunications heavyweights led by Lockheed Martin Corp has won a potential three billion dollar contract from the US Postal Service to revamp its vast data communication networks, Lockheed Martin said.

SciTech: 0.9955622
Peoplesoft Revenues To Beat Expectations (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT) said on Monday that quarterly revenues would beat Wall Street's expectations, due to an increase in the number of customers making large orders for its enterprise-application software.

Business: 0.9909198
Taking Advantage of the Terminally Stupid Would you pay \$4 for something that, at best, is worth a dime? Concord Communications shareholders would.

Sports: 0.99971217
Chiefs Have Opportunity to Get Back on Track Kansas City needs a win in the worst way. Thats obvious but tonight they face a tough Baltimore Ravens team that has as many question marks as our hometown Chiefs.

World: 0.99939835
Israeli Soldiers Kill Palestinian Gunman in Gaza -Army (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli soldiers shot and killed a\Palestinian gunman on Monday as he approached a military\outpost near a Jewish settlement in the southern Gaza Strip, a\military source said.

World: 0.69121075
Halliburton Set for Spotlight in VP Debates (Reuters) Reuters - A name likely to come up in\Tuesday's vice presidential debate is Halliburton, the Texas\company once run by Dick Cheney that Democrats say is an\example of cronyism because of its lucrative Iraq deals.

Business: 0.9952518
Air Canada shares Shares of the new Air Canada pushed higher as they began trading today, gaining more than 25 percent from their issue price of \$20.

Business: 0.9984163
UPDATE 4-Court #39;s cards ruling to aid MBNA, American Express The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card associations violated US antitrust law by barring

SciTech: 0.99794286
Apple releases Security Update 2004-09-30 (MacCentral) MacCentral - Apple on Monday released Security Update 2004-09-30, which fixes two AFP Server and CUPS issues as well as problems with NetInfoManager, postfix and the ServerAdmin component in Mac OS X Server v10.2.8 and v10.3.5. In addition, a QuickTime heap buffer overflow problem that could allow someone to execute code hidden in a BMP has been repaired. The CUPS and QuickTime fixes apply to Mac OS X v10.3.5 and v10.2.8 as well as the Server versions of each while the others apply only to the user and Server editions of v10.3.5.

SciTech: 0.82819766
South Seas Islands Pin Future on Geotourism The Cook Islands receive more tourists per capita than any other South Pacific destination. Now authorities are revamping their tourism strategy to focus on preservation.

World: 0.9993142
Briton Charged With Plotting Bomb Attack WASHINGTON - U.S. authorities brought charges Monday against a British man they contend conspired with admitted al-Qaida member Richard Reid to use shoe bombs to blow up planes in midair...

SciTech: 0.9949516
Flash memory abounds in PalmOne #39;s Tungsten T5 PalmOne Inc. unveiled a new version of its Tungsten-class personal digital assistant Monday that is designed to protect data even when the device #39;s battery dies.

SciTech: 0.9950806
IBM unveils notebook with fingerprint reader IBM on Monday introduced a biometric notebook computer with an integrated fingerprint reader,which it says can recognize the user of the computer.

SciTech: 0.51591295
It #39;s Time for Tech Firms to Bet on Growth Industry leaders have been offering too few innovations and too many marginal upgradesat not-so-marginal prices. There #39;s a joke going around that our lives have become so boring that we #39;ve taken up watching people play cards on TV.

Sports: 0.99853563
Sosa exits before game, angering management When his Cubs teammates were taking the field Sunday for the final game of the season, Sammy Sosa already had taken off. And now it is possible Sosa has played his final game as a Cub.

World: 0.99939513
UN calls emergency meeting over Israeli onslaught The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting Monday at the request of Arab nations to consider a resolution demanding an immediate halt to a major Israeli offensive in the northern Gaza Strip.

Business: 0.9250383
Supreme Court turns down #39;Do Not Call #39; case SUPREME COURT - The Supreme Court is refusing to hear a challenge to the federal do-not-call telephone registry. Telemarketers have been trying to invoke free-speech rights to do away with the ban on unwanted phone solicitations.

SciTech: 0.6391152
Xamlon looks to beat Microsoft to the punch This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half. Software engineer and entrepreneur Paul Colton thinks he can beat Microsoft by taking a page from its play book--literally.

SciTech: 0.92150223
Judge Challenges EU Position on Microsoft (Reuters) 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.

World: 0.999353
Voters Flock to Register by Deadline In a glimpse of what the nation might see a month from now, people lined up at election offices and caused parking lot traffic jams as voter registration deadlines fell Monday in more than a dozen states. Many officials reported record numbers of new voters, some said they were overwhelmed, and allegations were already flying about fraud and the disqualification of some voters' applications...

Sports: 0.9991499
Brewers introduce prospective buyer Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Mark L. Attanasio was introduced as next owner of the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Attanasio, an investor from Los Angeles, is planning on buying the team from the family of Commissioner Bud Selig.

Sports: 0.99928707
Spielman Defends Decisions With Dolphins (AP) AP - Miami Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman watches home games from the owner's box, which would be the best seat in the house if the team was better.

Sports: 0.9962314
Brewers Officially Introduce Team Buyer (AP) AP - The Milwaukee Brewers officially introduced Los Angeles investor Mark Attanasio on Monday as the buyer of the ballclub.

World: 0.9994222
France criticizes Iraq hostage mediators France has criticized unofficial negotiators for complicating release efforts for two French hostages held in Iraq, the BBC reported Saturday.

World: 0.9991879
Court Weighs Legal Rights of Mich. Poor (AP) AP - With backing from two-fifths of all states, Michigan asked the Supreme Court on Monday to whether a state can refuse to pay for appeals by indigent defendants who plead guilty to crimes.

World: 0.998814
UN Signs Pact with New World Court Opposed by U.S. UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations signed a cooperation agreement on Monday with the new International Criminal Court, despite objections to the tribunal from the United States.

Sports: 0.9995066
ESPN.com news services Six months ago, Scottie Pippen issued a quot;This is probably it for me quot; declaration, that last season was looking more and more like his last in an NBA uniform.

SciTech: 0.5801991
PeopleSoft down on testimony, forecast Investors react to a disappointing earnings projection and to testimony that dampens hopes of negotiations with Oracle.

World: 0.9990797
Gordon Cooper, NASA Mercury Pioneer, Dies LOS ANGELES - Gordon Cooper, who was the youngest and perhaps cockiest member of the original Mercury astronauts and set the space endurance record that helped clear the way for the first moon landing, has died. He was 77...

Business: 0.9922845
Ex PeopleSoft chief admits lying to analysts WILMINGTON: The former chief executive of PeopleSoft, who was fired last week, said he lied to Wall Street analysts last year about the impact of Oracle #39;s hostile bid on the company #39;s business.

SciTech: 0.9941176
Revamped Tungsten hangs on to data update PalmOne on Monday introduced a handheld computer that holds on to data even when the battery runs down, as part of a revamping of its mobile-device lineup.

Sports: 0.9988544
Moose bullish about chances This is Mike Mussina #39;s fourth postseason here, so he knows the drill. He understands that all of his bad memories of his disappointing season -- the Japan trip, his early-season struggles and

World: 0.9993593
Rebels kill dozens in Indian unrest India #39;s restive north-east is reeling from one of its bloodiest waves of violence in years. Bombings over the weekend left more than 60 dead and 140 injured.

SciTech: 0.9969951
Web Snags Right Demographic (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - In 1996, the Internet was a curiosity for most, the record labels were swollen with cash from CD sales, and R.E.M.'s "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" could only add to that hoard. Critics and fans drooled for the alt-rockers' follow-up to their last two hit albums, and the media counted down the days until the CD hit stores in September of that year.

World: 0.9774653
U.S. Seeks Reconciliation with Oil-Rich Venezuela SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it will seek better ties with oil-rich Venezuela in the clearest sign since President Hugo Chavez won a recall referendum in August that Washington is looking for reconciliation with the firebrand populist.

World: 0.99934894
Venezuela Seeking Arms, Perhaps MiG-29s CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela is looking to buyarms to strengthen its military capability and Russian MiG-29fighters are among the options being evaluated, a seniorofficer said on Monday.

Sports: 0.99971193
Cards won #39;t overlook Dodgers The last time Tony La Russa managed a postseason series against the Dodgers, his club was an Oakland juggernaut that dominated the regular season with 104 victories.

Sports: 0.99945146
Texans follow Astros #39; lead The News sports editor. HOUSTON - The Houston Astros weren #39;t the only team in the Bayou City toasting a watershed achievement Sunday afternoon.

World: 0.9994054
US soldiers in Iraq murder probe Four soldiers are charged with the murder of an Iraqi general who died in custody in Iraq, the US army says.

SciTech: 0.99662834
#39;Kind of a creepy thing #39;: Clues to human origins turn up in head ... Lice genes have been a head-scratcher for experts in human origins who now suspect that we humans picked up some parasites from our more primitive ancestors.

World: 0.9994024
Insurgents target Green Zone Insurgents exploded two car bombs at the gates of the main US-Iraqi headquarters in Baghdad and near major hotels Monday, killing at least 21 people and wounding 96.

Business: 0.8021918
Feds kick off digital TV consumer campaign WASHINGTON - It #39;s one of the biggest technical changes in television since color TV: the digital transition. And because many Americans remain in the dark about it, federal regulators began an education campaign Monday to enlighten them.

Business: 0.9985129
AIG #39;s War of Words with Watchdogs America #39;s largest insurer is in hot water again with regulators. American International Group (AIG ) said on Oct. 4 that officials at the Securities amp; Exchange Commission and the Justice Dept.

World: 0.9966852
Sex Toy Shuts Down Australian Airport A scare triggered by a vibrating sex toy shut down a major Australian regional airport for almost an hour on Monday. The vibrating object was discovered on Monday morning inside a garbage can at the terminal

Sports: 0.9994615
Gibbs doubts Skins were tipping plays If the Cleveland Browns knew what plays the Washington Redskins were going to run before the ball was snapped Sunday, a review of the game tape 24 hours later revealed scant evidence of it.

World: 0.9597683
Why Putin is backing Kyoto again Why did Russian President Vladimir Putin decide to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change last week, only six months after his top adviser, Andrei Illarionov, called it a quot;death treaty?

SciTech: 0.99658954
Early astronaut showed the moon was attainable Gordon Cooper Jr., one of the original seven astronauts who became space pioneers and national celebrities, died Monday at his home in Ventura, Calif.

World: 0.9993994
Cambodia #39;s Legislature Bars Government from Pardoning Khmer Rouge Legislators today approved laws barring the Cambodian government from pardoning Khmer Rouge suspects, one day after ratifying a landmark UN-backed plan to set up a tribunal to prosecute surviving leaders of the murderous 1970s regime.

Business: 0.9931015
Small changes, big profits Staples Inc. hosted a daylong event last week for analysts who follow the company's stock, laying out plans to keep growing in the immediate future and beyond. Everyone went home smiling.

Business: 0.951297
SEC considering civil action over 3 AIG press releases American International Group Inc. said it has been informed by the Securities and Exchange Commission that it could face a civil action over three of the company's press releases, two of which came out in recent weeks.

Sports: 0.9960693
Report: Glazer soccer bid near Malcolm Glazer, tycoon owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reportedly plans to bid more than \$1.2-billion to take control of British icon Manchester United, the world #39;s richest soccer team.

SciTech: 0.56710005
Russia May Ratify Kyoto Protocol in Oct. -- Minister (Reuters) Reuters - The Russian government expects\parliament to ratify the Kyoto Protocol this month in a move\allowing the long-delayed climate change treaty to come into\force worldwide, a senior minister said Monday.

World: 0.9993814
Ex-general wins Indonesian elections Retired general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was on Monday confirmed as Indonesia #39;s next leader as final counting from the country #39;s first direct presidential polls gave him a landslide victory over his predecessor.

Business: 0.9980122
Hutchison cuts IPO size by 7 pct HONG KONG: Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (HTIL) cut the size of its IPO for a second time to bolster interest in its shares, reducing the sale #39;s value by about 7 percent to between US\$890 million and US\$1.

Business: 0.98937106
US Airways to Cut Hundreds of Jobs US Airways Group Inc. plans to eliminate "hundreds" of management and nonunion jobs and cut top executives' pay by between 5 and 10 percent.

SciTech: 0.7708168
Nobel honours sub-atomic world US scientists David Gross, David Politzer and Frank Wilczeck win the Nobel physics prize for their insights into the deep structure of matter.

World: 0.9965906
Tennis: Night final for Aus Open The centenary Australian Open will be the first Grand Slam event to stage its final at night.

World: 0.99904317
U.S. Defends Detentions The Bush administration argued Monday that the president can detain enemy combatants at a military prison in Cuba as long as necessary to protect national security and that they have no constitutional rights to hear charges against them.

Business: 0.8258296
Avaya to Buy Germany's Tenovis (Reuters) Reuters - Avaya Inc., a\telecommunications equipment supplier, on Tuesday said it would\buy Tenovis GmbH Co. of Germany from private equity firm\Kohlberg Kravis Roberts Co. for #36;370 million to expand its\presence in Europe.

Business: 0.99857605
Oil Prices Set a New Record Above \$50 SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices set a new record above \$50 a barrel on Tuesday as a prolonged U.S. production outage following Hurricane Ivan attracted fresh speculative buying.

Business: 0.99409014
Lazard Meets in Paris to Discuss IPO PARIS (Reuters) - Lazard's board was meeting in Paris on Tuesday to consider a share sale that could end more than 150 years of private ownership at the largest remaining independent investment bank and buy out its founding families.

World: 0.9993795
Israelis force down Lufthansa jet Israeli jets force a flight to Tel Aviv to land in Cyprus after a bomb alert German officials did not consider serious.

Business: 0.9980946
Singapore Airlines confirms sale of Air NZ stake SYDNEY - Singapore Airlines announced on Tuesday the sale of its quot;non-core quot; 6.3 stake in Air New Zealand, ending a four-year strategic investment in the now government-owned carrier.

Business: 0.993356
Kodak eliminating nearly 900 jobs in England, France _ Eastman Kodak Co. announced Tuesday it will cut nearly 900 jobs at three of its manufacturing facilities in Europe as part of the company #39;s shift from traditional film production to digital photography.

World: 0.96674424
Russian parliament to consider Kyoto ratification in October ... MOSCOW. Oct 5 (Interfax) - Boris Gryzlov, chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, told journalists on Tuesday that the Duma will be prepared in October to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

World: 0.999326
FEC Wants Campaign Finance Decision Stayed (AP) AP - Federal election officials have asked a judge to stay a ruling striking down several government regulations on political fund raising, arguing that rules interpreting the nation's campaign finance law are crucial as the election approaches.

World: 0.999358
Israeli Fighters Force Lufthansa Jet To Cyprus Israeli jet fighters forced a Lufthansa passenger plane bound for Tel Aviv to land in Cyprus on Tuesday due to a bomb threat. Lufthansa said it had not judged the threat to be serious but that Israel had insisted

SciTech: 0.84816825
PalmOne, Microsoft set software pact PalmOne Inc., the leading maker of handheld computers, said Tuesday it licensed Microsoft Corp. software that enables secure delivery of corporate e-mail to portable devices.

SciTech: 0.9937464
Sharp Displays 65-Inch LCD TV (PC World) PC World - Company claims the HDTV is the biggest of its kind.

SciTech: 0.9972952
Treos to sync to MS Exchange palmOne has licensed Microsoft #39;s Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol for use on future Treo devices, allowing for wireless server synchronization.

Sports: 0.9996556
Els Looks Ahead with Promise After Major Woes LONDON (Reuters) - After being a frustrated 'nearly man' at this year's majors, Ernie Els plans to make the most of a near-perfect finish to the 2004 season.

Business: 0.9985378
Acuity Earnings Rise on Improved Demand CHICAGO (Reuters) - Acuity Brands Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AYI.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AYI.N</A>, a maker of lighting products and specialty chemicals, on Tuesday said quarterly profit rose 87 percent due to improved sales, lower operating expenses and a lower tax rate.

Business: 0.98856413
Parmalat Investors Flock to Court Seeking Damages (Update2) Hundreds of Italians who lost savings in the collapse of food company Parmalat Finanziaria SpA flocked to Milan #39;s courthouse, seeking to recover damages as part of the criminal investigation of Italy #39; biggest bankruptcy.

Business: 0.99808383
Minot officials give preliminary approval to Wal-Mart Supercenter MINOT, ND - City Council members have given Wal-Mart preliminary approval to build a Supercenter, though not without some soul-searching.

SciTech: 0.98456305
Big guns board Intertrust DRM bandwagon Intertrust, Philips and Sony have added more top consumer electronics, content and technology heavyweights to their attempt to create an open interoperable Digital Rights Management environment.

World: 0.99941504
MOFA releases new names of Indonesian hostages JAKARTA (Antara): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered up on Tuesday yet new names of two Indonesian women that were released by Iraqi abductors on Monday.

World: 0.99936587
Pitcairn mayor pleads guilty to sex attack The mayor of Pitcairn Island has changed his plea to guilty and faces sentencing for sexually assaulting young girls, The Telegraph reported Tuesday.

Business: 0.9921854
Judge Indicts 2 Former Parmalat Auditors MILAN, Italy Oct. 5, 2004 - Two former auditors at Parmalat were ordered to stand trial for market rigging under a fast-track procedure, the first indictments since the massive fraud scandal at the Italian-based dairy giant.

Sports: 0.9997031
Japan #39;s Sato staying at BAR Japan #39;s Takuma Sato will continue to drive for BAR next season, the Formula One team said on Tuesday. Sato, gearing up for his home grand prix at Suzuka on Sunday, is eighth in the

Business: 0.99859756
UPDATE 1-UPS buys CNF #39;s Menlo Worldwide United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to buy Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, a unit of CNF Inc. (CNF.N: Quote, Profile, Research), for \$150 million in

World: 0.9993899
Israel Says It Attacked Islamic Jihad Leader (Reuters) Reuters - The Israeli army said it had attacked\the car of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant commander who\was killed in a Gaza City airstrike on Tuesday.

World: 0.999411
Chechnya's New Leader Knows He's a Rebel Target GROZNY, (Reuters) - Chechnya's pro-Kremlin leader was sworn in as president of the turbulent Russian region Tuesday and acknowledged immediately he was a prime target for assassination by separatists.

Business: 0.9599038
German retailer snubs union plan Struggling German department store owner, KarstadtQuelle, has rejected unions concessions over pay considered crucial to a successful restructuring of the firm.

Business: 0.9985676
Oil Hits \$51 a Barrel on Supply Outage NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices hit a new record of more than \$51 a barrel Tuesday as a prolonged U.S. production outage following Hurricane Ivan attracted fresh speculative buying.

Business: 0.9982711
Lazard Meeting Ends Without IPO Decision PARIS (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.

Business: 0.99736845
Chiron Won't Make Flu Vaccine, Stock Down WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The company that makes half the flu vaccine used in the United States said on Tuesday it will not supply any vaccine for the coming flu season because of problems at its plant in Britain, throwing a major U.S. flu drive into disarray.

Sports: 0.9996921
Vikings RB Onterrio Smith suspended Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings running back Onterrio Smith, who has been suspended four games for violating the NFL #39;s substance abuse policy, will begin serving that suspension Sunday.

SciTech: 0.8617229
Is PeopleSoft waiting for the right price? A company board member testifies in trial that a sale would be possible if Oracle ups its offer.

Business: 0.9986304
Dollar Drifts Lower as U.S. Data Weigh NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar edged lower on Tuesday after bearish reports on the U.S. services sector and job market caused a sell-off ahead of Friday's widely anticipated September employment data.

World: 0.9993623
Refugees: Fate of Hundreds Unknown UN officials have been denied permission to check the safety of about 850 migrants deported to Libya from Italy since Friday. The Italian government is flying the migrants to Libya after hundreds landed on

Business: 0.95032585
Chip and PC Stocks Mixed on Warnings Semiconductor stocks were mixed Tuesday after Advanced Micro Devices Inc. warned quarterly revenue would be lower than expected due to sluggish sales of flash memory chips used in mobile phones and other devices.

SciTech: 0.9971366
National Geographic Photo Camps Give Kids New Views In New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., National Geographic's Photo Camps this summer paired underprivileged students with seasoned photogropaphers. With photo gallery.

SciTech: 0.97052974
Amazon Updates Web Services Tools, Adds Alexa Access The Amazon Web Services (AWS) division of online retail giant Amazon.com yesterday released Amazon E-Commerce Service 4.0 and the beta version of Alexa Web Information Service.

SciTech: 0.9976411
Biography of a Worm Can anything stop the next global virus outbreak? We follow the trail of one recent worm to see how the security system works--and whether it can be fixed.

World: 0.9983911
US Stops Short of Backing Brazil on UN Council Seat The United States stopped short of endorsing Brazil #39;s ambition for a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council but did say the country would be a quot;solid candidate.

SciTech: 0.6105373
Ballmer strikes big rivals from Microsoft shopping list LISBON - Customers watching for Microsoft Corp. to make a headline-grabbing buy in the business applications market faced disappointment Tuesday as company Chief Executive Officer Steven Ballmer ruled out acquisitions of PeopleSoft Inc., Oracle Corp. and SAP AG.

World: 0.9993387
US vetoes Gaza resolution The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate end to military operations in Gaza and a pullout of Israeli forces.

World: 0.9994086
Poland to decide on Iraq pullout soon WARSAW - Poland should decide soon when to pull its troops out of Iraq and end a political debate that encourages Al-Qaeda, Prime Minister Marek Belka says.

SciTech: 0.996739
Yahoo offers personal search Yahoo launched a new service designed to let users of its search engine save and manage their query results for accessing later and sharing with others, the company said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99968827
Tigers exercise Trammell #39;s option The Tigers face plenty of decisions on players from here on out. Their option on the manager was a quick one. Two days after Alan Trammell completed his second season at

Sports: 0.9996972
Jaret Wright back in the postseason spotlight with Braves Jaret Wright couldn #39;t get much lower: Waived by a last-place team, he stood outside Houston #39;s Minute Maid Park with his luggage stacked beside him, waiting for a cab that would take him to the airport.

Sports: 0.99971336
Perez struggles against the Cardinals Odalis Perez learned just how quickly things could unravel against the potent St. Louis Cardinals. After allowing Albert Pujols #39; first-inning home run Tuesday, Perez held the Cardinals hitless until there were two outs in the third.

World: 0.999401
Blair Flies to Sudan to Press for Darfur Peace (Reuters) Reuters - Britain's Tony Blair flew to Khartoum on\Wednesday as the most senior yet in a parade of Western\government figures seeking to pressure Sudanese officials over\violence in Darfur province.

Sports: 0.99834895
NBA Star Pippen Announces Retirement National Basketball Association star Scottie Pippen has announced his retirement from the game, leaving the Chicago Bulls team he helped lead to six NBA titles.

Sports: 0.9954685
Schilling, Ramirez Lead Red Sox to Easy Opening Win Curt Schilling pitched 6 2/3 innings and Manny Ramirez hit a three-run homer in a seven-run fourth frame to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 9-3 win over the host Anaheim Angels in their American League Divisional Series opener Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9985868
Cape Town F1 bid And they plan to build a multi-million-dollar race track here for the event, an official said today. quot;The plans for the bid are far advanced.

Sports: 0.99835783
Millar and Ramirez homers highlight big Boston inning The Red Sox thought they were going to have to earn all their runs against the Angels the hard way. Anaheim allowed the fewest numbest of unearned runs in the Majors all season (36).

Sports: 0.9997069
Titans Receiver Out With Knee Injury (AP) AP - Tennessee receiver Tyrone Calico will miss at least two to three weeks with torn cartilage in his left knee #151; another big loss for the Titans' receiving corps.

World: 0.99874204
Pitcairn trial views police interview tape The court presiding over the Pitcairn Island sex trials has been shown a videotape of a police interview with one of the accused. Steven Christian denies rape but he does admit to having sex with underage girls.

Business: 0.99858487
Update 1: Hollinger to Take \$27M Charge for Suits Hollinger International Inc. said Tuesday it will take a pretax charge of \$27 million to settle advertisers #39; lawsuits over inflated circulation numbers issued for years by the Chicago Sun-Times.

SciTech: 0.9327689
Wireless sensors ready to go global? Soon millions of the data-collection devices will be scattered around the world, but there are still many obstacles to the networks.

Business: 0.99829274
UK #39;s Diageo gets \$2.26 bln from General Mills sale Britain #39;s Diageo Plc (DGE.L: Quote, Profile, Research), the world #39;s biggest spirits group raised \$2.26 billion from its sale of 49.

Business: 0.99110246
Japan Stocks Flat After Wall Street The Nikkei average was flat in mid-morning trade on Wednesday, bolstered by bargain-hunting of a number of blue-chip stocks after US stocks showed resilience despite a rise in oil prices to new highs.

Sports: 0.9996567
Jug half full: Gophers hope to hit ground running at Michigan If Minnesota wants to walk out of Michigan Stadium with the Little Brown Jug for the first time since 1986, it had better hope its offense is its old self and its defense isnt.

World: 0.9993457
HK democrats to take seats A new crop of Hong Kong democrats are due to be sworn in to the Legislative Council.

Business: 0.99858236
Freddie tightens controls 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 #39;s internal controls after an

World: 0.9993754
KARZAI BRAVES ELECTION RALLY TO CHEERS Afghanistan #39;s interim President Hamid Karzai has left his heavily fortified compound in Kabul for his first election rally, in the last week of campaigning, for this Saturday #39;s first ever direct elections.

World: 0.99938035
UK satisfied with peace process, says Hoon ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on Tuesday that history would judge the pace of the peace process between Pakistan and India.

World: 0.9991555
Afghan Race Shaping Up as Battle of the Modern and Traditional More than 1,000 leathery, turbaned men gathered in a cavernous village mosque Friday for a presidential campaign rally. They no longer carried rifles, and some had even brought their small sons.

World: 0.9993998
Disappearance of baby Azaria to remain Australia's greatest mystery (AFP) AFP - The disappearance of baby Azaria Chamberlain 24 years ago is expected to remain one of Australia's most celebrated mysteries after the coroner's office ruled here that there was no new evidence to justify reopening the case.

SciTech: 0.95136905
Verizon unveils wireless retriever Cell phone contacts find their way into new phones for \$1.99 a month--without the thumb strain.

Business: 0.99851733
Stocks retreat as crude rises The Dow Jones industrial average fell 38.86, or 0.4 percent, to 10,177.68. The Standard amp; Poor #39;s 500 index was down 0.69, or 0.1 percent, at 1,134.

World: 0.9992933
British FM makes surprise trip to Iraq Children collect usable metal parts from the site of a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, October 4. AP. BAGHDAD (AFP) - Britain #39;s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw paid a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday amid

World: 0.99940646
Detainees seen as minimal threat WASHINGTON -- Most of the alleged Al Qaeda and Taliban inmates at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are likely to be freed or sent to their home countries for further investigation because many pose little threat and are not providing much valuable intelligence, the facility's deputy commander has said.

World: 0.9993874
US, Iraqi Forces in New Push to Retake Rebel Zone US and Iraqi forces pushed on with their second major offensive in a week Wednesday, hunting insurgents in a triangle southwest of Baghdad that has become one of Iraq #39;s most notorious hot spots.

SciTech: 0.9626662
House OKs Bill Imposing 'Spyware' Fines 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.

SciTech: 0.9981396
Fujitsu to announce Nocona-based servers Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp. on Wednesday plans to unveil upgrades to the company's Primergy tower and rack-mounted servers that will use the 64-bit capable version of the Xeon processor, code-named Nocona.

Business: 0.987987
PeopleSoft CEO Ousted for #39;Situational Ethics #39; AccountingWEB.com - October 06, 2004 - The opening of a trial related to Oracle #39;s takeover bid of PeopleSoft featured the revelation that CEO Craig Conway was fired last week for making misleading statements about PeopleSoft #39;s sales.

Sports: 0.9996842
Cardinals swing into playoff mode ST. LOUIS - When the St. Louis Cardinals were playing.500 ball for the last two weeks of the regular season after already having clinched the National League Central championship, one question persisted.

Business: 0.9985323
On average, quarter was a loser (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - In the great race between stock mutual funds and the mattress, the mattress won.

Sports: 0.9946293
Hewitt Advances at Japan Open (AP) AP - Top seeded Lleyton Hewitt rallied to a 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 win over Japan's Gouichi Motomura on Wednesday in the second round of the Japan Open.

SciTech: 0.9970336
IBM delivers Websphere 6.0 IBM on Wednesday formally announced the next major release of WebSphere, code-named Vela, which company officials see as an integral building block for both its ongoing SOA (service-oriented architecture) and On Demand strategies.

SciTech: 0.9974759
AMD Sheds Light on Dual-Core Plans Upcoming Opteron chips will occupy the same space as single-core models.

Business: 0.99476707
US Files WTO Case Against Europe Over Airbus Aid (Update3) The US filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization, arguing that European Union loans to aircraft maker Airbus SAS are an illegal subsidy.

Business: 0.9985305
Corporate tax bill nearing approval WASHINGTON US House and Senate negotiators, moving swiftly to finish a bill that would create more than \$100 billion in corporate tax breaks, have approved a \$10 billion buyout for tobacco farmers and rejected a Senate provision that would have subjected

World: 0.9992939
Afghans rocky road to historic elections KALAKAN, Afghanistan There were toothless old men, turbaned and gray-bearded, and young men not yet old enough to shave. There were mullahs and mujahedeen, and the presidential candidate #39;s 3-year-old son.

Business: 0.7075673
Pacific Oil Link Is Best for Russia, Ambassador Says (Update1) Russia, the world #39;s second-biggest oil exporter, will benefit most from a Siberian crude oil pipeline to the Pacific rather than to China as energy resources are needed to develop the

Business: 0.92828625
CA to buy Netegrity for \$430 million com October 6, 2004, 7:36 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

Sports: 0.99888414
Tiger Woods Ties the Knot with Swedish Ex-Nanny LONDON (Reuters) - Former world number one Tiger Woods has married Swedish model Elin Nordegren at the luxury Sandy Lane resort in Barbados, the Barbados Daily Nation newspaper reported Wednesday.

Business: 0.9974111
Howard Stern: Serious business for Sirius Shock jock Howard Stern is jumping from radio broadcasting to satellite radio, promising to boost the ratings of the growing medium and bring his show to fans quot;my way.

Sports: 0.9997063
Phelps Seeks More Gold at World Championships INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Still riding a wave of euphoria from the Olympics, Michael Phelps returns to the pool this week at the world short course swimming championships seeking a repeat of his six gold medals in Athens.

Business: 0.99861836
Investors weigh effect of oil prices NEW YORK Another rise in oil prices is putting some pressure on stocks, which are mixed. The Dow Jones industrial average is down 12 points at ten-thousand-165.

Sports: 0.99242413
Islamic threaten women #39;s soccer tournament in Bangladesh The organizers of Bangladesh #39;s first women #39;s soccer tournament promised to keep playing despite protests by a Muslim group that called the event quot;indecent and against Islamic norms quot;.

Business: 0.99829084
Update 1: United Airlines to Slash US Flights As part of its bid to emerge profitably from bankruptcy, United Airlines announced plans Wednesday to slash its domestic flight schedule, increase its more profitable international schedule and reduce the size of its fleet over the next six months.

Business: 0.9984426
UPDATE 2-UK #39;s Linx drops ITW offer after Danaher steams in British company Linx Printing Technologies Plc (LPT.L: Quote, Profile, Research) dropped its backing for an earlier takeover offer on Wednesday after US firm Danaher Corp (DHR.

SciTech: 0.9960223
SpaceShipOne Lands After 2nd Flight MOJAVE, Calif. - The private manned rocket SpaceShipOne (search) streaked toward space early Monday in a bid to top an altitude of 62 miles for the second time in six days and claim the \$10 million Ansari X Prize (search).

World: 0.99908614
US Plutonium Shipment Reaches France Working under tight security from helicopters and police, port crews unloaded US military plutonium from a British ship on Wednesday after its arrival in northwest France, nuclear industry officials said.

SciTech: 0.9930756
Zingo keeps Manganese Bronze in red (FT.com) FT.com - Losses from its Zingo mobile phone cab-ordering service kept Manganese Bronze Holdings, maker of London taxis, in the red last year.

SciTech: 0.9964516
The Last Supernova: 400-Year-Old Explosion Imaged (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Four hundred years ago this \ week, a previously unseen star suddenly appeared in the night sky. Discovered \ on Oct. 9, 1604, it was brighter than all other stars.

Sports: 0.99961275
Ailton Weighs Rising Sun Offer Schalke 04 striker Ailton has revealed that he has a big bucks contract waiting for him in Japan. (My agent) put a concrete offer from Japan in front of me, quot; the reigning German Footballer of the Year told SportBild.

World: 0.9993499
U.S. Report Undercuts Bush War Rationale WASHINGTON - Undercutting the Bush's administration's rationale for invading Iraq, the final report of the chief U.S. arms inspector concludes that Saddam Hussein did not vigorously pursue a program to develop weapons of mass destruction after international inspectors left Baghdad in 1998, according to lawmakers and others briefed on the report...

SciTech: 0.993598
McNealy: Microsoft needs Sun to beat IBM and Red Hat Whatever pleasantries once existed between Sun Microsystems and Red Hat have vanished. This won #39;t come as a shock to many of you.

World: 0.99740845
Turkey Faces Long Road to EU Membership The European Commission #39;s cautious recommendation that Turkey begin membership negotiations puts the country a step closer to realizing its dream of joining Europe -- but

SciTech: 0.9979996
Briefly: RealNetworks signs up Red Flag Linux roundup Plus: Microsoft ships Virtual PC 7...SGI warns of lower revenue, deeper loss...SAP taps search technology.

Business: 0.9980996
Low-Income Lending Won #39;t Take A Hit Will low-income families become innocent victims of the crackdown on Fannie Mae (FNM )? After all, one of Fannie #39;s official missions is to increase the rate of homeownership by expanding the pool of capital available for mortgage loans.

SciTech: 0.9940645
Old bones unearth new date for giant deer #39;s last stand A new investigation into extinctions caused by climate change has revealed that the giant deer, previously thought to have been wiped out by a cold spell 10,500 years ago, instead survived well into the modern era.

SciTech: 0.9636958
IBM, partners roll out ID management suite IBM Corp. and four partners on Wednesday announced what they call a "major breakthrough" in identity management designed to help business and government agencies protect assets, including IT systems and physical facilities, from unauthorized users.

SciTech: 0.9959264
New Sony PC Boasts 1,000 GB of Storage (AP) AP - Japan's Sony Corp. will begin selling a computer and home-server system in Japan with 1,000 gigabytes of hard-drive storage #151; enough to record six TV channels for a week straight #151; the company said.

SciTech: 0.99301445
Purdy Tapped as Cyber-Security Director The Department of Homeland Security has filled the nation's top cyber-security post after the previous chief abruptly resigned last week, choosing the former director's deputy to take over the position. -washingtonpost.com

SciTech: 0.9934302
IBM Updates WebSphere Application Server The Express version of the new WebSphere server is targeted at the small and midsized business market. quot;The SMB market has become much more pivotal and crucial to everyone, quot; according to Yankee Group analyst Laura DiDio.

Business: 0.9985104
Four former El Paso natural gas traders charged HOUSTON Four former El Paso Corporation natural gas traders have been charged with making false reports used to calculate the index price of natural gas.

World: 0.999408
Iraq #39;s Government in Talks with Sunni, Shi #39;ite Leaders Iraq #39;s interim government is engaged in cease-fire talks with Sunni and Shi #39;ite leaders in an effort to restore calm to violent parts of Iraq before January #39;s scheduled election.

SciTech: 0.9958871
Old Bones Give New Date for Giant Deer Demise (Reuters) Reuters - Many large mammals were wiped out in the\last Ice Age but the Eurasian giant deer managed to survive,\scientists said on Wednesday.

World: 0.9572698
Plutonium: rising terror threat The radioactive element could be used to make weapons just as dangerous as enriched uranium bombs.

World: 0.9993468
Karzai's Running Mate Survives Attack KABUL, Afghanistan - Campaigning for Afghanistan's first direct presidential election ended with a burst of violence Wednesday as attackers set off a bomb in a failed effort to kill interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai's vice presidential running-mate. Despite persistent violence, the United Nations declared this hard-luck nation ready for Saturday's vote, a historic experiment with democracy after more than two decades of unrelenting ruin, from Soviet occupation to civil war to the repressive Taliban and the thunderous U.S...

Business: 0.9983041
New trade war erupts over Boeing, Airbus A decades-long struggle between the world #39;s two largest aircraft makers escalated into a new trade war between the United States and Europe, just as France-based Airbus stepped

World: 0.9993994
Sudan agrees peace plan after Blair sets deadline Sudan agreed to a five-point peace plan for the war-torn region of Darfur yesterday after Tony Blair set a three-month deadline for an end to the long-running conflict.

World: 0.99941695
Guinea-Bissau Soldiers Stage Mutiny, Kill Army Chief Mutinous soldiers demanding pay for peacekeeping duty abroad killed the commander of Guinea-Bissau #39;s armed forces on Wednesday and seized key buildings in the capital of the former Portuguese colony.

Sports: 0.99932563
Gazza goes back to school PAUL GASCOIGNE has quit as player-coach at League Two side Boston because he wants to study for a coaching qualification. The 37-year-old former wants to complete the course before trying to get a player-manager role.

World: 0.99939644
Stern to Join Sirius Satellite Radio NEW YORK - Howard Stern has long had two words for the Federal Communications Commission - and in 15 months, he can finally utter them on the air. The self-proclaimed "King of All Media," perhaps the most influential radio voice of the last 20 years, is shifting his salacious act to satellite radio and freeing himself from the increasingly harsh glare of federal regulators...

Business: 0.9978399
Howard Stern moves radio show to Sirius Shock jock Howard Stern announced Wednesday he #39;s taking his radio show off the public airwaves and over to Sirius satellite radio.

SciTech: 0.96988815
Transparent Search a Snap SAN FRANCISCO -- A new company launched by dotcom survivor idealab aims to take a chunk out of the search market by letting users slice and dice their search results.

Business: 0.99771357
Sirius counting Stern boost Howard Stern #39;s planned defection is a tremendous coup for the emerging satellite radio industry and a setback for the already slumping field of traditional radio -- especially Viacom, which

Sports: 0.9993631
Kobe Bryant Accuser #39;s Name to Be Disclosed -Judge The young woman who accused basketball star Kobe Bryant of rape must disclose her identity in her civil case against him, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99951804
Sparkling Singh targets Woods again If there is no rest for the wicked, then there is none either for the tormented, as represented by those members of the US Tour who are not Vijay Singh.

SciTech: 0.963376
Honeywell sues Apple, 33 others over LCD patent Honeywell on Wednesday announced that it has filed suit against Apple and 33 other companies for alleged patent infringement over a technology that quot;increases the brightness of images and that reduces the appearance of certain interference effects on a

World: 0.99939966
At Least 37 Killed, 52 Hurt in Pakistan Blast MULTAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least 37 people were killed and 52 wounded when a car bomb exploded at a rally to commemorate an assassinated religious leader in the central Pakistani city of Multan early on Thursday, police said.

SciTech: 0.9979273
Microsoft Includes SP2 in Windows XP Embedded Customers using Windows XP Embedded will be able to use a downloadable preview to test the new software for conflicts with existing drivers.

World: 0.95162505
Expansion may lead to division The Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEM, will hold its fifth summit in Hanoi in October amidst a recent crisis over the inclusion of Myanmar.

World: 0.9992447
Analysis: Iran #39;s missile capabilities Iran has announced it has improved its missile capabilities by developing a medium-range ballistic missile, with abilities to work on longer range systems -- a steady progress that

World: 0.9958054
Hussein Beat Sanctions With Bribes Saddam Hussein made \$11 billion in illegal income and eroded the world's toughest economic embargo during his final years as Iraq's leader through shrewd schemes to secretly buy off dozens of countries, top foreign officials and major international figures, said a new report by the chief U.S. weapons inspector released yesterday.

Sports: 0.99707496
MLB: NY Yankees 7, Minnesota 6 (12 inn.) Hideki Matsui drove in Derek Jeter with a 12th-inning sacrifice fly Wednesday night, giving the New York Yankees a dramatic, 7-6 win over Minnesota.

Sports: 0.99964046
Woods struggling to cope with body changes: Singh St Andrews, Oct 07 - Vijay Singh thinks the main reason he has replaced Tiger Woods as world number one is the American #39;s failure to adapt to changes in his body.

Business: 0.9985014
Concerns About Winter Push Oil to Record SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices broke into new record territory above \$52 Thursday on heightened concerns that supplies of heating fuels will prove inadequate during the northern hemisphere winter.

Sports: 0.99972194
Cougar Football Notes Houston, Texas- - Houston head football coach Art Briles finds himself in somewhat of a quandary as the Cougars prepared to play at the University of Southern Mississippi this Thursday night at MM Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Business: 0.99673647
Around The Region A federal judge on Wednesday ordered California to drop fraud claims seeking \$2 billion in refunds from Enron, saying the company is protected from such suits under bankruptcy law.

Sports: 0.9871925
Martnez's Effort Lets Boston Fans Take Heart Boston's Pedro Martnez put his past four starts behind him Wednesday night to post a redemptive 8-3 victory over the Anaheim Angels.

Business: 0.9967616
Santander: Rejects Spanish court tax ruling on execs LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Spain #39;s Banco Santander (STD) said it was in quot;complete disagreement with a judicial decision quot; on Wednesday after a Spanish court ruling on tax fraud in a case dating from the 1980s.

Business: 0.9984452
Winter Concerns Push to Record High SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices broke into record territory above \$52 Thursday on heightened concerns that supplies of heating fuels will prove inadequate during the northern hemisphere winter.

Business: 0.97658736
Computer Associates to buy Netegrity Corporate computing software giant Computer Associates International Inc. said yesterday it will pay \$430 million in cash to acquire Waltham data security firm Netegrity Inc.

Sports: 0.99955016
Stewart hopes Silverstone can hold F1 Jackie Stewart is optimistic Silverstones place on next years Formula One calendar can be saved. Talks between Formula One chiefs and Silverstones owners are understood to be at an advanced stage

Business: 0.9946896
Bidding is hot for hotel eyed for condos The Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel in Allston is for sale, and its great views of the Charles River may soon be owned instead of rented nightly.

World: 0.99556136
Turkey is put on track for EU membership BRUSSELS -- In a historic move that could extend Europe's borders to the edge of the volatile Middle East, the European Union recommended yesterday setting mostly Muslim Turkey on a course for full membership in the prosperous 25-nation bloc.

Business: 0.97114444
Boeing, Airbus competition escalates into trade war A decades-long struggle between the world's two largest aircraft makers escalated into a trade war between the United States and Europe, just as France-based Airbus stepped up plans to challenge Boeing for lucrative US defense contracts.

Business: 0.9982097
St. Paul Travelers Posts Hurricane Losses St. Paul Travelers Co., the second-largest business insurer in the United States, said Wednesday that it estimates losses from Hurricane Ivan to be about \$94 million, and expects the losses to cut third-quarter earnings by about 14 cents per share.

Sports: 0.9995691
Phelps, fellow Olympians swimming again Michael Phelps has reached the stratosphere of sports stardom: He #39;s on a first-name basis with fans. quot;People come up to me and say, #39;Are you Michael?

Business: 0.9969164
Stern: #39;I #39;m tired of censorship #39;; switches channels The local radio galaxy tilted on its axis Wednesday when New York shock jock Howard Stern announced he would abandon the radio dial in 2006 for satellite subscriber radio.

World: 0.9987602
Blair: Time for Excuses on Africa Is Over (Reuters) Reuters - British Prime Minister\Tony Blair is to say Thursday that the time for excuses on\Africa is over as he chairs a meeting in Ethiopia he hopes will\turn the continent's problems into a global priority.

Business: 0.9979875
Analysts See Post-Stern Ripple Effect Howard Stern will leave a very different company than the Infinity Broadcasting he first joined in 1985. The Viacom-owned radio giant started out a

Sports: 0.9976682
Sports Calendar Bolton Over-30 women's soccer. The Close-To-Home soccer league is looking for female players 30 and olderver for the fall season for a team in the Bolton area. Interested candidates can expect refereed games, a friendly atmosphere, and renewal of basic skills. All levels of experience welcomed. Contact Miriam Kandansky at 781-442-0750 or through e-mail at Miriam.Kadanskysun.com for more details.

Sports: 0.9996811
Transactions BASEBALL Cincinnati (NL): Announced OF John Vander Wal declined an outright assignment and elected free agency. Cleveland (AL): Designated INF Ivan Ochoa, P Jake Robbins, and OF Ernie Young for assignment. Montreal (NL): Declined to exercise its 2005 option on C Einar Diaz; assigned OF Matt Cepicky outright to Edmonton (PCL). Oakland (AL): Claimed P Tim Harikkala off waivers from...

Sports: 0.99713093
Emotional rescue for Jones Jacque Jones sprinted all the way around the bases, as if he couldn't wait to share the moment.

Sports: 0.9991122
Owen fitness holds the key Michael Owen will have one last chance to prove his fitness - and possibly determine which formation England will employ against Wales on Saturday.

Business: 0.99845386
Stocks Seen Flat with Oil Above \$52 US stocks looked to open flat on Thursday under pressure from the surge in oil prices and lackluster September sales reports from US retailers.

SciTech: 0.99687284
MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA: SPACEPORT Monday was a big day in Mojave. Tens of thousands of spectators showed up to see Burt Rutans SpaceShipOne make its second flight from below sea level to the edge of space, and in doing so

World: 0.99936146
Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Bombings (AP) AP - Two American soldiers were killed and two others were wounded in separate bombings that occurred within hours, the U.S. military said Thursday.

World: 0.99936646
U.S. Report: Iraq Didn't Have WMDs WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction programs had deteriorated into only hopes and dreams by the time of the U.S.-led invasion last year, a decline wrought by the first Gulf War and years of international sanctions, the chief U.S. weapons hunter found...

World: 0.8514914
Canada defends submarine fleet Canada has defended its decision to buy second-hand submarines after a crewman died from injuries sustained on one of the vessels that had broken down.

Sports: 0.9996865
Team almost had another legend SACRAMENTO -- The one who got away, Part I. With his collection of bow ties and an academic air, Sacramento assistant coach Pete Carril would have fit perfectly among the professors and scholars in Boston. He is, after all, one of the most intelligent and respected basketball minds living.

Sports: 0.9996979
UPDATE 3-Clarke cracks debut 151 as India collapse Michael Clarke hit a sparkling 151 on his debut and a revitalised Glenn McGrath then ripped the heart out of India #39;s batting as Australia took command of the first test on Thursday.

Sports: 0.9996785
Fall Classic plus NEW YORK -- A short sacrifice fly by Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the 12th inning scored an alert Derek Jeter from third and gave the Yankees a 7-6 victory over the Minnesot Twins in Game 2 of their AL playoff series.

Business: 0.9977368
New air routes to more profits Major airlines can #39;t make their low-cost competitors disappear into thin air, but they can fly away from them, which they are planning to do, to overseas routes where bargain-basement carriers don #39;t go.

Business: 0.9962335
Statement by Airbus on the US Government for formal consultations ... Airbus has fully supported all recent actions by the European Commission to engage with the US government in serious discussions on comprehensive new disciplines on government support.

Sports: 0.99962246
#39;Hawks primed to finally surpass Rams Editor #39;s note: ESPN senior NFL writer John Clayton #39;s weekly quot;First And 10 quot; column takes you around the league with a look at the best game of the week followed by primers for 10 other games.

World: 0.9990133
Asia-Europe Forum Grows, Myanmar Irritates HANOI (Reuters) - An Asia-Europe forum accepted Myanmar and 12 other new members on Thursday ahead of a summit strained by Yangon's human rights record and detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

SciTech: 0.9965899
CE giants #39;readying Blu-ray camcorders #39; Sony, Sharp and Matsushita plan to offer camcorders based on a cut-down version of the Blu-ray Disc, and could announce product as early as next year.

Sports: 0.99970204
Rugby #39;s Hill Out for Up to 9 Months, May Miss Lions (Update1) Richard Hill, England #39;s World Cup- winning forward, will miss up to nine months of the rugby season because of a knee injury, ruling him out of the Six Nations and making him doubtful for next year #39;s British and Irish Lions tour.

World: 0.999374
Sadr aide freed as Iraq seeks pre-election calm could help the interim government #39;s efforts to calm rebel-held strongholds before elections due in January. colleague, Sheikh Mahmoud Sudani, after he got out of jail on Thursday.

Sports: 0.8591785
Everyone wants a piece of Orton Every sports collectible dealer knows the key to profit is getting in early. And the hounds are suddenly on the scent of Kyle Orton.

Sports: 0.99970883
Closer Look: Astros-Braves com. This was not vintage Roger Clemens. On this afternoon, however, the hottest team in baseball didn #39;t need their old ace to be at top form.

Sports: 0.9996897
Mauresmo breezes through Amelie Mauresmo comfortably came through her first match since taking over at the top of the world rankings. The Frenchwoman reached the quarter-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix in Filderstadt with a 7-5 6-4 win over Switzerland #39;s Patty Schynder.

Sports: 0.9973314
Boston Marathon champ Johnny Kelley dies Johnny Kelley, a two-time Boston Marathon champion who became a beloved figure in the history of the race by running it a record 61 times, died at 97.

Business: 0.9513795
UPDATE 1-S amp;P revises Poland outlook to stable from negative Standard amp; Poor #39;s Ratings Services on Thursday revised its credit ratings outlook on Poland to stable from negative supported by strength in export growth and an improvement in the country #39;s fiscal performance.

SciTech: 0.99750644
Sony, Matsushita, Sharp to launch Blu-ray Disc camcorders in 2005 ... TOKYO (AFX) - Firms that are supporting one of the next-generation optical DVD formats, the Blu-ray Disc, plan to release camcorders that record on smaller versions of the discs as early as 2005, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, without citing sources.

Sports: 0.9952207
Game On On the same day that Tiger Woods was married in Barbados, the two best golfers in the world were walking the streets of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Sports: 0.99888283
Upstarts Guatemala, Panama Face Crunch Qualifiers RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Upstarts Guatemala and Panama face crunch matches against more experienced CONCACAF opponents Saturday as they continue their quest to qualify for a first World Cup.

World: 0.99939156
San Juan Airport Shuttered for an Hour (AP) AP - San Juan's international airport was closed for more than an hour Thursday morning after bomb-sniffing dogs alerted police to a suspicious piece of luggage, authorities said.

SciTech: 0.9966744
House Passes Second Anti-Spyware Bill WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a second bill targeting perpetrators of computer "spyware" that hides in users' computers and monitors their activities.

Sports: 0.997031
Astros Try to Go Up 2-0 Over Braves (AP) AP - The Houston Astros try to move a step closer to winning a playoff series for the first time, taking a 1-0 lead into Thursday's Game 2 against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

SciTech: 0.99671173
Microsoft releases fix for SP2-adware clash Microsoft has released a critical update for Windows Service Pack 2, designed to resolve an installation problem with a piece of adware -- but it maintains that the update isn #39;ta patch.

SciTech: 0.99245864
Nokia says Intel won't replace TI... yet Nokia Corp. has no immediate plans to use Intel Corp.'s processors in its handsets, the Finnish phone maker said Thursday, tempering an announcement earlier this week that Intel is building a reference design for a Symbian OS (operating system) mobile phone based on Nokia's Series 60 user interface.

Sports: 0.999711
Making it look easy CLEVELAND -- Their membership in the NFL elite entitles the Patriots to a gimme from time to time, like yesterday's 42-15 shellacking of the hapless Cleveland Browns.

Sports: 0.99968624
No temporary insanity here CLEVELAND -- As he stood on the sideline waiting for the opening kickoff yesterday, Terry Robiskie was excited, but also realistic. The interim coach of the Cleveland Browns knew the score even before the first score had been rung up on his team by the New England Patriots.

SciTech: 0.9923683
Volcanoes May Have Sparked Life on Earth, Study Says How did the building blocks of life arise on Earth? A new study says a volcanic gas may have been the key.

SciTech: 0.9979425
New Trojan Targets Adware New Trojan Targets Adware\\Antivirus maker Symantec has reported the arrival of a spooky Trojan Horse online, which does something unique. Codenamed Downloader.Lunii, it attacks and even removes advertisement enabled softwares, which are generally considered harmful for the system. On execution of the code, it tries to kill the processes associated...

Sports: 0.9983752
Mauresmo books a last-eight place FILDERSTADT, Germany -- Amelie Mauresmo stated her determination to stay World No. 1 by surging into the quarterfinals of the Filderstadt Grand Prix in Germany with a 7-5 6-4 win over Patty Schynder.

World: 0.999405
Sudan Peace Talks Resume for South as Tensions Brew KHARTOUM/NAIROBI (Reuters) - Sudan's government resumed talks with rebels in the oil-producing south on Thursday while the United Nations set up a panel to investigate charges of genocide in the west of Africa's largest country.

World: 0.99905914
Timeline of past 25 years in Afghanistan 1979: The Soviet Union sends troops into Afghanistan to support a pro-Moscow regime, sparking a decade-long war with anti-communist forces supplied and trained by the United States.

Business: 0.98893654
Oil Hits \$53 on Winter Worries, Nigeria LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices scaled new heights at \$53 for U.S. crude on Thursday on concerns over tight winter heating fuel supplies and an unexpected strike at Nigerian oil terminals.

Business: 0.9781668
STMicro may see windfall from Stern satellite move Shock jock Howard Stern #39;s jump to satellite radio could create a \$180 million windfall for Europe #39;s biggest chip maker, STMicroelectronics (STM.

Business: 0.99101746
Clubbing Wet Seal A same-stores sales drop that's less crummy than expected can't fix this sick pup.

SciTech: 0.99809533
Microsoft Fixes Key SP2 Issue (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has released a Windows XP Service Pack 2 update to fix an installation problem that was caused by a third-party adware program named "T.V. Media."

SciTech: 0.98562455
Study: VoIP to proliferate in U.S. households The number of homes using Net telephony should reach 12 million by 2009, but existing VoIP players could face hurdles.

World: 0.99935883
Employment Picture Expected to Improve NEW YORK - A rash of job cuts - more than 10,000 layoffs just this week from a handful of companies - has created some gloom on the jobs front. But Friday's release of jobs data for September was expected to show a steady unemployment rate and creation between about 50,000 to 250,000 new jobs, though uncertainties such as the effects of last month's hurricanes kept the estimates all over the map, said Wachovia Corp...

Sports: 0.99969923
Will Tiger Woods #39;s Marriage Score A Hole in One? Will marriage help Tiger Woods #39;s golf game? It couldn #39;t hurt. Woods has had rough times on the course lately. For the first time since May 1999 he has slipped to No.

Business: 0.99291855
ECB quot;consensus quot; kept rates steady today European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet has said that today #39;s decision to leave euro interest rates unchanged reflected a broad consensus on the governing council of the bank.

Sports: 0.99963737
Swimming: Phelps eases into world short course 200 free final INDIANAPOLIS, United States : Athens Olympic star Michael Phelps made a relatively relaxed start on the first day of the seventh World Short Course Swim Championship, qualifying second for the 200m freestyle final.

World: 0.99920326
US Cautious On Progress Toward Enriching Uranium The United States is responding carefully to Iran #39;s announcement that it has taken a major step toward enriching uranium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

World: 0.97701764
Italian PM, Gaddafi open gas pipeline in new era of #39;friendship #39; MELLITAH, Libya : Italia #39;s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi opened a gas pipeline between their countries in a new era of quot;friendship and cooperation quot; across the Mediterranean.

Business: 0.99825484
Check Boeing sops, Airbustells US Check Boeing sops, Airbustells ... European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday criticised a US move to take a fight about subsidies to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying it showed its rivals unwillingness to address its own subsidies.

Sports: 0.9996512
Head2Head Reader Responses The Packers have a far better shot at making the playoffs than the Titans. The Packers play in a much easier division, which gives them a better chance at winning the magic number of games (10?

SciTech: 0.92295116
Mark Cuban prompts dot-com redux reporteri #39;s notebook SAN FRANCISCO--Hope and cynicism sparred to a draw on Tuesday at the glitzy opening banquet of Web 2.0 conference here, as serial entrepreneur and reality TV show host Mark Cuban took the stage to talk about what #39;s next for the 10-year

World: 0.9993136
Karzai Uncle Sam #39;s man WASHINGTON, October 08 (Online): As Afghans prepare for their first presidential elections on October 9, President Hamid Karzai, a Pashtun, is being challenged by over a dozen factional leaders, but most Afghans and international officials expect him to

SciTech: 0.98628694
Music firms reach out to creator of Napster LOS ANGELES As a teenager, Shawn Fanning brought free music to the masses, creating the Napster file-swapping program and unleashing a technological genie that granted the wishes of fans seeking virtually any song at any time - gratis.

SciTech: 0.9953413
Opportunity Rover Stumbles Upon Rocky, Maybe Watery, Find (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Almost by accident, NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has found a rock that may point to a second water event in the red planet's past.

Business: 0.99847573
Shares of Large Drug Makers Fall NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of large drug makers fell on Thursday after a top U.S. cardiologist questioned the safety of new arthritis drugs and the performance of U.S. regulators in monitoring drug safety.

SciTech: 0.9975509
Stem Cells Emit Healing Molecules WASHINGTON (AP) -- Embryonic stem cells may not have to actually grow replacement body parts to be useful. New research suggests these cells also secrete healing molecules powerful enough to reverse a lethal birth defect in mice...

World: 0.99935085
U.S. Alerts Schools About Terror Threat WASHINGTON - The Education Department has advised school leaders nationwide to watch for people spying on their buildings or buses to help detect any possibility of terrorism like the deadly school siege in Russia. The warning follows an analysis by the FBI and the Homeland Security Department of the siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in the city of Beslan last month...

World: 0.99926037
The king who courted the Khmer Rouge (and survived) The career of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia has been a bewildering trail of political twists and expedient turns. Now the man they call the #39;mercurial monarch #39; has announced his abdication.

World: 0.9917408
Elbaradei, Environmentalist Tipped for Nobel (Reuters) Reuters - Among those tipped to win the 2004 Nobel\Peace Prize on Friday are the U.N. nuclear watchdog and its\leader Mohamed ElBaradei, a Kenyan environmentalist and a\Russian anti-nuclear activist.

SciTech: 0.99184775
CA offers usage-based pricing for mainframe tools OCTOBER 07, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Computer Associates International Inc. introduced a usage-based pricing and licensing option for its mainframe management products today, aligning its offerings with IBM #39;s on-demand model.

SciTech: 0.9972441
Web Gaming Changes Social Interactions (AP) AP - Not so long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, Chip Collier was on a mission. "I really gotta stop bleeding and dying," the 24-year old said as he slouched in front of his computer in his ninth-floor Chicago apartment. "I'm really horrible about not paying attention to my battle fatigue."

Business: 0.9985844
Alcoa Profit Hurt by Labor, Storm Costs Alcoa Inc. (AA.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the world #39;s biggest aluminum producer, posted only slightly better quarterly earnings on Thursday, as higher metal prices were

SciTech: 0.9751713
AMD's Q3 led by strong Opteron, Athlon 64 sales SAN FRANCISCO - As expected, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (AMD's) third-quarter revenue came in a little under the company's earlier predictions, but strong increases in sales of its 64-bit desktop and server processors led to the company's fourth straight profitable quarter.

SciTech: 0.9802351
UK Recording Industry Sues File Swappers Over Piracy Following the lead of their American counterparts, the leading music industry groups in the UK and Europe have launched scores of lawsuits against dozens of individuals they say swapped copyrighted music illegally.

Business: 0.98363584
Advanced Micro Devices meets reduced forecast for third quarter SAN FRANCISCO - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. reported a third-quarter profit from a loss a year-earlier on today, but sales fell from the second quarter in line with the chip maker #39;s recently reduced outlook.

World: 0.9993299
Yellowknife parole officer found dead after visiting client in apartment (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - YELLOWKNIFE (CP) - The case of a parole officer apparently killed while she was visiting a client has devastated her colleagues.

World: 0.99909425
Lawmakers Try to OK Hurricane-Drought Aid (AP) AP - Lawmakers scrambled to approve a #36;14 billion package to aid hurricane and drought victims Thursday, driven by warnings that relief money was running out and a need to pass legislation before the planned departure of Congress at the end of this week for the election.

Business: 0.50333
Skyboxes May Reach A Limit Verizon Communications Inc. would seem to be a prime candidate to snap up a luxury suite at the \$440 million ballpark being planned for Washington's Major League Baseball team.

Business: 0.99799913
Techs Lead Asian Shares Down, Oil Eases SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Technology stocks led Asian share markets lower on Friday after a retreat by their U.S. peers, with investors cautious amid record-breaking oil prices and ahead of U.S. jobs data later in the day.

Business: 0.99860793
Bookings Decline at US Airways US Airways Group Inc. attorneys and executives acknowledged in bankruptcy court yesterday that bookings had fallen more steeply than they had anticipated in reaction to their Chapter

SciTech: 0.99523276
Sun and Kodak settle out of court As we reported previously, Kodak filed a lawsuit against Sun Microsystems claiming that the company had infringed on its patents by implementing quot;ask for help quot; functionality in its Java programming language, which gave a huge boost to the company #39;s yearly

Sports: 0.99720687
Ravens Star Jamal Lewis Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge (Reuters) Reuters - Baltimore Ravens football star Jamal\Lewis pleaded guilty on Thursday to using a cell phone to try\to broker a cocaine deal, avoiding more serious federal drug\charges that could have sent him to prison for life.

SciTech: 0.9609997
Plugging in a Musical Visionary's Next Ideas Musician Brian Eno, who has been turning ideas into visionary music for decades, is looking to create software that will write song lyrics.

Business: 0.8854173
Techs Hit Asian Shares Lower; Oil Down (Reuters) Reuters - Technology stocks led Asian share\markets lower Friday after a retreat by their U.S. peers, with\investors cautious amid record-breaking oil prices and ahead of\U.S. jobs data later in the day.

Sports: 0.99964046
Cardinals Crush Dodgers to Grab 2-0 Series Lead Mike Matheny #39;s two-run single highlighted a three-run fifth inning rally which lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Divisional Series Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9267525
AT amp;T Wireless Gets in Tune AT amp;T Wireless (NYSE: AWE) recently debuted its mMode Music Store. Developed together with Loudeye (Nasdaq: LOUD) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), the store allows subscribers to browse

Business: 0.99827206
How Serious Is Pfizer #39;s Condition? The stock is feeling some pain these days. However, this drugmaker has enough going for it that the illness shouldn #39;t last. Amid nervousness over the future of Pfizer #39;s arthritis pain treatment Celebrex and

Business: 0.99738187
Aisin finishes deal for Michigan land HANDY TOWNSHIP -- A Japanese auto supplier said Thursday it completed the purchase of about 750 acres of Michigan land for a proving ground.

SciTech: 0.9913054
RIAA legal action barely gets a mention SOMETHING INTERESTING HAPPENED in the filesharing world this week, the music industry launched another round of lawsuits against their core user base.

SciTech: 0.99780124
Firefox invades market PROGRESS: Many students eagerly await the final version of Mozilla #39;s Firefox Internet browser that will be released later this month.

Business: 0.759497
Woman's death probed Public health officials are investigating why a 38-year-old woman died two weeks after undergoing gastric bypass surgery at Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River. The hospital has stopped offering the surgery during the state probe and an internal review.

Business: 0.992007
Danaher to Make Offer for Linx Printing Danaher Corp., a maker of Sears Craftsman tools and environmental testing products, said Wednesday that it plans to make a cash tender offer to purchase Linx Printing Technologies PLC for \$158 million, including transaction costs.

Sports: 0.9997037
Warne ends India #39;s teen resistance India posted 199/7 and trail Australia by 275 runs at lunch on the third day of the first Test at Bangalore. India #39;s two teenagers Pathiv Patel and Irfan Pathan, who resumed on 18 and one respectively, fought

Sports: 0.8984949
Today's schedule Pro baseball: AL Division Series -- Anaheim vs. Red Sox at Fenway Park (Game 3), 4 p.m.

SciTech: 0.9920901
Picking Your Perfect PCI Express PC Way back in June I suggested you hold off on buying a new PC until systems with PCI Express shipped. The new technology has the potential to dramatically improve performance because it replaces the pokey old

Business: 0.9981956
VIACOM MAY PAY SIRIUS \$: HOWARD Howard Stern hinted broadly yesterday that he might continue his involvement with Viacom after he switches to censor-free satellite radio in 15 months.

World: 0.99859196
Kenyan tree planter wins Nobel Peace Prize: report LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Kenyan tree planter and government minister Wangari Maathai has won the Nobel Peace Prize, Agence France-Presse said.

SciTech: 0.86040616
Fujifilm And Sprint Launch Photo Printing Service Sprint and Fuji Photo Film USA recently introduced a new service that lets Sprint #39;s Picture Mail customers send digital camera phone pictures from their online Picture Mail

Business: 0.94831675
London-Based Bank Wins Bid for Permata A consortium led by Standard Chartered PLC won the bidding for a majority stake in PT Bank Permata, agreeing to pay US\$300 million (euros 244 million) for control of Indonesia #39;s seventh-largest lender, Finance Minister Boediono said Friday.

World: 0.9891846
Kenyan tree planter wins peace prize Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist, today became the first African woman to win the Nobel peace prize. Ms Maathai, 64, Kenya #39;s deputy environment minister, heads the Green Belt movement, a group that

Business: 0.99809855
Citigroup Hits Back at Parmalat MILAN (Reuters) - Citigroup on Friday launched a legal challenge against a restructuring plan drawn up by Parmalat, hitting back after the bankrupt food group took the world's biggest bank to court recently.

SciTech: 0.98768127
U.S. Wildlife Refuges Facing Grave Threats 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.

World: 0.9970764
Kenyan activist plants tree to mark Nobel prize Crying with delight, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai planted a tree to celebrate winning the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday and vowed to use the money

SciTech: 0.99514776
Microsoft, Sun, Intel push IT management via Web services (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Microsoft and Sun Microsystems on Thursday are publishing a specification to leverage Web services for managing a broad range of IT systems including PCs and devices on a network.

World: 0.999405
Africa condemned to major polio epidemic - U.N. (Reuters) Reuters - A major polio epidemic in West and Central Africa is inevitable in coming months, but the disease could be eradicated worldwide next year by mass immunisations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.

Business: 0.9976273
Almost 5,000 jobs cut on Bank of America getting funds Bank of America has an option to cut at least 4,500 jobs while reorganizing its structure. This is not the first time when the bank reduces jobs.

SciTech: 0.9932649
Polygon shapes on Mars rock add to evidence of water Curious polygon shapes on the surface of Mars are among the latest evidence clearly suggesting the presence of water, and some of it may have appeared there even after the surface was bombarded by objects from distant space.

World: 0.99940825
Reclusive Amish could be thrown into election battleground (AFP) AFP - Martha Lapp hopes to vote for the first time in the US presidential election, in which the reclusive Amish sect that her family belongs to could play a key role.

Business: 0.9986216
Oil prices send US stocks lower INVESTORS sent stocks sharply lower today as oil prices continued their climb higher and new questions about the safety of arthritis drugs pressured pharmaceutical stocks.

SciTech: 0.9899839
Dell recalls 4.4m notebook power adaptors Dell today asked 4.4m notebook users to return their power adaptors after it admitted these peripherals pose both a fire and electric shock hazard.

Sports: 0.9990194
English FA planning to introduce EPO tests this season The English FA plans to introduce tests for the blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin) this season as part of its regular testing programme.

SciTech: 0.9865602
BenQ Readies IPod Rival Hard-drive based digital audio player will be available by the end of the year.

World: 0.9986702
French Trial Watches Bomb Plot Surveillance Tape (Reuters) Reuters - A Paris court watched on Friday a\surveillance video shot by Islamic militants plotting to bomb a\Strasbourg market, in which a commentator brands the French\city a modern-day Babylon whose residents would go to hell.

Business: 0.99861217
Soybeans Retreat, Grains Futures Mixed Soybean futures edged lower Friday in early activity on the Chicago Board of Trade. Grain futures were mixed. Wheat for December delivery rose 1/4 cent to \$3.

World: 0.9994184
Jets hit rebel city in payback for hotel raid BAGHDAD: US fighter jets bombed the rebel-held city of Fallujah yesterday, killing at least 10 people, hours after rockets slammed into a Baghdad hotel used by foreign journalists and contractors.

Business: 0.97585607
BA hikes oil surcharge by up to 8 per ticket British Airways, Europe #39;s biggest airline by passenger capacity, has hiked its fuel surcharges by up to UK8 per ticket, a day after oil prices climbed to record levels.

Business: 0.9883255
Thomson to Sell Media Group for #36;350 Mln (Reuters) Reuters - Thomson Corp. said on Friday it\will sell its media division to investment group Investcorp in\a #36;350 million cash deal that will tighten its focus on\electronic publishing.

SciTech: 0.98427933
House passes bill to criminalize spyware fraud The House Thursday passed a bill that would criminalize the use of spyware to commit fraud or other crimes, adding an additional two to five years to federal sentences.

World: 0.9994055
Bomb rocks Indonesia #39;s Paris embassy A small parcel bomb has exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris, slightly injuring 10 people and shattering windows, but officials say they have no clues to the motive.

World: 0.99941635
Militants in Iraq Kill UK Hostage, Video Shows BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Militants in Iraq beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley, three weeks after kidnapping him to press a demand for the release of women held by U.S.-led forces, a video seen by Reuters showed on Friday.

World: 0.9993716
Cambodia passes succession law Cambodia approves a law to choose a new monarch, after King Sihanouk's abdication announcement.

World: 0.999363
Lackluster Jobs Report Pushes Stocks Down NEW YORK - Investors pushed stocks lower Friday as a surprisingly lackluster job creation report deepened Wall Street's pessimism over the health of the economy. A solid earnings report from General Electric Co...

World: 0.99921703
For the First Time, an African Woman Wins the Nobel Peace Prize Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan who has worked tirelessly to protect the environment, improve the lives of women, and fight crime, Friday became

SciTech: 0.8996938
Google SMS and wireless carriers that save your text messages. Yesterday we covered the news that Google is expanding their search to the mobile arena with their new Google SMS service which lets you search by sending text messages from your cellphone.

Sports: 0.99972814
MUTV: We #39;re giving balanced picture MUTV bosses have hit back strongly at allegations of bias levelled against them by a group of Manchester United supporters. United #39;s official television station was targeted by fans who disrupted live coverage of the reserve-team match at Altrincham.

Business: 0.9982085
House Passes Corporate Tax Bill The House, by a vote of 280 to 141, gave final approval last night to a far-reaching tax bill that provides a rich array of breaks to manufacturing companies, energy producers and small businesses and underwrites a \$10 billion buyout of American tobacco

SciTech: 0.9695431
Cassini Spies Saturn's Moon Tethys The Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn caught a glimpse of Tethys, a cratered, icy moon. Notable for Tethys are its split fissure and enormous crater, both of which leave the impression that its fragile surface is remaking itself slowly...

SciTech: 0.9967841
Polese steps into open-source fray Former Sun and Marimba executive Kim Polese takes the helm of SpikeSource, a start-up which will offer services around open source software.

World: 0.9901057
Putin Heads for Turkey in Landmark Visit Between Former Foes Russian President Vladimir Putin is making a two-day official visit to Turkey, the first by any Russian leader in 32 years. Mr. Putin is expected to sign several economic cooperation agreements

Sports: 0.9958611
Man U condemns fan protest against Glazer Manchester United criticized fans who disrupted a game between reserve teams to protest a potential takeover of the famed English soccer club by Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer.

Sports: 0.99971944
Is King Kahn #39;s reign coming to an end? He is first choice for his club Bayern Munich and used to be an automatic selection for the national team too. But when Germany meets Iran in a friendly this weekend, Kahn is not going to be between the posts.

Sports: 0.9989561
Marquee Matchup With apologies to Arizona and San Francisco, there are only two teams in the NFC West again this year, and that means the division has just two truly meaningful games: This one, and Seattle at St.

Business: 0.6926757
Flu Shot Shortage Highlights U.S. Crisis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Concerned health officials began investigating on Friday what went wrong at a British vaccine plant where half the U.S. flu shots were made, and called on more companies to get into the vaccine business.

SciTech: 0.9904358
Collaboration suite to help secure tonight's Bush-Kerry debate The U.S. Secret Service and a throng of police and emergency management officials in Missouri will for the first time use a customized Microsoft-based collaboration portal to share security information during tonight's presidential debate.

Sports: 0.9996966
Sharapova eases through to second consecutive final Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova reached her second consecutive final with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Thailand #39;s Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Japan Open on Friday.

Business: 0.99256694
Copper Prices Rally to 16-Year Highs Copper prices surged to 16-year highs on Friday as a strike at the world #39;s largest copper producer threatened to tighten world supplies.

SciTech: 0.9634973
Dell AC Adaptors Recalled October 8, 2004 - Dell Inc. is recalling about 2.9 million AC adapters nationwide_ 4.4 million worldwide_ used with notebook personal computers because they can overheat and cause a fire and electrical shock

Business: 0.9985568
Update 4: Court Dismisses Suit From Hollinger Newspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc. suffered a setback Friday in its legal battle against ousted CEO Conrad Black and several associates when a federal judge sharply scaled back its effort to

SciTech: 0.9975085
Cracks in Martian rock point to watery past LOS ANGELES - NASA #39;s Mars rover, Opportunity, has found more signs that rocks on the Red Planet were once submerged in water. Data sent by Opportunity suggest a crater was drenched a second time after drying out, scientists said.

World: 0.9993783
Iraq war was illegal: Chirac HANOI: French President Jacques Chirac has said the US-led war in Iraq was illegal and expressed his fear for the countrys future in the face of a civil war.

World: 0.99935895
California Official Rules on Gay Marriage SAN FRANCISCO - California's constitution permits laws against gay marriage, the state's attorney general declared Friday in a long-awaited legal opinion that sought to avoid offending either side of the debate. While acknowledging that "committed and loving relationships between two individuals deserve recognition under California law," Attorney General Bill Lockyer said it was up to the voters or the Legislature to decide questions about whether gay couples should be allowed to marry...

SciTech: 0.9925754
Caymas to open with security gateways Security start-up Caymas Systems launches Monday with products to protect the flow of corporate data.

SciTech: 0.9628321
First Look: RemoteTV Offers Slick Media Streaming Belkin's latest product lets you effortlessly share digital content within the house, but is it lawful?

World: 0.9993987
U.S. Warns Americans to Avoid Haiti (AP) AP - Security in Haiti remains unpredictable and dangerous, and Americans should not travel to the Caribbean nation except for emergencies, the State Department said Friday.

SciTech: 0.99472964
MPAA asks Supreme Court to rule on P-to-P cases SAN FRANCISCO - Representatives for the music and movie industries have filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision in which companies that enable peer-to-peer (P-to-P) file trading networks were absolved of liability for copyright violations by users of those networks.

World: 0.9962709
Chirac #39;s tour of China magnifies partnership Dialogue between China and France, two countries which highly value cultural diversity and pluralism in international politics, is no doubt conducive to world peace.

World: 0.99938893
Israelis Trudge Home, in Shock After Bombings At least 29 people were killed and more than 160 were injured in what Israeli officials believed were terrorist bombings.

World: 0.9892112
Turkey a step closer to Brussels The European Commission is set to give the green light later today to accession talks with Turkey. EU leaders will take a final decision in December.

Business: 0.98797625
Trump defends Martha Stewart New York real estate mogul Donald Trump defended his friend Martha Stewart as the woman who turned home economics into a media empire began her prison term.

World: 0.98949546
Rights activist, environmentalist wins peace prize Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan woman who started an environmental movement that has planted 30 million trees in Africa and who has campaigned for women #39;s rights and greater democracy in her home country, won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize yesterday.

World: 0.99910814
Israel scrambled warplanes #39;in case of hijacking threat #39; Israeli warplanes scrambled as soon as news broke of the Taba bombings. Military sources would not elaborate but analysts suggested the most likely reason was to intercept any hijacked

World: 0.9993949
Israelis Kill Four Palestinians in Gaza Strip GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed four armed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as it pressed a massive 10-day-old offensive that has cost 85 Palestinian lives in an attempt to stop militants firing rockets.

SciTech: 0.9969727
Astronaut #39;s kudos to Rutan I applaud Burt Rutan and the SpaceShipOne team for their miraculous achievement of winning the Ansari X Prize. As an astronaut, I understand well the challenges they faced in reaching suborbital space.

SciTech: 0.975873
Kodak accepts \$92 million from Sun SUN MICROSYSTEMS will pay Kodak \$92 million to settle a patents infringement case after a jury found it guilty of using Java patents.

Business: 0.9936613
Welcome to Alderson Homemaking guru Martha Stewart slipped into the federal prison camp here in the dark morning hours to start her five-month sentence.

Sports: 0.9996402
Socceroos lead at break The Socceroos lead the Solomon Islands 4-0 at half-time in their Confederations Cup qualifier in Honiara. A double from midfielder Josip Skoko and strikes to Ante Milicic and the impressive Brett Emerton have

Sports: 0.99921656
Earnhardt: Take money, not points Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to change its punishment for swearing on television and radio broadcasts before another driver commits a similar slip of the tongue.

World: 0.99913377
Rumsfeld to Meet Foreign Defense Chiefs on Iraq MANAMA (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was set to meet defense chiefs from about 18 nations aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Gulf Saturday as the United States looks to improve the security situation in Iraq with January elections looming.

Business: 0.9982095
Martha Stewart reports to jail to begin sentence the time she had to report to the country #39;s oldest federal prison for women. service of her sentence, quot; a Federal Bureau of Prisons statement said.

World: 0.96104234
Alstom to sign 1 billion Euro in contracts with China (AFP) AFP - The French Group Alstom Saturday will sign contracts worth up to 1 billion Euros (1.23 billion dollars) in China for the delivery of trains and locomotives, French sources with knowledge of the deal revealed to AFP.

World: 0.9994098
U.S. Bishops Reviewing Sex Abuse Policy The nation's Roman Catholic bishops said Friday they will spend the next nine months deciding whether to make any changes in the policy they enacted at the height of the clergy sex abuse crisis that includes permanently barring guilty priests from church work. The review was mandated in the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," the document the bishops adopted at an emotional June 2002 assembly in Dallas...

Business: 0.99780244
Trading blows When a can of worms is opened, all manner of slimy things crawl out. So it was when the US government fired the first shots in a fusillade against the European Union - by complaining to the World Trade Organisation

SciTech: 0.9697112
A So-So Debut For Microsoft #39;s Blog Service Microsoft Corp. made a belated entrance into the quot;blogosphere quot; Thursday, unveiling a free Web-log publishing service one day after Merriam-Webster Inc.

SciTech: 0.99593794
New Star-Type Resembles Stillborn Star When a binary star system starts to transfer mass, one of the twins may well win out, leaving its companion to occupy a strange region half way between a star and a planet. A new star-type of this sort has been found, which resembles the infrared ash of a stillborn star.

Sports: 0.99971944
WCQ Group 6 preview: Eriksson considers three up front. MANCHESTER, Oct 9 (SW) - England manager Sven Goran Eriksson looks set to play with three forwards in Saturdays World Cup qualifier against Wales at Old Trafford.

Sports: 0.9996903
Joyous Red Sox Fans Celebrate Clean Sweep Over Angels BOSTON -- Exuberant Red Sox fans spilled out of Fenway Park on Friday in a raucous celebration of Friday #39;s dramatic 8-6 10th inning victory over the Anaheim Angels that propelled Boston into the American League Championship series.

World: 0.8903814
Chirac Sees Opportunity in China's Economic Surge BEIJING (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac declared Saturday that France was a natural trade partner to China and, amid a flurry of air, rail and energy deals, played down any threat from one the world's fastest growing economies.

SciTech: 0.9968059
Examining Earth's Primordial Soup How did the first amino acids form the first peptides? It is the important question that may point the pathway towards understanding the primordial soup. Researchers now suggest that the binder for linking together building blocks may have been volcanic gases -- or carbonyl sulfide.

SciTech: 0.9517342
GPS in Cell Phones Performs Well While some handheld computers have GPS capabilities, not nearly as many people carry a PDA as the legions who've adopted cell phones as a daily appendage. That's why the notion of adding GPS navigation to a cell phone, as Nextel has with a service called TeleNav, seems appealing.

World: 0.99940896
Five killed, 30 hurt in Kashmir car explosion : India News gt; Pattan/Srinagar, Oct.9 : A suicide bomber rammed a car packed with explosives into an army convoy in Kashmir today, killing four soldiers and a civilian and wounding 30 more, police said.

World: 0.9993437
Militia to Hand Weapons to Iraq Police BAGHDAD, Iraq - Followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Saturday they will begin handing weapons over to Iraqi police next week in a major step toward ending weeks of fighting with American soldiers in Baghdad's Sadr City district. Meanwhile, there were reports that British hostage Kenneth Bigley tried to escape before he was beheaded...

World: 0.9986934
Bush, Kerry Seek to Claim Victory in Ohio (AP) AP - Chatter about President Bush and Democrat John Kerry was going strong above the whir of spin cycles at the Soapbox laundry, the debate reflecting the presidential race in a must-win state for both candidates.

SciTech: 0.97903115
Safety concerns stand in way of space tourism Thrill seekers are plunking down six figures to ride rockets not even been built yet, and a new airline called Virgin Galactic promises to be soaring in the next three years.

Sports: 0.9990212
Donald Leads by Two in Dunhill Links (AP) AP - Luke Donald shot a 4-under-par 68 Saturday for a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Dunhill Links Championship.

Business: 0.99764
Finance: Losing the Right to Sue WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More and more businesses are sticking mandatory arbitration clauses into their contracts, forcing consumers to give up their right to sue if they want to conduct business, and consumer groups have made the elimination of these clauses a top priority.

World: 0.9994128
Mauritania coup kingpin held Nouakchott, Mauritania - Authorities said on Saturday they arrested the alleged ringleader of a string of foiled coup and assassination attempts against Mauritania #39;s leaders.

World: 0.9993388
Israeli Army Kills 5 Palestinians in 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. Abed Nabhan, 25, was one of five Palestinians killed Saturday in the continuing Israeli operation in northern Gaza...

World: 0.9993857
Afghan Refugees Vote in Pakistan, Iran Troops of Pakistani para-military force check Afghan refugee voters before they enter in polling station to vote in Afghanistan #39;s presidential election at Jallozai camp near Peshawar, Pakistan on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004.

SciTech: 0.9613431
US names cyber chief The Department of Homeland Security has named an acting US cybersecurity chief as Congress weighed whether to give the position greater clout to fight hackers, viruses and other online threats.

World: 0.9994073
Nigerian Islamist rebels attack police, take officers hostage (AFP) AFP - Islamist rebels have attacked a major police patrol and taken a number of hostages in a remote area of northeastern Nigeria near the Cameroon border, the missing officers' commander told AFP.

Sports: 0.9988223
Sarin Carries Hoyas Kim Sarin rushes for a career-high 180 yards and throws a scoring pass as Georgetown snaps a four-game losing streak with a 21-0 victory over winless Virginia Military Institute on Saturday.

World: 0.9994068
Israelis kill five Palestinans in Gaza Strip Israeli troops killed five armed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip today as it pressed on with a massive offensive aimed at stopping militants firing rockets into Israel.

World: 0.99934477
Accusations of Fraud Mar Afghan Election KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghans packed polling stations on Saturday for a historic presidential election that was blemished when all 15 candidates opposing U.S.-backed interim President Hamid Karzai withdrew, charging the government and the U.N. with fraud and incompetence...

World: 0.9994055
Taiwan's Leader Urges China to Begin Talks (AP) AP - Taiwan's leader used his National Day speech Sunday to urge China to begin peace talks so the two rivals can avoid war. Chinese and Taiwanese leaders haven't met since the Communists took over China in 1949 and Taiwan began resisting the mainland's rule. China insists that Taiwan is a Chinese province and has threatened to attack if it refuses to unify eventually.

Sports: 0.9982845
Bauman: Lapse cost Twins game It is easy to look at the final game of a postseason series as the game that meant everything. But this particular series took a decisive turn two games before the end arrived Saturday.

Sports: 0.99967873
Yanks shock Twins, earn date with Sox: Another late rally erases 4 ... Just when you think you #39;ve seen it all, the Yankees devise a new way to win a game and torture their opponents. Last night, they somehow landed a spot in the American League

Sports: 0.9997037
Late TD lifts LSU over Florida 24-21 After coming up with one big play after another, Florida left it up to the defense to save the game one final time in Saturday night #39;s 24-21 loss to LSU.

Sports: 0.99971956
Rebels use late TD to top Gamecocks COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Ethan Flatt found Bill Flowers in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:05 left to give Mississippi a 31-28 victory over No. 25 South Carolina yesterday.

Sports: 0.999694
Minutemen KO'd by Dukes HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Opposing running backs are beginning to enjoy playing against the University of Massachusetts.

World: 0.99921083
On an old road to Damascus: An ancient city finds new life DAMASCUS -- The crowd begins filling the courtyard of Opaline, a trendy restaurant, as late evening teeters toward early morning. Many arrive by golf cart, whisked through alleys to the wooden doors of a centuries-old Arab home within Old City walls.

Sports: 0.9997147
Lima gem ends LA drought Jose Lima came to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February as a journeyman pitcher with a 71-77 win-loss record, a 5.13 ERA and a reputation as one of baseball #39;s hot dogs.

World: 0.9994005
Rebel Attacks Hit Baghdad as Rumsfeld Visits Iraq A rocket attack and suicide car bombing killed at least four people in Baghdad Sunday as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld began an unannounced visit to Iraq to gauge efforts to calm violence before January elections.

Sports: 0.9997093
Sven refuses to criticise Becks Quell surprise: Sven has refused to criticise David Beckham despite the England captain #39;s latest demonstration of his infamous petulance against Wales.

World: 0.99934655
Two Car Bombs Kill 10 Iraqis in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two car bombs shook the capital in quick succession Sunday, killing at least 10 Iraqis and wounding 16, police and hospital officials said. One American soldier was hurt...

Sports: 0.9997092
Tressel discounts replay COLUMBUS - Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel admitted it was a stretch to point to a videotape review of an apparent fumble by Wisconsin early in the third quarter of yesterday #39;s 24-13 loss to the Badgers, but a live microphone created some talk in the

Sports: 0.9997112
Lima's Complete Game Shutout Helps Dodgers Beat Cards LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jose Lima pitched a complete game shutout and Shawn Green stroked two homers to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St Louis Cardinals 4-0 to stay alive in their National League Divisional Series Saturday.

World: 0.9993925
Cambodia #39;s king wants to abdicate Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk has announced he is too ill to continue and has confirmed he plans to abdicate. Prince Ranariddh, the king #39;s son has traveled to Beijing, where

SciTech: 0.93402255
Firm develops all-purpose memory cards A leading Japanese electronics company is developing memory cards that can be used to make cashless payments, open locks and read identification with a simple flick.

World: 0.9993231
Baghdad Car Bombs Kill 11, Including GI BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two car bombs shook the capital in quick succession Sunday, killing at least 11 people, including an American soldier, and wounding 16, U.S. and Iraqi officials said, as Defense Secretary Donald H...

Sports: 0.99831545
Glazer could bid for Manchester United this week: reports LONDON : US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer could launch a takeover bid for English football giants Manchester United this week after securing financing and making contact with the club #39;s largest shareholders, newspapers here reported.

SciTech: 0.9980117
Security Concerns Shelve MSN Messenger 7 Microsoft has suspended the beta testing of the next version of its MSN Messenger client because of a potential security problem, a company spokesperson says.

World: 0.99930656
Preparations begin for return of sailor's body; tow ending for sub (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - As preparations began for the return to Canada of a sailor killed in a submarine fire in the North Atlantic, the HMCS Chicoutimi was slowly being towed toward a port in Scotland.

Sports: 0.9995764
U.S.-Australia Swimming Rivalry Set to Heat Up INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The rivalry between the U.S. and Australia is set to heat up at the short course world championships with most of the five finals later Sunday featuring head-to-head clashes by the two swimming powerhouses.

World: 0.9988856
Panel to Investigate Fraud Charges in Afghan Vote The move to head off the attack on the vote's legitimacy came as workers began the long process of collecting ballots.

Sports: 0.99968123
Johnson to request release or trade Brad Johnson, who earlier in the week was replaced at quarterback by Buccaneers second-year pro Chris Simms, will ask the team to trade or release him, sources have told ESPN #39;s Chris Mortensen.

Business: 0.99765295
Gazprom Plans LNG Terminal in US Gazprom came a step closer to the liquefied natural gas market on Friday, saying Petro-Canada would help in its goal to build plants in Russia and the United States.

Sports: 0.9993893
Griffin, Davis Both Sitting Out (AP) AP - Starting running backs Quentin Griffin of the Broncos and Stephen Davis of the Panthers both were inactive for Sunday's game.

Sports: 0.99119496
Novak wins Japan Open Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic settled his game after a rocky start and beat Taylor Dent 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 Sunday to win the Japan Open for the sixth title of his career.

World: 0.9992466
Sihamoni ready to take over: PHNOM PENH, Oct. 10. - King Norodom Sihanouk declared on Sunday that his son, Crown Prince Norodom Sihamoni is ready to accept kingship.

World: 0.99940634
Study: Few Americans Buy Drugs Online NEW YORK - Only 4 percent of Americans have ever used the Internet to buy prescription drugs - and even fewer do so through foreign pharmacies - despite Web sites maintained by a handful of states to help citizens import medicines more cheaply from Canada, a new study finds. A majority - 62 percent - believe drugs bought online are less safe than those purchased from a local pharmacy, accepting the federal government's stated concerns in opposing drug imports, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said in a report Sunday...

World: 0.9993948
Russian millionaire's party heads Lithuania poll, but coalition needed (AFP) AFP - A party led by a Russian-born millionaire won the most votes in the first round parliamentary elections in Lithuania, but apparently not enough to form a government on its own, initial results showed.

World: 0.9994097
Chinese engineers kidnapped in Pakistan ISLAMABAD - Tribal elders in Pakistan #39;s South Waziristan tribal area and local administration officials are negotiating with the kidnappers of two Chinese engineers to secure their release, a government spokesman said Sunday.

Sports: 0.999696
Braves Beat Astros 6-5, Set Up Atlanta Finale HOUSTON (Reuters) - Adam LaRoche crushed a game-tying three-run homer and J.D. Drew slapped a ninth-inning RBI single to give the Braves a 6-5 comeback victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Sports: 0.99958664
San Diego Chargers SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Jesse Chatman recorded his first 100-yard rushing day while wearing the San Diego Chargers #39; powder blue 1960 #39;s-style uniforms.

World: 0.9993864
Rumsfeld says US is winning the war as bomb attacks kill 18 Bombs in Baghdad killed 18 people as the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, declared that America was winning the war against insurgency during a visit to Iraq.

Business: 0.9975896
Labour has failed on pensions, commission will report A report on pensions commissioned by the Government will be highly critical of Labour #39;s record on the issue, saying that people are saving far less for retirement than official figures show

Business: 0.9031156
Senate Resolves Corporate Tax Bill Delay Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is shown in Washington in this Nov. 11, 2003, file photo. Known as one of the Senate #39;s more moderate Democrats, Landrieu undertook a fiery defense Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, of military

World: 0.99935645
Senate Resolves Corporate Tax Bill Delay WASHINGTON - The Senate late Sunday resolved a dispute delaying passage of a sweeping corporate tax bill and two spending bills for disaster relief and homeland security, clearing the way for senators to adjourn Monday to hit the campaign trail. The agreement removed parliamentary roadblocks thrown up by Sen...

Business: 0.8659963
Complex Brings Work, Shops Close to Home Tucked on a side street, just a block from the cars and trucks that whiz along Rockville Pike, sits a new complex of 404 luxury apartments, renovated restaurants and stores that some planners and developers are calling the optimum in compact urban redevelopment.

Sports: 0.9997044
American Crocker Sets Short Course World Record INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Ian Crocker of the United States set a short course world record of 22.71 seconds in the 50 meters butterfly at the world championships on Sunday.

World: 0.9993754
Iraqis Fearing a Sunni Boycott of the Election Leaders of Iraq's Sunni minority say they have failed to generate any enthusiasm for nationwide elections scheduled for January.

Sports: 0.9960641
Redskins Trail, 14-10 The Ravens have pulled in front of the Redskins, 14-10, when B.J. Sams returns a punt 78 yards for a touchdown.

Sports: 0.99967515
Big Game Hunting Virginia, Navy and Maryland face season-defining games, perhaps program-defining games for the Cavaliers and Midshipmen as they play against Florida State and Notre Dame, respectively on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9984812
Seminoles Monday recap Despite myriad miscues, Florida State rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Syracuse 17-13 before 40,539 fans at the Carrier Dome.

World: 0.99929917
Ken Caminiti, 1996 NL MVP, Dies at Age 41 NEW YORK - Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died Sunday. He was 41...

SciTech: 0.99410725
Mount St. Helens Releases More Steam (AP) AP - More steam gushed out of Mount St. Helens following an increase in earthquake activity, keeping scientists guessing as to what is happening deep within the volcano and perhaps showing that the mountain's seismic activity may not be over yet.

World: 0.9994037
Car bombs kill 11 in Baghdad BAGHDAD -- Two car bombs in Baghdad killed at least 11 people yesterday, including one American soldier, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited US troops and diplomats in the capital and at a remote desert air base.

Business: 0.99301106
Growth without jobs is a vexing contradiction According to the government #39;s own labor reports, George W. Bush is the first president since Herbert Hoover to preside over a net loss of jobs during his administration.

SciTech: 0.99679464
William Watkins, 78, Recorder of Marine Mammals' Calls, Dies A leading researcher of marine mammal acoustics, William A. Watkins created a database of thousands of underwater calls from more than 70 species.

Sports: 0.9997154
Clemens's exit opens door for Braves HOUSTON -- John Smoltz, Adam LaRoche, and J.D. Drew saved the Atlanta Braves from another quick playoff exit.

World: 0.99931836
Ten Turkish hostages freed in Iraq The men, who work for the Ankara-based construction company Vinsan, were kidnapped on September 18 by a militant organisation that identified itself as Salafist Abu Bakr al-Seddiq Group.

World: 0.98843634
Legendary all-rounder Miller dies Keith Miller, arguably Australia's greatest all-rounder in Test cricket, has died in Melbourne aged 84.

Business: 0.99783474
Second Acts Former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran is the new president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, a trade group that counts more than 400 members, including Genzyme Corp. and Biogen Idec Inc., the two largest biotechnology companies in the state. Its previous president left under pressure earlier this year, and some members say they chose Finneran, who quit his legislative post...

World: 0.9988405
Chicoutimi #39;was seaworthy #39; A submarine left stranded in the Atlantic after a fire was seaworthy when it left the UK, the Canadian navy has said. The second-hand vessel was sold to Canada by the Royal Navy who earlier denied a refit was botched.

Business: 0.99561536
Plan to ease sale of Abbey shares Abbey National shareholders will no longer need to fill in complex Spanish tax forms if BSCH's bid to buy the UK firm succeeds.

SciTech: 0.95119977
Inspector Google solves the crime It #39;s normally employed to drum up that missing address, phone number or website, or to check facts, dates, names and other miscellany.

Business: 0.9874298
Singapore Shares End Lower Singapore shares ended lower Monday, hurt by below-expected third-quarter economic data that added to ongoing concerns over high oil prices and weakness on Wall Street.

Business: 0.90644985
Intel defeats AMD in court AMD #39;s attempt to persuade the US court to sanction the release of over 60,000 pages of Intel documentation to a European Commission anti-trust enquiry has failed.

Business: 0.9836512
Insurance Giant to Export 1,100 Jobs to India One of the countrys biggest insurance firms today announced plans to transfer more than 1,100 jobs to India over the next few years, sparking fears of a crisis in the UK.

Sports: 0.99903405
Chargers Postgame Show Denver was poised to take the late lead when cornerback Drayton Florence knocked away an end zone pass headed for Rod Smith. The pass ricocheted to safety Jerry Wilson for an interception.

World: 0.99941504
Explosions in Refugee Camp in South Gaza Strip GAZA (Reuters) - Several explosions rocked the house of an Islamic Jihad militant leader in a Palestinian refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, witnesses said.

Business: 0.8486984
T-Online returns to Deutsche Telekom mothership German incumbent telco Deutsche Telekom announced over the weekend it is to begin taking its internet division, T-Online, back entirely within the mother corporation.

World: 0.99786735
Oil Surges to New Intraday High in Europe (AP) AP - The price of crude oil surged to a new intraday high of US #36;53.42 in European trade Monday, despite assurances from Middle East oil producers that they were committed to bringing the price down as a strike began in Africa's largest exporter.

Business: 0.6984732
Nobel Economics Prize Awarded Norwegian-born Finn Kydland and Edward Prescott of the United States won the 2004 Nobel\economics prize, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on Monday.

Business: 0.9983902
Diebold Cuts Forecast NEW YORK (Reuters) - Diebold Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DBD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DBD.N</A>, the leading maker of automated teller machines, on Monday reduced its third-quarter and full-year earnings forecasts as it absorbs costs for recertifying its electronic voting machines in California and for expenses related to a pending civil action in that state.

Sports: 0.99726653
Ken Caminiti, Former NL MVP, Dies of Heart Attack at Age 41 Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player who admitted to using steroids during his Major League Baseball career, died yesterday of a heart attack, his agent said.

Sports: 0.99971145
Superstar Kewell remains centre of attention Socceroo forward Harry Kewell loosens up by tossing around a ball at Bondi beach yesterday. Photo: Craig Golding. There were half a dozen Socceroos standing on a raised platform in Sydney #39;s

Sports: 0.99951637
Adams out at Foxes Micky Adams has quit as manager of Leicester City after the club failed to persuade him to stay. His resignation was accepted at an emergency board meeting at the Walkers Stadium this morning.

World: 0.998973
Taiwan Invites China To Air Talks Taiwan invited China to send envoys to the island to discuss direct charter flights on Monday, a day after Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian called for peace talks between the rivals.

SciTech: 0.97387505
Google launches mobile messaging service Putting some truth to the rampant rumours that Google was getting into the instant messaging business, the company has announced the beta test release of Google SMS, the mobile phone equivalent of IM.

Business: 0.9986077
US stocks end lower on job data, record high for oil NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- US stocks ended lower Friday as September #39;s weaker-than-expected employment report closed out a week of disappointing economic data, with a new a record high for oil and a lackluster start to the third quarter earning season prompting

Business: 0.99445146
Multiplex, Westfield in UK bid SHOPPING centre giant Westfield Group has drafted rival Multiplex and the billionaire Reuben brothers into its pound stg. 585 million (\$1.

Business: 0.99723744
UPDATE 1-Diebold cuts forecast, cites voting machine unit Diebold Inc. (DBD.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the leading maker of automated teller machines, on Monday reduced its third-quarter and full-year earnings forecasts as it absorbs

Business: 0.994231
Oracle #39;s Catz Sees PeopleSoft Profit Declining (Update1) PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s profit may drop significantly #39; #39; this year, and the company may have trouble surviving on its own, Oracle Corp.

World: 0.99939144
Sharon Rejects Army Bid to Wind Down Gaza Offensive Israel #39;s Ariel Sharon has rejected his army #39;s request to scale back its Gaza offensive, seeking to avoid any show of weakness after deadly bombings in Egyptian resorts crowded with Israelis, security sources said.

Business: 0.9834778
A Senator #39;s Outrage Delays Passage of Corporate Tax Bill The Senate cleared a path on Sunday for a bill to hand out about \$140 billion in corporate tax breaks, but it was blocked from a final vote by a fight over a provision aimed at helping reservists on duty in Iraq.

Sports: 0.9995505
Safin Survives First-Round Scare in Moscow MOSCOW (Reuters) - Top seed Marat Safin survived a first-round scare before prevailing over his doubles partner Max Mirnyi 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in the Kremlin Cup Monday.

Sports: 0.9992175
49ers get first W, but lose Peterson for year The San Francisco 49ers finally got off the schneid on Sunday with a thrilling 31-28 overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals at Monster Park.

World: 0.9991272
King abdicates after 6 decades King Norodom Sihanouk, known as much for his colorful personality as his controversial statesmanship, has been synonymous with Cambodia #39;s modern history for six decades.

Sports: 0.9995726
Tennis: Season over for tired Henin-Hardenne BRUSSELS : Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne announced that her season is over because of persistent fatigue brought about by her struggle to recover from a long-term virus.

Business: 0.98599875
Another Oracle exec says company might lower offer price for ... WILMINGTON, Del. Another Oracle executive says the company could lower its offering price for rival PeopleSoft. During testimony this morning in Delaware, Oracle co-president Safra Catz said PeopleSoft #39;s declining

Sports: 0.9996873
Do-or-die for Braves, Astros CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The situation is simple: Win and move on; lose and go home. Tied at two games apiece, the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros square off in a do-or-die, winner-take-all contest on Monday.

SciTech: 0.99643636
Small Fixes Can Pay Big Security Dividends Computer users could stop most viruses and cyber attacks by fixing a small number of common flaws, according to new research. Viruses, spam and distributed denial of service attacks could

Sports: 0.9996985
Lions are suddenly road warriors One road victory was nice, but the Lions #39; true road test came Sunday against the previously unbeaten Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.

World: 0.9719372
World ; Bigley: I want to live a simple life, the final plea World News, The nearly five-minute tape was released two days after Bigley #39;s family said it had the proof that the 62-year-old engineer from Liverpool was killed.

SciTech: 0.9811096
Study: Few Americans Buy Drugs Online Only 4 percent of Americans have ever used the Internet to buy prescription drugs - and even fewer do so through foreign pharmacies - despite Web sites maintained by a handful of states to help citizens import medicines more cheaply from Canada, a new study finds.

World: 0.99935144
Ballots Pour Into Afghan Counting Centers KABUL, Afghanistan - Ballot boxes poured into counting centers Monday for a tally of the disputed presidential election in Afghanistan amid signs an opposition boycott was wavering after at least two candidates agreed to accept the ruling of an independent panel's inquiry. Election organizers hope their decision, announced late Sunday, to establish a panel of about three foreign election experts to investigate the balloting will end the boycott, which many fear could seriously undermine the winner's ability to rule this war-ravaged nation...

Business: 0.99857175
Senate approves tax relief bill for manufacturers The Senate today passed a far-reaching, \$136 billion corporate tax package that cuts taxes for businesses ranging from film companies to bow-and-arrow makers while closing tax loopholes and bringing US exporters in line with

World: 0.99883336
Web Site Shows Two Beheadings in Iraq Three hooded gunmen pose with an unidentified Turkish hostage, who they threatened to behead unless all American release all Iraq prisoners, and all Turks leave Iraq, in this image made from a television broadcast by Al-Arabiya television, Monday Oct.

World: 0.9993863
Israel's Sharon Survives Two No-Confidence Votes (Reuters) Reuters - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon survived\two no-confidence votes in Israel's parliament on Monday,\clinging to power as he seeks to push through a disputed plan\for withdrawal from some occupied territory.

SciTech: 0.9891691
Dell recalls four million power adaptors About 4.4 million AC adapters sold worldwide with Dell notebooks between September 1998 and February 2002 were recalled on Friday because of a risk of overheating, which could lead to a fire or electrical shock, according to Dell.

World: 0.99940634
Sadr #39;s men cash in their guns BAGHDAD: Members of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr #39;s militia began handing back their weapons yesterday under a deal with the interim Iraq Government, while two US soldiers were killed in a Baghdad rocket attack.

SciTech: 0.92160344
Verizon Wireless to Add 16 Cities to Broadband (Reuters) Reuters - Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S.\wireless company, will expand its high-speed data service to 16\markets by the end of the year, the chairman of Verizon\Communications Inc. said on Monday.

World: 0.99937433
Cambodia Prince Moves Closer to Throne (AP) AP - The son of King Norodom Sihanouk moved closer Monday to becoming Cambodia's new monarch after legal hurdles were cleared in the complicated succession process triggered by the surprise abdication of his father last week.

SciTech: 0.9972045
Polycom announces desktop videoconferencing software Polycom made several announcements today, including software that puts videoconferencing capability on standard desktops with third-party cameras.

World: 0.9988544
An Afghan 'hanging chad' dispute An independent inquiry is helping to defuse a controversy over ink used in Saturday's election.

Business: 0.5533325
Cocoa farmers issue strike threat Unions are threatening a general strike in the Ivory Coast in a protest against the prices farmers are paid for their cocoa supplies.

Sports: 0.99967587
Mauresmo retires, Davenport wins Porsche Tennis Grand Prix This was not the way that American Lindsay Davenport wanted to claim her second career title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. In a match between the top two

World: 0.9989423
Mbeki #39;s deputy in fraud scandal It has been dubbed Hamlet without the prince, a trial where the accused is absent but which could determine if he is to rule South Africa.

Sports: 0.9996917
Ecclestone driving a hard bargain The negotiations over the future of the British grand prix are expected to shift up a gear tomorrow when the sport #39;s governing body, the FIA, publishes a draft calendar for the 2005 formula one world championship.

Sports: 0.9996685
Adams quits as Leicester boss LEICESTER: Mickey Adams has quit as manager of English Championship side Leicester City, the club announced yesterday. Adams #39; resignation was accepted at an emergency meeting of the board of directors at the

World: 0.98917913
Soweto township marks centenary South Africa's historic Soweto township marks its 100th birthday on Tuesday in a mood of optimism.

SciTech: 0.9981066
SGI to Ship Intel Linux Workstation (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Silicon Graphics Inc. will ship a new ultra high performance Intel Itanium-based Linux workstation designed for scientific and medical applications.

Business: 0.9935453
Euro exchange rate poses no threat to eurozone economy A top European Union (EU) economic official said on Monday that the current level of the euro against the US dollar posed no threat to the eurozone economic recovery.

World: 0.99046284
German leader to arrive in China German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was preparing Sunday to arrive in China for the start of a five day Asian tour Monday to discuss trade and bilateral ties.

Sports: 0.9986326
Ravens Get Rest With the absence of running back Jamal Lewis, the Ravens hope to get a number of injured players back during their bye week.

World: 0.7066357
SKorea's Samsung to invest 24 billion dollars in new chip lines (AFP) AFP - South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chipmaker, said it would invest some 24 billion dollars in building new chip production lines over the next six years.

Business: 0.99780136
#39;Enron of Kansas #39; Trial Begins In the recent annals of corporate fraud, the names Enron, Tyco and WorldCom ring the loudest. But for residents of Topeka, Kan., the former leaders of the local utility company have become just as infamous.

World: 0.9396508
Nobel Peace Prize winner gives some credit to Kansas Catholic ... ATCHISON, Kan. (CNS) -- The 2004 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize says a small Catholic college in Kansas was instrumental in making her quot;who I am and may ever become, quot; according to correspondence released by the school.

Sports: 0.99811053
Report: Dhanraj no longer needed: Coach With Australia pulling out of the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan in December due to security reasons, India will replace the Aussies in the tournament.

Business: 0.9925977
Study: 39 Million Americans In Working Poor Families WASHINGTON -- A new report indicates that one in every five US jobs pays less than a poverty-level wage for a family of four. As a result, nearly 39 million Americans, including 20 million children, are members

Business: 0.998505
Shares plunge 20 at Global Crossing NEW YORKShares of Global Crossing Ltd. lost nearly 20 per cent in value yesterday on concerns it could face a second bankruptcy after it said it is cutting 600 jobs as it negotiates with lenders for financing.

World: 0.9989912
Pakistan Test-Fires Nuclear Missile Pakistan has successfully test fired a medium-range, nuclear-capable missile that could hit most cities in neighbouring India. Defence officials said the exercise was not intended as a message to the South Asian rival.

Business: 0.8915142
Oil prices close to record highs Oil prices hover just below Monday's record peaks in Asian trade, amid continued concerns over global supply shortages.

Business: 0.998582
Boeing chief rules out compromise The chief executive of the US plane maker Boeing warned yesterday that America would not compromise over its demand for an end to subsidies for Airbus, in remarks that raised

Sports: 0.9996743
FAMILIAR? Braves #39; tune is postseason dirge again At the end of a long season and grueling playoff series, managers often point some weary optimist toward the hill and place the bullpen on high alert.

World: 0.88833606
Japan loses whale trade bid A UN meeting has harpooned a Japanese bid to ease curbs on trade in whale products, but a defiant Tokyo accused the West of quot;cultural imperialism quot; and vowed to press efforts to expand whaling.

World: 0.99925214
Highlights of What Congress Has Done (AP) AP - Highlights of what Congress has done #151; and has not done #151; this year.

Sports: 0.99911755
Sales key factor for Sun in WNBA title game Nykesha Sales smiled when someone suggested the Connecticut Sun could add a WNBA title to this year's NCAA championships won by the UConn men's and women's teams.

Business: 0.99780184
Retail sales improve amid caution The High Street perked up in September, but consumer confidence is falling as a result of higher interest rates and concerns over the housing market, figures reveal.

Sports: 0.99954224
Caminiti, 41, dies of heart attack SAN DIEGO - Ken Caminiti was never short of fearless on a baseball field. He made incredible stops at third base, swatted home runs from both sides of the plate and played through pain that would wither most men.

SciTech: 0.99453604
Glacier Grows in Mount St. Helen's Crater (AP) AP - While earthquakes, steam and magma are getting all the attention on Mount St. Helens these days, the volcano's most unique feature could be the icy epitome of slow motion that has sprouted on its flanks in the last two decades: its glacier.

SciTech: 0.49945414
Kenyan Laureate Urges Rich Nations to Ratify Kyoto (Reuters) Reuters - Kenya's Nobel Peace Prize winner,\Wangari Maathai, on Monday urged wealthy nations to ratify the\Kyoto protocol on climate change to ease the burden of\pollution on poor countries.

World: 0.99931836
Afghanistan heads for vote count Afghans arrange votes in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Oct. 11, 2004. The Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body decided on Monday to suspend vote counting and start to investigate into the voting process.

SciTech: 0.99697185
MSN Messenger difficulties - Virus People using Microsoft #39;s instant-messaging software, MSN Messenger, may have been a mite lonely this weekend, with only a virus to keep them company.

Sports: 0.99971503
Sports ; IHF awaiting invitation for Champions Trophy Sports News, New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is expecting a formal letter of invitation from the game #39;s world governing body to replace Olympic champion Australia in the Champions Trophy at Lahore in December.

Sports: 0.9996306
Subplots abound in rich ALCS the two Eastern Division rivals as consumed with each other as Ahab was with his whale, now and forever. Tonight, it #39;s Mike Mussina vs.

World: 0.9991616
Iraqi nuclear assets #39;are missing #39; Equipment which could be used to make nuclear arms has been vanishing from Iraq, the United Nations has been warned. Satellite images show entire nuclear plants appear to have been dismantled.

World: 0.9993206
Sharon Seeks Wider Govt. to Save Gaza Pullout Plan JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched new efforts Tuesday to widen his shaky coalition after a stinging setback in parliament that complicated his plan to withdraw from some occupied territory.

World: 0.9994043
Landmine kills Darfur aid workers Two aid workers are killed in Sudan's Darfur region after their vehicle hit a landmine.

SciTech: 0.8561286
Authorities shut down UK-based news Web sites US authorities, participating in an international investigation, have shut down 20 independent news Web sites run by the Independent Media Center (Indymedia) by seizing two UK-based Web servers, the group said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.98831195
U.S. Spies on Chat Rooms Could terrorists be plotting their next move online, obscured by the 'noise' of chat-room chatter? The U.S. government thinks that may be the case and is funding a yearlong study on chat-room surveillance.

Business: 0.6340424
Oracle considers lower PeopleSoft offer Oracle Corp could reduce its offer for PeopleSoft Inc by as much as a third, to \$2.5 billion or \$14 a share, to reflect declining performance at the rival company, an Oracle executive reportedly testified yesterday.

World: 0.99933475
Sharon Seeks Wider Government to Save Gaza Pullout Plan JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched new efforts on Tuesday to widen his shaky coalition after a stinging setback in parliament that complicated his plan to withdraw from some occupied territory.

SciTech: 0.9201415
Prosecutors Say Ebbers Lied to Obtain Loans Court documents show federal prosecutors have told lawyers for former WorldCom Inc. chief executive Bernard J. Ebbers that they plan to argue he lied about the telecommunications giant's financial condition in order to get personal loans. -The Washington Post

Business: 0.9957807
Carrefour Dips Ahead of Expected Warning Carrefour SA #39;s shares dipped Tuesday amid reports that the world #39;s second largest retailer was to issue a profit warning when it posts third-quarter revenue later in the day.

World: 0.9803854
Princess Diana Fountain to Close Again (AP) AP - It has been fenced in, clogged with leaves, overrun with visitors and even used as a dog bath. Now the Princess Diana memorial fountain is to close again to replace surrounding grass that has become sodden with splashing water, park officials said Tuesday.

Business: 0.9986003
UPDATE 3-Sonic, Asbury cut earnings estimates, stocks fall Shares of Sonic Automotive Inc. (SAH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (ABG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) fell sharply on Tuesday after both car dealership

SciTech: 0.9744547
iPod plus photo-viewing Now it looks as if an additional function, coupled with a definitely major enhancement, will further boosts its popularity - and Apple #39;s profits.

World: 0.9992562
U.S. Says N.Korea Miscalculating by Stalling on Talks TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States accused North Korea Tuesday of miscalculation by refusing to resume talks on its nuclear programs before the U.S. presidential election while China renewed a diplomatic drive to end the stalemate.

World: 0.99935645
Cricket: Tendulkar to miss test Sachin Tendulkar is almost certain to miss Thursday's second Test against Australia in Madras.

World: 0.9993637
Oil Prices, Earnings Send Stocks Lower 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...

Business: 0.998604
Johnson amp; Johnson Facing Single-Digit Growth Credit Suisse First Boston said it was quot;still cautious quot; regarding Johnson amp; Johnson (nyse: JNJ - news - people ) after the company reported quarterly results above Wall Street estimates.

World: 0.79039663
Presidential winner faces 'twin deficits' battle (AFP) AFP - Whoever wins the November 2 presidential election will inherit massive budget and trade deficits that pose huge economic challenges that will give little relief for President George W. Bush or rival John Kerry.

Sports: 0.9997185
Bengals DE Smith pleads not guilty to DUI Kettering, OH (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Justin Smith entered a plea of not guilty for his drunken driving charge stemming from an arrest last Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9966683
Dell Axim X50v Large VGA screen; great graphics; included gaming bundle; Windows Media Player 10.0 Mobile; fast processor and ample memory; integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; sleek design; user-replaceable battery.

SciTech: 0.997542
SGI Launches Linux Workstation quot;SGI is pushing the limits of how many processors can run on a single version of Linux, quot; says IDC #39;s Dan Kusnetzky. quot;The intersection of these different technologies makes it much easier to

World: 0.9994134
Hostage-taker snubs rescue team A PAKISTANI militant leader linked to al-Qaeda said today he refused to meet a council of tribal elders trying to secure the release of two Chinese hostages held by his group.

SciTech: 0.9711869
PayPal Technical Snafu Hits eBay Online Commerce Technical problems for online payment service PayPal are hampering e-commerce on the eBay online marketplace. The payment service, which is owned by eBay, has been experiencing problems since last Friday when

World: 0.99939966
Blast Near Convoy of Palestinian Security Chief (Reuters) Reuters - An explosion occurred near the convoy of a\Palestinian security chief in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday,\witnesses said.

Business: 0.865304
Amazon Leaves Jungle Business The company has no further expansion plans after buying a Chinese website. Also: Virgin joins quest for a better iPod hellip;. PeopleSoft makes promise that Oracle will live up to hellip;. and more.

SciTech: 0.9964675
Extrasolar Planets: A Matter of Metallicity The 130 extrasolar planets discovered so far are in solar systems very different from our own, in which life-bearing planets like Earth are unlikely to exist. But an obscure characteristic of these planets and their stars has led astronomers to predict that our galaxy is brimming with solar systems like ours. The key to their prediction is something called metallicity.

Sports: 0.9994211
Madrid draw with Villarreal to retain 2nd place Real Madrid played without four regulars and settled for a 0-0 draw with Villarreal yesterday, leaving them nine points behind Spanish league leaders FC Barcelona after 14 games.

World: 0.99936885
Germany deports Turkey militant German police deport an Islamic militant wanted by Turkey, hours after his extradition is approved.

SciTech: 0.67018694
Feds Make A Strike Against Spyware Companies WASHINGTON -- In what regulators are calling a first, the federal government has asked for a court order to shut down a spyware operation.

Business: 0.9958062
DreamWorks Animation IPO may raise up to \$725M Animated film-maker DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. set its anticipated initial public offering at 29 million shares -- which could raise \$725 million, Reuters is reporting.

SciTech: 0.9936745
Microsoft issues patches for 7 software flaws Microsoft has warned of seven newly found flaws in its software that could allow an attacker to steal data and take over a personal computer running the Windows operating system.

Business: 0.9985813
Stocks End Flat, Intel Jumps After Hours NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Tuesday, but well above their lows, after crude oil retreated from a record of over \$54 a barrel.

World: 0.6717034
Australia: Wallets trump war A majority of Australians oppose the Iraq war, but they turned out to be more concerned about the economy.

Business: 0.72841036
Lazard adversaries edge closer to a deal Bruce Wasserstein, head of Lazard, could reach an agreement as early as this week with Michel David-Weill, the chairman, extending the deadline for

World: 0.99936026
FCC Proposes \$1.2M Indecency Fine for Fox WASHINGTON - Federal regulators proposed a record indecency fine of nearly \$1.2 million Tuesday against Fox Broadcasting Co. for an episode of its reality series "Married by America" that included graphic scenes from bachelor and bachelorette parties...

World: 0.9994272
U.S. Seeking NATO Help in Afghanistan Washington will ask NATO\to devise a blueprint by February to have the alliance take\over operations in Afghanistan, now split between an American\force and NATO contingent, officials said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9608977
Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million The Business Software Alliance collects out-of-court settlements from companies that violated copyright rules.

SciTech: 0.7795084
Will your phone become your credit card? Motorola is working with MasterCard to introduce a "lifestyle changing" credit card phone by year's end.

SciTech: 0.99711215
Picture 7 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.

SciTech: 0.830448
PeopleSoft, SAP make bid for manufacturing dollars Business software vendors PeopleSoft and SAP separately debuted new technologies to further consolidate their respective positions in the manufacturing market.

Business: 0.9985776
Starbucks CEO to Retire, Shares Fall Starbucks Corp. (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said its chief executive, Orin Smith, will retire next year, surprising investors, who sent the coffee shop chain #39;s shares lower in after-hours trading.

Sports: 0.9996542
Drummond back to his happy home Scott Drummond, who meets the defending champion Ernie Els tomorrow in the first round of the World Match Play Championship, arrived at Wentworth in May with career earnings on the European Tour of less than 40,000.

Business: 0.9910425
News Corporation to Buy 20 Presses from MAN Roland LONDON--Oct. 12, 2004-- News Corporation today announced a significant investment in News International Limited, with the expenditure over the next four to five years of more than GBP 600million on new printing plants.

Sports: 0.99969506
NHL Owner Is Criticized for Talking of Replacement Players The day before the regular season was supposed to open, the National Hockey League rebuked a team official yesterday for his comments about the league #39;s strategy in its labor lockout, its second in a decade.

World: 0.9993082
Supreme Court to Review Inmate Freedom Law (AP) AP - The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to consider the constitutionality of a federal law that requires state prisons to accommodate inmate religions, from Christianity to Satanism.

World: 0.99926156
7 U.S. Groups Ask U.N. for Vote Observers (AP) AP - Seven American activist groups asked the United Nations on Monday to provide international observers for next month's presidential election.

World: 0.9993424
US troops accelerate operations against Sunni insurgents _ US troops are on the offensive in Iraq ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start at the end of the week. The operations appear aimed at preventing a repeat of the

Business: 0.9985582
Oil Eases on Profit-Taking SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped further from record highs on Wednesday as traders locked in profits after the market's \$10 surge since mid-August.

Business: 0.9648191
Boeing Competitors Protest Lockheed Martin Corp. and BAE Systems North America Inc. filed protests with the Air Force Tuesday over a \$4 billion contract to upgrade electronics on C-130 military transport planes awarded to Boeing Co. in 2001.

Business: 0.99780864
Nevadans to benefit from sales tax deduction #39;s return WASHINGTON -- Gaylyn Spriggs can remember two decades back when she would keep every grocery and department store receipt in a shoebox on a closet shelf.

SciTech: 0.9925984
Cyber-Security to Get Higher-Profile Leader Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said yesterday that the role of overseeing computer security and the Internet should have a higher profile at the agency, in the face of increasing concern from technology executives and experts that cyber-security is getting inadequate attention.

Sports: 0.99896514
Thrashers Owner Fined The NHL fined one of the owners of the Thrashers \$250,000 on Tuesday for saying the league would use replacement players next year if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached.

World: 0.99933237
Iraqi forces raid Ramadi mosques US forces stepped up operations yesterday across a wide swath of the Sunni insurgent strongholds northwest of the capital, pounding targets in three urban centers from the air and supporting Iraqi troops in raids on mosques suspected of harboring

SciTech: 0.9513785
FTC Files First Lawsuit Against Spyware Concerns The Federal Trade Commission formally announced yesterday its first assault against spyware - bits of computer code that surreptitiously install themselves on the computers of Internet users

World: 0.9993925
Iraq nuclear losses #39;a scandal #39; Former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has said the loss of control of Iraq #39;s nuclear sites by the US after it occupied the country was scandalous.

SciTech: 0.9031128
Thailand Shows No Easy War Against Wildlife Crime (Reuters) Reuters - With an AK-47 assault rifle slung over\his shoulder, Sompong Prajobjan roamed one of Thailand's lush\national parks for more than a decade.

Sports: 0.9997085
Backe in no position to complain Brandon Backe wasn #39;t pleased when the Devil Rays, for the 2001 season, switched the minor-leaguer from outfield to pitcher. Considering how it worked out, Backe should give Tampa Bay a big thumbs up.

World: 0.99933904
The radical Islamic cleric was deported from Germany late Tuesday ... Turkish officials were doing what was necessary in regard to the return of Metin Kaplan, who was deported by Germany on Tuesday after a Cologne court ruled he could be extradited, Erdogan told reporters.

Business: 0.9976046
Alaskan pipeline has hurdles Energy companies planning a \$20 billion gas pipeline to US consuming markets from Alaska welcomed new federal loan guarantees but cautioned Tuesday that other issues must be resolved before the huge project proceeds.

Business: 0.9820379
UK's jobless level falls further Unemployment in the UK fell by 51,000 between June and August to 1.39 million - the lowest on record, according to official figures.

Business: 0.99474263
Large number of station owners can now be paid The US Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide which gas station owners can claim refunds from Exxon Mobil Corp. in a \$1.1 billion class-action lawsuit involving alleged fuel overcharges.

SciTech: 0.9865024
TSMC, Freescale expect initial production of 65nm SOI in 4Q 2005 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Freescale Semiconductor expect to begin initial production of a high-speed 65nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process in the fourth quarter of 2005, with volume production pending on market demand

SciTech: 0.9170088
New Year, New Notebooks For All T.C. Williams High School is handing out laptops to make sure students of all backgrounds have the latest equipment in an increasingly computerized world.

Business: 0.74602646
Tata CS celebrates profits uplift Indian software giant Tata CS unveils sharply higher profits in its first set of results since its stock market launch.

SciTech: 0.99060786
New 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 35 years of tradition.

World: 0.99936396
'Sherlock' Is Bicycling Across Australia PERTH, Australia - A former British soccer player raising money for a leukemia charity set off Wednesday on a coast-to-coast ride across Australia on a Victorian-era bicycle that is older than the country. Leukemia survivor Lloyd Scott dressed up as fictional British supersleuth Sherlock Holmes, complete with tweed coat, deerstalker hat and a fake mustache for the 2,700-mile trip from Perth to Sydney...

Sports: 0.9995939
76ers 114, Wizards 107 Marc Jackson scored 12 of his 21 points in the final 31/2 minutes and the Philadelphia 76ers capped their first training camp at Duke University with a 114-107 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

Business: 0.9985335
McDonald #39;s earnings beat forecasts McDonald #39;s third-quarter earnings rose a higher-than-expected 42 percent, the world #39;s largest restaurant chain says, citing strong sales in the United States and a lower tax rate.

Sports: 0.9987255
Seattle Sunset The Seattle Storm raced to hot starts in both the first and second halves and never looked back, using the momentum to win their first WNBA world championship.

SciTech: 0.9781862
PayPal Outages Persist, Worry Users Sporadic outages at PayPal stretched into a fifth day on Tuesday, though the company late in the day reported that access had returned to normal for most users.

Business: 0.99835265
HCA Warns on Third-Quarter Earnings Hospital giant HCA Inc. said Wednesday it expects third-quarter earnings to range between \$222 million and \$232 million, or 46 cents to 48 cents per share, including losses from hurricanes Charley, Frances

Sports: 0.9995708
NFL Notebook: Jets #39; Pennington to start vs. Texans Jets quarterback Chad Pennington will start tomorrow against the Houston Texans after sitting out the past three games with a strained right rotator cuff.

SciTech: 0.99795973
Cherry OS: New Emulator Runs Mac OS On Windows Hardware A company called MXS announced a new software emulator called Cherry OS that makes it possible to install Mac OS X onto x86 hardware (running Windows).

World: 0.99940026
More dead in fresh Iraq violence At least nine Iraqis and four US soldiers are reported to have been killed in renewed violence in Iraq.

Business: 0.84877867
Excess chips a drag on 3rd-quarter Intel results Intel on Tuesday released third-quarter financial results showing that it continues to struggle to sell a substantial stockpile of computer chips as demand for personal computers remains slow.

Business: 0.99859375
Update 1: Ex-Ahold CEO Says He #39;s Settled With SEC Global grocery retailer Ahold NV and its former chief executive have reached settlements with the US Securities and Exchange Commission over charges related to a \$1 billion overstatement of earnings, they said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99745935
LIVE: Launch of Expedition Ten Crew to the ISS / ESA TV Live / 14 ... The early morning hours of 14 October will see the next ISS launch, bringing another permanent crew to the Station. Expedition 10 crew is made of Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov.

SciTech: 0.9922346
Computer Users Warned of #39;David Beckham Zombie Trap #39; Hackers are trying to trick computer users into downloading damaging software by claiming to have sleazy photographs of football star David Beckham, experts warned today.

SciTech: 0.96525115
Google Woos Froogle UK Shoppers quot;We developed Froogle UK so that online shoppers could quickly and easily locate the products they are looking for, from the most obscure to the most popular, quot; Google Engineering Director Cosmos Nicolaou said in a statement.

Sports: 0.99751544
Lippi Wants Azzurri Improvement Italy boss Marcello Lippi is counting in his charges to make the country forget their weekend loss to Slovenia when they face Belarus in UEFA World Cup qualifying action on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99964905
Jets #39; Moss Questionable For Sunday Hempstead, NY -- New York Jets wide receiver Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday #39;s game against San Francisco because of a hamstring injury.

World: 0.9993262
Nev. Move to Purge Some Dem Voters Fails (AP) AP - Elections officials have rebuffed an attempt by a former GOP operative to purge about 17,000 Democrats from the voter rolls in the battleground state of Nevada, where the two presidential candidates are in a dead heat.

Sports: 0.99964154
Jackson the Wizard of Loz WHATEVER her status as an individual in the world of basketball, Lauren Jackson #39;s ultimate legacy will be what she achieves with her teams.

World: 0.9993923
4 US soldiers killed in roadside bomb attack; coalition steps up ... Roadside bombings killed four American soldiers in Baghdad, the US command said Wednesday, as US and Iraqi troops stepped up pressure on Sunni insurgents before this week #39;s start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

SciTech: 0.99803096
New MSN Search May Be a Google Killer! New MSN Search May Be a Google Killer!\\The Second Look at MSN's Search technology is available for public beta testing. I've given it a spin myself and must say that I'm impressed. Although they have no ads on the SERP's of the preview site, I'm sure they will load it...

SciTech: 0.99295914
Next space station crew to launch Expedition 10, the next crew to live on the International Space Station (ISS), is set to launch from Kazakhstan. US astronaut Leroy Chiao and Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov will leave the Baikonur Cosmodrome on a Soyuz rocket at 0306GMT on Thursday.

Sports: 0.9996455
West Lafayette abuzz with Boilers #39; lofty ranking Purdue #39;s Boilermakers are breathing thin and rarefied air as they climb up the college football rankings mountain. It #39;s a heady air that hasn #39;t been breathed on the West Lafayette campus in nearly 25 years.

SciTech: 0.6586087
QUALCOMM Acquires UK-Based, Mobile User Interface Leader Trigenix SAN DIEGO, Oct. 12 -QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced it has acquired Trigenix, a mobile user interface company, based in the United Kingdom.

Business: 0.9685348
Ahold, Ex-Execs Settle with Regulators (Reuters) Reuters - Ahold NV, the Dutch\grocery operator, and three former top executives have agreed\to settle U.S. securities fraud charges related to massive\overbooking of profits, the company and U.S. regulators said on\Wednesday.

World: 0.99939466
Iraq's Allawi Issues Ultimatum to Falluja BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim prime minister warned the rebel-held city of Falluja on Wednesday it must hand over foreign militants, including America's top enemy in Iraq, or face a major operation to root them out.

Sports: 0.9986785
Safin, Petrova upset in Kremlin Cup Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic pulled off a major upset Wednesday, eliminating top-seeded Marat Safin 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-3 on the Russian #39;s home turf in the second round of the US\$2.

Sports: 0.9909107
Signing of Teenage Racer Raises Questions (AP) AP - Next October, Chase Austin will finally be old enough to drive to the grocery store by himself. By then, though, he'll also have a full season of stock car racing under his belt.

World: 0.99916315
Football: Azerbaijan 0-1 England Michael Owen heads England's winner in the World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.

Sports: 0.9996244
Warrick doubtful for Sunday Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Peter Warrick is doubtful for Sunday #39;s game against Cleveland because of a shin injury.

World: 0.99939585
Israel Arrests Bombing Suspect, Kills 4 Militants (Reuters) Reuters - Israel dealt a double blow to the\Palestinian Islamic group Hamas on Wednesday, arresting a West\Bank leader held responsible for a twin suicide bus bombing\that killed 16 and killing two militants in Gaza air strikes.

Business: 0.9958592
Earnings for The New York Times Slip The newspaper publisher today said that while the ad market remains uneven it has seen improved trends so far in October.

Business: 0.9870328
PeopleSoft Execs Defend Bid Rejection PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s (PSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company #39;s customer assurance program might not force liabilities on Oracle Corp.

Business: 0.99797565
McTeer: Lonesome Dove to be an Aggie NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - A New Economy champion, a lover of the Texas picker poets who write lovesick country songs...and, oh, by the way, a member of the Federal Reserve system for 36 years.

World: 0.9688107
US got complaints about security guards The US State Department Wednesday noted quot;aggressive quot; behavior by some DynCorp contractors hired to protect Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Business: 0.99328893
JJB profit and bid hopes fade away Sports retailer JJB yesterday reported a near 25 drop in profits and continuing poor sales, and ended shareholders #39; hopes of a takeover by announcing that a potential bidder had walked away.

World: 0.9993753
NATO to send staff to Iraq NATO will send military trainers to Iraq before the end of the year in response to appeals by Iraqi leaders for speedy action, US ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns said today.

World: 0.99941313
Israel Kills Two Hamas Militants After Renewed Threat Israeli air strikes killed two Hamas militants in Gaza on Thursday just after the Islamic group renewed its threats to continue rocket attacks against Israelis despite a massive army offensive aimed at stopping them.

SciTech: 0.97977567
IPod Helps Lift Apple's Fourth-Quarter Profit The iPod helped Apple's profit get up and dance. Apple Computer Inc. reported Wednesday that net income for its fourth fiscal quarter jumped 140 percent from the same period a year ago. -The Washington Post

World: 0.9991786
Blair heads to Hungary for summit Tony Blair is to address leaders at conference of centre-left leaders in Hungarian capital Budapest.

SciTech: 0.8521985
Sony looks under the Christmas tree Americans will go gadget shopping this holiday season even if oil prices go up, Sony execs say.

SciTech: 0.95078546
Apple to give its stores a Mini Me look The Mac maker has big plans to expand its network of retail outlets by creating small versions of its stores.

World: 0.82527065
ERA Congratulates Nobel Peace Prize Winner The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has congratulated Kenya born Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr.

World: 0.9549339
Russian rocket carrying Russian-U.S. crew blasts off for space station (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) - A Russian rocket carrying a new Russian-U.S. crew to the international space station lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome Thursday.

Business: 0.95213753
Asian Shares Hit by Metals Tumble, Oil (Reuters) Reuters - A sharp slide in global metals\markets hammered industrial and mining stocks such as JFE\Holdings and BHP Billiton Thursday, while oil prices crawled\back toward record highs.

Business: 0.9985758
Petroleum and natural-gas supply data due out Thursday SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- A rally in heating-oil futures to a fresh record and gains for natural gas for the first time in four sessions pulled crude prices more than \$1 a barrel higher Wednesday.

Business: 0.98878396
US may help to ease cost of Boeing terror insurance Boeing soon may be eligible to buy US terrorism insurance at below-market rates, adding fuel to a debate with Europe over aircraft-maker subsidies.

SciTech: 0.9426497
Patent case challenges Microsoft #39;s #39;AutoPlay #39; A federal judge has set a December date for a patent suit challenging quot;AutoPlay quot; technology included in recent versions of Microsoft Windows.

World: 0.99940705
Israel suspends soldier after girl shot 15 times GAZA CITY -- The Israeli army yesterday suspended a platoon commander on suspicion he emptied an ammunition clip into a 13-year-old Palestinian girl from close range after she had already collapsed under fire.

Sports: 0.99972135
Marshall carries W. Va. to victory The senior quarterback rushed for 110 yards, threw for a touchdown and even punted a quick kick in the Mountaineers #39; 31-19 victory over Connecticut last night.

Business: 0.9977952
Accounting body delays rule on expensing options Bowing to corporate pressure, the group that sets standards for the US accounting industry yesterday postponed by six months its plan to force companies to expense employee stock options.

Business: 0.9841339
Temasek May Buy Stakes in Minsheng Bank, Medco to Expand Abroad Temasek Holdings Pte, a \$53 billion Singapore government fund, may buy stakes in China #39;s first private bank and Indonesia #39;s biggest listed oil company as it steps up investments abroad.

Sports: 0.99971396
Cardinals Outslug Astros to Take Opening Game NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jim Edmonds hit a three-run double to key a six-run sixth inning as the St Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 10-7 in the opening game of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9924608
US moves on to final round The United States national soccer team revealed both its immediate and long-term future in a 6-0 victory over Panama last night.

Sports: 0.9997129
Twists give Game 3 added weight NEW YORK -- The nature of this American League Championship Series fundamentally changed when it turned out that the supposed ankle tendinitis suffered by Curt Schilling was actually a displaced ankle tendon.

World: 0.9993926
Thais #39;bomb #39; south with paper birds on Muslim south Around 50 Thai Air Force planes quot;bombed quot; the largely Muslim south with paper birds on Sunday as a symbol of peace for the restive region where nearly 500 people have been killed since January.

SciTech: 0.97286916
Bourses set for losses after Wall St falls (FT.com) FT.com - European equity markets were poised for opening losses on Thursday following a weak session on Wall Street overnight, while caution was likely ahead of results from Nokia, the leading mobile handset maker.

SciTech: 0.9967998
Dual Internal Clocks Control Fruit Flies -Study (Reuters) Reuters - Humans are not the only creatures with\an internal biological clock. Fruit flies have two, which\separately control morning and evening activity, scientists\said Wednesday.

Business: 0.9985846
Before the Bell- First Health soars 21.5 percent Shares of First Health Group Corp. (FHCC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) rose 21.5 percent in pre-market trading on Thursday after rival Coventry Health Care Inc.

Business: 0.9984767
Cost Cuts Boost Southwest Air Profit Southwest Airlines (LUV) on Thursday said third-quarter earnings rose 12 percent due to higher revenue and better cost performance even though record-high fuel prices stung the low-cost carrier.

SciTech: 0.98011017
Russian Spacecraft Heads for International Space Station A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut has reached orbit, after blasting off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Sports: 0.9991974
Ruud double lifts Dutch Amsterdam - Goals in either half from Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy lifted the Netherlands to a 3-1 win over Finland in their European Group One qualifier for the 2006 World Cup here on Wednesday.

World: 0.9994037
Rescued Chinese hostage dies In southeast Pakistan one of two Chinese hostages injured during a rescue operation died of his injuries, military sources said Thursday.

World: 0.9993949
President Hu congratulates Sihamoni on becoming king of Cambodia Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message to Norodom Sihamoni on Thursday to congratulate him on his election as the king of Cambodia.

World: 0.9992373
Bollywood actress Nirupa Roy dies Bollywood actress Nirupa Roy dies after a heart attack at her home in Mumbai (Bombay) aged 73.

World: 0.9993438
Vote Counting Begins in Afghan Elections KABUL, Afghanistan - Vote counting in Afghanistan's presidential election got under way Thursday, five days after a landmark vote meant to cement a new era of stability after more than two decades of strife. The head of the Afghan-U.N...

SciTech: 0.9801543
Gates Says Broadcast TV Model Faces Irrelevancy Bill Gates predicts a\future for the entertainment industry in which traditional\broadcast television is rendered irrelevant. It's a positive\vision, however, because new and better business models made\possible by technology are emerging.

SciTech: 0.9968771
Dell rides the wave to consumer gadgets (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Dell will set out Thursday to conquer markets dominated by Apple, Hewlett-Packard and others with products that include its first small digital music player, photo printer and plasma TV.

Business: 0.9985537
Stocks Seen Flat as Earnings Pour In US stock futures pointed to a flat market open Thursday as a rush of quarterly earnings reports painted a mixed picture for corporate profits amid lingering worries over the high price of oil.

World: 0.90416515
Oil exports flow as strike woes ease A general strike in Nigeria, which has raised fears over oil supply from the world #39;s seventh-largest exporter, will likely end its first phase on Thursday quot;all going well quot;, union leaders said.

Sports: 0.99947244
Double dip NEW YORK - Maybe it will seem just mere whistling in the Bronx, these pledges by manager Terry Francona and general manager Theo Epstein even before Boston's 3-1 loss in Game 2 that the Red Sox would somehow find a way to overcome the possible loss of Curt Schilling for the rest of this American League Championship Series because of...

Sports: 0.99961096
It's always something with Sox Forget about the Curse and all that nonsense. The real ongoing issue with the Boston Red Sox is the fact that they are eternally held hostage by what we shall call quot;Gilda's Law. quot; (OK, Roseanne Roseannadanna's.)

SciTech: 0.99777776
Can't Hide Your Lying... Face? In search of the ultimate lie detector, researchers turn to thermal facial scans, brain wiring and eyeball tracking. But deception still, well, deceives. By Randy Dotinga.

Sports: 0.99968684
Seven-wicket Kumble destroys Australia India #39;s spin king Anil Kumble grabbed seven wickets for 25 runs to skittle world champions Australia for 235 in a dramatic start to the second Test on Thursday.

Business: 0.9951728
Canada slips again in competitiveness rankings Canada slipped from 12th to 15th position in the survey conducted by the World Economic Forum. Canada #39;s position has declined in five of the last six years, despite efforts by federal and provincial governments

Sports: 0.99971825
Report: Gretzky pondering a move to coaching Mesa, AZ (Sports Network) - Phoenix Coyotes managing partner Wayne Gretzky is considering a move into the coaching ranks, according to a published report.

World: 0.9866297
Flight From Hong Kong Diverted in UK LONDON Oct. 14, 2004 - A Virgin Atlantic plane heading from Hong Kong to London was diverted to an airport north of London on Thursday after receiving a bomb threat, police said.

SciTech: 0.886435
Google Unveils Desktop Search, Takes on Microsoft Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday rolled out a preliminary version of its new desktop search tool, making the first move against

SciTech: 0.99803454
New bug found in MySQL Users of the increasingly popular, open-source MySQL database may be at risk from remote attacks due to a bug in phpMyAdmin, a widely used Web-based MySQL administration tool.

Sports: 0.9969607
Yao Thrills Capacity Crowd at First China NBA Game (Reuters) Reuters - Yao Ming's Houston Rockets squeezed\past the Sacramento Kings on Thursday in the first NBA game to\be played in China, a country the fast-growing basketball\league deems a potential marketing mecca.

Business: 0.9772679
US trade deficit balloons again Official figures show that the US trade deficit widened to the second-highest level on record in August.

World: 0.99933726
Munro, Morris Face Off in NLCS Game 2 ST. LOUIS - The Houston Astros put their hopes in a pitcher untested in the postseason when they give Pete Munro the ball to start Game 2 of the NL Championship series on Thursday, one night after dropping the opener to the St...

Sports: 0.9982917
LIPPI LAMENTS LACK OF FIXTURES Italy coach Marcello Lippi claimed he was frustrated that the Azzurri had no more World Cup qualifiers before the new year after the 4-3 win over Belarus saw the Italians claim top spot in Group Five.

Business: 0.998396
Update 1: Northwest Airlines, Pilots Reach Deal Northwest Airlines Corp. and its pilots reached a tentative agreement on Thursday that includes \$265 million in labor concessions, the Air Line Pilots Association said.

Sports: 0.9996264
NBA says it has no plans to change 3-point shot despite NBDL ... The NBA has no plans to change its rules for the 3-point shot, though it will proceed with an experiment for its developmental league in which all field goals will be worth 2 points until the final five minutes of regulation and overtime.

Sports: 0.9997129
Season could be over for Manninger Austrian goalkeeper Alex Manninger could miss the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder in Wednesday #39;s World Cup qualifying draw with Northern Ireland.

World: 0.9994155
Al-Aqsa mosque restriction lifted Israel says it will not restrict access to the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, that begins on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9882057
Google Debuts Desktop-Search Tool It enables people to retrieve E-mail from Outlook and Outlook Express, documents from Microsoft Office, chat sessions from AOL IM, and Web pages viewed with Internet Explorer.

Business: 0.9360329
Index: RP institutions among cellar dwellers The countrys public institutions were ranked the sixth least effective in the world in the latest survey of the World Economic Forum (WER), which measured the capacity for growth of 104 economies this year.

Business: 0.69221824
FCC exempts fiber-to-curb from sharing requirements The Federal Communications Commission Thursday voted to allow incumbent telephone carriers from sharing fiber-to-the-curb deployments from competitors, prompting one incumbent to announce an accelerated fiber rollout.

World: 0.99397415
120m origami birds of peace fall on Thailand About 120 million origami birds were air-dropped over southern Thailand yesterday in an attempt to quell a Muslim insurgency that has led to the deaths of more than 500 people this year.

SciTech: 0.9608814
Humax, TiVo recorder aims for prime time The companies target mainstream audiences with a low-cost combination digital video recorder and DVD burner box.

SciTech: 0.99590707
Update: Intel shelves plans for 4GHz Pentium 4 Intel Corp. has confirmed its near-term plans for its desktop processors before it reaches the multicore era. The company will not release a 4GHz version of its flagship Pentium 4 product, having decided instead to realign its engineers around the company's new design priorities, an Intel spokesman said Thursday.

Business: 0.9985587
Eli Lilly to Cut 575 US Jobs Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said Thursday it plans to cut 575 jobs, or a little more than 2 percent of its US workforce, in a move to streamline its operations.

Business: 0.9967625
Options expensing delay not enough,say US senators A group of Republican senators vowed on Thursday to use the closing days of Congress this year to try and stop accounting rulemakers from requiring the expensing of stock options.

Sports: 0.99928266
God help us, Yuvi replaces Akash The Team India think tank has put its foot in the mouth again by replacing a specialist opener Akash Chopra by the ODI specialist Yuvraj Singh.

World: 0.9993519
UN chief urges European Union to commit more troops The United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has appealed to the European Union to play a bigger role in UN peacekeeping operations.

Business: 0.9984137
SEC chief lashes out at reform opponents WASHINGTON -- Too many business interests are clinging to a failed status quo and resisting necessary governance reforms, the government #39;s top securities regulator said Thursday.

Business: 0.9910591
NAB studying buyer interest for Irish banks SYDNEY: National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB), Australia #39;s biggest bank, is gauging buyer interest for its struggling Irish banks, signalling that it is prepared to exit part of its European market.

SciTech: 0.99199235
Microsoft Brings TV to Xbox October 14, 2004 - Microsoft is set to release its Windows Media Center Extender for Xbox mid-November. The device will allow you to view recorded and downloaded media content stored on your PC via your Xbox.

Sports: 0.9972524
Red Sox Feeling Heat of 0-2 Start in ALCS (AP) AP - The infield at Fenway Park was covered with a dirty white tarp on a dreary day. Unless the Boston Red Sox start winning soon, the gloom will last all winter. The Red Sox returned home Thursday after losing the first two games of the AL championship series to the Yankees in New York. As its workout began, Boston announced ace Curt Schilling's ailing ankle will prevent him from pitching Game 5 and perhaps the rest of the postseason.

Business: 0.6725507
Sun Micro Posts Narrower Quarterly Loss SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. on Thursday posted a narrower quarterly loss as revenue rose for the second consecutive quarter on higher sales of servers after three years of declines.

SciTech: 0.99299955
Australia amp; New Zealand Amphibians such as leopard frogs and salamanders are threatened with extinction as their homes dry up and a new disease spreads, possibly as a result of global warming, according to a new study in Science magazine.

SciTech: 0.9959747
Harvard Seeks Permission to Clone Human Embryos (Reuters) Reuters - Harvard University researchers said\on Wednesday they were seeking permission to use cloning\technology to make human stem cells.

Business: 0.9904192
Netflix stock plummets on buzz about Amazon.com competition LOS GATOS, Calf. Shares of mail-order DVD rental company Netflix plunged today amid buzz that Amazon-dot-com is getting into the movie rental business.

SciTech: 0.9041585
Intel Cancels Revamped Chip The Intel Corporation said on Thursday that it was canceling its plans to market a faster version of its Pentium 4 chip for personal computers to focus on products with quot;more bang for the buck.

Sports: 0.9989693
California Ace for Rose Justin Rose had his first-ever professional hole-in-one at the tough par-three 17th at Forest Oaks and then confessed that it was his only decent shot of the day.

World: 0.9866637
Italian Woman's Veil Stirs More Than Fashion Feud The case of a Muslim woman fined for wearing a veil has created a dispute involving politicians, civil rights groups and a fashion designer.

World: 0.99894625
Jewish state fears world isolation An internal report prepared by Israel #39;s foreign ministry paints a gloomy picture for the future of the country #39;s global standing, giving warning that in the coming decade it could

SciTech: 0.8975841
Sun Reports Smaller Loss and Calls It a Turnaround As it struggled to increase sales and cut costs, Sun Microsystems managed to reduce its net loss in the first quarter to \$174 million.

SciTech: 0.9645264
Intel Cancels Revamped Chip The Intel Corporation said that it was canceling plans to market a faster version of its Pentium 4 chip to focus on products with "more bang for the buck."

Sports: 0.9993724
No. 3 Miami Stops No. 18 Louisville 41-38 (AP) AP - The Louisville Cardinals drew a flag for excessive celebration in the second quarter, and another in the third. Against Miami, the displays of jubilation were premature. Led by Brock Berlin and Devin Hester, the third-ranked Hurricanes erased a 17-point deficit over the final 20 minutes and came from behind twice in the fourth quarter to beat No. 18 Louisville 41-38 Thursday night.

Sports: 0.9963039
U.S. Impressive in World Cup Qualifying (AP) AP - Just because the United States has stormed through its regional qualifying for the next World Cup does not mean the Americans are a world soccer power.

World: 0.99939
Australian guilty of backpacker murder Australian Ian Previte has been found guilty by a Queensland jury of murdering 19-year-old British backpacker Caroline Stuttle in 2002, when he threw her from a bridge in a botched attempt to steal her handbag.

Sports: 0.9991854
Record-smashing Warne leaves Murali behind Madras - Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne may have shown only flashes of his genius in India, but he still has plenty of reasons to smile after smashing the Test cricket bowling record in Madras on Friday.

Sports: 0.9996933
Warne #39;s career 1992: Makes Test debut against India in January. In two Tests against India his overall figures are 1-228. Australian wicketkeeper Rod Marsh invites him to return to the Adelaide Academy and his career is

Sports: 0.99782026
Glazer bid for Old Trafford falls flat Malcolm Glazer #39;s 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.

Business: 0.91346854
Spitzer Targets Brokers Thursday's actions are the first shots in what Spitzer called an investigation of widespread corruption in the insurance industry.

World: 0.99940014
Pakistan hunts kidnappers' leader Pakistan vows to track down former Guantanamo inmate who leads group that kidnapped two Chinese engineers.

World: 0.99938166
Vote counting begins in Afghan election KABUL, Afghanistan -- Vote counting started yesterday in Afghanistan's landmark election, widely expected to install US-backed interim leader Hamid Karzai as the war-ravaged country's first popularly chosen president.

World: 0.9994061
Poland to Reduce Number of Troops in Iraq (Reuters) 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."

SciTech: 0.9770155
RSS Feeds Hunger for More Ads There's no such thing as a free lunch. And soon, there may be no such thing as an ad-free RSS feed, either, as publishers add advertisements to their feeds in hopes of making money through the popular content-aggregating technology. By Cyrus Farivar.

SciTech: 0.9769156
Spawn of X Prize on Horizon Innovators take note: The folks behind the X Prize vow there will soon be more competitions in several disciplines. Also: The da Vinci team presses ahead in Canada.... Rubicon team plans another launch attempt. By Dan Brekke.

Sports: 0.9996959
Schilling will not start Game 5 of ALCS That #39;s the state of the Boston Red Sox pitching rotation after Schilling was scratched from his scheduled Game 5 start because of a sore ankle.

SciTech: 0.99782026
IBM launches top-end Power5 servers IBM has expanded the top end of its eServer range with three multiple-processor systems aimed at datacentres and large enterprise clients.

World: 0.99937916
Bush, Kerry Start Last Campaign Dash in Nevada (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush and Democratic Sen.\John Kerry began a 19-day sprint to the Nov. 2 election on\Thursday in the swing state of Nevada, where the White House\rivals renewed their fight over who offered the best leadership\for the middle class.

Sports: 0.99950004
Red Sox need Arroyo Game 3 tonight in Fenway Park, but rain is forecast; Boston learns Schilling may be done for postseason. BY RONALD BLUM ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER.

Sports: 0.9996749
Despite Discord, Biffle and Busch to remain teammates Mears wins Busch pole at Lowe #39;s. Casey Mears won the second Busch series pole of his career, earning the top starting position in qualifying for the SpongeBob 300.

SciTech: 0.9966528
Scientists Prepare for Huygens' Plunge into Titan UC Berkeley -- On Jan. 14, 2005, the Huygens probe will plow into the orange atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan, becoming the first spacecraft to attempt to land on a moon in our solar system since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 touched down on Earth's moon in 1976...

Business: 0.9984201
Pfizer Hikes Warning on Bextra Skin Risk NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PFE.N</A> said on Friday it is sending additional information to healthcare professionals about its arthritis drug Bextra, a COX-2 product in the same class as the withdrawn drug Vioxx.

World: 0.9993337
Israel Says Will Scale Back Gaza Offensive JABALYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israel said on Friday it was easing a crushing offensive that has killed more than 100 Palestinians since tanks rumbled into northern Gaza 16 days ago to stop cross-border rocket attacks.

World: 0.9993574
September Retail Sales Up by 1.5 Percent WASHINGTON - 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...

Business: 0.99854785
Shoppers return in September, sales up 1.5 Shoppers were out last month, propelling sales at the nation #39;s retailers by a strong 1.5, best showing since March. The sizable gain reported by the Commerce Department on Friday came

Sports: 0.99964106
NFL Preview: Another streak mark looming for Patriots Until the final 11 minutes of the Rams-Seahawks game last week, Seattle #39;s visit to New England this Sunday looked like one of those overhyped matchups labelled quot;Super Bowl Preview quot; or quot;Streak-Ender.

Sports: 0.99874544
Desert turns into Parks place Annika Sorenstam may be the reigning queen of the LPGA Tour, but its Grace Park who seems to be royalty in the desert these days.

World: 0.9992169
Earthquake at sea gives Taiwan a jolt TAIPEI A strong earthquake in the Pacific off Taiwan rocked the island #39;s northeast on Friday, damaging buildings and injuring several people, officials said.

Business: 0.9980666
Oil Falls From Record on Concern High Prices May Slow Growth Crude oil fell from yesterday #39;s record of \$54.88 a barrel in New York amid concern that sustained high prices may slow economies and reduce demand for energy.

Business: 0.9985415
Delta Sees Much Wider 3rd-Qtr Loss NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DAL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DAL.N</A> on Friday forecast a much wider third-quarter loss than Wall Street had estimated, citing weak domestic fares and a spike in fuel costs, sending its shares down nearly 6 percent.

World: 0.8895826
India, Russia must work together on new tech: Putin BANGALORE, DEC 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin has called upon India and Russia to work together on innovative technologies with younger generation taking the lead.

Business: 0.998575
ATA to temporarily lay off 156 employees INDIANAPOLIS - ATA Airlines announced temporary layoffs Thursday throughout its system amid speculation that the struggling airline was in merger talks.

Sports: 0.9995777
WEEK 6: Pregame show hits the road for Seattle-New England Every week, the experts of FOX NFL Sunday will candidly reveal their observations and make their opinions known as they prepare for their top-rated pregame telecast - seen each Sunday at 12 pm ET / 9 am PT.

Business: 0.99851626
United to seek more cuts from labor, elsewhere United Airlines says it #39;ll need even more labor cuts than anticipated to get out of bankruptcy. United told a bankruptcy court judge in Chicago today that it intends to start talks with unions next month on a new round of cost savings.

Business: 0.9986247
Oil rallies to new record high Crude oil futures rallied late Friday to a new record high of \$54.90, a day after a decline in the US inventory of heating oil roiled a market already on edge over tight supplies, high demand and unrest among key producers.

Business: 0.99858886
Deal would cut United #39;s Chicago airport debt Bankrupt United Airlines stands to erase 75 percent of its obligation to pay off \$600 million of debt issued for projects at its Chicago O #39;Hare International Airport hub, in a deal that would leave bondholders with 60 cents on

SciTech: 0.9966827
-Posted by david.berlind 2:10 pm (PDT) From the Department of Dualing Rhetoric: In his story regarding the launch of two new IBM pSeries servers, News.com #39;s Stephen Shankland quotes IBM Unix vice president Karl Freund as saying quot;Our goal is to beat Sun and perhaps become the No.

Business: 0.9839392
Demand For Oil Exceeds Forecasts Oil demand is rising faster than predicted this year as OPEC pumps more low-quality oil in a failed bid to reduce record prices, according to International Energy Agency, an adviser to 26 industrialized nations.

Sports: 0.9947596
Bovina upsets Williams at Kremlin Cup Unseeded Elena Bovina upset error-prone Venus Williams, 6-3, 6-2 Friday to advance to the Kremlin Cup semifinals. Bovina, 19, will be playing in her third semifinal this season.

SciTech: 0.87678957
Dell unveils holiday lineup, including new plasma TVs OCTOBER 15, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Dell Inc. took the wraps off its holiday lineup on Thursday, showing new printers, plasma televisions and music players that will soon be available through its Web site.

World: 0.9990386
Security Council group named The UN has chosen Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania as the five states to become non-permanent members of the Security Council next year.

World: 0.99940026
Islamic teacher charged with bombings The reputed spiritual leader of an Indonesian terrorist network has been charged with orchestrating the bombing of a Bali nightclub and a Jakarta hotel.

Business: 0.9985696
Insurance Probe Rattles Stocks NEW YORK (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.

World: 0.99785835
Kerry Campaign Seeks Equal Time Over Film (AP) AP - Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign, contending that Sinclair Broadcast Group wants to help President Bush by airing an anti-Kerry documentary two weeks before the election, asked on Friday that each station carrying the program provide a similar amount of time to Kerry supporters.

World: 0.99930406
Russia's Red Army Fetes Pope on Eve of Anniversary VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Russia's Red Army chorus and orchestra on Friday feted Pope John Paul to mark his 26th anniversary as Roman Catholic leader, an event unthinkable just 15 years ago before the fall of the Soviet Union.

World: 0.9993643
Pakistani leader arrives for talks Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf has arrived in Britain for a visit which will include talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

SciTech: 0.9974177
Microsoft Issues IE Patch (Article Central) Microsoft released its October batch of security advisories this week, with a number of quot;critical quot; patches, including a significant fix for the Internet Explorer browser.

Business: 0.9593038
No Chance of Chiron Vaccine, U.S. Says WASHINGTON (Reuters) - None of Chiron Corp.'s flu vaccine made at a British plant is safe, which means the U.S. flu vaccine supply will be half of what was expected, U.S. health officials said on Friday.

Sports: 0.99971133
Minaya Shakes Up Mets Coaching Staff NEW YORK Oct. 13, 2004 - Mets general manager Omar Minaya shook up New York #39;s coaching staff Wednesday while continuing to search for a manager to replace Art Howe.

SciTech: 0.985587
Video game leaked on Internet Halo 2, one of the most anticipated video games of the year, got an early release date, but not the way fans or its publisher, Microsoft, had hoped.

Sports: 0.9996995
Virender Sehwag turns in 133 not out Virender Sehwag #39;s smashing century spurred India in the second test match Friday after Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne surged to the top of test cricket #39;s all-time wicket-takers by dismissing Irfan Pathan for his 533rd wicket.

Sports: 0.999663
Hanging by fingertips JAMAICA #39;S BID for a place in the 2006 World Cup finals suffered a major setback on Wednesday night when they picked up only one point against El Salvador at the National Stadium.

World: 0.99938905
Downer welcomes terror charge THE federal government has welcomed the bringing of formal terrorism charges against Indonesian militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir. A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the charges reflected

SciTech: 0.9860838
Great White Shark Loses Monitor Tag (AP) AP - A great white shark that was tagged with a data-gathering device in shallow waters off Cape Cod has apparently reclaimed its privacy.

Business: 0.9983285
#39;Do or die #39; for cash-tight Delta Struggling Delta Air Lines #39; latest financials show its cash on hand has dipped below the point where some analysts say it must decide to file for bankruptcy.

Business: 0.9982261
GM trims earnings projection for year Kicking off what promises to be a dismal round of automotive earnings reports, General Motors yesterday laid out a range of problems that have no ready solutions, from the slowdown in auto-sales growth in China and record-high steel costs to intractable

SciTech: 0.9968646
IBM #39;s High-End Power5 Servers Catch HP IBM on Friday introduced high-end servers in its pSeries and iSeries lines that include virtualization features and raw power that some experts say put the products on par with offerings from rival Hewlett-Packard Co.

Sports: 0.9993892
Different time, different team With 3:25 left in the third quarter, the score was 33-0, and the 79,406 fans at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., had long since stopped worrying about the outcome.

World: 0.99939394
Tensions surge in Haiti PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Heavy gunfire erupted yesterday when police streamed into a slum stronghold of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Sports: 0.9996948
Jennings in charge CAPE TOWN - Ray Jennings was appointed as the interim coach of South Africa #39;s national cricket side yesterday afternoon following the resignation earlier of the under-fire Eric Simons.

SciTech: 0.84649354
Playing with the traumas of war Are games based on the Vietnam conflict making us immune to realities of history?

Sports: 0.9996598
Jimenez ends Langer #39;s Match Play bid Spain #39;s Miguel Angel imenez completed a 2 amp;1 victory over German Bernhard Langer in their delayed World Match Play Championship quarter-final at Wentworth on Saturday.

World: 0.99941254
Gaza Clean-Up Operation after Israeli Withdrawal Palestinians retrieved belongings from the rubble of dozens of homes and work crews patched up roads and water pipes today - the aftermath of Israels 17-day military offensive, the deadliest in the Gaza Strip in four years of fighting.

Sports: 0.9989531
It's not sitting well with Mientkiewicz Since his arrival in Boston at the trading deadline, Doug Mientkiewicz has bought into the Red Sox' team concept, accepting his role as a defensive replacement.

World: 0.9994054
Warne takes six but India establish handy lead (Reuters) Reuters - World test wicket record holder Shane Warne grabbed six wickets as India established a handy 141-run first innings lead in the second test on Saturday.

World: 0.9988662
Rugby: Kiwis earn draw New Zealand hold Australia 16-16 in the first game of the 2004 Tri-Nations series.

Sports: 0.9996964
Jimenez ends Langer #39;s challenge at the 35th Miguel Angel Jimenez ended the strong challenge of his Ryder Cup captain, Bernhard Langer, on the 35th hole Saturday to earn a semifinal place in the World Match Play Championship.

Business: 0.9985001
Pfizer Sends Out Update On Drug Bextra Pfizer Inc. said Friday that it will provide health-care professionals with additional information about its Bextra arthritis drug and that it will conduct further studies to confirm the drug #39;s long-term cardiovascular safety record.

World: 0.9993692
Iran Rejects Any Deal to End Uranium Enrichment TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it would reject any proposal to halt uranium enrichment, a step European Union diplomats are proposing to end a row over whether Iran is seeking atomic weapons.

World: 0.99935585
Iran to shun Europe nuclear deal Iran says it will reject any European proposal which requires it to halt its nuclear activities completely.

Sports: 0.99971336
It #39;s plain: Rain helps Red Sox Boston thinks it gained an edge ... Boston -- The Red Sox got their hoped-for rain on Friday, and after the deluge, things are looking up for Boston: Because of the postponement, Pedro Martinez may pitch Game 5, and in another development, 21-game winner Curt Schilling is back under

World: 0.99937075
14 dead in Kashmir violence NEW DELHI - Fourteen people have been killed in Kashmir in an increase of violence since a visit by the Indian prime minister in mid-November.

Business: 0.9986123
American shoppers splurge in September WASHINGTON (AFP) - Shoppers -- the dynamo in the US economy -- shrugged off rising energy prices and splurged in malls and car showrooms in September, a government report showed.

Sports: 0.98814315
England sweeps Zims England has swept its one-day series against Zimbabwe 4-0 with a 74-run win in Bulawayo. Veteran Darren Gough took 4-34 as Zimbabwe was bowled out for 187 chasing 262 for victory.

World: 0.9959864
One dead in Romanian bear rampage A brown bear kills one person and wounds several in the Transylvanian forests of Romania.

World: 0.9993937
Britain Ups Anti-Terror Security Spending (AP) AP - The Sept. 11 attacks on America forced Prime Minister Tony Blair's government to ponder a troubling question: Could terrorists pull off something similar, or even worse, in London or another big British city? The answer, they concluded, was yes.

World: 0.9784868
Kerry's wife paid 798,820 dollars in state, federal taxes in 2003 (AFP) AFP - Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, declared 2,291,137 dollars in gross taxable income in 2003 and paid 798,820 dollars in state and federal taxes, or about 35 percent, her office said in a statement.

World: 0.99927086
Column: Who will stop genocide in Sudan? This time, world leaders and their people cannot claim they knew nothing of the tens of thousands of murders of black Africans and massive gang rapes in Darfur perpetrated by the Arab Janjaweed

SciTech: 0.9978689
FDA Orders Strong Antidepressant Warning Labels By DIEDTRA HENDERSON WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Friday ordered that all antidepressants carry "black box" warnings that they "increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior" in children who take them. Patients and their parents will be given medication guides that include the warning with each new prescription or refill...

World: 0.9994261
Powell to discuss NKorea on visit Japan, China, SKorea next week (AFP) AFP - US Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Japan, China and South Korea beginning next week for talks on the stalled effort to end the impasse over North Korea's nuclear program, Iraq, terrorism and other matters, the State Department said.

World: 0.9994185
Sudan Questions WHO Darfur Deaths Figures Sudan on Saturday questioned UN estimates that up to 70,000 people have died from hunger and disease in its remote Darfur region since a rebellion began 20 months ago.

World: 0.8221506
Kerry to reverse stem cell policy US presidential candidate John Kerry says he will make stem cell research a priority, dropping George Bush's policy.

Sports: 0.999432
Yao Rested and Ready for Kings Again (AP) AP - Yao Ming is refreshed. After a demanding few days in his hometown for the first NBA game in China, the Houston Rockets center has had some time to unwind since arriving in Beijing.

World: 0.9994192
Palestinians Sift Rubble After Israel's Gaza Assault JABALYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Palestinians sifted through the rubble of dozens of homes in a sprawling refugee camp on Saturday after Israel ended its most powerful assault in the Gaza Strip in four years of bloodshed.

Sports: 0.99949634
UPDATE 1-Juninho on target as Celtic beat Hearts 3-0 Brazilian midfielder Juninho scored his first goal for Celtic in a 3-0 drubbing of Hearts that gave the champions an eight-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

World: 0.99935275
Bush and Kerry Trade Barbs in Fla., Ohio DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The presidential candidates found new ways to go negative Saturday, President Bush accusing his Democratic challenger of putting politics ahead of the war on terror and Sen...

Sports: 0.9989229
Astros 5, Cardinals 2 Roger Clemens hopped off the mound, pumped his right fist and muttered to himself all the way to the dugout. His work was done and the Houston Astros were exactly where they wanted to be -- right back in the NL championship series.

SciTech: 0.9924102
Astronauts arrive at space station A RUSSIAN spacecraft has delivered three astronauts to the International Space Station, overcoming docking system problems which had delayed its launch.

Sports: 0.99922836
Alabama Upsets No. 24 Southern Miss 27-3 (AP) AP - Kenneth Darby rushed for 197 yards and scored two touchdowns, one on a run and one on a pass, as Alabama beat No. 24 Southern Mississippi 27-3 Saturday for its first win against a ranked opponent in nearly two years.

Sports: 0.9966061
Els Eases Into Final Defending champion Ernie Els beat Padraig Harrington 5 and 4 yesterday to move into the final of the World Match Play Championship.

World: 0.99941146
Libya hosts #39;mini-summit #39; on Sudan #39;s Darfur conflict TRIPOLI, Libya: Libya confirmed that the leaders of Sudan, Egypt, Chad and Nigeria would join Moammar Gadhafi for a quot;mini-summit #39; #39; Sunday on Sudan #39;s Darfur region, which the United Nations calls the world #39;s worst humanitarian crisis.

Sports: 0.99965465
Rocket wills Astros to win Houston - -- As if Roger Clemens did not have enough to chew on Saturday morning as he sat in the Astros #39; clubhouse, in walks owner Drayton McLane, not to say quot;good luck quot; or quot;go get #39;em, quot; but to tell Clemens, quot;This is what we got you for.

Sports: 0.99967146
NCAA Game Summary - Virginia at Florida State Booker carried the ball 15 times...Chris Rix closed out the game for Florida State, completing his only pass for three yards in the fourth...Virginia guard Elton Brown left the game with an apparent injury and did not return after catching a deflected

World: 0.9993826
Powell to Japan; US Troops, N.Korea on Agenda Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Tokyo for two days next weekend to discuss security and trade as well as stalled talks aimed at ending North Korea #39;s nuclear ambitions, Japanese officials said on Sunday.

World: 0.9988514
EU to talk through asylum plans Key EU interior ministers are to meet in Florence to discuss plans for migrant holding centres outside Europe.

World: 0.9993449
Sharon to Hold Tense Meeting With Settlers JERUSALEM - After more than a year of avoiding Jewish settlers, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided to directly confront his former supporters in a meeting about his contentious plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank. Sharon invited settler leaders to meet with him in Jerusalem on Sunday, just a week before he presents his "disengagement" plan to parliament...

World: 0.9993938
Blair to put British troops under US control Critics of the Iraq war have slammed the prime minister following a decision to allow British troops to move into dangerous territory around Baghdad under US military command.

Sports: 0.9997143
Late fumble dooms Purdue WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Scott Starks returned a fumble by Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton 40 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes to lift 10th-ranked Wisconsin to a 20-17 win over No. 5 Purdue yesterday.

Sports: 0.9997247
Tigers are right on target AUBURN, Ala. -- Jason Campbell passed for a career-high 297 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 4 Auburn to a 38-20 rout of Arkansas yesterday.

Business: 0.99804795
Phony bids put insurance firm in real trouble When Greenville County in South Carolina borrowed \$800 million two years ago to expand its public schools, insurance broker Marsh amp; McLennan Cos.

Sports: 0.99967
Report: On tape, trainer says Bonds used drug in '03 SAN FRANCISCO -- Slugger Barry Bonds took an undetectable performance-enhancing drug during the 2003 season, his weight trainer said on a secretly recorded tape, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday.

Sports: 0.99753547
Lowe finally is a go How fitting. Down, three games to none, their season on its deathbed, the Red Sox now have to pitch Derek Lowe.

Sports: 0.99968636
Bullying ZCU is cleared of racism WHILE Zimbabwe #39;s international playing future hangs in the balance, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union has been cleared of racism by the International Cricket Council.

Sports: 0.99966824
(Sports Network) - Carlos Beltran may be the newest Killer B in ... lineup, but right now he is also the most feared hitter on the Astros. He #39;ll. play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 today at Minute Maid Park.

Sports: 0.99965775
Deco keeps Barca flying high as Ronaldo rescues Real Brazilians bagged the plaudits in Spain #39;s La Liga on Saturday as Deco, Brazil-born but a naturalised Portuguese international, fired Barcelona five points clear of the pack with the only goal in a derby win over Espanyol.

Business: 0.9929952
Halloween Means Sales as Adults Join In NEW YORK (Reuters) - Halloween is expected to scare up record sales this year as more adults -- and pets -- join in what was once mainly a children's dress-up event, filling a void before the key Christmas shopping season.

Sports: 0.9995596
Davydenko tops Davis Cup #39;mate Youzhny MOSCOW -- Nikolay Davydenko overcame leg cramps to beat Russian Davis Cup teammate Mikhail Youzhny in a tough Kremlin Cup semifinal, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9996289
UPDATE 2-Cricket-Malik reported for suspect action Cricket-ICC clears Zimbabwe Cricket Union of racism October 17, 2004 14:05:37 LAHORE, Pakistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A special report by an International Cricket Council (ICC) inquiry commission has ruled there is no evidence of racism within the

World: 0.9994128
Pakistan says to give extra security to Chinese Pakistan will provide extra security to the Chinese working in the country and pursue a former Guantanamo Bay inmate who masterminded the abduction of two Chinese engineers, the interior minister said on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9997173
Newcastle held to draw by Charlton London, England (Sports Network) - Charlton continued its strong play at home by coming from behind to tie Newcastle Sunday, 1-1. Alan Curbishley #39;s team is now unbeaten at The Valley in five matches this season, winning three times.

SciTech: 0.5973458
Sun posts narrower quarterly loss OCTOBER 14, 2004 (REUTERS) - SAN FRANCISCO -- Sun Microsystems Inc. today posted a narrower quarterly loss as revenue rose year over year for the second consecutive quarter after three years of declines, sending shares slightly higher.

Sports: 0.99969125
NFL Game Summary - San Diego At Atlanta Atlanta, GA -- Michael Vick ran for a score and threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, as Atlanta rallied to defeat San Diego, 21-20, at the Georgia Dome.

Sports: 0.9995927
Testing didn #39;t curtail homers It #39;s time to fess up. We were among the hordes of skeptics (sheep?) who boldly proclaimed drug-testing would blow a hole in the number of runs and home runs we #39;d see in 2004.

World: 0.99924845
REGION: Iran sticks by its right to possess nuclear fuel ... TEHRAN: Iran repeated on Sunday it had a right to master the sensitive nuclear fuel cycle, ahead of an expected proposal from Europe calling for Tehran to abandon such work in exchange for diplomatic and trade incentives.

Business: 0.98785025
Florida #39;s prepaid tuition program thriving Already the biggest of its kind in the country, Florida #39;s popular prepaid-tuition program expects to count its millionth customer during a sign-up period that runs Monday through Jan. 31.

SciTech: 0.9921549
IBM Releasing New Power5-Based Servers RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK - IBM is rolling out a new line of Power5-processor based servers that it says outperform rivals from Sun and HP.

Sports: 0.9996138
Garcia throws four TD passes in Cleveland #39;s 34-17 win over ... CLEVELAND (CP) - Chad Johnson better still have a few bottles of that pink stomach medicine. His Cincinnati Bengals look pretty sick.

Sports: 0.9996486
Geiberger joins father as a winner in Greensboro When it was over, after Brent Geiberger made his final putt, he finally got to talk to his father, Al, about their latest achievement.

SciTech: 0.8568796
Toughest athlete is female and unknown You probably haven't heard about one of the toughest endurance sports around: the deca-ironman. That's 38 km swimming, immediately followed by an 1800 km bicycle ride and a 420 km run. Currently, the world record stands at about 187 hours, held by a German housewife. Nobody else has ever finished the course below 192 hours.

SciTech: 0.90033233
iPod, DVD Players Lead Aug. Electronics Prices Lower NEW YORK (Reuters) - Price declines for U.S. consumer electronics accelerated in August, fueled by discounted price cuts for the popular iPod digital music player and traditional DVD players, according to an industry study prepared for Reuters.

Sports: 0.9973061
MLB Not Likely to Punish Steroid Users (AP) AP - For all the fuss over reported admissions of steroid use by Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, major league baseball probably won't discipline them.

World: 0.9992471
India watches in awe as two grand families feud in public (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - NEW DELHI (AP) - On one side is the dynasty that has dominated Indian politics for half a century. On the other is the family of India's most popular actor, a man so revered that his fans have been known to commit suicide out of loyalty to him.

World: 0.9993592
French Soldier Threatens to Blow Up Depot (AP) AP - A soldier, angry about being forced to retire, was holed up in an army depot with 60 tons of explosives Sunday, threatening to blow it up. About 400 residents were evacuated from nearby villages.

World: 0.9993868
War in Iraq Did Not Make World Safer, Annan Says LONDON, Oct. 17 -- The US-led war in Iraq has not made the world any safer, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a British television interview aired on Sunday.

Sports: 0.9957669
Dogged Astros Refocus Eyes on Texas On the strength of Carlos Beltran and a tireless bullpen, the Astros came back from a three-run deficit on Sunday to defeat the Cardinals, 6-5.

World: 0.9994073
Australia turns down plea for more troops to protect UN staff in Iraq (AFP) AFP - Australia has turned down a diplomatic plea for a contribution to a military force to protect United Nations (UN) personnel in Iraq.

Sports: 0.999539
Martin #39;s Tour de Corse win hands WRC title to Loeb Motorsport.com. Markko Martin dominated the this year #39;s edition of the legendary Tour de Corse rally, the 14th round of the 2004 World Rally Championship.

Sports: 0.99971086
ICC probe clears Zimbabwe of racism in cricket LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) - The International Cricket Council said yesterday a probe had found no evidence of racism in Zimbabwe cricket and that the Test status of the country #39;s team was never in question.

Sports: 0.9996997
Geiberger heads threesome to win Chrysler Classic Brent Geiberger secured his place on the USPGA Tour for the next two years with his fine two shot win at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro today.

SciTech: 0.8088248
Strangers in Life Join Hands in Death as the Web Becomes a Tool for Suicide in Japan About once a month since January 2002, Japan has recorded a group suicide, successful or attempted, where participants met on the Internet.

Sports: 0.9995753
Like father, like son in Chrysler Classic If Brent Geiberger was pleased to win the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, his father Al was positively ecstatic. quot;I was going absolutely crazy watching it all unfold.

Sports: 0.99970895
Astros erupt vs. Cards #39;pen HOUSTON - Even in a season of 105 wins, there had to be losses. But not like this one. The Cardinals didn #39;t merely lose 6-5 to the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

World: 0.99928963
Sharon to meet with settlement group as referendum idea gains ... Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to meet formally with a group of settlement leaders from Judea and Samaria Sunday for the first time in a year and half.

SciTech: 0.6550341
FCC ruling sets stage for broadband surge Broadband service may get a little broader in the next few years, now that the Federal Communications Commission is graciously stepping out of the way.

World: 0.99934727
Gay Marriage Issue Motivates Conservatives WASHINGTON - Gay marriage is emerging as a big enough issue in several states to influence races both for Congress and the presidency. Ballot initiatives on banning same-sex marriages are expected to propel social conservatives to the polls in 11 states, including four presidential battlegrounds: Arkansas, Ohio, Michigan and Oregon...

Sports: 0.99912816
Ace's wicked run leaves us wanting more Seven years of Pedro. Went by quickly, huh? Seven years, the best of which may very well have been the best pitching ever done in a Boston uniform. Seven years of feistiness. Seven years of blazing fastballs. Seven years of spellbinding changeups. Seven years of pitching inside, sometimes waaaaay inside. Seven years of double-digit strikeouts. Seven years of sheer virtuosity....

Sports: 0.9983246
Ramirez should be taking it to heart When it comes down to this, when it's worse than you could have possibly imagined, if you are any kind of ballplayer at all, you look within and ask yourself what you can do to make it better.

Business: 0.93125075
Ireland #39;s National Carrier Seeks Govt. Aid Ireland #39;s state-owned carrier, Aer Lingus, has asked the government for a grant worth euro200 million to euro300 million (US\$250 million to US\$375 million) to begin buying 10 or more long-haul aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus.

Business: 0.99782443
Goodale Hints of Tax Cuts The Federal Government says they are considering more tax cuts for lower and middle-income Canadians. Fending off attacks over the 9.1 billion dollar budget surplus, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said he

Business: 0.96202624
Attorney general is on target with aim at insurance industry ills State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has embarked on another crusade against an industry whose wealth-fueled influence makes most politicians cower.

Sports: 0.9949392
Villeneuve looking for points in final race Jacques Villeneuve will be looking to score points in his final race for the Renault F1 Team, this weekend in Brazil.

World: 0.9994011
Australian reporter freed in Iraq An Australian journalist was seized by militants in Iraq for nearly 24 hours, but then released unharmed.

World: 0.99578357
An Old Church's New Tilt Inspires Tourists and T-Shirts A humble church has something Germany's glorious Cologne Cathedral cannot match: a leaning tower.

World: 0.99283123
Calif. Mental Health Services May Expand (AP) AP - As pressures increase on California's mental health system, its workers and advocates say they are forced to do more with a supply of money that seems to shrink each year.

Sports: 0.9996413
IndyCar champ Kanaan finishes second and every lap FORT WORTH, Texas Helio Castroneves had a great restart today with two laps to go after a lengthy caution. He held off IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan to win the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway.

SciTech: 0.8192709
Google blows search into another universe Already the search tool so popular its name has become a verb, Google has been quietly adding important features in the background since it became a public company.

SciTech: 0.9953425
The Brains Behind AI Daphne Koller is pushing the limits of building computer programs that learn efficiently and reason intelligently. Third in a series profiling this year's MacArthur 'genius award' winners. By Kari Lynn Dean.

SciTech: 0.99068177
Too few games could set back PSP launch - Sony exec Signs of a delay, or just managing expectations?

SciTech: 0.99636406
Star Wars Battlefront; Sly 2: Band of Thieves; MacFamily Tree 4.0.6 Hearing a Jar Jar Binks-lookalike Gungan yell "Meesa gonna die!" as my droid tank shot him point-blank may have been the best part of this game.

SciTech: 0.9909825
Older mobiles may cause tumours: study The Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) at Karolinska Institute in Sweden found no indications of risk for less than 10 years of usage.

Business: 0.9984035
Pfizer to Sponsor Large New Celebrex Trial NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. said on Monday it plans to sponsor a major clinical study to further assess the cardiovascular safety of its arthritis drug Celebrex following the withdrawal of Merck Co.'s Vioxx, a drug in the same class.

SciTech: 0.9972248
Halo 2 for Xbox Leaked Online Microsoft confirms that a pirated copy of Halo 2 for Xbox in the PAL video format and French language started circulating on the Internet this week over newsgroups and piracy sites.

Business: 0.99858415
UPDATE 1-Star Gas suspends payout, may seek bankruptcy Star Gas Partners LP (SGH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (SGU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it has suspended distributions on its common partnership units and warned it may have to seek bankruptcy protection unless

SciTech: 0.9896706
Tech Giants Declare, 'United We Stand' Tough times often make for strange bedfellows, and the explosion of viruses, computer worms and spyware programs on the Internet is producing unique alliances among top technology firms. -washingtonpost.com

World: 0.9483644
5 EU ministers back digital passports FLORENCE Interior ministers from the five largest West European countries have agreed to adopt digital fingerprinting on passports, officials here said, but a second day of talks on Monday found them still deadlocked on a plan to create migrant holding

SciTech: 0.99394304
Storage Networking World Highlights News and survey results from Computerworld's twice-annual storage conference.

SciTech: 0.9965784
Liberty Alliance names first director, new members The Liberty Alliance Project signalled that it expects to have longevity when it comes to developing and promoting federated identity standards by naming its first executive director on Monday.

Sports: 0.9996183
Late collapse costs Park a victory Grace Park was bitterly disappointed after failing to produce her second LPGA title of the season Sunday at the Samsung World Championship at Big Horn Golf Course in Palm Desert, California.

Sports: 0.99972075
O #39;Neill backs Juninho to excel Celtic manager Martin O #39;Neill believes striker Juninho is benefiting from the support of the Parkhead crowd as he settles into life in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Sports: 0.9917555
Brazilian GP: Sauber preview The Brazilian Grand Prix at Sao Paulo on 24 October will be the 18th and final round of the FIA Formula One World Championship 2004.

World: 0.99930465
Human lives mere pawns in game of political expediency IT WOULD have been obtuse to miss the streak of smug satisfaction in the Western response to the seizure by Al-Qaeda #39;s Pakistani allies of two Chinese engineers working on Pakistan #39;s

World: 0.9993864
Fresh violence mars Afghan vote count A deadly explosion has hit a car carrying an election worker in southeastern Afghanistan. In all, five people were killed, including the worker identified as a local physician who helped organize the vote.

Business: 0.99853206
Odyssey Warns of Weak Quarter, CEO Quits CHICAGO (Reuters) - Odyssey Healthcare Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ODSY.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ODSY.O</A> on Monday warned of an earnings shortfall, announced the resignation of its chief executive and said it was the subject of a Justice Department probe, sending shares of the hospice care provider plummeting 42 percent.

Business: 0.9980155
Gold Fields ready to fight Harmony takeover Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI) said it rejected a takeover bid by Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. to create the world #39;s leading gold mining group, saying it was not in its interests.

SciTech: 0.99662375
'Frankenfish' Caught in Great Lakes (Reuters) Reuters - The dreaded Northern Snakehead, a\voracious predator dubbed the "Frankenfish" that can breathe\out of water and wriggle across land, has invaded the Great\Lakes, authorities said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9744684
Vendors Upgrade Development Tools OCTOBER 18, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM and Borland Software Corp. last week separately brought out upgrades to their development tool lines that executives said add support for heterogeneous environments and

Business: 0.9982999
Oil Prices Nosedive on Profit-Taking Oil prices fell sharply on Monday in what traders described as a wave of profit-taking sparked by a steep decline in gasoline futures.

World: 0.99936
G5, PISANU: EUROPOL PLAYS KEY ROLE AGAINST TERRORISM (AGI) - Florence, Italy, Oct.18 - quot;EuroPol must play a key role in the struggle against terorrism quot; said Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu, illustrating the results of the G5 (Italy, UK, France, Germany, Spain) Interior Ministers meeting held today in

Business: 0.9935154
Foreign investors likely to bid for Yukos unit MOSCOW: Foreign investors may take part in the sale of assets in Russian oil major Yukos main production unit, which could be offered at a 60 price discount to settle back taxes, Russian television reported on Monday.

SciTech: 0.9963547
Apple and U2 co-host autumn music special The links between Apple and U2 grow stronger, with Apple #39;s announcement that it will hold a special music event next week on October 26.

World: 0.9991779
Iraq to widen arms amnesty success, could point to the government #39;s ability to organise nationwide polls by the end of January. The interim government has vowed to crack down on insurgents and pacify Iraq before the January election.

Sports: 0.99971884
Manning Throws 3 TDs to Lead Colts Past Titans INDIANAPOLIS (Sports Network) - Peyton Manning threw for 425 yards with three touchdowns and Edgerrin James ran for 105 yards with a pair of scores, as the Indianapolis Colts shook off a sluggish start and rolled to a 51-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans at the RCA Dome.

SciTech: 0.99754167
Bono at Apple promo p2pnet.net News:- quot;Select quot; members of the press on Monday have received an invitation to a special Apple iTunes / iPod promo slated for October 16, says MacCentral.

Business: 0.99837035
Calif. Lawmaker Wants to Privatize State Pensions Hoping to stem a tide of rising pension debt, a California legislator will propose a controversial overhaul on Monday that would convert traditional public employee retirement plans to privately managed 401(k)-style plans, the Los

Business: 0.99851817
KMart Names Yum Marketing Maven as CEO NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KMRT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KMRT.O</A> 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.

World: 0.9993344
U.S.: No Decision Made on Iraq Unit's Fate BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military said Monday no decision had been made on whether to discipline Army reservists who refused a supply mission last week, despite statements from their relatives that the soldiers would be discharged...

SciTech: 0.9957853
Halo 2 for Xbox Leaked Online PC World has posted a news article claiming that the highly anticipated game Halo 2 for the Xbox has been released on the net. quot;Microsoft confirms that a pirated copy of Halo 2 for Xbox in the PAL video format

SciTech: 0.99757725
Raised by Others, Birds Use Code to Find Their Kind Like the ugly duckling, cowbirds are raised by other bird species. So how do they find each other as adults? A new study says they have a "password," among other things.

Sports: 0.9988984
Els still has Major ambitions Ernie Els has another 1.4m and a World Match Play record all to himself. But he wants more. And top of the South Africans agenda for 2005 is to try to win the Masters and US PGA titles.

Sports: 0.5960279
Glazer buys more Man United shares American business tycoon Malcolm Glazer has increased his stake in Manchester United by buying another 17million worth of shares in the club.

Business: 0.9980027
TI Profit Up on Cellular, TV Chip Sales Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the largest maker of chips for cellular phones, on Monday said quarterly profit rose about 26 percent on demand from handset

SciTech: 0.9965172
IBM Unveils New Storage Technology IBM recently unveiled the TotalStorage DS6000, a roughly VCR-size system aimed at mid-size businesses. The new DS8000 series system features IBM Power5 microprocessors and IBM #39;s Virtualization

SciTech: 0.99083287
Users Buoyed by Monthly Patch Releases OCTOBER 18, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp. #39;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 last weekeven as they were greeted with a

Business: 0.99861586
Oil Retreats on Signs Economy Hurting NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices retreated sharply after setting record highs above \$55 a barrel on Monday as dealers took profits on signs that energy costs are hurting economic growth.

Business: 0.99854124
U.S. Stocks Gain as Oil Retreats NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday after a drop in oil prices eased worries about corporate profits, although disappointing earnings from diversified manufacturer 3M Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MMM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MMM.N</A> limited gains on the blue-chip Dow.

Business: 0.9985312
Kraft Profit Falls on Higher Costs CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kraft Foods Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KFT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KFT.N</A> on Monday posted a 3.8 percent drop in quarterly profit, weighed down by higher marketing spending and increased costs for cheese, coffee and other materials.

World: 0.9990921
Tennis: Davenport to play on Lindsay Davenport says she plans to play in the Australian Open next January.

World: 0.9993625
Stocks Edge Higher As Oil Prices Retreat NEW YORK - A sharp drop in oil prices gave Wall Street a modest relief rally Monday, with stocks edging higher on news that oil production had soared during the month of September. Investors who have sold stocks for months as oil prices climbed reversed course Monday and started buying as the price of crude declined...

World: 0.9990533
USC, Miami Top BCS Standings, Not Okla. Southern California took the top spot Monday in the season's first Bowl Championship Series standings, and surprisingly Miami is ahead of Oklahoma in a close race for the second spot. Oklahoma is No...

Sports: 0.99719846
Models replace ball boys at Madrid Masters Fashion models replaced traditional ball boys in the biggest surprise Monday at the Madrid Masters, where expected winners included Albert Costa, Alex Corretja and Luis Horna.

World: 0.99939466
Hungary citizenship fails due to low turnout (AFP) AFP - Voters in Hungary failed to turn out in sufficient numbers to pass a referendum to extend citizenship to millions of ethnic Hungarians living in the region, a motion that split the country and drew fire from neighboring governments.

Business: 0.9984597
US Airways Workers Get Pay Cut (Buffalo, NY, October 18, 2004) - - Buffalo #39;s dominant airlines is 1 of 2 carriers that #39;s taking drastic cost cutting steps to stay in the air.

Sports: 0.99932766
Glazer raises stake in United to close on buy-out trigger point Malcolm Glazer edged closer to triggering a mandatory bid for Manchester United last night by increasing his stake in the club to 27.

Business: 0.9914677
Opel management, workers talk in job issues The management and labor representatives of the car producer Opel began talks Monday on thecontroversial massive layoffs faced by its workers.

Business: 0.5540231
BASS moving headquarters to Florida The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society is moving its headquarters to Central Florida. The bass fishing organization, based in Montgomery since its inception in 1967, announced Monday

Sports: 0.99970776
Leggy models wont distract Corretja MADRID: Leggy models as ballgirls won #39;t be a distraction to family man Alex Corretja after the veteran moved into the second round of the Madrid Masters yesterday.

World: 0.9993864
U.S.: No Decision Made on Iraq Unit's Fate (AP) AP - The U.S. military said Monday no decision had been made on whether to discipline Army reservists who refused a supply mission last week, despite statements from their relatives that the soldiers would be discharged.

World: 0.99939764
Australia to Relocate Embassy in Baghdad (AP) AP - The Australian embassy in Baghdad is to be moved into the strife-torn city's heavily fortified Green Zone, the government said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9997011
Ferguson says he is picking the wrong teams Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says he has picked the wrong teams at times this season. quot;Maybe at the moment I am making too many changes, quot; Ferguson told British newspapers

Sports: 0.9990225
Parade of Heroes sets the pace for London 2012 bid Many of Britain #39;s Olympic medal winners had already done a lap of honour in Athens, the civic reception and some even appeared on A Question of Sport.

Sports: 0.99956685
Seahawks Looking at Acquiring Jerry Rice (AP) AP - Jerry Rice could be headed north to reunite with Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

Sports: 0.999295
Utah Seventh in First BCS Standings (AP) AP - As happy as Utah coach Urban Meyer was to hear his team was ranked seventh in the first Bowl Championship Series standings, he didn't want to talk about it much.

World: 0.9994129
Australian journalist tells of capture in Iraq TONY EASTLEY: An Australian journalist snatched by insurgents in Iraq, has contradicted claims by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer that he was kidnapped in a part of Baghdad where he was advised not to go.

Business: 0.9926231
Coke plans new push into energy niche In January, Coke plans to introduce an energy drink called Full Throttle. Coke hopes it will be a better competitor than an earlier entry, the slow-selling KMX.

Sports: 0.9985207
United without key pair Keane was not with the squad flying out to the Czech capital after contracting a virus and Ferdinand, who would almost certainly have skippered United in the Irishmans absence, was due to attend his grandmothers funeral.

SciTech: 0.9915113
Google's New PC Search Tool Poses Risks (AP) AP - People who use public or workplace computers for e-mail, instant messaging and Web searching have a new privacy risk to worry about: Google's free new tool that indexes a PC's contents for quickly locating data.

SciTech: 0.9910897
South Korea to Pick Country's First 2 Astronauts (Reuters) Reuters - South Korea will pick its first two\astronauts next year for a space trip by 2007, the science\ministry said Sunday, after Russia agreed to help the country's\space program.

Business: 0.97987455
MCI to Take \$3.5 Billion Charge in 3Q Telecommunications firm MCI Inc. on Monday said it will take a hefty \$3.5 billion charge in the third quarter to impair property, equipment and intangible assets related to its consumer phone business.

Sports: 0.98835063
He's His Own Adu Georgetown Prep defender Fro Adu is proud of brother Freddy, a forward for D.C. United, but wants to step out on his own.

SciTech: 0.9975667
Former Dire Straits Front Man Uses AMD Opteron for New Album Mark Knopfler, the former lead guitarist and singer for Dire Straits, has recorded his new quot;Shangri-La quot; album on a dual AMD Opteron processor-based digital audio workstation.

Business: 0.99827194
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 #39;s airports, the Department of Homeland

World: 0.9992986
UK to assess Iraq troop move A reconnaissance team is to visit the area around Baghdad where UK forces could be sent to provide US back-up.

Sports: 0.94810647
Even Longer: Red Sox Win in 14 Innings Boston's David Ortiz drilled a pitch into center field, a clean single that brought home Johnny Damon with the winning run in a marathon Game 5 in the A.L.C.S.

Business: 0.9982455
US Airways to Alter Flights US Airways said it will change its flight schedules in February to increase departures at its Charlotte and Philadelphia hubs and create a mini-hub in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

SciTech: 0.74264634
New Jersey Lawsuit Challenges Electronic Voting A coalition of private citizens and local elected officials in New Jersey plan to file a lawsuit to block the state's use of electronic voting machines.

Business: 0.99399334
Industry Report: Dec. 6, 2004 With a raft of new products ready to roll out over the next few years, Ford Motor Co. is setting big growth goals for its long-troubled Lincoln Mercury division.

Business: 0.9985719
Kmart names new CEO Kmart yesterday hired a restaurant and branding expert as its new president and chief executive officer, suggesting the nation #39;s third-largest discount retailer would soon start

Sports: 0.99959356
NBA ROUNDUP: O #39;Neal puts on a show for new fans in Miami MIAMI -- Shaquille O #39;Neal swatted away Boris Diaw #39;s lay-up to preserve a 26-point lead, then waved into a nearby television camera the moment he landed on his feet.

World: 0.99841106
Candidates Spar on Iraq, Terrorism War President Bush and Democratic challenger John F. Kerry lunged into the final two weeks of the 2004 presidential campaign on Monday by feuding feverishly over the Iraq war and the fight against terrorists.

Business: 0.9970221
Rates on short-term T-bills hit 30-month high WASHINGTON -- Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in yesterday's auction to the highest levels in 30 months.

Sports: 0.9988732
Exhausted Yankees still in good shape Even after two draining nights of disappointment, the New York Yankees are still in good shape. Sure, they squandered a pair of chances to close out Boston.

Business: 0.6733365
GM Protests Spread Across Europe Tens of thousands of General Motors workers across Europe were set to stop working on Tuesday in a sign of solidarity with their German colleagues, who face massive job cuts.

Sports: 0.9996427
Ortiz, Sox rally to fight another day: Sink Yanks in 14, send ... The official crowd at Fenway Park last night was a capacity 35,120, but as the years pass, the number of people who claim to have attended the Red Sox stats, schedule #39; 5-4, 14-inning victory

World: 0.9992662
N Korea crisis talks set to resume A top North Korean official has flagged the resumption of multilateral talks over the country #39;s efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

World: 0.9993007
Karzai Camp Scents Victory Early in Afghan Poll KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai was on course on Tuesday for an outright victory in the country's historic presidential election with almost a quarter of the votes counted from the poll 10 days ago.

SciTech: 0.9874972
Microsoft, Cisco partner on network-access security Microsoft and Cisco Systems will collaborate to make their emerging products for network security compatible. The vendors had been working independently in the area of PC access to networks but say customers

SciTech: 0.9978169
Red Hat appoints head of desktop infrastructure Linux distributor Red Hat Inc has appointed a vice president of desktop infrastructure technologies, a new position demonstrating its renewed commitment to Linux as a desktop operating system.

Sports: 0.99970526
Pro Hockey Notebook: 10/19/04 Courtney Prince, 25, of Manhattan, a former captain of the New York Rangers #39; skating cheerleading squad sued the owner of Madison Square Garden, saying she was fired after she told

SciTech: 0.8982186
Intel gets off chip speed roller coaster: Technology India: New York, Oct 19 : The world #39;s leading computer chipmaker Intel has jumped off the chip speed roller coaster by yanking its four giga hertz (4 GHz) Pentium 4 processor off the drawing board.

SciTech: 0.99074835
Trust Digital Gets CEO, Cash Influx Trust Digital Inc., a McLean software company, is getting a new chief executive and \$3.1 million in new investments as it tries to expand its business making security software for wireless devices. -The Washington Post

Business: 0.99495703
Key Areas of Sainsbury #39;s Revival Strategy Sainsburys chief executive Justin King today unveiled his long-term plan to return the UKs third largest supermarket chain to its former glory.

SciTech: 0.99490476
Creative Sound Blaster Wireless Music Review From PC to hi-fi via Wi-Fi

World: 0.99939966
Myanmar PM sacked, arrested for corruption (AFP) AFP - Myanmar's Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt -- among the most reformist of the military regime's leaders -- has been sacked and placed under house arrest for alleged corruption, a Thai government spokesman said.

World: 0.99931705
Charity chief kidnapped in Iraq Care International charity says its chief of operations in Iraq has been kidnapped in Baghdad. A spokeswoman told Reuters on Tuesday that Margaret Hassan, who has been working

Business: 0.9981741
Constellation Brands Offers \$1.3 Billion for Mondavi (Update1) Constellation Brands Inc., the world #39;s largest winemaker, offered \$1.3 billion in cash to acquire Robert Mondavi Corp., maker of lower-price Woodbridge wines.

Business: 0.9805742
Texas Instruments Plans Investment US-based chipmaker Texas Instruments Inc. said it will spend about US\$300 million (euro 240 million) over the next three years to increase output at its facilities in the northern Philippines.

World: 0.9993222
CARE Official Kidnapped in Baghdad Margaret Hassan, said to be a British-born Iraqi national, the director of CARE International #39;s operation in Iraq is seen in this image made from video footage made on May 20, 2003.

SciTech: 0.9953507
Solar Minimum is Coming Soon Something strange happened on the sun last week: all the sunspots vanished. This is a sign, say scientists, that solar minimum is coming sooner than expected.

SciTech: 0.9905481
Microsoft pushes SQL Server 2005 back Users and developers anxious to get their hands on Microsoft SQL Server 2005 will have wait a little longer. Since early this year Microsoft said to expect the finished version of the product in the first half of 2005.

SciTech: 0.9952859
Microsoft: No extra licenses needed for multicore chips Customers that use the dual-core processors that Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) are expected to begin shipping next year will not need to buy extra licenses for Microsoft Corp. software, the software maker will announce Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9969995
AMD pushes desktop performance with new chips Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) is expected to unveil its most powerful desktop processors to date on Tuesday, a few days after rival Intel Corp. disclosed changes to its desktop processor road map.

SciTech: 0.99323446
AMD Readies Powerful Desktop Chips New Athlon 64 processors will compete with Intel's Pentium 4 Extreme Edition.

SciTech: 0.91065687
Flat-screen TV emits international distress signal Could your TV call the Air Force? Apparently, Toshiba flat-screens can! Tv doesn #39;t get much better than this... quot;An Oregon man discovered earlier this month that his year-old Toshiba Corporation flat-screen

World: 0.9993862
Sharon 'at risk of assassination' Israel's opposition leader warns that the prime minister risks being assassinated over his Gaza disengagement plan.

Business: 0.99832684
Start of Ebbers Trial Delayed NEW YORK -- A federal judge has delayed the trial of former WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers until January 17th. The trial had been set to start November Ninth.

SciTech: 0.99605453
Symbol Arms Mobile Professionals With New Handheld Symbol Technologies Tuesday launched a line of enterprise-class handheld devices aimed at mobile professionals such as retail managers and supply chain management professionals.

Sports: 0.998444
Haas, Dent win openers at Madrid Masters Tommy Haas of Germany and Taylor Dent of the United States advanced to the second round of the Madrid Masters after easy wins Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99930453
Barcelona crush Malaga 4-0 MADRID, Dec. 5. - Samuel Etoo scored twice to help FC Barcelona beat Malaga 4-0 and extend its lead in the Spanish league to 10 points.

Business: 0.9985764
UPDATE 2-Sprint raises forecast, cuts \$3.5 bln from assets Sprint Corp. (FON.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday reported a larger third-quarter loss due to a \$3.5 billion write-down in the value of its long-distance assets.

Sports: 0.9997029
A game to remember CHARLTON #39;S players past and present would have been proud with this display - and how fitting that a game marking the Addicks #39; centenary had everything you could wish for from a match.

World: 0.999405
National Guard HQ attacked near Baghdad A mortar attack on an Iraqi National Guard headquarters north of Baghdad killed at least four National Guards and injured 80 others, officials said Tuesday.

Business: 0.9942532
Sainsbury takes profit hit J Sainsbury will take a 550 million (\$991 million) hit to profits this year as it invests to boost sales and reverse falling market share, Britain #39;s third-biggest supermarket chain said Tuesday.

Business: 0.9985644
Wells Fargo Profit Rises 12 Percent NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wells Fargo Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WFC.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">WFC.N</A>, the No. 4 U.S. bank, on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose a lower-than-expected 12 percent after a downturn in home mortgage lending.

Sports: 0.99837923
Tennessee's Johnson Suspended for Gun (AP) AP - Tennessee starting safety Brandon Johnson was suspended indefinitely because he fired a gun into the air near campus.

SciTech: 0.9964025
U2, Apple In iPod Deal, Bono Wins TED Prize U2 and Apple Computer are expected to announce next week that they have inked a deal to sell custom iPods. According to a source, the band #39;s upcoming Interscope album quot;How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, quot; due Nov.

Business: 0.95914024
Coke opens fridge door to rivals Coca Cola says it will allow retailers to stock rival drinks in its branded coolers as part of a deal with EU anti-trust watchdogs.

SciTech: 0.9957573
NEEMO's Undersea Operations: Making Telemedicine a Long Distance Reality (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - It gives new meaning to the term "housecall", but aquanauts aboard NASA's undersea research station, Aquarius, have performed simulated medical procedures with the help of a Canadian doctor 1300 miles away.

World: 0.9993774
Karzai heading for Afghan victory Supporters of Afghan President Hamid Karzai say he is on course to win the presidential elections, with about one-quarter of the votes counted.

SciTech: 0.9890233
Microsoft: No extra licenses needed for multicore chips OCTOBER 19, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Customers that use the dual-core processors Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. expect to ship next year won #39;t need to buy extra licenses for Microsoft Corp.

World: 0.9991592
Iran given nuclear deadline the (International Atomic Energy Agency) board of governors, quot; he said. quot;A proposal will be put to them. quot;. produce fuel for nuclear weapons -- but Tehran rejected the demand as illegal.

SciTech: 0.9939366
Digital home entertainment hits the road Theater-quality entertainment systems are coming to the car. Is rush hour ready for wireless file swapping?\ Photo gallery: Consumer gear takes a test drive

World: 0.9994105
Journalist: I just kept talking BAGHDAD - Iraqi militants threatened to kill an Australian journalist and interrogated him for more than 20 hours after kidnapping him outside a Baghdad hotel.

Business: 0.99854195
Vanguard Cuts Fees in Some College Funds NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Vanguard Group said on Tuesday it has lowered expense ratios on six portfolios in its 529 College Savings Plan sponsored by the state of Nevada.

Business: 0.9986135
S amp;P says may cut Constellation Brands #39; debt rating Standard amp; Poor #39;s on Tuesday said it may cut the debt rating for Constellation Brands (STZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) deeper into junk, after the wine and beer distributor said it had launched an unsolicited offer of \$970

SciTech: 0.95542866
Single License for Dual Core at Microsoft Microsoft (Quote, Chart) said it has clarified its software licensing policies to address a new trend in microprocessors and to keep the pressure on its rivals.

Sports: 0.99969745
Venus gets revenge, Mauresmo withdraws ZURICH, Switzerland (Ticker) - Venus Williams got a measure of revenge against Karolina Sprem of Croatia at the Swisscom Challenge on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9997085
We can win the series, says Ganguly quot;After the momentum we have got in Chennai, we should win the next two Tests. We are quite capable of winning the series, quot; Ganguly said.

SciTech: 0.98582226
Chirac: Europe Can Do More in Science Race (AP) AP - A European laboratory that was the birthplace of the World Wide Web and home of Nobel prize-winning developments in understanding the origins of the universe celebrated its 50th birthday Tuesday. But French President Jacques Chirac warned that despite those illustrious achievements, European scientists are falling behind.

SciTech: 0.99794537
Briefly: Akamai boosts Web application services roundup Plus: Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung...RIM touts BlackBerry with Wi-Fi...HP to sell Voltaire's InfiniBand switch.

Business: 0.9985442
US Insurance Stocks Plunge on Concern About Spitzer (Update3) The plunge in US insurance stocks widened to include companies such as Aetna Inc. and Humana Inc. on concern New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer #39;s probe of the industry will drag down profits.

World: 0.9992434
Feds Mum on Pre-Election Terror Threat (AP) AP - FBI, Justice Department and Homeland Security Department officials aren't talking much about the threat of a terrorist attack to disrupt the election in two weeks.

World: 0.9942959
Video Shows March Madrid Bombing A ball of fire erupts from a train car, smothering commuters with smoke and littering the platform with bodies and staining it with blood in a chilling security-camera videotape of the March 11 train bombings broadcast Tuesday by a Spanish station.

Business: 0.97329235
EA Reports Higher Quarterly Profits LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - No. 1 video game maker Electronic Arts Inc on Tuesday reported higher quarterly profits on strong demand for titles like Madden NFL 2005, but its stock price fell after a holiday forecast fell short of Wall Street expectations.

SciTech: 0.99525553
Album-on-a-card p2pnet.net News:- If you #39;re in Britain and you see people peering intently at their mobile phones, tapping their feet and snapping their fingers at the same time, they might be checking out the new Robbie Williams Greatest Hits album.

SciTech: 0.99658585
AMD Assaults New Performance Heights with New Chips As expected, Advanced Micro Devices, on Tuesday officially released its new microprocessors aimed at high-end desktop computers. The new chips set the new records in a variety of industrial benchmarks and

SciTech: 0.99748504
Toshiba to Unveil HD DVD Laptops in 2005 -- Paper TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=6502.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">6502.T</A> will introduce laptop computers with HD DVD technology in December 2005, aiming to pressure rivals in the battle over formats for next-generation DVDs, the Nihon Keizai daily said on Wednesday.

Business: 0.99779606
Profit Jumps at Motorola, but Shares Trade Lower OT quot; gt; Motorola, the world #39;s second-largest maker of cellphones, said yesterday that its profit more than quadrupled in the third quarter and revenue jumped 26 percent compared with the quarter

Sports: 0.9996971
Owen tastes Real joy ENGLAND striker Michael Owen could not have been a happier man after finally finding the net for Real Madrid today. The former Liverpool man had fallen short for his new club and had suffered the brickbats

Sports: 0.9997105
NETS 96, BOBCATS 89 Nets Win but They Still Look Out of Sorts One night after they were pounded by 19 points in a preseason game in Cleveland, the Nets looked like a much different team against the expansion Charlotte Bobcats

Sports: 0.99934274
Veterans face quandary with Pistons Antonio McDyess and Derrick Coleman understood that coming to the defending NBA champion Detroit Pistons offered the best and worst scenarios for a veteran player.

World: 0.99939096
Britain Charges Cleric Sought by US for Aiding Terrorism A radical Muslim cleric who is wanted on terrorism charges in the United States was accused by British prosecutors Tuesday of encouraging others to murder non-believers, including Jews, and inciting racial hatred.

Business: 0.99763894
US stocks: Market drops as insurers #39; woes offset IBM NEW YORK - US stocks fell on Tuesday as health insurers #39; shares slid on worries that the New York attorney general #39;s probe will hit the entire industry.

Sports: 0.999556
Nets 96, Bobcats 89 EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - In some ways, the New Jersey Nets are searching for an identity as much as the expansion Charlotte Bobcats. It #39;s the price of being dismantled in the offseason.

Business: 0.9966388
3 Former Enron Executives to Share a Trial Kenneth Lay, a founder of the Enron Corporation, will get two criminal trials - one by himself and one with his former protg, Jeffrey Skilling, a judge ruled Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.99773645
Soy-Fertility Risk Downplayed (WebMD) Eating a diet rich in soy or taking soy supplements probably won #39;t harm a woman #39;s fertility, according to a new study.

Business: 0.99625814
Coke opens its coolers to rival products Coca Cola is to allow other companies #39; products in its shop coolers for the first time. It has agreed the move in a deal with the European Commission to settle a five year competition case.

Business: 0.98488116
Oil Eases Again as Fuel Costs Hit Economy (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices ended lower on Tuesday on\signs that high energy costs are slowing the economic growth\that has fueled this year's sharp increase in world oil\consumption.

World: 0.9993938
Soldier to Plead Guilty in Iraq Abuse Case (AP) AP - An Army reservist charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners plans to plead guilty at a court martial to four counts arising from the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in a plea deal in which eight other counts will be dropped, his lawyer has said.

Sports: 0.9997167
Logjam at the point Doc Rivers does not subscribe to the mad scientist, mix-and-match method when it comes to selecting a backup point guard. He does not want a rotation of Marcus Banks, Jiri Welsch, and Delonte West picking up the minutes Gary Payton leaves behind. He does not want the trio of young, inexperienced guards wondering about playing time in addition...

Business: 0.79819596
Facing a fund gap Lucent Technologies' population of retired workers has grown so large over the years, there are four retirees for every active employee on its payroll. With health insurance costs soaring, Lucent now is saying that it's time for retirees to help pay for the benefit.

World: 0.99922407
F1: British Grand Prix ruled out Jackie Stewart rejects Bernie Ecclestone's claims that the British Grand Prix is dead.

World: 0.9993923
Seven suspected terrorists arrested in Spain Spain #39;s Interior Minister says police have broken up a radical Muslim cell, plotting to bomb the country #39;s National Court.

SciTech: 0.99569774
APPLE #39;S NEWEST WRINKLE: THE CUSTOMIZED, U2 IPOD Apple Computer and the rock band U2 have inked a deal to sell customized iPods, The Post has learned. The announcement will be made at a splashy event Oct.

Sports: 0.9994814
Shakhtar to beat Celtic twice, bets Marica Donetsk, Ukraine, Oct. 20 -- Shakhtar Donetsks Romanian teenage forward Ciprian Marica believes his sides strong team spirit will see them beat Celtic twice in the UEFA Champions League.

Sports: 0.9989022
Franklin claims a test hat-trick DHAKA, Bangladesh -- James Franklin became the second New Zealander to take a test hat-trick, on the second day of the first test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

World: 0.9966102
Earthquake shook Yunnan, China BAOSHAN, China - A strong earthquake shook southwest China. The epicenter of magnitude 5 quakes on the Richter scale was located in the province of Yunnan not far from the city of Baoshan.

Sports: 0.99572265
Game 5 marathon rated highly with viewers Monday's Game 5 of the Red Sox-Yankees series showed an interesting ratings pattern. The window from 5:15-8 p.m., the time allotted for the telecast, did a 42.2 rating and 66 audience share in Boston. Those are terrific numbers for any market. The better news for Fox was that the game was only half-over at that point.

SciTech: 0.7634258
Online gambling attracts surfers More than four million Britons are regular internet gamblers according to new research.

World: 0.999382
Karzai's Big Poll Lead Shows Afghan Ethnic Divide (Reuters) Reuters - Hamid Karzai was cruising to victory in\Afghanistan's first direct presidential elections, but by\Wednesday the returns so far have underscored the ethnic fault\lines that have often divided the country.

World: 0.9994103
Anglican claims he was misquoted over attack on Archbishop of Canterbury (AFP) AFP - Anglican Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen, whose reported attacks on the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prince Charles sparked a storm of protest last week, claims he never made the comments attributed to him by the media.

Business: 0.9985013
Unit Trust Fan Targets Health Care NEW YORK (Reuters) - Businessman Sam Katz tried to tap into Warren Buffet's gravy train a decade ago with a plan to make the legendary investor's lofty Berkshire Hathaway shares more accessible to the small investor.

SciTech: 0.8036624
NJ residents file lawsuit to block e-voting WASHINGTON - A coalition of New Jersey residents filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking a judge to stop the state from using electronic voting machines in the Nov. 2 election.

Business: 0.9985636
Growing auto losses cloud Ford #39;s outlook Ford Motor Co. swung to a third-quarter profit, but losses at the automakers global automotive operations widened, underscoring the difficulty Ford still faces

SciTech: 0.99690044
AMD readies powerful desktop chips AMD is expected to unveil its most powerful desktop processors to date this week, a few days after rival Intel disclosed changes to its desktop processor road map.

SciTech: 0.58071727
FCC Chair to Seek Net Telephone Oversight FCC Chairman Michael Powell said Tuesday that he would seek broad regulatory authority for the federal government over Internet-based telephone services to avoid stifling the emerging market.

World: 0.9993782
Kerry Win Would Trigger Fierce Senate Race (AP) AP - If John Kerry is elected president, Massachusetts would end up with its first Senate vacancy in 20 years, triggering a springtime special election that could determine the balance of power in Congress' upper chamber.

World: 0.9993862
Lebanon PM Resigns, Says Will Not Head New Govt. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri resigned Wednesday and said he would not form a new government, following a widely opposed constitutional change to keep the Syrian-backed president in office.

World: 0.9990017
Russian army bullying 'horrific' The ritual of organised bullying in the Russian army is getting worse, an international rights group warns.

Business: 0.9686118
230m claim against FT struck out The High Court in London has struck out the bulk of a record 240m libel damages claim brought against the Financial Times by investment bank Collins Stewart Tullet.

Business: 0.99855894
Colgate Profit Falls on Higher Costs NEW YORK (Reuters) - Colgate-Palmolive Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CL.N</A> on Wednesday said profit fell in the third quarter, as it warned it would a month ago, because of increased marketing spending and higher costs for raw materials.

SciTech: 0.99802893
Software Licensing Moving Toward Subscription, Utility Models (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Panelists at SoftSummit point to emerging alternatives to perpetual licensing but say the transition won't be easy.

Business: 0.9985104
Northwest Airlines Swings to 3Q Loss Northwest Airlines Corp. posted a third-quarter loss on Wednesday, compared with profits a year ago, due to rising fuel costs and low-fare competition.

Business: 0.9985759
Children #39;s Place to buy Disney stores In effort to expand market share, firm says it will invest \$100M in Disney #39;s money-losing business. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Children #39;s Place Retail Stores Inc.

World: 0.99936277
Spain arrests eight over plot to bomb court A terrorist attack believed to be aimed at the national court in Madrid seems to have been foiled by the arrest in the past two days of eight alleged radical Islamists.

SciTech: 0.5176968
Sales of industrial robots surging: UN report Geneva - Worldwide sales of industrial robots surged to record levels in the first half of 2004 after equipment prices fell while labour costs grew, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe said in a report to be released today.

Business: 0.9982907
Cummins 3Q Profit More Than Quadruples Service engine maker Cummins Inc. on Wednesday said that third-quarter profits more than quadrupled - beating both its own guidance and Wall Street estimates - and full-year earnings would also exceed previous expectations.

Business: 0.99681133
Opel workers abandon wildcat strikes BOCHUM - Workers at the Opel carmaking plant in the city of Bochum voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to end their nearly week-long wildcat strike and were to return almost immediately to work, officials announced.

Business: 0.99734205
South African Miner in Hostile Bid for Gold Fields Harmony Gold Mining, the largest miner of South African gold, made a hostile bid yesterday to acquire Gold Fields Ltd., another South African miner, for 52.

Sports: 0.9996922
Patriots Place Sam on Injured Reserve FOXBORO, Mass., (Sports Network) - The New England Patriots placed rookie wide receiver P.K. Sam on injured reserve Wednesday with a groin injury.

Business: 0.97468024
Judge blocks record libel claim against Financial Times LONDON (AFP) - A judge at the London High Court struck out the bulk of a record libel damages claim of 240 million pounds (345 million euros, 434 million dollars) against the Financial Times by stockbroker Collins Stewart Tullet.

World: 0.9978555
Bookies take bets on new Band Aid Bookies take bets on a new Band Aid single being Christmas No 1, expected to be confirmed by Midge Ure.

Sports: 0.99968255
Petherick delighted over Franklin hat trick Peter Petherick welcomed James Franklin into the test hat trick club with open arms last night. The former offspinner, who took his hat-trick on debut against Pakistan in Lahore 28 years

World: 0.999169
LIVE: prime minister #39;s questions Despite Alan Milburn holding his first press conference as Labour #39;s election strategist yesterday, it #39;s unlikely Tony Blair will be able to escape the shadow of Iraq at today #39;s session of PMQs.

Business: 0.9985531
Coca-Cola Bottling #39;s 3Q Profit Drops Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, the Coca-Cola Co. #39;s major bottler and distributor in the Southeast, said Wednesday that third-quarter profit fell as bad weather, high fuel prices and fewer promotions led to lower volume.

SciTech: 0.9923487
Humans Aren #39;t So Complicated A refined map of the human genome shows that humans have even fewer genes than previously thought -- less than 25,000, about the same as a mustard green.

SciTech: 0.99600005
CERN to Probe Life, the Universe and Everything (Reuters) Reuters - It has revolutionized physics, made

Sports: 0.99967873
Cardinals hope to fire up offense at home St. Louis - They trudged off the field at Minute Maid Park wearing glazed expressions, looking anywhere but home plate. That #39;s where Jeff Kent was celebrating a victory that left the Houston Astros one win from their first World Series.

World: 0.99860615
Blair is #39;Using Our Troops to Boost Bush #39; Tony Blair last night stood accused of conspiring to use British troops in Iraq as a quot;political gesture quot; to help George W Bush in the US presidential election.

SciTech: 0.99146444
Microsoft Tests Advanced IM for Enterprises The Istanbul technology is meant to replace MSN chat and Windows Messenger. Microsoft has not released much information on the technology, which may not reach market until next year or even later.

World: 0.9461505
Russia wants new business partnership with old ally India (AFP) AFP - Russia is seeking a new economic partnership to boost a decades-old friendship with India, envisaging sophisticated arms sales, high-end technology swaps and political support on the world stage.

Sports: 0.9993568
Motor Racing: BAR Win Contract Tug-Of-War Over Button SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Briton Jenson Button will drive for BAR next year but is likely to join Williams in 2006 after Formula One's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) ended a tug-of-war between the teams Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9996617
Souness Looks Forward Newcastle boss Graeme Souness was in defiant mood tonight as he attempted to push yesterdays training ground bust-up with striker Craig Bellamy into the background.

Business: 0.9985562
Countrywide Results Spark Sector Selloff NEW YORK (Reuters) - Countrywide Financial Corp. on Wednesday posted a 47 percent drop in quarterly earnings and cut its outlook as mortgage refinancings fell and rates climbed, sparking a broad sell-off in mortgage-company stocks.

World: 0.9947501
Kids Opt for Kerry in Bellwether Online Poll (Reuters) Reuters - The kids have spoken, and it's Sen.\John Kerry with a convincing victory over President Bush on

World: 0.9993579
Israel Battens Down Hatches for Volatile Gaza Vote JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's parliament took extraordinary security steps Wednesday for a vote next week on a Gaza pullout plan expected to spark Jewish settler protests and heighten death threats against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

SciTech: 0.9979615
Tabbed Browsing Flaws Detected Tabbed browsing, one of the more popular features built into alternative Web browsers, contains a security flaw that puts users at risk of spoofing attacks, research firm Secunia warned on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9982589
Gas Prices Continue Slide, Down to #36;1.93/gallon (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. average retail gasoline prices\fell over the last two weeks and are poised to slip even\further as crude oil prices continue to tumble, an industry\analyst said on Sunday.

SciTech: 0.61782527
Robo-servants set to sweep into homes Millions of new robots will be installed in households over the next few years, a UN report predicts.

SciTech: 0.92109853
FCC Mull November VoIP Vote WASHINGTON -- In the absence of congressional action, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell has taken over the direction of Voice over IP (define) policy in the Capitol, at least for the time being.

World: 0.9991844
4 French schoolgirls expelled for wearing head scarves Two Muslim girls were expelled Wednesday from high school for refusing to remove their head scarf -- the fourth such expulsions in two days as officials began taking action against

Business: 0.99533796
LVMH Plans to Buy Glenmorangie French luxury goods company LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis said Wednesday it plans to buy whisky maker Glenmorangie PLC for about 300 million pounds (euro430.

Sports: 0.9995722
Henman crushes Costa MADRID, Oct. 20. - Top-seeded Tim Henman of Britain was all praise for the novel idea of replacing ball boys and girls with fashion models at the Madrid Masters, after thrashing Spaniard Albert Costa 6-4, 6-2, on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9985618
KPMG to settle SEC charges in Gemstar audit case The Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday that accounting firm KPMG LLP will pay \$10 million to Gemstar-TV Guide International shareholders to settle allegations it committed improper conduct in Gemstar #39;s audit.

Sports: 0.9997054
Valencia need to play #39;ugly #39; against Inter, says Albelda Valencia may have to ditch their new-found attacking style of football in favour of an quot;ugly quot; defensive approach if they are to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League, according to club captain David Albelda.

Sports: 0.99453175
Wenger Spares Red-Faced Lehmann Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann was left red-faced in Athens as two costly mistakes ensured that a Champions League victory slipped through his sides fingers again.

SciTech: 0.97773015
Apple iTunes Store Cost Varies Apple Computer (NASDAQ: AAPL) recently launched its Apple iTunes Store in Canada. But is a website really a store when all the company appears to be doing is charging different rates in each country?

SciTech: 0.99447834
Microsoft To OK One License for Multicore Chips Customers who use the dual-core processors that Intel and Advanced Micro Devices are expected to begin shipping next year will not need to buy extra licenses for Microsoft software, the software maker will announce next week.

Sports: 0.9989046
American Fish Confident About Tough Davis Cup Final The US Davis Cup team is gearing up for a tough final against strong Spanish opponents on an unfavorable surface but are optimistic about beating their hosts, said their semi-final team member Mardy Fish.

World: 0.9989913
Typhoon Tokage Claims 25 Lives; 43 Missing, NHK TV Reports Twenty-five people were confirmed dead and 43 missing as of 5 am after typhoon Tokage passed through Japan, NHK television said on its Web site.

Business: 0.9941011
India snub for foreign airlines NEW DELHI: The Indian government increased the foreign direct investment (FDI) cap yesterday in domestic airlines from 40 to 49 per cent but kept a ban on foreign carriers taking stakes.

Sports: 0.9962645
October Games Provide Moments to Remember FOR all the polls that show how football is now America #39;s most popular game, the Yankees-Red Sox showdown for the American League pennant is this year #39;s sweet reminder that October baseball

SciTech: 0.9352167
Speak Clearly and Carry a Manual Ten years after it unveiled its first dream house, Microsoft has a new demonstration home showcasing technology that Microsoft is betting will become commonplace within a few years.

Sports: 0.99970883
Phillies to interview Russell for vacant manager job Former Philadelphia Phillies catcher John Russell will be the seventh person to interview for the team #39;s vacant managerial position.

SciTech: 0.99687344
New Crew Prepares For Space Station Duty CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A new crew is aboard the International Space Station Wednesday preparing to take over command of the orbiting outpost.

Sports: 0.99971336
Button Must Stay With BAR! The FIA #39;s Contract Recognition Board (CRB) finally got around to deciding whether or not Jenson Button is contractually allowed to go drive for Williams next season.

Business: 0.9985337
UPDATE 2-Computershare buys US EquiServe, shares surge Australia #39;s Computershare Ltd. (CPU.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to buy the second-largest US share registrar, EquiServe, for \$292 million, quadrupling

Sports: 0.99740416
Report Card In The Black Coaches Association gave most of the 28 schools that filled head-coaching jobs in I-A and I-AA football last year above-average marks in its first Hiring Report Card.

Sports: 0.9996511
Soccer: Matuzalem brace ends Celtic #39;s Champions League hopes DONETSK, Ukraine: Brazilian midfielder Matuzalem defied the chilly temperatures to score a double for Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday in a 3-0 win which virtually ended Celtic #39;s Champions League ambitions this season.

World: 0.9989754
Peru Gov't: Police Killed in Self-Defense Peru's interior minister said Wednesday that police acted in self-defense when they killed three coca farmers who were part of a group that hurled rocks and tried to burn a police lieutenant alive to protest U.S.-backed eradication of their cocaine producing crop.

World: 0.9993129
Gas explosion in Chinese coal mine leaves 56 dead, scores missing (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BEIJING (AP) - A gas explosion in a coal mine in central China killed 56 people and left scores trapped and missing, the government said Thursday.

Business: 0.99676704
Crude Oil Prices Hit \$55 a Barrel The steady decline in distillate fuel inventories comes as traders remain jittery about the world's strong demand and limited crude oil supply cushion.

World: 0.99936825
Kerry to Go Hunting for Conservative Votes (AP) AP - John Kerry planned to go hunting Thursday, showing he's a regular guy to voters who might harbor some doubts.

World: 0.9993167
Syria #39;s role seen as root of Lebanese political crisis Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri resigned yesterday in a sign of deepening divisions within Lebanon #39;s fragile government over the decisive role that

Sports: 0.99962926
Celtic suffer defeat in Ukraine Brazilian Juninho has apologised for his performance in Celtic #39;s demoralising 3-0 Champions League Group F defeat in the Ukraine last night.

Business: 0.9605391
Japan probe claims Citigroup trio Three top Citigroup Inc. executives, including Vice Chairman Deryck Maughan, are leaving the financial services giant in the wake of a scandal at its Japanese private banking unit.

Sports: 0.9935122
Red Sox Slugger Ortiz Named ALCS MVP (AP) AP - The biggest comeback in postseason baseball history began when David Ortiz had one of the greatest days in baseball history.

Business: 0.99783903
Cingular Sales Rise in Quarter, but Profit Falls 18 Percent By Bloomberg News. Cingular Wireless, which is buying AT amp;T Wireless, said yesterday that third-quarter sales rose 4.9 percent, to \$4.

World: 0.99931157
China Mine Blast Kills 56, Death Toll Could Soar BEIJING (Reuters) - A gas explosion in a crowded coal mine in China killed at least 56 people and left 92 missing with little hope of surviving the country's most serious mine accident in years, Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9193645
Human Gene Total Falls Below 25,000 A new report from the international consortium of laboratories that decoded the human genome has revised the estimated number of human genes sharply downward.

Business: 0.9532935
Lucent milestone: A profit Lucent Technologies yesterday posted higher fiscal fourth- quarter earnings, helping lift the telecommunications equipment maker to its first profitable year since 2000.

Sports: 0.9997009
Vijay Singh seeks ninth win of 2004 World No. 1 Vijay Singh, who is seeking his ninth win on the PGA Tour this year, will play the final three events this season, starting with this week #39;s Funai Classic.

Business: 0.9975931
SEC may finalize Qwest settlement today The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to announce today a settlement with Qwest that is highly critical of quot;senior management, quot; two sources familiar with the case said.

Business: 0.99839455
California is joining probe of insurers California #39;s top insurance regulator said Wednesday he will file a civil suit shortly in the widening scandal over insurance industry sales practices.

Sports: 0.99969375
Panathinaikos 2, Arsenal 2 Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann was left red-faced in Athens as two costly mistakes ensured that a Champions League victory slipped through his side #39;s fingers again.

SciTech: 0.92486346
When Robots Rule the World Well, not the world maybe, but possibly your lawns and kitchens. The use of robots -- especially as domestic help -- is expected to increase sevenfold by 2007, according to the United Nations.

SciTech: 0.99757475
Sinful new GTA: San Andreas trailer revealed Explicit lyrics, parachutes featured in new GTA: San Andreas trailer; official site also updated with info on Las Vegas-style city.

World: 0.9992563
Parties Allowed to Contact Absentee Voters (AP) AP - Like fishing in a stocked pond instead of an ocean, politicians are trying to catch votes by targeting phone calls and fliers at voters who have already applied for absentee ballots.

Business: 0.99851185
Share price no basis for lawsuit COLLINS STEWART was the first company to try to base libel damages on a falling share price. Had the broker succeeded, it would have threatened the Financial Times with a huge liability - and

World: 0.9994087
Israeli troops kill Gaza militant At least one Palestinian is shot dead by Israeli troops as he attacked a checkpoint near Gaza City.

SciTech: 0.9947549
Crooks slither into Net's shady nooks and crannies (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Organized crime rings and petty thieves are flocking to the Internet like start-ups in the go-go '90s, establishing a multibillion-dollar underground economy in just a few years. The Internet's growth as an economic engine, particularly for financial transactions, is feeding the felonious frenzy.

SciTech: 0.99404764
HP, IBM, Dell set code' for treatment of workers (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Dell, which were accused earlier this year of having "dire working conditions" at factories outside the United States, announced Wednesday that they have agreed on a "code of conduct" for the treatment of workers and the environment.

SciTech: 0.9569959
U.N.: Robot Use to Surge Sevenfold by 2007 The use of robots around the home to mow lawns, vacuum floors, pull guard duty and perform other chores is set to surge sevenfold by 2007, says a new U.N. survey, which credits dropping prices for the robot boom.

Business: 0.9963097
Dollar at 8-Month Low Vs Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar fell to an eight-month low against the euro on Thursday and set 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.

World: 0.9991787
Cricket: Pakistan edge ahead Pakistan take a slim lead over Sri Lanka by the end of the day two in the first Test.

Business: 0.99837387
Merck Posts 3Q Profit Drop on Vioxx Pharmaceutical giant Merck amp; Co. said Thursday that third-quarter earnings dropped significantly year-over-year on charges related to the withdrawal of Vioxx from the market.

Business: 0.9985796
The Dollar Struggles Over Funding Fears NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was weaker across the board early in New York on Thursday, forging new lows on a growing sense that the United States is struggling to fund its record external deficits.

Sports: 0.99962354
Edmonds homer lifts Cardinals to Game 7 against Astros ST. LOUIS, Missouri All of the wounds in this city, colored a fresh shade of cardinal red, healed with just one touch. The winning pitcher was the one who had the fractured hand.

Sports: 0.9883144
Galliani Applauds Both Ancelotti And Rijkaard Milan and Barcelona offered a nice show on Wednesday night in which the rossoneri defeated their Spanish counterparts 1-0 at San Siro.

Sports: 0.9994199
#39;Damned Yankees #39; Send New Yorkers into Mourning New York was in shock today after their beloved baseball team the Yankees suffered a surprise defeat to arch rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Sports: 0.999711
Gunners reel after mugging in Athens ARSENAL manager Arsene Weenger was today counting his crocks ahead of Sunday #39;s premiership showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Business: 0.99701226
Alaska #39;s summer tourism pegged at 1.4 million visitors The number of summer visitors to Alaska rose from the year before, prompting the president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association to say tourism appeared to be back on track since leveling off after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Business: 0.9974623
AT amp;T Posts \$7.1 Billion Loss for the 3Q AT amp;T Corp. swung to a third-quarter loss of \$7.12 billion after recording huge charges related to the company #39;s retreat from traditional telephone services, which has included at least 7,500 more job cuts

World: 0.9993136
Barroso proposal to defuse EU Commissioner row rejected The Socialist Group in the European Parliament (EP) on Thursday rejected a proposal by incoming European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso designed to defuse a row over

SciTech: 0.96325266
TI Puts Digital TV on Cell Phones Texas Instruments Inc. today announced development of the wireless industry #39;s first digital TV on a single chip for cell phones, code-named quot;Hollywood.

SciTech: 0.9971629
NEC Unveils World #39;s Fastest Vector Supercomputer NEC Corporation has announced the worldwide launch and availability of the SX series model quot;SX-8, quot; the world #39;s most powerful vector supercomputer with a peak processing performance of a whopping 65 TFLOPS (trillion floating point operations per second).

World: 0.9993901
Nigerian Military Officers Charged with Coup Plot (Reuters) Reuters - Four Nigerian military officers and a\civilian were accused Thursday of plotting to overthrow\President Olusegun Obasanjo by firing a rocket at his\helicopter, court documents showed.

World: 0.99940073
Kerry to hunt for male US votes as Bush courts Catholics (AFP) AFP - US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will switch to macho politics when he makes an atypical hunting trip to rural Ohio in a bid to woo traditionalist male voters, while President George W. Bush courts Catholics in Pennsylvania less than two week before election day.

SciTech: 0.9981242
Briefly: Sun expands pay-as-you go supercomputing roundup Plus: SGI works on Linux performance software...Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung...RealNetworks loss widens on litigation.

Business: 0.99828136
Reebok Third-Quarter Earnings, Sales Up Athletic shoe and apparel maker Reebok International Ltd. (RBK) on Thursday posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, helped by improved sales due to acquisitions and the weak dollar.

World: 0.99940586
AP Poll: Bush, Kerry in Dead Heat (AP) AP - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are locked in a tie for the popular vote, according to an Associated Press poll. Voters seem open to change in the White House #151; most disapprove of the president's performance at home and in Iraq #151; but still harbor doubts about making the switch.

World: 0.9994128
AU OKs more troops for Darfur; talks resume Sudan #39;s government and Darfur rebels are likely to restart talks Thursday as the African Union said it would increase its forces in the restive region.

SciTech: 0.99769574
We Are Using 20 More Resources Than The Earth Can Produce The human race is plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life, according to a report by WWF. The Living Planet Report 2004 shows that humans currently consume 20 per cent more

Business: 0.9976107
Jobless Claims Drop The US Labor Department said Thursday the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance fell to a six-week low last week.

Business: 0.9984403
ADV: Hassle-Free Car Financing Don #146;t let less-than-perfect credit prevent you from driving the car you want. Fill out a free loan application at Auto Net Financial and we #146;ll pre-arrange financing at a dealer near you.

Business: 0.9986198
UPDATE 2-Trump bondholders agree on recapitalization plan Trump Hotels amp; Casino Resorts Inc. (DJTC.OB: Quote, Profile, Research), which has been on the brink of bankruptcy, said on Thursday that a majority of bondholders have approved

Business: 0.9985461
Hershey Profit Up, to Sell Cookies CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chocolate maker Hershey Foods Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HSY.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HSY.N</A> on Thursday posted a higher-than-expected 16 percent rise in quarterly profit and said it will get into the cookie business.

SciTech: 0.9940865
Photo gallery: Bill Gates' home on Lake Washington Webshots users offer their photos of Bill Gates mansion in Medina, Wash.

SciTech: 0.99753076
Microsoft, Swatch Partner on Wireless Watch (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has hooked up with Swatch to deliver the latest in a line of smart wristwatches using the software giant's MSN Direct wireless content-delivery technology.

Sports: 0.99966145
No. 15 West Virginia, Syracuse battle it out for control of first MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (U-WIRE) -- Syracuse may enter Morgantown, W.Va., for Wednesday #39;s game under different circumstances than Mountaineer fans are used to from the former Big East powerhouse.

World: 0.99940693
Britain Agrees to Redeploy Troops Britain agreed Thursday to meet a U.S. request for British troops to be moved into volatile central Iraq, a proposal that has met strong opposition within the governing Labour Party.

World: 0.9993705
Keep quiet on U.S. election, Martin tells loose-lipped cabinet (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin served notice to his Liberal cabinet Thursday to clam up with their personal opinions on the U.S. presidential election.

Business: 0.99844235
Microsoft Profit, Revenue Rises SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MSFT.O</A>, the world's largest software maker, on Thursday said its first quarter profit climbed as personal computer sales and business demand fueled higher sales.

SciTech: 0.9945392
SBC Bundles Up for Long Term (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - The lure of bundling services has been hanging over the communications industry for the past six years or so, although many companies have been unable to perfect a winning strategy. Bundling brings together services such as wired (local and long distance) and wireless phone service, Internet access, and satellite or cable television services.

Sports: 0.9820592
Wilko in doubt World Cup hero and England skipper Jonny Wilkinson is set to miss the upcoming Test against Australia with a badly bruised right arm.

SciTech: 0.9973653
Intel Cancels Plan to Enter Digital TV Chip Market SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=INTC.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">INTC.O</A> on Thursday said it has scrapped plan to enter the digital television chip business, marking a major retreat from its push into consumer electronics.

SciTech: 0.99801576
Warped Satellites Prove Einstein Theory -Scientists Einstein was right -- again. Satellites that have been pulled slightly off their orbits show that the Earth is indeed twisting the fabric

SciTech: 0.7018701
Strong Server, PC Sales Boost Microsoft Revenue The company's earnings beat Wall Street expectations.

Business: 0.9972119
Viacom, Disney pay \$1.5M FCC fine Disney and Viacom agreed to a fine of \$1.5 million from the Federal Communications Commission over claims their children #39;s cable television networks violated advertising restrictions, the FCC said Thursday.

SciTech: 0.94407547
Cisco #39;s Perfigo Acquisition Delivers Policy Compliance To Channel In a move that targets the increased threats of worms and viruses to networked businesses, Cisco Systems Thursday said it will acquire privately owned endpoint compliance vendor Perfigo in a deal worth approximately \$74 million.

Sports: 0.9997073
Freddie #39;s goal rage FED-UP Freddie Ljungberg says Arsenal must stop letting in stupid goals or face another season of Euro heartache. The disappointed Swede reckons the Gunners have already wasted a golden opportunity

SciTech: 0.56789786
Australia #39;living beyond its means #39; Environmental organisation WWF International has warned that the global population is consuming about 20 per cent more natural resources than the planet can produce.

Sports: 0.8081475
America #39;s curse There is an all but unanswerable case for asserting that the biggest story out of the United States this week has nothing to do with the presidential election, has no connection with the flu vaccine shortage and that it does not involve a gay bishop either

Sports: 0.99971133
Downing provides return on McClaren #39;s gamble IN A week in which one of their former players rechristened himself G8 to distance himself from the past, Middlesbroughs attempts to rewrite history took another step forward in Athens.

Sports: 0.99958986
Beckham gets off scot-free despite candid confession IN A baffling interpretation of the word deliberate, the FA decided yesterday that there was insufficient evidence to charge David Beckham over his premeditated yellow card against Wales.

SciTech: 0.9968353
Astronomers find proof of Einstein #39;s theory Einstein was right: Scientists say satellites pulled slightly off their orbits show that the earth is indeed twisting the fabric of space-time as it rotates.

SciTech: 0.98716146
Hackers are getting smarter, says Ballmer At Gartner Symposium ITXPO, Microsoft Chief Executive, Steve Ballmer touched on quite a few topics that are targeted towards Microsoft #39;s end consumers.

Sports: 0.99829346
Golf Capsules JL Lewis shot a 10-under 62 for his best start ever on the PGA Tour and a two-shot lead Thursday in the Funai Classic at Disney. Lewis putted for birdie on every hole and made 11 of them on the Magnolia course to match his career-low round.

Sports: 0.9994197
Feyenoord make most of early fortune HEARTS UEFA Cup adventure may have been derailed in Rotterdam but coach Craig Levein can take comfort from the fact he has three more games to get it back on track.

Sports: 0.9981363
Agassi advances in Madrid, Henman eliminated Top seed Tim Henman suffered a 6-4,4-6, 6-2 defeat to Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the Madrid Masters on Thursday as Andre Agassi advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-1,6-3 victory over Vincent Spadea.

World: 0.9994081
Hamas military chief killed GAZA CITY: One of the leaders of Hamas #39; military wing was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City early today, a Hamas spokesman said.

Sports: 0.99963844
Nuggets 100, Clippers 88 Carmelo Anthony, who missed Denver #39;s previous game after being cited for marijuana possession, scored 23 points for the Nuggets in a 100-88 preseason victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Business: 0.9811391
Software giant Microsoft rings up multibillion dollar profit gain REDMOND, Washington, Oct 21 (AFP) - The world #39;s biggest software company, Microsoft Corp, said Thursday that its first quarter profits swelled to 2.9 billion dollars as consumers and businesses pumped up demand for new computers.

SciTech: 0.53190607
World #39;s #39;worst plunderers #39; named HUMAN beings are plundering the earth #39;s resources at an alarming and unsustainable rate, and Australians are among the worst offenders.

World: 0.99860793
'Wrong kind of fall' for Castro The US declines to wish Fidel Castro a speedy recovery after he fractures bones in a fall at a public ceremony.

Business: 0.9892607
US Airways Pilots Approve 18 Pay Cut Five-year, \$1.8 billion cost-cutting contract approved Thursday also reduces retirement benefits, increases work hours and eliminates retiree medical coverage.

Business: 0.99700767
J.E. Robert Assembles New Investment Fund J.E. Robert Cos. completed raising \$823 million from about 40 institutional and private equity investors this week.

Business: 0.99831057
Hummer going smaller for share of big market General Motors hopes to make its hulking Hummer lineup quot;more approachable quot; with a new midsize sport utility vehicle scheduled to go on sale next spring.

World: 0.9988477
Death Toll 69 in Japan Typhoon, 19 Still Missing TOKYO (Reuters) - As the death toll rose from Japan's deadliest typhoon in two decades, experts warned on Friday that climate change could bring a stormier future.

World: 0.9990656
South Korean court blocks relocation of capital Yun Young-Chul (C-back), president of the Constitutional Court, speaks as the court ruled against President Roh Moo-Hyun #39;s plan to relocate the country #39;s capital at the court, in Seoul, October 21.

Business: 0.9985707
Qwest to pay \$250 million to end probe WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Qwest Communications on Thursday said it #39;s agreed to pay \$250 million to end a federal probe of allegedly fraudulent accounting practices used by former executives.

Business: 0.6168544
Bank 'looks to block Glazer bid' The Financial Times claims Nomura, the Japanese bank, is involved in a plan to raise 200m to block a takeover of Man Utd by Malcolm Glazer.

SciTech: 0.8932524
In the E.R., Learning to Love the PC The keyboard is mightier than the whiteboard at an emergency room in the Bronx, where the use of computers is now a staple.

World: 0.99920636
MEPs threaten to sink commission over Buttiglione MEPs threatened last night to bring down the new European Commission before it even takes office, as a row sparked by controversial comments about homosexuality escalated into an unprecedented crisis.

Sports: 0.9997266
Robertson emerges with time A debate on draft day 2003 was whether the Patriots should have moved up to take Kentucky defensive lineman Dewayne Robertson, who was picked fourth overall by the Jets. After he had a subpar rookie season, the feeling was the Patriots made the right choice, though they took Ty Warren 13th overall that year and he also...

Business: 0.99846375
Qwest: The end of the beginning Thursday #39;s agreement between Qwest Communications and federal regulator settles allegations of quot;massive financial fraud quot; at a price of \$250 million.

Sports: 0.9997031
VIEIRA FIT FOR UNITED BATTLE SKIPPER Patrick Vieira is set to hand Arsenal a massive boost for Sunday #39;s crunch clash against Manchester United by declaring himself fit to lead the Gunners at Old Trafford.

World: 0.9950831
Staying or Going? Some Possibilities if Bush Wins President Bush plans major changes in his Cabinet if he wins a second term -- perhaps nominating the first female defense secretary and first black attorney general -- but very little change among the small group of his closest advisers.

Sports: 0.7565772
City Series-ly wounded With the Yanks out of the World Series, the city #39;s economy loses out on at least \$40 million, according to studies by the controller #39;s office and other city agencies.

Sports: 0.99965775
Our crowds are up, say Blues Chelsea today shrugged off concerns about their attendances this season and insisted they are delighted with the support for Jose Mourinho #39;s side.

World: 0.99889636
Sri Lanka off to positive start Kumar Sangakkara's unbeaten fifty revives Sri Lanka's chances against Pakistan.

World: 0.999388
N. Koreans Seek Asylum in Beijing Twenty-nine people believed to be North Koreans have entered a South Korean school in Beijing, apparently seeking asylum. Diplomats say the group, including two children, entered the school early Friday.

Business: 0.9293418
Connecticut joins California in Spitzer probe Connecticut is going to join California amid New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzers probe over the US insurance industry scandal.

SciTech: 0.98591435
Einstein Is Proved Right Again An experiment using two orbiting satellites has proved that as the Earth turns it drags space and time around itself, like a spinning top in treacle.

SciTech: 0.95538574
Microsoft/Swatch Offer New Wireless Watch Microsoft and Swatch announced a new line of wireless data watches named Paparazzi. The watches offer news, sports, weather and stock quotes, among other snippets of content, via Microsoft #39;s MSN Direct wireless data service.

World: 0.9993861
Trial Date Set for Soldier at Abu Ghraib (AP) AP - A military judge ordered a U.S. Army reservist on Friday to stand trial Jan. 7 in Baghdad for allegedly abusing Iraq inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.

Business: 0.9985636
Citigroup's Ex-Exec May Face SEC Action NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=C.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">C.N</A> on Friday said U.S. securities regulators may recommend enforcement proceedings against the former head of Citigroup Global Investment Management.

Business: 0.9320102
Dollar Stabilizes Above Recent Lows (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar edged up against the yen and\steadied against the euro on Friday, but kept within sight of\multi-month lows hit this week on worries about the U.S.\economy and its ability to attract global investors.

Business: 0.9740975
Chinese economy surges 9.5 in first 3 quarters BEIJING: China #39;s economy surged by an impressive 9.5 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of this year, marginally slower than the 9.7 per cent recorded in the first half of the year, the government said here on Sunday while claiming credit for

Business: 0.99594194
Primaris to spend \$3.8B on jets Primaris Airlines Inc. has announced plans to buy 20 Boeing 7E7-8 Dreamliners and 20 737-800s, a deal worth \$3.8 billion at list prices, the new low-cost business carrier and the Boeing Co.

SciTech: 0.9533573
Cisco Bolsters Its Security Story The move won #39;t have raised many eyebrows. Security is a hot market in which Cisco already has a strong grip in the enterprise space, and the vendor giant has already bolstered its security portfolio through

World: 0.9929765
EU launches graphic tobacco ads The European Commission launches graphic images showing the damage smoking can do to people's health.

Sports: 0.9996855
Now or never for United Arsenal were the clear #39;devils #39; back in September 2003, just six games into last season. Following captain Patrick Viera #39;s second half dismissal for lashing out on free-faller Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and then

World: 0.9993656
Sunni clerics urge election boycott Religious and political leaders gather at the Umm al-Qura Sunni Muslim mosque outside Baghdad, where clerics called for their followers to boycott Iraq #39;s January elections.

SciTech: 0.77076465
Fixed-to-mobile substitution gaining momentum There is a strong trend for consumers to move away from using fixed-line phones in concert with mobiles to use mobile handsets for all or most of their voice calls, according to a study conducted for Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia by UK market

Business: 0.99804246
Weyerhaeuser Profit Up NEW YORK (Reuters) - Weyerhaeuser Co.'s quarterly profit rose sharply on a large gain from the sale of timberlands in Georgia and it set tender offers to reduce as much as \$700 million in debt, the company said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.97800887
Yahoo Acquires Another E-Mail Startup It bought Stata Labs and apparently plans to incorporate Stata technology in an e-mail client that could compete with Google #39;s Gmail.

SciTech: 0.80072
Avis blames IT for multimillion-dollar loss The car rental company takes a major hit because of problems with IT, including high costs associated with an ERP project.

SciTech: 0.9971002
NEC Tops IBM with Speedier Supercomputer NEC has unveiled its latest supercomputer, which is almost twice as fast as the BlueGene/L machine rolled out by IBM in September.

Sports: 0.9997002
Ballesteros Hoping to Play Full Season Next Year MADRID (Reuters) - Severiano Ballesteros said on Friday he has made such a dramatic recovery from his back problems that he hopes to play a full season next year on both sides of the Atlantic.

SciTech: 0.9980032
Bug bites continue to plague the Net roundup Free-roaming source code breeds new Netsky pest. Also: From IE to Opera, browsers are a likely prey.\

SciTech: 0.9969003
Lacie announces external SATA harddrive, high-end LCD Lacie today introduced a new series of external harddrives with SATA interface at the SMAU trade show in Milan, Italy. The drives are available in capacities up to 400 GByte.

Business: 0.9638885
Spitzer launches music industry probe Eliot Spitzer, fresh from rocking the insurance industry, has now asked the music business to uncover the secrets behind how radio stations decide what records they play.

Business: 0.98342705
Google Results Revive 'Dot-Com' Fervor NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. rose as much as 20 percent on Friday, to trade at more than twice the level of its cut-price IPO, after the Web search leader posted strong quarterly results in its first reported quarter as a public company.

Sports: 0.9996977
Wolfpack, Canes Clash at Carter-Finley Since becoming NC State #39;s head football coach in January of 2000, Chuck Amato has endeavored to change the culture of a program that had rarely flirted with greatness.

Sports: 0.99968946
Broadhurst leads in Spain MADRID, Spain -- England #39;s Paul Broadhurst, winless in nine years on the European Tour, shot a 6-under-par 65 Friday and took a one-stroke lead midway through the Madrid Open.

Sports: 0.9991321
Bulldogs, Gators Remember Last Miss. Game (AP) AP - Mississippi State is looking for another landmark win against Florida.

World: 0.99934894
Campaign Spending on Rise in House Races (AP) AP - Ground zero for the country's costliest House race is Dallas, where two congressmen shoehorned into the same new district have each raised #36;4.1 million #151; and counting #151; to bash each other with television ads and sophisticated mailings.

SciTech: 0.99697113
This week in security news The U.S. government's drive for homeland security has produced a boom in antiterror technologies--as well as industry confusion and privacy concerns.

Sports: 0.9946897
Brazilian GP, Friday Fernando 7th and Jacques 12th after a studious opening day at Interlagos for the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team.

World: 0.99925035
North Korea eases tough stance against US in nuclear talks North Korea on Friday eased its tough stance against the United States, saying it is willing to resume stalled six-way talks on its nuclear weapons if Washington is ready to consider its demands.

Business: 0.99847037
Rising oil, falling stocks lift US Treasury prices US Treasury prices rose on Friday as a potent combination of record high oil prices and slumping stocks kept market participants jittery about the potential for slower growth.

World: 0.999374
Saudi Denies Failure to Pursue Insurgents (AP) AP - A senior Saudi official rejected on Friday a suggestion that his government was lax in pursuing Saudi nationals who provide money to Iraqi insurgents or terrorist groups.

Business: 0.92980266
China #39;s economy still sizzling, with GDP up 9.1 in Q3, but prices ... China #39;s economic boom is still roaring despite efforts to cool sizzling growth, with gross domestic product climbing 9.5 per cent in the first three quarters of this year, the government reported Friday.

World: 0.99924904
Harrowing footage shows Hassan pleading for her life Margaret Hassan, the kidnapped British aid worker, appeared in a new and harrowing video yesterday, weeping and asking Tony Blair to save her life by halting the deployment of British

World: 0.9992861
In Controversial Move, Britain Says #39;Yes #39; to Troop-Redeployment ... Some 850 British troops have started preparations to redeploy from southern Iraq to an area outside of Baghdad. The move comes after Britain agreed to a US request for help and is designed to make more US

Business: 0.99187624
Bush signs \$136 billion tax-cut bill with no fanfare WASHINGTON President Bush has signed into law the most sweeping rewrite of corporate tax law in nearly two decades. Bush signed the bill today with no fanfare, during a flight on Air Force One to a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.

Sports: 0.9996661
Clijsters and Hewitt reach break point There are two consolations for disillusioned tennis romantics upset by yesterday #39;s news of the split of Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters four months before their scheduled marriage.

SciTech: 0.9976928
News: Report card day looms for federal agencies Cyber security audits find improvement in some agencies, but viruses and worms still plague the halls of government.\

Sports: 0.99961627
Big day for New England Pete Kendall #39;s New England accent is as thick as his 6-5, 292-pound frame. So there #39;s no hiding his roots or his allegiance to Red Sox Nation.

World: 0.99935406
President Susilo stresses fighting against graft, terror as ... In line with his pledge made during the election campaign, Indonesian new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stressed the importance of fighting corruption and terror while

Sports: 0.95699
Starting for Cardinals Has Privileges St. Louis is a collection of superstar position players and anonymous pitchers.

SciTech: 0.88260293
Regulators Let Cingular Buy AT T Wireless The \$41 billion merger between Cingular Wireless LLC and AT T Wireless Services Inc. won approval from the Federal Communications Commission Friday, according to federal sources close to the agency. \-The Washington Post

Sports: 0.99649835
Cardinals make it to the World Series CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen brought St. Loius past Houston during the sixth inning, giving them the win and the pennant.

Sports: 0.9995803
Column: Alabama fans should take responsibility for their own ... Tennessee and Alabama fans needed extra reasons to hate each other about as much as Deion Sanders needs more reasons to love himself.

Business: 0.99855965
MARTS SWOON ON RISING OIL Stock prices were pummeled by a toxic combination of still-rising oil prices and anxiety surrounding Eliot Spitzer #39;s probe of the insurance industry.

Sports: 0.9996848
Agassi advances in Madrid MADRID, Spain (Ticker) - Appearing in his first tournament since the US Open, Andre Agassi has not displayed much rust. The 34-year-old Agassi advanced to the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Madrid on Friday

SciTech: 0.9973188
Treo 650 on Monday? \\The blogs are buzzing that the Treo 650 will be released on Monday.\\From Gizmodo:\\"Not only have they announced special "news" next Monday at the CTIA Wireless\Conference in San Francisco, earlier this week someone with PalmOne\accidentally sort of, you know, told me. I told them I'd keep quiet as long as\they did, but if they're going to go and announce it with a wink and a nod, I\think I've done my part."\\If they do this right I'll be sporting a Treo 650 soon! \\Of course if this is true:\\"File it under hoping I'm wrong. Several reports have filtered in from people\who have had hands-on time with pre-release Sprint versions of the upcoming\Treo 650. These reports say that the Treo wi...\\

Sports: 0.99951637
Bryant's 25 Helps Lakers Beat Clippers (AP) AP - Kobe Bryant scored 25 points and the Los Angeles Lakers got major contributions from their ever-improving reserves Friday night, beating the Clippers 113-102 in a preseason game.

World: 0.9993849
Roadside Bomb Injures Six GIs in Iraq (AP) AP - A roadside bomb exploded near an American military patrol in Baghdad Saturday, injuring six soldiers, the U.S. command said.

Business: 0.9985195
Delta Air May File Bankruptcy Soon-Report Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, the Washington Post reported in its Saturday edition, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.

Sports: 0.9991732
In OT, first-minute men lift UMass Stephen Werner and the Minutemen weren't easily discouraged in their Hockey East opener last night.

Business: 0.99821705
Delta Air Lines Prepares Chapter 11 Filing Delta Air Lines Inc. could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

World: 0.9993259
82 still missing in Chinese mine blast XINMI, China -- Desperate to know their loved ones' fates, grieving relatives scuffled with guards yesterday at the scene of China's worst mining accident this year as rescue workers pulled more bodies out of a mine shaft choked with poison gas.

World: 0.9993907
US Forces Bomb Iraq's Falluja, Seize Zarqawi Aide (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. planes bombed targets in\Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja, killing two people, and the\U.S. military said it had captured a lieutenant of its\deadliest Islamist enemy in Iraq in a raid early on Saturday.

World: 0.99941874
Iran refutes allegation about collaboration with IAEA chief Iran on Sunday refuted a report made by some US media that UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei had collaborated with Iran by giving Tehran an advance look at his reports, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Sports: 0.9997249
BAD BLOOD, GOOD RIVALRY: Vols prep for raging Tide The now former starting Tennessee safety was arrested early Monday morning for firing the handgun of teammate Chris Heath. Afterwards, Johnson was slapped with indefinite suspension.

Sports: 0.99928063
Tributes flood in for Nicholson Former Tottenham captain Dave Mackay has led the tributes to legendary former Spurs manager Bill Nicholson, who passed away on Saturday aged 85.

Business: 0.9985545
Greater pressure directed at US Airways unions Bankrupt US Airways is giving flight attendants, machinists and passenger service workers three weeks to reach consensual cost-cutting pacts before the airline asks

Sports: 0.9996358
Broadhurst leads by a shot after second round of Madrid Open England #39;s Paul Broadhurst shot a 6-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Madrid Open. Broadhurst, who hasn #39;t won on the European tour in nine years, is 10-under 132 overall

Business: 0.99563366
Wall Street Fears an Undecided Election The doubts, the uncertainty, the mud-slinging that have kept investors indecisive all year are set to end one week from Tuesday when US voters go to the polls.

Business: 0.9857459
Miller slams transit funding Public transit in Toronto will not improve next year despite \$81-million in provincial gas tax funding announced yesterday, according to Mayor David Miller.

Sports: 0.9983322
Cards all hearts Ten outs away from winter, knowing a 105-win magic-carpet ride was about to hit the runway way too soon. Ten outs away from winter, and the St.

Sports: 0.9996275
Bucks' Zendon Hamilton Has Knee Surgery (AP) AP - Milwaukee Bucks forward Zendon Hamilton will miss six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

SciTech: 0.9728924
Mexico Struggles to Preserve Ancient Ruins (Reuters) Reuters - The majestic pyramids and\temples of the ancient Zapotec kingdom of Monte Alban sit\spectacularly atop a hill in Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca.

Sports: 0.99969316
Schumacher escapes high-speed practice crash SAO PAULO, Oct 23 (AFP) - World champion Michael Schumacher was involved in a high-speed crash in Saturday #39;s practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

World: 0.99936193
EU to Give \$100 Mln for AU Force in Darfur-Solana ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The European Union and its member states will contribute more than \$100 million to an African Union (AU) force in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Saturday.

World: 0.9994266
Plea for Kidnapped Aid Worker Meets with Silence Charity workers were still facing an agonising wait for news of Iraq aid worker Margaret Hassan tonight after a televised plea to her kidnappers was met with silence.

Sports: 0.99384487
Sharapova, Molik Advance to Swisscom Final (AP) AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova advanced to the final of the Swisscom Challenge, defeating fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in one of Saturday's semifinals. The fourth-seeded Sharapova, who eliminated Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, extended her winning streak to 12 matches.

World: 0.9992895
Rebel Attacks Kill 12 Iraqis; GI #39;s Injured Insurgents launched strikes on Saturday at United States and Iraqi outposts across Iraq, killing at least a dozen Iraqi police officers and national guardsmen

World: 0.9993807
Edwards: I Won't Raise Retirement Age (AP) AP - Seizing on a report that a plan to privatize Social Security includes raising the retirement age for full benefits to 72, vice presidential candidate John Edwards on Saturday renewed a promise that the Democrats would never raise the retirement age.

World: 0.99939585
16 killed in Algeria rebel attack Suspected Algerian Islamic militants killed 16 people in the first attack on civilians since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, officials said on Saturday.

Sports: 0.99894136
Sachin ready for Nagpur Sachin Tendulkar will play in the third Test against Australia beginning Tuesday. That the master batsman has been declared fit to play in the Test was announced by physio Andrew Leipus of the Indian cricket team.

World: 0.99939847
Taliban suicide bomber kills girl, wounds 6 others KABUL - A man with six grenades strapped to his body killed himself and a 12-year-old girl on a busy street in Kabul Saturday, police said.

Sports: 0.99965775
Rubens bad Brazilian luck visits Michael Rubens Barrichello appears to have rid himself of his bad luck in Brazil only for it land on his team-mate Michael Schumacher. Barrichello last finished the Brazilian GP in 1994, which means even seeing the

World: 0.99938154
Taliban Wanted List to Be Drawn (AP) AP - The United States could cut its forces in Afghanistan next summer if Taliban militants accept an amnesty to be drawn up by President Hamid Karzai and neighboring Pakistan, the senior U.S. commander here said Sunday.

SciTech: 0.9721575
Toshiba laptops with HD DVD soon MAJOR Japanese computer maker Toshiba aimes to sell laptop computers that are loaded with its next generation DVD drive by next year.

SciTech: 0.99770784
Countdown to Deep Impact NASA #39;s Deep Impact spacecraft has arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch on Dec. 30, 2004. The spacecraft was shipped from Ball Aerospace amp; Technologies in Boulder, Colo.

Business: 0.9959358
On Wall Street: Dominic Rushe: Disney trial is more than a Mickey ... WILMINGTON, Delaware, isnta popular spot with the Hollywood crowd. I imagine they would be a bit sniffy about what passes for local entertainment.

Sports: 0.9996867
Agassi bites the dust as Russian Safin sets up final clash with ... MADRID: Marat Safin defeated Andre Agassi 6-3, 7-6 yesterday to book a place in the Madrid Masters final against Argentina #39;s David Nalbandian.

World: 0.99927527
Iraq: 26 killed on horrific day of violence Suicide bombers killed at least 22 members of Iraq #39;s fledgling security forces yesterday amid a spate of insurgent attacks across the country that also

World: 0.9994117
Official: EU Will Help Rebuild Somalia (AP) AP - The European Union will help rebuild conflict-ravaged Somalia, but the cost is not clear, the EU's foreign policy chief said Saturday.

Sports: 0.9994479
Lehman hoping third time is a charm Tied for the lead in what was shaping up as another shootout at Disney, Tom Lehman believes he has experience on his side. Not from the last 12 years, but the last three weeks.

Business: 0.99858165
Investors put 1.5bn tag on Kidde Shareholders in Kidde, the fire protection group, have indicated they would be prepared to sell out if United Technologies Corporation (UTC), the US industrial conglomerate

World: 0.99933976
McKinnon briefed on democracy: Meeting with PM ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz briefed Commonwealth Secretary-General Donald C. McKinnon on full restoration of democracy in the country and Pakistan #39;s role in promoting regional and global peace.

Business: 0.9971308
Nextel #39;s Profit Rose by 69 in 3rd Quarter Nextel Communications, the nation #39;s fifth-largest wireless provider, said yesterday that its profit jumped 69 percent in the third quarter from the period last year.

Sports: 0.99910945
Broadhurst, Fichardt lead Open de Madrid Paul Broadhurst shot a 3-under 68 Saturday for a share of the lead after the third round of the Open de Madrid. Broadhurst finished 54 holes at 13-under-par 200 for a tie with Darren Fichardt, who shot a 67.

Business: 0.9971355
Pension accounting In finance, a process that requires a company to estimate the expected future value of a company #39;s pension assets and the expected cost of fulfilling pension and health care obligations to current and retired employees.

Sports: 0.99950945
Tenth-Ranked Ga. Gets Past Ark. 20-14 (AP) AP - David Greene threw for a career-high 382 yards and two touchdowns, Thomas Brown rushed for 107 yards and No. 10 Georgia held off Arkansas 20-14.

Business: 0.94767857
Is fair trade coffee a beachhead for bananas? GUILDERLAND, NY Socially conscious consumers have made fair trade brews a rapidly growing niche of the coffee market. The beans can now be found on supermarket shelves next to the Folgers and in the espresso at Dunkin #39; Donuts.

SciTech: 0.83732104
Google Desktop Outshines Windows #39; File-Search Capabilities Google is famed for its Web search engine, but over the past few years it has acquired a different role: Microsoft #39;s No. 1 foreign aid donor.

Sports: 0.9997179
Bellhorn Makes Big Noise for Red Sox BOSTON (Reuters) - With a power-packed lineup that features sluggers like Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, it was Mark Bellhorn who was the unlikely hero of Game One of the 100th World Series with a two-run homer for the Boston Red Sox Saturday.

World: 0.9993593
South Africa #39;s Mbeki Leaves Ivory Coast Rebel Zone South African President Thabo Mbeki left Ivory Coast #39;s rebel town of Bouake after talks Sunday, saying mediators would prepare proposals to end the crisis in the world #39;s top cocoa grower.

World: 0.9993723
U.S. Weighs More Sanctions Vs. Belarus (AP) AP - The Bush administration may impose sanctions against leaders of the former Soviet republic of Belarus as part of a broader range of punitive measures, the State Department said Thursday.

Business: 0.99783045
Pilots #39; union accepts pay cuts from US Airways Pilots at US Airways narrowly approved \$300 million in wage and benefit cuts today, making the Air Line Pilots Association the first major union representing US Airways workers to agree to permanent concessions.

World: 0.99940014
Iran Says EU Nuclear Proposal Unacceptable TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Sunday turned down a European Union proposal that it stop enriching uranium in return for nuclear technology.

Business: 0.9963632
Her aim: Give Tufts-NEMC intensive care For 10 years, Ellen Zane oversaw community doctors for Partners HealthCare, the parent organization of Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals and the biggest and most profitable hospital and physician network in Massachusetts. Then in December, she became chief executive of a very different institution: Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood. Tufts-NEMC is not only smaller, it's...

World: 0.99940085
Suicide bomber wounds 7; Afghan vote tally nears end KABUL, Afghanistan -- A Taliban suicide fighter killed himself and wounded at least seven others, including three members of a NATO-led peacekeeping force, in a grenade attack on a busy shopping street in central Kabul yesterday.

Sports: 0.9757707
Guerin trades NHL job for family business For the first time in three years, former Bruins forward Bill Guerin will be home with his family for Halloween. But he won't be dressing up as a National Hockey League player any time soon. He'll be a full-time dad to his four children while he waits -- with his NHL Players Association brethren -- for something to break in...

Sports: 0.99964523
Arsenal boss Wenger has keeper worries Arsenal bounced back to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 victory over struggling Birmingham City yesterday. A brace from Thierry Henry came after Robert Pires #39; opener, but it was the shaky Premiership debut

World: 0.99936086
P. Diddy Takes Vote Drive to Swing States (AP) AP - Hip-hop mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs is following the lead of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry by taking his get-out-the-vote campaign to the swing states.

Sports: 0.999703
Berlin ties Miami mark RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brock Berlin tied a Miami record shared by Bernie Kosar, Steve Walsh, and Ken Dorsey with five touchdown passes, and Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for another score, helping the No. 4 Hurricanes hold off North Carolina State, 45-31, last night.

Business: 0.99592495
A Card to Your Future 401(k) credit card would give millions of American workers the chance to borrow their own money from their retirement savings plans.

World: 0.9993451
Powell rejects NK overture, arrives here today US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives in Seoul today for a two-day visit, after rejecting a North Korean overture to resume the six-party nuclear talks if the US rewards it for freezing its nuclear activities.

Sports: 0.99883896
UM defense a big hit from start to finish Markus Curry made the hit low, Ernest Shazor made the hit high and Leon Hall leapt for the football as it wobbled freely toward the University of Michigan sideline.

Sports: 0.99965703
Junqueira sets up Champ Car final Bruno Junqueira won Sunday #39;s Lexmark Indy 300 ahead to retain hopes of winning the Champ Car title. The Brazilian #39;s Newman-Haas team-mate Sebastian Bourdais needed to win seven more points than Junqueira in Surfers Paradise to secure the title.

Business: 0.99794537
Bank on it: Checks won #39;t float, they #39;ll bounce or write a check before the funds are available in their accounts - might soon find themselves at risk for more bounced checks and high overdraft fees.

Business: 0.9985728
Stocks Seen Stymied by Oil, Earnings NEW YORK (Reuters) - Record crude oil prices, a tidal wave of quarterly earnings reports and anxiety ahead of the presidential election may pin U.S. stocks down this week.

World: 0.9994056
Israel strikes before Gaza vote ISRAEL killed two Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip yesterday as Ariel Sharon and his cabinet finalised a bill to withdraw from Gaza.

World: 0.9993642
Powell Presses N. Korea on Weapons Talks US Secretary of State Colin Powell, left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi before their meeting at the Foreign Ministry #39;s annex in Tokyo Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004.

World: 0.9993849
American Woman, Afghan Girl Die After Kabul Blast An American woman, believed to be a civilian, and a young Afghan girl died from their wounds after a suicide bomb attack in a busy shopping street in the Afghan capital.

World: 0.99938655
Large Explosion Shakes Downtown Baghdad (AP) AP - A large explosion shook downtown Baghdad on Sunday night, but its cause could not immediately be determined.

Sports: 0.9953157
Chinese skaters crowned at Smart Ones Skate America Chinese duo Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao have clinched the first spot in pairs free skating at Smart Ones Skate America, the first station of the 04-05 ISU Grand Prix.

World: 0.999406
2 people killed in clashes in Iraq #39;s Samarra Two Iraqis were killed and four others wounded in clashes that broke out between US troops and insurgents in Samarra, north of Baghdad, police said on Sunday.

Sports: 0.9996674
Moss in Minnesota #39;s lineup against Tennessee Randy Moss was the starting lineup for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday despite a strained right hamstring that kept him out of practice all week.

Sports: 0.99970776
Schilling, Morris face tall task So what will Curt Schilling do for an encore tonight? Take the mound without a flu shot? Five days after baseball #39;s most inspiring comeback that didn #39;t involve an Iowa cornfield, Schilling

World: 0.99939346
US security official killed in Iraq attack A US security official, assigned to the US Embassy in Baghdad, was killed on Sunday by a mortar attack on a US Army base near Baghdad International Airport, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

World: 0.9994019
Japan earthquakes kill 23, leave thousands in shelters (AFP) AFP - Thousands of people were spending the night in emergency shelters after the deadliest quakes to hit Japan in nearly a decade killed 23 people and injured more than 900, police and reports said.

Sports: 0.9997063
UNITED V ARSENAL: MATCH REPORT United are back in the title race after bringing Arsenal #39;s long unbeaten run to a grisly end in the Manchester rain. Ruud van Nistelrooy erased the misery of his penalty miss in last season #39;s fixture by slotting a second-half spot-kick past Jens Lehmann.

World: 0.9993741
2 Troops Said Killed by Turkey Land Mine (AP) AP - Two Turkish soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit a land mine in southeastern Turkey, and a small oil pipeline was damaged by a bomb in two attacks Sunday blamed on Kurdish rebels, the Anatolia news agency reported.

World: 0.99939156
Headscarf optional at Britain's first state-funded Islamic school (AFP) AFP - Irish-Moroccan or Egyptian-English, with headscarf or without, the diverse students at Britain's first state-funded Islamic school are at the vanguard of a trend toward a distinctly European Muslim culture.

Sports: 0.99727076
Plane of NASCAR Team Hendrick Missing (AP) AP - A plane carrying members of the Hendrick Motorsports organization was missing Sunday after losing contact with the Federal Aviation Administration on its way to a NASCAR race, and a search was underway for the aircraft.

Sports: 0.9997222
Jaguars 27 Colts 24 INDIANAPOLIS Byron Leftwich was flawless on a 30-yard drive in the final four minutes, and rookie kicker Josh Scobee made a season-long 53-yard field goal to help the Jacksonville Jaguars pull off a 27-to-24 win over Indianapolis.

Sports: 0.9992021
Dolphins finally win, taking out frustration on Rams The Miami Dolphins finally gave their fans reason to celebrate, combining a polished offensive performance with solid defense for their first victory this season, 31-14 over the St.

World: 0.9993017
Coors' Donation to Own Campaign Draws Ire (AP) AP - A #36;500,000 donation by Republican beer baron Pete Coors to his own Senate campaign has triggered a new federal law that eases fund-raising restrictions for his Democratic opponent.

Sports: 0.9989015
Plane of NASCAR Team Hendrick Missing Race fans wave American flags in the stands during the singing of the National Anthem prior to the start of the NASCAR Subway 500 stock car race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.

Sports: 0.9997025
Tennessee Loses McNair Again in Loss MINNEAPOLIS -- With Randy Moss relegated to two snaps of decoy duty, Daunte Culpepper and the Minnesota Vikings shifted gears and grinded one out against the Tennessee Titans.

Sports: 0.99971515
Brazilian victory lifts Williams The Williams team breathed a sigh of relief after Juan Pablo Montoya #39;s victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix. The team finished fourth in the constructors standings but technical director Sam Michael was full of praise for the Colombian #39;s performance.

Sports: 0.9965558
Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash Kills 10 (AP) AP - A plane owned by the Hendrick Motorsports organization crashed Sunday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, federal officials said. A spokesman for a funeral home where the bodies were being taken said the dead included the son, brother and two nieces of Rick Hendrick, owner of one of the most successful organizations in NASCAR history.

Business: 0.99680823
Bush quietly signs corporate tax-cut bill WASHINGTON - With no fanfare, President Bush Friday signed the most sweeping rewrite of corporate tax law in nearly two decades, showering \$136 billion in new tax breaks on businesses, farmers and other groups.

Business: 0.9940416
Nikkei Sinks Due to Exporters TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average fell 2 percent at the opening on Monday as investors shied away from exporters including Toyota Motor Corp. after a fall in the dollar below 107 yen stoked concerns about their earnings.

Business: 0.9470149
MG Rover offers know-how to Chinese partner MG Rover, the ailing British carmaker, has signed a binding agreement to hand over technology and know-how to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).

Sports: 0.9997074
Long and short of a rivalry that was Five years may not seem a whole lot, but consider what has happened since the last time the Green Bay Packers played the Dallas Cowboys prior to today #39;s meeting.

World: 0.99940395
KASHMIR LEADER SURVIVES ATTACK The head of Indian Kashmir #39;s main opposition party, Omar Abdullah, has survived a second assassination bid in a month. Police say seven people were injured when rebels detonated a bomb a few steps away from Mr Abdullah, two of them critically.

Business: 0.99797755
Ontario won #39;t help other provinces squeeze Ottawa for more ... Premier Dalton McGuinty sent a shot across the bow of have-not provinces Sunday, warning that Ontario will not support efforts to wring billions more in equalization payments out

SciTech: 0.99535394
New I.B.M. Report Will Warn of Computer Security Threats I.B.M. plans to begin releasing a monthly report of threats to computer networks in an effort to establish an indicator similar to the federal governments Homeland Security Advisory System.

Sports: 0.99445045
Dillon Relishes Icing Victory Of the 115 rushing yards Corey Dillon rolled up against the Jets on Sunday, it was the final 12 that might have been the most important.

World: 0.9994141
In Haiti, Peacekeepers Take on Militants Using armored cars and earth movers, U.N. peacekeepers and Haitian police moved into an area early Sunday controlled by militants loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, protecting workers removing burned out cars used as road blocks.

Sports: 0.99963903
Junqueira beats Bourdais to take Lexmark Indy 300 The race for the Champ Car drivers #39; title is going to Mexico City in two weeks. Bruno Junqueira won yesterday #39;s Lexmark Indy 300 ahead of teammate Sebastien Bourdais, stalling Bourdais #39; run to the 2004 championship

Sports: 0.9997155
SCHOOL #39;S OUT FOR STERNE A first win on the European Tour - any tour, in fact - is a notable feat in any golfer #39;s career. But the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open yesterday deserves special mention.

World: 0.96817285
Thousands of Japanese endure night outdoors DESTRUCTION: At least 21 people have been killed by the quake, which has forced thousands to evacuate. Yesterday, many were readying to spend another chilly night outside.

Business: 0.993779
Divided S.E.C. Likely to Ask Hedge Funds for More Data A deeply divided S.E.C. is expected to approve rules requiring all but the smallest hedge funds to register with the S.E.C. and make their records available.

Sports: 0.99966204
Loss bodes well for future They beat a bunch of bad teams -- some, just barely -- to become the first team in franchise history to get off to a 5-0 start. Still, we couldn #39;t tell just how good the Jets really were.

Sports: 0.99971443
PALMER BREAKS TOUR DUCK IN STYLE Ryan Palmer came from five shots behind with a magnificent 62 to earn his maiden PGA Tour tournament victory at the Funai Classic on Sunday.

World: 0.99939203
Dozens of Iraqi soldiers found executed The corpses of 50 soldiers of Iraq #39;s new army have been discovered northeast of the capital Baghdad. Interim Iraqi interior ministry spokesman Adnan Abd al-Rahman said the troops were believed to have been

World: 0.99859387
Aftershock hits Japan quake zone Strong aftershocks are still shaking northern Japan after the country #39;s deadliest earthquake in nine years killed at least 24 people.

Sports: 0.9995658
FERGUSON ATTACKED IN TUNNEL BUST-UP SIR ALEX FERGUSON was pelted with food and pea soup by an Arsenal player in an extraordinary tunnel bust-up at Old Trafford yesterday.

World: 0.9992204
PITCAIRN TRIAL FINDS 5 OF 7 GUILTY The three New Zealand judges presiding over sexual assault cases on Pitcairn Island have handed down their verdicts in Adamstown, finding five of the seven men charged guilty of sex crimes.

World: 0.9993672
Victory Looms for Karzai as Vote Probe Continues Hamid Karzai was assured of a majority in Afghanistans election to become its first democratically chosen president. With nearly 95 per cent of votes counted, the interim leader already has more than half

Sports: 0.99949014
Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash Kills 10 Jimmie Johnson, center, winner of the NASCAR Subway 500 race, is escorted to a NEXTEL Cup trailer after the race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.

Sports: 0.99806494
Cardinals unable to solve Schilling The first at-bat of the game seemed to go on and on, with Red Sox starting pitcher Curt Schilling aiming to end the inning with little damage, and St. Louis leadoff batter Edgar Renteria aiming to throw a wrench is his game plan. Twelve pitches later, after several fouls, Schilling got Renteria to ground out to shortstop.

World: 0.99935573
Haiti Moves on Pro-Aristide Militants Haitian police and U.N. troops moved into a slum that has become a flashpoint for unrest, using bulldozers to remove a barricade of torched cars that had blocked traffic in the capital.

Sports: 0.9996074
UPDATE 2-Manchester United calls off bid talks with Glazer The world #39;s richest soccer club, Manchester United (MNU.L: Quote, Profile, Research), has called off talks with US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer over his proposed

Sports: 0.999273
Plane crash kills 10 close to racing MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed yesterday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of the owner of one of auto racing's most successful organizations.

World: 0.99877566
EU seeks joint asylum policy EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg plan moves to integrate their asylum and immigration procedures.

World: 0.99940705
Israel Kills 10 Palestinians in Gaza Camp Raid GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks and troops backed by helicopter gunships stormed Khan Younis refugee camp, a Gaza militant stronghold, on Monday, killing 10 Palestinians including an 11-year-old boy, medics and witnesses said.

SciTech: 0.99535286
Rocky Legends; Tony Hawk's Underground 2; Nisus Writer Express 2.0; Surfsaver 6 This is the second Rocky video game in two years -- even though it's been 14 years since the last "Rocky" flick.

Sports: 0.99956185
Another controversial Man Utd-Arsenal game Mount St. Helen #39;s in Oregon has been active these last few months but that is nothing compared to the eruption at Old Trafford on Sunday.

World: 0.99932086
U.S. Urges China to Push for More N.Korea Talks BEIJING (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell urged China on Monday to exert its influence over North Korea to resume stalled talks on scrapping its nuclear weapons programs and pressed Beijing to accept a Taiwan offer of talks.

SciTech: 0.986088
Mission accomplished: US astronauts are home at last American astronaut Mike Fincke and Russian commander Gennady Padalka descended to Earth in remote Kazakstan late Saturday aboard a Soyuz space capsule.

World: 0.9730122
India, Myanmar sign three accords India and Myanmar today signed three accords and agreed to step up cooperation in trade, economic and other key areas. A Cultural Exchange Programme for 2004-06 and another MOU on the Tamanthi Hydroelectric Project in Myanmar were inked.

World: 0.9952054
Africa must move away from conflicts: Mbeki LUSAKA: Africa must move away from conflicts and begin to pool its resources to develop the impoverished continent and reduce poverty, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Sunday.

SciTech: 0.9972366
NASA Puts Hands-Free Linkup to a Test Tuesday, barring a weather-caused delay, for the first time the United States will send an autonomous robot vehicle to join up with a satellite and conduct a 20-hour demonstration of its abilities -- without any human guidance.

World: 0.99937207
Egypt Arrests Alleged Sinai Bombers (AP) AP - Eight Egyptians have been arrested and accused of plotting the nearly simultaneous car bombings of a hotel and tourist camp in the Sinai that killed at least 34 people earlier this month.

Business: 0.9882486
Harmony Gold Posts Fifth Straight Quarterly Loss (Update1) Harmony Gold Mining Co., the biggest miner of South African gold, made its fifth consecutive quarterly loss as the rand #39;s gains against the dollar eroded profit margins, compelling it to seek expansion to cut costs.

Business: 0.9986083
Stocks Seen Lower as Oil Hits New High NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower market open on Monday, as oil prices hit another record, fueling worries that soaring energy costs will bite into corporate profits.

Business: 0.9984505
Monday Fortune Business Report Monday #39;s opening levels are: The Dow opens at 9,757.81, lower by 107.95. The Nasdaq starts the day at 1,915.14, lower by 38.48.

Sports: 0.99970067
Patriots #39; game: New England beats Jets for 21st win in a row While not pleased, the Jets were neither surprised at the outcome of their showdown against the Patriots, nor downcast about their future.

Sports: 0.9997048
Zeman #39;s Lecce enjoy heady heights of Serie A When Lecce sold their prolific Uruguayan striker Ernesto Chevanton to French club Monaco in the close-season, many pundits added the southern club to the list of favourites for relegation.

Business: 0.99838305
Aon may face civil suit The office of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has uncovered evidence of improper business practices at Aon Corp., the world #39;s second-largest insurance broker, according to a published report.

Business: 0.99849415
Ryder Quarterly Earnings Up NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ryder System Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=R.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">R.N</A> on Monday reported an increase in quarterly net profit amid increased demand for transport services, especially in its fleet management division.

Business: 0.94127965
China trade volume to reach \$1.1trillion in 2004 China #39;s total trade volume will reach 1.1 trillion US dollars in 2004 -- up 30 percent over 2003 --with a trade surplus of about 10 billion US dollars, said Assistant Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun.

SciTech: 0.996615
Yahoo! email acquisition aims to keep Google in view Stata Labs previously sold two products Bloomba and SAproxy Pro which have now been withdrawn from sale. Saproxy was an anti-spam product whilst Bloomba was an email management system which allows users to

World: 0.5932055
Hynix's 3Q Profit More Than Triples (AP) AP - South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc. said Monday its third-quarter net profit more than tripled from same period last year thanks to steady global prices for memory chips.

SciTech: 0.9288317
Cisco, Microsoft shake hands on security Cisco and Microsoft have gotten the word: IT managers are tired of constantly plugging security holes in their networks.

SciTech: 0.9725572
CTIA shines spotlight on mobile middleware Mobility will take center stage this week as San Francisco plays host to the Cellular Telecommunications Internet Association's (CTIA) Wireless I.T. Entertainment 2004 fall conference.

World: 0.9993536
UN Nuclear Agency Confirms Tons Of Explosives Missing Vienna, Austria -- The UN nuclear watchdog agency says it #39;s concerned tons of missing explosives in Iraq quot;could have fallen into the wrong hands.

World: 0.99898356
China rebuffs Powell over Taiwan recommendation China has rebuffed suggestions by US Secretary of State Colin Powell that it consider accepting the Taiwanese President #39;s offer of talks to reduce cross-strait tension.

Business: 0.9983253
Update 3: LNM to Buy ISG for \$4.5B in Cash, Stock A privately-owned Dutch steelmaker headed by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is buying US-based International Steel Group Inc. for about \$4.

Business: 0.99860376
Magna bids to privatize auto parts spin-offs AURORA, ONT. - Auto parts giant Magna International on Monday unveiled bids worth a total of about \$1.3 billion to take its three publicly traded subsidiaries private.

SciTech: 0.97931665
Internet users far from being secure WASHINGTON - Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers.

SciTech: 0.9943715
Microsoft makes Exchange road map more mirky SAN FRANCISCO - After removing the 2006 "Kodiak" release of Exchange Server from its product road map earlier this year, Microsoft Corp.'s plans for the messaging software have gotten even cloudier.

Business: 0.97784996
Citigroup to Close Unit in Japan Citigroup Inc. said Monday 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.

SciTech: 0.997695
PalmOne Treo 650 Arrives The PalmOne Treo 650 Smartphone with high-resolution screen, Bluetooth, swappable battery and extended multimedia capabilities was officially announced today.

Sports: 0.9982547
Danish fan falls to his death in Copenhagen stadium A 24-year-old Danish football fan died after falling from the top tier of the stands at FC Copenhagen #39;s Parken Stadium during a weekend match against Viborg, news agency Ritzau said.

SciTech: 0.9963238
Invasion of the Data Snatchers (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Think your PC is safe? Think again. A new study indicates your home computer is likely bogged down with spyware, viruses and other scourges wrought by hackers and PC pranksters. Ignorance may be bliss for some people, but for computer users, not knowing can be costly and inefficient.

SciTech: 0.9974981
Sony NW-E95 and NW-E99 Network Walkman Sony Europe has launched two tiny 512MB and 1GB MP3 players, the NW-E95 and NW-E99 Network Walkman. Both play MP3 (Sony has officially bit the mp3 bullet) and ATRAC3plus compressed files and have a small blue backlit LCD screen.

World: 0.99939966
Zarqawi group claims attack on Australian soldiers in Baghdad (AFP) AFP - The group loyal to Al-Qaeda-linked militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi claimed to have bombed an Australian convoy in Baghdad, in a statement posted on an Islamist website.

Business: 0.99861336
UPDATE 1-TXU raises dividend, profit forecast; shares jump Texas power company TXU Corp. (TXU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its dividend by 350 percent, boosted its earnings forecast and increased its share buyback program

World: 0.999413
Report: Iraq Govt. Cancels Falluja Negotiations (Reuters) Reuters - The chief negotiator in the rebel-held\Iraqi town of Falluja said Monday the government had canceled\indefinitely talks to avert a military assault on the town.

SciTech: 0.9974572
This Just In - Sprint is Stupid \\Found this via BoingBoing this morning:\\"The new Treo 650 is out today -- and as a long-time fan of the Treo, I've been\looking forward to it. I've asked in the past for "one with everything" -- a\phone with all the features I could want in one device, without\compromises. It looks like PalmOne delivered, with a 320x320 screen, removable\battery, upgraded OS, a better camera, and Bluetooth."\\"Oops -- not quite! TreoCentral is reporting that the Sprint version of the\Treo 650 doesn't allow you to use Bluetooth for dial-up networking through\your computer. Apparently other carriers will, but not Sprint."\\"You see, Sprint sells connection cards, which are PCCards that allow you to\dial up y...\\

SciTech: 0.9936342
Scientists: Volcano Monitoring Funds Low (AP) AP - For lack of funds, more than a third of the nation's "truly dangerous" volcanos lack even a seismometer for detecting signs of an impending eruption, scientists say.

Sports: 0.99806446
Eagles remain unbeaten David Akers kicked a 50-yard field goal in overtime to help the Eagles to a 34-to-31 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Donovan McNabb matched a career high with four touchdown passes.

Business: 0.95943666
Classmates agrees to \$100M buyout United Online Inc., a California-based provider of low-cost Internet subscription services, has agreed to buy Internet networking company Classmates Online Inc.

SciTech: 0.9979069
News: Mac OS X rootkit surfaces One of the first pieces of malicious code targeting Apple's Mac OS X operating system has been discovered.\

SciTech: 0.9395496
IBM to report on computer security threats IBM on Monday plans to begin releasing a monthly report of threats to computer networks in an effort to establish an indicator similar to the US government #39;s Homeland Security Advisory System.

Business: 0.995249
Treasuries Mirror Oil's Climb (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury yields hit their lowest\level in almost seven months on Monday as record high oil\prices clouded the outlook for global economic growth.

Sports: 0.9985606
Auburn's Obomanu Recalls 'The Drop' (AP) AP - Ben Obomanu used to be curious about the goats of the sports world, the guys who had the game in their hands and failed. "Wow, I wonder how that guy feels," he'd ask himself. He doesn't have to ask anymore. Not since "The Drop," his own moment of infamy when a chance to beat Mississippi last season slipped through his hands in the end zone, turning his dream game into a nightmare.

SciTech: 0.99424064
Your PC May Be Less Secure Than You Think Most users think their computer is safe from adware and spyware--but they #39;re wrong. A survey conducted by Internet service provider America Online found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a

SciTech: 0.9925679
Adobe Adds Yahoo Search Bar to Acrobat Yahoo may glow in the halo effect of the popular Adobe Acrobat Reader, installed on more than 500 million computers. At 274 million users, Yahoo will leverage the partnership to try to oust

Sports: 0.9993937
Hendrick Motorsports Our thoughts are with the Hendricks Motorsport team in the United States today following the plane crash in Sunday which killed five team members, two family members and three pilots.

Business: 0.9984048
Delta Financing to Use Prepaid SkyMiles Shares of Delta Air Lines soared after the troubled airline said Monday it entered into a commitment letter with American Express Travel Related Services Co.

Sports: 0.99656373
Conte turned athletes into towers of power HE IS THE face of sporting evil, this man who once was an accomplished bass player and now leers at us from a television screen describing the hell he hath wrought on the games people play and on the people who play them.

World: 0.99930537
British Re-Enact Charge of Light Brigade (AP) AP - Britain's Prince Philip and saber-waving cavalry re-enactors commemorated the charge of the Light Brigade on Monday, 150 years after the doomed British assault against Russian cannons in a Crimean War battle immortalized by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Sports: 0.9996301
Ravens #39; Ogden could miss Week 8 Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens All-Pro offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden could miss this week #39;s game at Philadelphia against the undefeated Eagles because of a left hamstring injury.

SciTech: 0.99658006
Cisco tightens security on voice products Cisco Systems announces an upgrade to its CallManager software to improve security on its IP telephony gear.

SciTech: 0.98499775
Adobe, Yahoo to Integrate Products Adobe Systems Inc. ADBE.O and Yahoo Inc. YHOO.O on Monday said they have signed a deal to combine Adobe services, like its widely used document-sharing program, with Yahoo #39;s Web search functions.

Sports: 0.99952674
Red Sox Stumble and Fumble Their Way to Series Lead ST LOUIS (Reuters) - So much for the "Curse of the Bambino."

Business: 0.9962638
Electronic Data Delays Earnings for Navy Asset Audit (Update1) Electronic Data Systems Corp., the world #39;s second-largest seller of computer services, delayed the release of third-quarter earnings while it reviews the value of a contract with the US Navy.

Business: 0.9883603
Mosaic Merger to Take Effect Today Polk County will retain its position at the heart of the US phosphate industry, at least through the end of this decade, following the merger of IMC Global Inc.

World: 0.97028255
Castro Appears on TV Wearing an Arm Sling Five days after falling and fracturing a knee and an arm, Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared on television on Monday with his arm in a sling to announce Cuba will end circulation of the US dollar.

World: 0.9980344
Broadcaster Donates #36;325,000 to GOP (AP) AP - One of the state's biggest broadcasters has given 13 Republican county committees #36;325,000 worth of free air time to promote candidates on its radio and television stations throughout California.

Business: 0.99636495
ANZ sells project finance unit Australia amp; New Zealand Banking Group said today it would transfer most of its London-based project finance business to Standard Chartered.

Sports: 0.9992136
Jags Turnaround Gives Them AFC South Lead (AP) AP - There are several reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars have gone from 1-6 at this time a year ago to their current 5-2 record. The answer given by most players is just one word: confidence.

Business: 0.99838316
WellPoint net income increases 28 percent THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- WellPoint Health Networks Inc. #39;s third-quarter net income rose 28 percent as the managed-care company saw membership growth in key markets and double-digit revenue growth.

Sports: 0.99964464
Houston Isn #39;t Ready, but the Knicks Will Have to Be There is no simple way to replace one of the most accurate outside shooters in the game, but starting next week, barring a miraculous turn in Allan Houston #39;s health, the Knicks will try.

SciTech: 0.96795493
Microsoft reworks antispam spec to silence critics com October 25, 2004, 6:49 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.

Sports: 0.99943966
Dave Hyde column, October 25, 2004 In somber tones and professional adjectives, the president, the athletic director and the no-longer-the-football-coach took turns announcing a University of Florida firing Monday that was surprising only for coming sooner rather than later.

SciTech: 0.7954129
Qualcomm: A quot;Wireless Intel quot;? Qualcomm began life in 1985 in a very unremarkable way -- in founder Irwin Jacobs #39; den. The space was small and crowded. The founding crew consisted of seven people, who were enthusiastic but low key.

World: 0.98489136
China, ASEAN Agree to End Tariffs (AP) AP - China has reached agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, on completely removing tariffs on merchandise goods by 2010 as part of a proposed free trade agreement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says.

Sports: 0.99970007
Cards unfazed by Series deficit Monday #39;s workout at Busch Stadium contained a few more St. Louis Cardinals than you #39;d expect considering it was optional, but you could understand why they #39;d want to

World: 0.98559475
Ispat, LNM, ISG merge to form world's largest steelmaker (AFP) AFP - Dutch steel groups Ispat International and LNM Holdings, both run by Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal, said they had agreed to merge with US International Steel Group to form the world's largest steelmaker.

Business: 0.9695528
BP Beats Q3 Forecasts on High Oil Price (Reuters) Reuters - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil\company, reported bumper third-quarter earnings on Tuesday on\the back of high oil prices.

Sports: 0.99961096
Bell would like to manage a contending team In his previous stints with Cleveland and Colorado, the teams were rebuilding. They didn #39;t do well and he was let go. By Don Bostrom.

Business: 0.9822481
RBI hikes repo rate by 25bps The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the Bank Rate untouched at 6 today, but raised the repo rate by 0.25 to 4.75 effective from tomorrow.

World: 0.99744785
\$70 Billion Increase in War Funding Sought The Bush administration intends to seek the emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early next year, officials said on Monday.

Sports: 0.9978891
NASCAR mourns plane crash victims Crews on all-terrain vehicles yesterday recovered the bodies of all 10 people killed in the crash of a Hendrick Motorsports plane that was carrying family and friends of one of NASCAR's top syndicates.

Business: 0.998574
To learn more LNM Holdings has steelmaking operations in eight countries with an annual steel production capacity of more than 32 million tons. ISG was formed in 2002 and bought the assets of bankrupt Bethlehem Steel Corp

Sports: 0.9992173
As reserve, Penny seeks Knick payoff The aging process for veteran NBA players is usually accelerated when they have reached their tenth season. Penny Hardaway has 11 years and 647 games on his odometer and he can feel it in his bones and joints.

World: 0.9882935
Unprecedented Peril Forces Tough Calls Like the "war on terrorism," which it often intersected, President Bush's efforts against nuclear proliferation has followed many paths.

Sports: 0.99969363
England held up in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe held up England #39;s charge as they battled to avert a series whitewash in the fourth one-day international in Bulawayo today.

World: 0.9993723
Israel resumes Gaza pull-out debate Israeli MPs have resumed a debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s disengagement plan, which is expected to culminate in a historic vote in favour of a pull-out of troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Business: 0.9962185
Sara Lee 1st-Quarter Net Rises on Fee (Reuters) Reuters - Sara Lee Corp. on Tuesday\posted a 53 percent increase in quarterly profit, as a fee\related to the 1999 sale of a tobacco business helped offset\higher costs for meat and cotton.

Sports: 0.9992717
Lehmann may have played last Test The 34-year-old tore his right hamstring on day one of the third Test against India at the VCA Ground just as he was presenting a very good case to be retained when captain Ricky Ponting returns from injury next week.

World: 0.9993486
Reuters Poll: Bush Keeps Three-Point Lead on Kerry (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush holds a slim\three-point lead over Democratic rival John Kerry one week\before the Nov. 2 presidential election, according to a\Reuters/Zogby poll released on Tuesday.

World: 0.99934036
Powell calls for more Korea talks US Secretary of State Colin Powell ends his tour of Asia by once again asking North Korea to resume nuclear talks.

SciTech: 0.9973506
Cassini-Huygens Fly-By at Titan / ESA TV Live / 27-10-2004 Since it arrived at Saturn in mid-2004, Cassini has already sent us back fascinating images of Titan, Saturn #39;s largest satellite.

SciTech: 0.9878228
Adobe Services Now Via Yahoo! Adobe Systems and Internet provider Yahoo! have announced a tie-up aimed at providing consumer services to Internet users. The two companies will introduce integrated products that feature Adobe services, increase the reach of Yahoo!

World: 0.99942327
New Rebel Factions Emerge in Darfur New rebel factions have emerged in western Sudan, complicating peace talks on the conflict in Darfur. The UN special representative for Darfur, Jan Pronk, says he thinks the new groups are serious and need to be taken into consideration.

World: 0.9985715
Australia 362-7 v India, third test - close (Reuters) Reuters - Australia were 362 for seven wickets at the close of play on the first day of their third cricket test against India on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.95179534
Cingular, AT amp;T deal gets an OK from Justice (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Justice Department antitrust regulators cleared the way Monday for Cingular Wireless' #36;41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services (AWE), a crucial step toward creating the nation's largest wireless telephone company.

Business: 0.9985575
Halliburton Suffers Loss on Asbestos Claims HOUSTON - Oilfield services giant Halliburton Co. on Tuesday swung to a loss in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, hurt by hefty charges from discontinued operations related to the settlement of asbestos and silica claims.

SciTech: 0.99749506
System X supercomputer speeds up almost 20 percent Virginia Tech #39;s all-Mac System X supercomputer, installed at the university #39;s Terascale Computing Facility, made headlines last year when it was determined to be the third-fastest supercomputer in the world.

Business: 0.99856865
Treasury Prices Crawl Higher Before Data NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices crawled ahead on Tuesday as a hesitant market awaited the latest reading on consumer sentiment and an auction of new U.S. government debt.

SciTech: 0.9737951
Panasonic, Toshiba delve into alternate energy A new home heating system from Panasonic is based on a hydrogen fuel cell; it both heats the house and produces hot water.

Business: 0.99852055
GE Says It's on Track for 2004, 2005 BOSTON (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer General Electric Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GE.N</A> said on Tuesday that it is on track to meet its full-year earnings forecast and to achieve double-digit gains in earnings per share in 2005.

SciTech: 0.9842324
Microsoft prepares to ship new corporate IM server A little over a year after introducing the first version of Office Live Communications Server, Microsoft Corp. in December plans to release the next version of its enterprise instant messaging software, it said Monday.

World: 0.9994086
Hot debate on Gaza pullout in Knesset JERUSALEM Israel #39;s Parliament appeared poised Tuesday to approve Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Gaza pullout plan, clearing the way for a withdrawal of Jewish settlers from Palestinian territory for the first time in history.

SciTech: 0.95568496
Intel guns for remote wireless device management SAN FRANCISCO - Intel Corp. is working on a device management technology that could allow IT departments to take advantage of existing management software and bring a host of disparate wireless devices under the IT department umbrella, an Intel executive said Monday at the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association's Wireless Entertainment and IT conference here.

Business: 0.9986034
Halliburton suffers loss on asbestos claims HOUSTON -- Oilfield services giant Halliburton Co. on Tuesday swung to a loss in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, hurt by hefty charges from discontinued operations related to the settlement of asbestos and silica claims.

World: 0.9993705
Rally demands aid worker #39;s release COLLEAGUES of aid worker Margaret Hassan, kidnapped a week ago today, gathered at a rally in Baghdad to demand her release. More than 200 people staged the protest as the Foreign Office dismissed claims that

Business: 0.9983322
Consumer Confidence Hits 7-Month Low NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumers turned more gloomy in October, beset by soaring energy prices, relentless violence in Iraq and the increasingly bitter end of the presidential election campaign.

World: 0.998684
Bush Blames Poorly Made Shirt for Bulge (AP) AP - President Bush sees the value #151; and the humor #151; in the idea that aides could secretly feed him advice through a radio receiver hidden on his back.

SciTech: 0.90193707
E.U. Regulators Approve Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid 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.

Business: 0.9822673
EU sees oil prices spoiling euro zone growth party Record high oil prices will cut euro zone growth next year and further sharp euro gains could make matters worse, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.9980578
Bank rate stable to boost exports: Reddy Mumbai: Despite the revision of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and inflation rate, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had kept the bank rate stable at 6 per cent in the mid-term review of annual policy statement for the year 2004-05 in order to boost

World: 0.782216
EU Head Office Trims 2005 Growth Forecast (AP) AP - The European Union's head office issued a bleak economic report Tuesday, warning that the sharp rise in oil prices will "take its toll" on economic growth next year while the euro's renewed climb could threaten crucial exports.

Business: 0.98617584
Lakshmi Mittal is Britain #39;s richest man London: NRI business tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal, who is set to control the world #39;s largest steelmaker, has emerged as the richest man in Britain.

SciTech: 0.55674106
Aids warning over bushmeat trade Meat from African wild animals being sold illegally in the UK is spreading a virus similar to HIV, a leading scientist warns.

World: 0.97800714
Germany, France support Turkish invitation to EU membership talks (AFP) AFP - Germany and France both support inviting to European Union membership talks at a summit in December in Brussels, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said.

Business: 0.99862564
LIFFE ratchets up price war with Merc Derivatives exchange LIFFE turned up the heat on rival Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday by ratcheting up its fee incentive program for some US traders in a bid improve volume in its Eurodollar contract, the CME #39;s flagship offering.

Sports: 0.99435586
26/10/04 Savabeel Compared To Dubai Millennium The man who says he didn #39;t have a pair of shoes until he was 12 is now fielding offers in the millions for a horse he compares to the late Dubai Millennium, the best in the world a few years ago.

World: 0.9993925
Protesters Harry Israel Parliament Before Gaza Vote JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Thousands of rightist Israelis accused Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of treason Tuesday as parliament looked set to approve the first pullout of settlers from occupied land Palestinians want as part of a future state.

World: 0.99913293
9:22 am: Missing explosives have experts wondering what else is ... Revelations that nearly 400 tons of conventional explosives have gone missing in Iraq have experts wondering what other weapons might be in jeopardy of falling into insurgent or terrorist hands.

SciTech: 0.8858036
Photo: SGI's Columbia supercomputer The Linux-based Columbia is a top contender for the title of world's fastest supercomputer.

World: 0.9994036
Karzai happy to wait for official Afghan poll verdict (AFP) AFP - Incumbent Hamid Karzai drew quot;great happiness quot; from his lead in Afghanistan's presidential election, his spokesman said, but will not claim victory until results are officially certified.

World: 0.9993949
EU chief battles to avert veto in crunch vote (AFP) AFP - The European Union braced for a knife-edge vote to decide the fate of its new executive arm with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hardening his stance against rebel legislators.

Business: 0.9967385
SEC Adopts New Rules for Hedge Funds A deeply divided SEC voted Tuesday to mandate new oversight for hedge funds -- largely unregulated investment pools, traditionally for the wealthy, that have become popular with small investors.

Sports: 0.99968624
Radcliffe to Run in New York Marathon LONDON (Reuters) - World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe believes she has put her failure at the Athens Olympics behind her after announcing on Tuesday that she will run in the New York marathon on November 7.

SciTech: 0.9937962
Cassini to Look at Saturn's Giant Moon (AP) AP - The theory that Saturn's giant moon Titan has oceans or seas of liquid methane and ethane faced its best test yet Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9871689
Fan Death Family members of a college student killed by Boston police during a Red Sox celebration will wait for an internal investigation before deciding if they will sue the department.

SciTech: 0.625131
Broadcom taps ex-Philips executive as CEO Scott McGregor, former head of Royal Philips Electronics' semiconductor division, will replace Alan Ross, who plans to retire.

SciTech: 0.988257
Photo: Sony's LocationFree TVs The electronics maker's wireless television set emphasizes advances in the boob tube.

Sports: 0.9974942
Hundreds mourn loss of student killed by police during Red Sox ... As hundreds of mourners paid their final respects Tuesday to Victoria Snelgrove, her pastor denounced the raucous fans who prompted police to fire the pepper-spray pellet that killed the college student.

Business: 0.99847883
Thomson beats the Street on core strengths Thomson Corp., a provider of information services that was once Canada #39;s largest newspaper publisher, sailed past Street forecasts in its latest quarterly results released Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.954529
IBM Unveils Security Intel Service, Notes Big Jump In Attacks IBM has launched a new intelligence service to give enterprises a monthly report showing the big picture of security attacks and other business threats, the Armonk, NY-based giant said Tuesday.

World: 0.99936885
Sharon Faces Netanyahu Threat to Resign Over Gaza JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he and three other cabinet members from Ariel Sharon's Likud would quit unless the prime minister agreed to hold a referendum on a pullout from Gaza.

World: 0.99937975
Iraq Blames US-Led Forces for Army Massacre BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S.-backed government said on Tuesday that "major neglect" by its American-led allies led to a massacre of 49 army recruits at the weekend.

Business: 0.8810844
Cingular Closes #36;41 Bln ATT Wireless Deal (Reuters) Reuters - Cingular Wireless on Tuesday closed\its #36;41 billion cash purchase of AT T Wireless Services Inc.\, creating the biggest U.S. mobile service with more\than 46 million customers.

Business: 0.9968182
How the credit policy will affect you The Reserve Bank of India announced the mid-term review of its monetary policy on Tuesday. Though the central Bank kept away from the much expected interest rate hike, the policy contained recommendations

SciTech: 0.9800965
AOL Supports Microsoft Antispam Plan To overcome industry objections, Microsoft revises its Sender ID proposal.

SciTech: 0.997985
Cassini flies past Titan; pictures expected tonight NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft streaked by Saturn #39;s smoggy moon Titan today, targeted to pass within just 750 miles of the planet-sized satellite to give scientists their first

Sports: 0.9996619
Broncos And Monday Night On The Road Don #39;t Mix The Bengals were happy to be back on Monday Night Football after a 15 year absence. From gameplan to execution, they looked very good.

SciTech: 0.9888427
IBM Unveils Security Intel Service, Notes Big Jump In Attacks Attacks against crucial infrastructure -- utilities, telcos, and government agencies -- rose by 55 from July to August. By Gregg Keizer, TechWeb.

SciTech: 0.99452716
Cassini Heads Toward Giant Moon on Saturn (AP) AP - The U.S.-European spacecraft Cassini hurtled Tuesday toward its closest encounter yet with Saturn's giant moon Titan.

World: 0.9993882
Israeli Officer Arrested Over Killing of Gaza Girl (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli military police on Tuesday\arrested a commander accused by comrades of riddling the body\of a Palestinian schoolgirl with bullets after fellow soldiers\killed her.

Business: 0.9986028
Pickup in US insurance sector sends stocks surging despite higher ... TORONTO (CP) - A rally in the insurance sector helped take stock markets up sharply - and drove New York #39;s blue chip index to a triple-digit runup - despite higher oil prices and a further slowdown in US consumer confidence.

SciTech: 0.8766503
FTC wins a temporary injunction against alleged spammer U.S. District Judge Joseph A. DiClerico Jr. ordered Sanford Wallace and his companies to remove any software scripts from their Web sites that exploit security vulnerabilities in some versions of Internet Explorer.

Sports: 0.9993137
UPDATE 1-Bayern rein in Wolfsburg with Pizarro double Bayern Munich reined in Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory, courtesy of a double strike from Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro in his first match in a month.

World: 0.99937975
Hispanic rights groups unite to fight voter discrimination (AFP) AFP - US civil rights groups expressed concern over alleged intimidation of Hispanic voters and said they will work to ensure their ballots are counted in the November 2 presidential election.

Business: 0.9921898
EDS cutting 4,600 jobs through early retirement, taking US\$150M ... PLANO, Tex. (CP) - Electronic Data Systems is cutting 4,600 jobs through early retirement and taking a \$150 million US charge in the fourth quarter, the information technology company said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9929468
Microsoft previews quot;Whitehorse quot; developer tools Microsoft released on Tuesday a preview version of new tools intended to make it easier for companies to create custom Web applications.

SciTech: 0.97396505
AOL Shows Safe Chat Rooms Secure USB tokens used to verify a child's age before allowing him to chat.

Sports: 0.9960783
Cards Try to Narrow Gap in Game 3 After losing the first two games to the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals try to make the World Series competitive by winning Tuesday night's Game 3 at home. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez starts for Boston against journeyman Jeff Suppan, who used to play for the Red Sox. Both are 16-9.

World: 0.9993625
Dodge denies Copps charge that Martin wanted to scrap Canada Health Act (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Add the governor of the Bank of Canada to the list of people who say Sheila Copps has a faulty memory.

SciTech: 0.9949508
The video iPod is coming, I hope At Tuesday's unveiling of the iPod Photo, Steve Jobs repeated his contention that the iPod is the "wrong place" for video. I doubt he'll be saying that a year from now. Missing Links

SciTech: 0.9979533
Xandros rolls out Linux desktop management app 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.

SciTech: 0.9978598
Apple's IPod Features U2 Collaboration (AP) AP - Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday introduced a new larger-capacity iPod with a color display as well as a first-of-its-kind digital compendium of the rock band U2's songs.

Business: 0.9974509
Oracle #39;s bid still facing hurdles PeopleSoft reiterated on Tuesday its opposition to a \$7.7 billion takeover offer from Oracle after the European Union approved the bid, removing the last regulatory hurdle to a deal.

World: 0.998998
Putin praises Ukraine #39;s leader Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken part in a live phone-in on Ukrainian TV, just days before the country #39;s presidential election.

Business: 0.9976336
SEC Seeks to Make Hedge Funds More Transparent Description: A divided Securities and Exchange Commission will likely approve new regulations governing the hedge fund industry. Under the rules, all but the smallest hedge funds would be required to register with federal regulators.

Sports: 0.9997042
CFL erred, Stamps still losers The result of the Calgary-BC game last Friday night will stand, the CFL announced yesterday. While a review of videotape from the game confirmed an officiating error resulting in a no-yards

Sports: 0.99938524
Florida Denies Contact With Spurrier (AP) AP - Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley denied a report Tuesday that school officials have contacted former coach Steve Spurrier about replacing Ron Zook.

World: 0.99940574
Threat to behead Japanese soldier The group led by wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has said it has abducted a member of Japan #39;s armed forces and is threatening to behead him if the Japanese government does not withdraw its troops from Iraq within 48 hours.

SciTech: 0.99661934
Sony launches music players with MP3 support The company has just announced the release of two flash-memory-based devices, the Walkman NW-E99 and NW-E95, in Europe. The music players can play songs in MP3 and Sony #39;s own Atrac file format.

Business: 0.9960492
Marsh to Scrap Fees Spitzer Faulted (Reuters) Reuters - Marsh McLennan Cos., 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.

Sports: 0.9987662
Sporting News: Bonds is player of year; Pujols fourth San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who hit.362, set a record with 232 walks and topped 700 career homers, was named 2004 player of the year by The Sporting News.

World: 0.9992335
Indonesia at a crossroad At midnight on Saturday, the dance floor in the Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) in Bali was heaving. Apart from a careful pat down at the door for guests, the scene was no different from two years ago, before Islamist

World: 0.99941885
Japanese citizen reportedly taken hostage in Iraq The Islamic militant group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi reportedly claims to have taken a Japanese citizen hostage in Iraq. In a video shown on the Internet, the group threatens to execute him if Tokyo does not withdraw its troops from Iraq in 48 hours.

SciTech: 0.49946117
Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9833382
DMCA Limited by Sixth Circuit Appeals Court The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. I really dont know why a printer manufacturer should have exclusive rights on producing ink that work with their printers.

World: 0.9991967
India cool on Kashmir proposals India responded coolly yesterday to suggestions by the Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf, on how to solve the Kashmir dispute between the two countries.

Sports: 0.99845433
Martinez Moves Red Sox Nearer Series Title (AP) AP - Don't question Pedro Martinez anymore. Fame and fortune already his, Martinez finally made it to the World Series on Tuesday night. And when he got there, he shut down the St. Louis Cardinals, putting the Boston Red Sox within one victory of the World Series title that has eluded them since 1918.

Business: 0.9985347
Ovitz Defends His Tenure Michael Ovitz said on Tuesday that Walt Disney Co. would have made a string of dazzling deals and shrewd strategic moves during his brief tenure as the company #39;s president

Sports: 0.9996824
Baseball-Red Sox on Brink of World Series Victory ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout innings and Manny Ramirez hit a home run as the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Tuesday, moving to the brink of their first World Series title since 1918.

Business: 0.99764603
UPDATE: Air New Zealand Rights Issue Greeted Positively WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Air New Zealand Ltd. (AIR.NZ) said Wednesday it expects to post a slight drop in profit in the current financial year, and that it hopes to raise NZ\$186 million in a rights issue next month to fund investment in new aircraft.

Sports: 0.9997105
Red Sox on Brink of World Series Victory ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout innings and Manny Ramirez hit a home run as the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Tuesday, moving to the brink of their first World Series title since 1918.

Sports: 0.9996433
Two Wizards face possible suspensions The Washington Wizards #39; Brendan Haywood and Larry Hughes could face suspensions for their part in a fight during Monday night #39;s preseason game against the Bulls in Chicago.

Sports: 0.99812
Former AL Batting Champion Dies at 78 (AP) AP - Bobby Avila, a three-time All-Star who won the American League batting title in 1954, died Tuesday of complications from diabetes and a lung ailment. He was 78.

Business: 0.9979133
Eisner blocked big ideas, Ovitz tells court Former Walt Disney Co. president Michael Ovitz insisted Tuesday that he worked tirelessly to better the company but frequently ran into resistance from CEO Michael Eisner and a handful of senior executives who refused to report to him.

Sports: 0.9968077
Belmont beats the best to take its place at the top Any time in the last decade and a half, yesterday's result would have been an upset. With a 3-2 victory over host Winchester, the Belmont girls' soccer team took the Middlesex League title from the Sachems for the first time in 16 years, and avenged a 1-1 tie with Winchester that was the only blemish on a 15-0-1 season.

Business: 0.9954276
Q amp;A : Merger changes little for now Here are answers to some questions arising from the closing of Cingular Wireless #39; acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless. Q: With the merger, how will the combined company rank in the industry?

Sports: 0.9996661
Midseason ouster no surprise Unless there #39;s an extenuating circumstance - see the University of Arizona last September - it #39;s generally considered poor form to change football coaches in midseason.

World: 0.99941325
In Asia, Powell defends N. Korea policy SEOUL -- Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday sought to fend off complaints from key partners in the effort to end North Korea's nuclear programs that the Bush administration has not been sufficiently creative or willing to compromise in the negotiations.

Business: 0.9979359
FTSE 100 lifted by bright Dow The FTSE 100 has climbed as a surge by US shares gives a boost to European markets. Shire Pharmaceuticals SHP.L jumped after winning approval for a key drug and consumer goods giant Unilever ULVR.

World: 0.9993649
Sharon, Under Pressure, Snubs Gaza Referendum Call JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli leader Ariel Sharon rejected calls from within his divided cabinet on Wednesday for a referendum on leaving Gaza after winning parliament's support to uproot settlements from land claimed by Palestinians.

Sports: 0.9929946
Radcliffe awaits gun for start of Russian roulette For the 3,000 Britons who will run in the New York City marathon next month the most important thing will be to finish the 26.2-mile race, in order to achieve a sense of personal fulfilment.

SciTech: 0.98209524
Chip Giant UMC Reports Higher Profits (AP) AP - United Microelectronics Corp. #151; the world's No. 2 producer of made-to-order chips #151; on Wednesday reported that its third-quarter net profit more than doubled on year as shipments of chips for mobile phones and other gadgets increased.

World: 0.9989654
N.Korea called worst for press freedom Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has labeled North Korea and Cuba the worst countries in terms of press freedom, with Denmark being the best.

SciTech: 0.99737513
NASA expert says Bush stifles evidence on global warming IOWA CITY, Iowa A NASA scientist has charged that the Bush administration is subverting science and misleading the public by trying to suppress or alter evidence on the dangers of global warming.

World: 0.99940753
Thai PM Defiant After 78 Muslims Die in Custody (Reuters) Reuters - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin\Shinawatra shed few tears on Wednesday over the death of 78\Muslims in military custody as distraught mourners besieged an\army base in the far south, demanding the bodies of relatives.

Business: 0.9863783
Spanish bank makes bumper profits The Spanish bank which is buying Abbey made a 2.2bn profit (3.1bn euros)in the first nine months of 2004. Banco Santander Central Hispano, which is acquiring the UK lender in a 8.

Sports: 0.9996363
Stanford ties Arizona in poll Media splits on who #39;s favorite in ... The two teams that shared the Pac-10 women #39;s basketball title last season -- Stanford and Arizona -- are primed to share it again, according to the annual poll released at Pac-10 media day Tuesday at HP Pavilion in San Jose.

World: 0.9993892
Milosevic Defense Team Asks to Withdraw from Case THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's two court-assigned defense lawyers have asked to be withdrawn from his case, The Hague war crimes tribunal said Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9994265
Koetter: Hill will play Saturday Hakim Hill, the ASU football teams oft-controversial running back, will be back on the field when the Sun Devils travel to face California, head coach Dirk Koetter announced Tuesday.

World: 0.9981907
BHP Billiton, Alcoa sell Integris Metals for 359 million pounds (AFP) AFP - Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton and Alcoa, the world's largest aluminium producer, have agreed to sell their metal services joint venture Integris Metals for 660 million dollars (359 million pounds) including debt, a joint statement said.

World: 0.99883395
Chirac says Turkey's EU bid 'not a done deal' (AFP) AFP - French President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday that Turkey's EU membership bid was quot;not a done deal, quot; although he believed it was in Europe's best interests, a government spokesman reported after a cabinet meeting.

Business: 0.9701015
Comcast Posts Smaller 3Q Profit Cable giant Comcast Corp. on Wednesday posted a smaller third-quarter profit that missed Wall Street expectations, but said digital cable and high-speed Internet subscriptions continued to grow during the period.

Business: 0.9985891
Durable Goods Orders Up 0.2 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. orders for long-lasting durable\goods rose by a smaller-than-expected 0.2 percent in September,\held back by another sharp fall in commercial aircraft,\government data showed on Wednesday.

World: 0.99940777
WWW KOTV.com _ Nearly 800 British forces left their base in southern Iraq on Wednesday, heading north toward Baghdad to replace US troops who are expected to take part in an offensive against insurgent strongholds.

SciTech: 0.6505885
Nokia wins 115-million-dollar network deal from Brazil's Oi Celular (AFP) AFP - Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, said it had received a 115-million-dollar (90-million-euro) order to expand Oi Celular's second-generation GSM network in Brazil.

World: 0.9926097
India and Bangladesh Neglect Their Enclaves (Reuters) Reuters - Nazrul Islam is an Indian\living in an Indian village.

World: 0.99933076
Black Watch move towards Baghdad THE Black Watch today moved towards Baghdad in response to the US plea for help. The Ministry of Defence said today that soldiers from the Scottish regiment were leaving their base in the southern city of

Sports: 0.9996991
Aussie quartet put India on back foot The second day of the third Test at Nagpur belonged to Australia #39;s bowlers, with their attritional approach wearing down India #39;s batsmen.

Sports: 0.99966407
Stanford picked to win much-improved Pac-10 Tara VanDerveer stepped to the dais at the Pacific-10 Conference women #39;s basketball media day Tuesday and was asked to make an opening comment.

Sports: 0.99875927
Leyland has emerged as a managerial candidate Jim Leyland just might be ready to manage a Major League Baseball team again, and he will reportedly interview for jobs with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, according to the NY Daily News.

Business: 0.99787664
Mortgage approvals drop sharply Figures showing falling mortgage approvals and rising repossessions suggest interest rate rises are being felt.

SciTech: 0.99797505
Google Acquires Satellite Mapping Firm Keyhole Google Acquires Satellite Mapping Firm Keyhole\\After a tip from Andy Beal, I checked out Keyhole Satellite Image mapping and local search tool and absolutely loved it. Basically, with Keyhole you get a satellite image of the world and can view streets in the major cities, political hotspots, and towns (mostly...

SciTech: 0.97968036
Is Apple Photogenic? With competitors avidly trying to nibble at the iPod #39;s market share, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has released its ostensibly new and improved version.

World: 0.9725457
Britain's Not-So-Civil War: Hunters Outfoxed? If hunting is banned in Britain, the pro-hunt lobby says its supporters will continue to hunt illegally.

SciTech: 0.9974523
Are Cheaper Flat-Panel TVs On The Way? (PC World) PC World - IFire aims to displace LCD TVs with its lower-cost display technology.

World: 0.999418
Rumsfeld turns to radio interviews in battleground states to defend Iraq situation (AFP) AFP - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he has been ordered not to comment on the presidential elections, but it hasn't kept him from defending the war in Iraq in interviews with radio talk show hosts in battleground states.

Business: 0.99695045
ATA: Customers Won #39;t Be Affected By Bankruptcy INDIANAPOLIS -- ATA says it will honor all tickets and maintain its full schedule, after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday.

World: 0.99941325
Black Watch troops move near Baghdad British troops have rolled north from Basra to take over a deadly area near Baghdad and free up US troops for a widely expected attack on the rebel-held city of Falluja.

World: 0.99880373
Henman Sails at the Swiss Indoors By Mark Ledsom BASEL (Reuters) - Britain's world number four Tim Henmanwon his opening match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournamentwith little difficulty on Wednesday, beating Frenchman AntonyDupuis 6-3, 6-4.

Business: 0.9985851
Comcast Profit Falls Short of Forecasts Comcast Corp. (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research), the largest US cable operator, on Wednesday posted a quarterly profit that fell short of Wall Street forecasts but reported better-than

SciTech: 0.9784734
Remains of New Species of Hobbit-Sized Human Found Scientists in Australia have found a new species of hobbit-sized humans who lived about 18,000 years ago on an Indonesian island in a discovery that adds another piece to the complex puzzle of human evolution.

World: 0.9994112
Vietnam Opens Bunker Used by Ho Chi Minh (AP) AP - Behind thick concrete walls and iron doors, Ho Chi Minh and other top Vietnamese leaders hid in secret underground tunnels during U.S. B-52 bombing raids to plot key military strategies that led to America's defeat in the Vietnam War.

Business: 0.99853444
Stocks Up as Oil Slides NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks jumped on Wednesday as oil prices, which have held investor enthusiasm for stocks in check for months, fell sharply after a higher-than-expected crude build last week.

SciTech: 0.99612194
Dell Offers SUSE on Servers Dell (Quote, Chart) officials announced Wednesday an agreement with Linux distributor Novell (Quote, Chart) to distribute and support SUSE Enterprise Server 9 on its single- and dual-processor line of servers.

World: 0.99340034
Storms batter Cornish coastline \Flooding causes chaos for homeowners all along Cornwall's south coast as 80mph winds hit land.

SciTech: 0.8379055
Dell: From factory floor to finished gear PC giant also wants to be your supplier of high-end home electronics. Also: How your desktop gets bolted together.

SciTech: 0.9893582
Security report: Windows vs Linux Much ado has been made about whether or not Linux is truly more secure than Windows. The results were not unexpected. Even by Microsoft #39;s subjective and flawed standards, fully 38 of the most recent patches address flaws that Microsoft ranks as Critical.

World: 0.99942905
Al-Jazeera airs new footage of pleading British hostage in Iraq (AFP) AFP - Kidnapped Briton Margaret Hassan made a new appeal for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, Al-Jazeera television said, showing her in a video.

Business: 0.9980844
Closing Arguments In Enron Barge Trial Houston -- Prosecutors claim six executives conspired to push through a 1999 sham sale of barges because they didn #39;t think they #39;d get caught.

SciTech: 0.99207
Sony Announces PlayStation Por Sony Corp. announced a price more fitting of a video-game machine than a slick movie-playing gadget for its new PlayStation Portable - 19,800 yen (\$186).

World: 0.93407094
EU Unveils Plans for New Banana Tariffs (AP) AP - The European Union said Wednesday it will impose a duty of 230 euros ( #36;290) per ton of bananas starting in 2006, in an effort to prevent producers in former African and Caribbean colonies from losing business to larger growers in Latin America.

Business: 0.9794214
Faces From The 1929 Crash NEW YORK - The people who will forever be associated with the Great Crash of 1929 were all white, male and wealthy, but their occupations and ethics varied considerably.

Business: 0.99842864
OPEC Head Urges U.S. to Use Oil Reserves JAKARTA (Reuters) - OPEC has taken the unprecedented step of urging the United States to tap its emergency crude reserves to bring down world oil prices.

Business: 0.99856085
Military Buoys Profit at Defense Firms CHICAGO (Reuters) - Robust demand for military equipment and technology led four U.S. defense companies to post higher quarterly profit on Wednesday, with jet maker Boeing Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BA.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">BA.N</A> reporting a 78 percent jump in earnings despite a decline in commercial airplane revenue.

Business: 0.5864447
Will Tellabs Push Its Luck? Perhaps the optical network supplier should call off its merger with AFC.

Business: 0.9986052
US economy continues to expand in spite of rising energy prices ... The US economy continued to expand in September and early October in spite of rising energy costs, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday in its Beige Book, a survey of business activity around the country.

Sports: 0.9891371
Hubris, Caution in Boston as Red Sox Eye Victory (Reuters) Reuters - Giddiness. Paranoia. Arrogance. Caution.\All were on display on Wednesday in Boston as the supposedly\cursed Red Sox moved within one victory of a baseball\championship that has eluded them for 86 years.

World: 0.9991875
Thai Villagers Search for Relatives Hundreds of villagers besieged a Thai military camp Wednesday demanding to know whether their relatives were among at least 78 Muslim men who officials said suffocated

Sports: 0.999268
Palmeiro Signs One-Year Deal With Orioles (AP) AP - Rafael Palmeiro didn't want his homecoming with the Baltimore Orioles to end after just one season, so he took a pay cut and accepted a one-year, #36;3 million contract Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.997912
Suse warns of hole in Linux kernel OCTOBER 27, 2004 (TECHWORLD.COM) - 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.

Sports: 0.9997178
Wenger commits future to Arsenal Arsenal FC have agreed a three-year contract extension with manager Arsne Wenger, retaining the Frenchman #39;s services until May 2008.

Sports: 0.9997143
Kezman #39;s first hammer blow MATEJA KEZMAN finally broke his scoring duck to settle this League Cup derby at Stamford Bridge today. Kezman missed a string of chances before firing in from Joe Cole #39;s through-ball in the 57th-minute to quash the Hammers #39; hopes of making the last 16.

World: 0.99941576
Black Watch troops move into position The first units of a Black Watch battlegroup are due to arrive today in their new positions south of Baghdad as Tony Blair indicated that more British troops may replace them in the American-controlled zone before the end of the year.

Sports: 0.9993112
Georgia Tech Looks to Virginia Tech (AP) AP - Georgia Tech wants to avoid being embarrassed by another ACC rookie.

World: 0.9993863
Abdullah conveys concerns over violence to Thaksin KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has conveyed to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra its concern over the latest incident of violence in southern Thailand.

World: 0.99940693
3 police officials charged over Beslan siege ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA - Three Russian police officers have been charged with criminal negligence in connection with the Beslan school hostage-taking that left 360 people dead, almost half of them children.

SciTech: 0.9233365
IDC sees continuing decline in PDA market If a handheld device doesn't have voice capabilities, a growing number of users around the world aren't interested, according to IDC. For the third straight quarter, shipments of handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) fell as some prominent vendors decided to pull back from the market, IDC said Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9992306
Germany to kick off 2006 World Cup FRANKFURT, Germany -- Hosts Germany will play in the opening match of the 2006 World Cup, the organizing committee of the governing body FIFA announced on Wednesday.

Business: 0.9984276
National Foods: Take No Action On Fonterra Takeover Bid MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australia #39;s National Foods Ltd. (NFD.AU) on Thursday told shareholders to take no action on New Zealand dairy group Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd.

SciTech: 0.9963924
New Web Domain Names Get Preliminary Nod (AP) AP - Two new Internet domain names #151; ".post" and ".travel" #151; could appear online as early as next year as the Internet's key oversight board announced preliminary approval on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9990759
Inter draw with lecce while AC Milan crash Atlanta Bulgarian teenager Valeri Bojinov scored twice as Lecce came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Inter Milan in Italian first division league on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.98097193
Yahoo Battles Google for The Cell Phone Yahoo added a search feature for cell phones Wednesday, just a few weeks after rival Google launched one of its own. While Google SMS (Short Message Service) uses text-only messages to deliver its results, Yahoo #39;s

Sports: 0.9921515
New-Age General Manager Labors to End Age-Old Curse Until Theo Epstein became the general manager of the Boston Red Sox two years ago, at 28, life had offered him little cause to believe in superstition.

World: 0.9939505
Russian Parliament Ratifies Kyoto Pact (AP) AP - The Kyoto Protocol overcame its final legislative hurdle in Russia when the upper house of parliament ratified the global climate pact Wednesday and sent it on to President Vladimir Putin for his signature #151; setting the stage for the treaty to come into force next year.

World: 0.9994025
Arafat's Health Reported to Have Turned Sharply Worse An ambulance was called to Yasir Arafat's compound amid unconfirmed reports that he had lost consciousness at least once.

Sports: 0.99969196
Owens Explains Ravens Snub Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis took a deep breath as he prepared to answer yet another question about Terrell Owens, the wide receiver who spurned an

World: 0.9993862
At Least Five Dead in Russia Mine Blast (Reuters) Reuters - At least five miners were killed and 14\injured in a blast in a coal mine in Russia's Siberia, the\Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday.

World: 0.9992835
Japanese rescuers grapple with rocks to retrieve girl from quake ... TOKYO - Rescuers grappled through mud and rocks for a second day Thursday in the hope of finding a three-year-old girl trapped in a crushed car since Japans killer earthquake last weekend.

Business: 0.9985997
Durable Goods Orders Up Orders for durable goods rose in September for the third time in four months. Home sales also increased. Orders for goods intended to last more than three years increased 0.2 percent to \$195.

SciTech: 0.9963779
Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse Astronomy buffs and amateur stargazers turned out to watch a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night - the last one Earth will get for nearly two and a half years.

World: 0.99942076
Large Explosion Heard in Central Baghdad (Reuters) Reuters - A large blast was heard in central\Baghdad on Thursday, witnesses said.

World: 0.99940085
Hundreds trapped in Russia mine Five miners are killed by an explosion which leaves up to 240 trapped in a Siberian coal mine.

Business: 0.9968207
Low-Cost Airline Enters Bankruptcy Blaming excess capacity, extremely high fuel prices, which and descending fares, ATA Holdings Corp., parent of discount airline carrier ATA Airlines, said it has filed for bankruptcy.

World: 0.9964707
At least five dead in Russia mine blast quot;At 9:45 am (2:45 am British time) we received the signal for a methane blast. At the time, a 45-strong repair team was working in that.

Business: 0.9689039
Despite Scandals, Boeing Still Charms Wall Street Boeing's bottom line continues to fatten, even as its image tarnishes, thanks in part to the consolidation of the defense industry, which has left the Pentagon with few choices for buying weapons, industry analysts said.

SciTech: 0.93063354
Washington Contractors' Sales Increase Companies that provide federal agencies with network integration and payroll accounting technologies are benefiting from a government trying to bolster its defenses against terrorism, experts say. -The Washington Post

Business: 0.99830246
AirTran #39;s plan may aid city If the airline acquires some ATA assets, Wichita Mid-Continent could see expanded AirTran service, especially to Chicago. BY PHYLLIS JACOBS GRIEKSPOOR.

Sports: 0.99887556
Chelsea 1-0 West Ham Mateja Kezman finally broke his Chelsea goal duck with the winner against a spirited West Ham in the Carling Cup. The striker was making his 13th outing for Chelsea and he arrowed in a second half shot past keeper James Walker.

Sports: 0.9996176
Healthy Henman looking forward to Moodie match Tim Henman confirmed he was in good health, despite being diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency, after a straight-sets win over Antony Dupuis in the first round of the Davidoff Swiss Masters.

Sports: 0.9996101
Broken thumb sidelines Payton Results of X-rays on Gary Payton #39;s right hand revealed a non-displaced fracture in the point guard #39;s right thumb. Payton did not play last night against the

World: 0.99914134
Powell backpedals on Taiwan remarks US Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday carefully avoided repeating a suggestion he made earlier this week of an eventual reunification of China and Taiwan.

Business: 0.9896612
Tokyo shares follow NY trend higher Share prices closed higher across the board in Tokyo this morning, as investors were cheered by last night #39;s gains on Wall Street.

Sports: 0.9980787
Tennis: Leading Brits go marching on TIM HENMAN showed he was on top form despite being diagnosed as suffering from magnesium deficiency, with a straight-sets win over Antony Dupuis in the first round of the Davidoff Swiss Masters.

Sports: 0.9996201
Haywood suspended for three games NEW YORK - Brendan Haywood of the Washington Wizards was suspended for three games by the NBA yesterday for fighting during a pre-season game against the Chicago Bulls.

Sports: 0.9992931
Big East braces for growth spurt It #39;s hard to imagine, but the league that gave us college basketball #39;s last two national champions is about to get a lot better.

Sports: 0.9994592
Hidden value for Wakefield When we look back on this improbable postseason turnaround by the Red Sox, one of the turning points will be hard to find unless we recall the words of Red Sox manager Terry Francona in the aftermath of the humiliating 19-8 loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Sports: 0.9985625
Lowe's road to glory For Derek Lowe, two roads diverged not in a yellow wood, as New England's poet laureate Robert Frost had it, but on the greenswards of Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, and Busch Stadium.

Sports: 0.9996389
Today's schedule College field hockey: UMass-Dartmouth at Salve Regina, 3 p.m.; UNH at BC, 7 p.m.; Anna Maria at Westfield St., 7 p.m.

World: 0.9993788
Australia establish 300-run lead in third India Test (AFP) AFP - Australia batted cautiously in their second innings to build a lead of 300 runs over India with nine wickets in hand in the third cricket Test here.

Business: 0.9970637
Gold Fields hit by Q3 rand strength JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) -- Gold Fields, the takeover target of smaller rival Harmony, contained its costs on its South African mines during the September quarter.

World: 0.99941945
Nigerian Protection Force Leaves for Darfur An elite contingent of 50 Nigerian soldiers left Nigeria on Thursday for Darfur, the first stage in the deployment of 3,000 extra African Union (AU) troops to monitor a shaky cease-fire in the western Sudanese region.

SciTech: 0.9940445
Russians to see full lunar eclipse Thursday morning MOSCOW, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - People in Russia #39;s European part will have an opportunity to see a full eclipse of the Moon during several hours Thursday morning, said Dr Andrei Finkelshtein, director of the Russian Institute of Applied Astronomy.

SciTech: 0.6958149
Attack prompts Bush website block The re-election website of President Bush is blocking overseas visitors because of "security reasons".

Business: 0.99764
Royal Dutch/Shell merges holding companies with unified board LONDON, October 28 (newratings.com) - Royal Dutch/Shell Group has announced its plans to merge its two holding companies in the Netherlands and the UK, Royal Dutch Petroleum (ROY.

SciTech: 0.99739623
Dell Comes Up With Novell Idea To Sell Servers Novell has given its recently acquired Linux distro, SuSE, a push, by signing an agreement with Dell to offer SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 9 on select PowerEdge servers worldwide.

SciTech: 0.99675614
Web TV Start-Ups Show Programs Outside the Box (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Internet TV is a mirage, seeming so close yet turning out to be far away or downright unreal when you try to watch it. At least that's my take on the many past plans for zapping motion pictures over the Internet.

SciTech: 0.9676826
Game on as Sony puts 100 tag on PSP system SONY is going head-to-head with Nintendo in the battle for the handheld games console market. The company will price its long-awaited PlayStation Portable (PSP) at about 100 for its launch in Japan, when

Sports: 0.9996935
Nakatani expects a big day at BC No stranger to brash statements, jockey Corey Nakatani has a firm goal for Saturday #39;s Breeders #39; Cup program at Lone Star Park.

Sports: 0.99964106
Sainsbury Ultimatum to Leeds Sebastian Sainsbury warned Leeds United chiefs today they face the stark choice of accepting his 25million bid or selling Elland Road.

Business: 0.99851006
Delta, pilots OK deal Union officials representing 7,500 pilots at Delta Air Lines said Wednesday night they have reached a cost-cutting agreement with management, which presumably could halt, or at least

Sports: 0.99959344
Kiwis heading for big win DANIEL VETTORI spun New Zealand to the brink of a crushing victory over Bangladesh in the second and final Test at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong today.

World: 0.99939466
3 UN staff kidnapped in Afghan capital Unknown armed men in military uniform kidnapped three staff of the United Nations in the Afghan capital city at broad daylight Thursday, Afghan officials confirmed.

SciTech: 0.9952991
Google and Microsft Getting Close Google and Microsft Getting Close\\Microsoft partnering with Google? Well sort of, an article released yesterday details the relationship between the two, and the use of Google Deskbar in Microsoft's Partner Pack for Windows, "a collection of Microsoft and third-party products released last week that Microsoft describes on its Web site...

Business: 0.9983046
ATA Files for Bankruptcy Protection ATA Holdings Corp. (ATAH), parent of struggling low-cost carrier ATA Airlines, on Tuesday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as falling fares and soaring fuel prices drained it of cash.

Business: 0.9985856
Dow Chemical reports 86 percent increase in profit DETROIT - Dow Chemical Co. #39;s third-quarter earnings soared 86 percent to beat Wall Street forecasts, thanks largely to improved margins.

World: 0.99935406
Blast Outside Thailand Bar Injures 15 (AP) AP - A bomb exploded Thursday evening outside a bar in southern Thailand, the scene of a campaign of violence blamed on Islamic separatists, injuring at least 15 people, police said.

Business: 0.9452594
Final edition for a respected Asian newsweekly HONG KONG The Far Eastern Economic Review, an often incisive newsweekly for more than half a century, will become a monthly opinion magazine in December, and virtually all of its employees will lose their jobs, Dow Jones announced on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99263483
AMD Rolls Out Low-Cost Net Access Device in India US chip maker Advanced Micro Devices AMD.N 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.

Sports: 0.9995796
Raiders notes: Gallery appreciates the silence Because his name is called infrequently, he is having a solid season as a rookie. By Gregg Bell -- Bee Staff Writer. It #39;s not too late to get into a Fantasy Sports League.

Business: 0.99331784
New Zealand bank raises key interest rate WELLINGTON New Zealand #39;s central bank raised the benchmark interest rate by a quarter point on Thursday, to 6.5 percent, and said the sixth increase this year may be the last as economic growth slows.

World: 0.9993974
Bomb kills one in southern Thailand A bomb has exploded in southern Thailand, killing one person and injuring about 20, in what could be the first reaction to the deaths of 85 Muslim protesters earlier this week.

Business: 0.99858415
UPDATE 2-Viacom posts loss on charges; cable networks up Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (VIA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a quarterly loss on charges related to the spinoff of video rental chain Blockbuster

Business: 0.9942622
Delta gets tentative deal with pilots After 15 months of negotiations, Delta Air Lines Inc. has secured a tentative contract with its pilots, a move that might help the struggling carrier avoid a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

SciTech: 0.9965918
Titan reveals its purple patches LONDON: Unprecedented pictures of the purple atmospheric haze on Titan have been captured by the Cassini spacecraft during its closest approach yet to Saturn #39;s largest moon.

World: 0.99942017
Israel would not bar Arafat return after overseas treatment JERUSALEM, Oct 28 (AFP) - Israel will not bar ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from returning to the West Bank if he were to leave for medical treatment, senior government spokesman Raanan Gissin told AFP Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99678755
Web domains approved for Posties, travel The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved two new sponsored Internet domains,.post and.travel, specifically for the post and travel industries.

SciTech: 0.9967313
A fresh look at the stars... A supernova spotted by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe more than four centuries ago - which changed the course of human knowledge - has just yielded a further discovery: the companion star that triggered the great event.

World: 0.99899143
Remark on Homosexuality Delays Seating of European Panel The European Union #39;s normally yawn-inducing institutions raised eyebrows on Wednesday when a spat over comments about homosexuality made by an Italian bureaucrat led to the

Business: 0.9810178
Earnings Improve at Japanese Electronics Firms The Japanese electronics makers remained cautious about the months ahead, citing worries about global growth. Japanese corporate profits are almost certain to be hurt by any economic slowdown in Japan and in the United States.

Business: 0.9959227
Ryanair agrees to repay 4M in an escrow account for the Walloon ... vueling writes quot;Ryanair confirmed it had written to the Walloon authorities and agreed to repay 4M in an escrow account until Ryanairs appeal is heard and the European Courts make a definitive decision on this matter.

SciTech: 0.9382042
Yahoo Takes Search to the Airwaves Yahoo will offer its own version of wireless Internet searching, keeping pace with rival Google, which recently introduced a mobile search offering.

Business: 0.99826473
Pilot leaders OK Delta deal The leadership of Delta Air Lines #39; pilot union early this morning approved a tentative concessionary agreement with the company, sending it to a vote of the entire membership.

Business: 0.99669844
Oil Price Steadies After 5 Percent Slide LONDON (Reuters) - Oil steadied on Thursday after Wednesday's 5 percent retreat from record highs, as traders concluded that China's surprise interest rate rise would not do much to dampen fuel demand growth.

Sports: 0.99972147
Cavs Pick Up Option on Drew Gooden CLEVELAND (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday picked up the team's 2005-06 contract option on forward Drew Gooden.

SciTech: 0.9961212
Link Between Migraine, Endometriosis Found There #39;s evidence of a possible link between endometriosis and migraine, says an Italian study in the latest issue of Human Reproduction.

Sports: 0.99970514
UPDATE 2-Spaniards Garcia and Lara share Volvo Masters lead Sergio Garcia showed the consistency that has lifted his game this year with a four-under-par 67 in difficult conditions to share the Volvo Masters lead with Spanish compatriot Jose Manuel Lara.

World: 0.99932253
Iran #39;not obliged #39; to allow military site inspections Iran says it is not obliged to allow UN atomic energy agency inspectors to visit military sites alleged to be involved in secret nuclear weapons work but that it is willing to discuss the issue.

SciTech: 0.9972383
NASA Again Postpones Launch of Autonomous DART Spacecraft com Staff. NASA once again postponed the launch of the Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART) spacecraft Thursday due to the discovery of contamination inside the fairing of its Pegasus launch vehicle.

SciTech: 0.9826517
New Technology Powers Fuel Cells 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 claim.

Sports: 0.97292656
Boston Red Sox outperform their owner #39;s funds Boston Red Sox owner John Henry #39;s bet on baseball has paid off big with the team #39;s first World Series championship since 1918, but his calls in financial markets have been less blessed this year.

SciTech: 0.9973104
Voting Machines Remain Unsecured--Experts In one example, a government study of voting-machine security issues was eventually canceled because conclusions by the panel of computer scientists were so negative.

SciTech: 0.9955533
AMD Launches Low-Cost Web Device Advanced Micro Devices is launching a low-cost Internet access device dubbed quot;PIC, quot; or personal Internet communicator, targeted at first-time computer users in the developing world.

Sports: 0.9988649
This could be the week for a Patriots loss The New England Patriots might be like no other powerhouse in NFL history. They almost never dominate, they just always win -- a record 21 victories in a row including the postseason, 18 straight in the regular season.

Sports: 0.998621
Judge: Ex-Baylor Player Unfit for Trial (AP) AP - A former Baylor University basketball player charged with murdering a teammate was ruled incompetent to stand trial Thursday.

Business: 0.9218051
Racing in an Evening Gown (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - Not every driver was dressed formally for the start of this year's Bullrun, a road rally that begins in London, at the Marble Arch, and ends three days later in Ibiza, Spain. Yet as drivers thrummed their engines nervously on the afternoon of Sept. 23, waiting for the checkered flag, a quick inspection of the field revealed one entrant clad in an Oxford shirt and gray pinstripe blazer, another sporting a tuxedo, and a third--me--wearing a red couture Matthew Earnest gown.

SciTech: 0.9893154
Revenge of the Sith turning DS, PSP, GBA to the dark side Ubisoft and LucasArts are teaming up to bring the adaptation of the third Star Wars prequel to all portables; will be released alongside the game in Spring 2005.

Sports: 0.99967647
Astros exercise Biggio #39;s option, but not Kent #39;s Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Craig Biggio will be around for an 18th season with the Houston Astros. On Thursday, the team exercised its contract option on Biggio for the 2005 season.

Sports: 0.99905616
Elarton agrees to \$850,000, one-year deal with Indians Scott Elarton, who pitched effectively late in the season after a slow start with Cleveland, agreed Thursday to an \$850,000, one-year contract with the Indians.

SciTech: 0.99437535
UK gives blessing to open source With most organizations that planned to move already moved to Microsoft Server 2003, OS migration has dropped to the bottom ranks after making its

World: 0.99939966
Hostage-Takers Demand U.S. Allies Quit Iraq BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Militants piled more pressure on Washington's military allies in Iraq on Thursday, seizing an Iraqi-Polish woman and holding a Japanese man under threat of death.

World: 0.9940714
'American' voice on new terror video ABC News is in possession of a tape purportedly from Al Qaeda, threatening attacks on the US.

SciTech: 0.8538987
At wireless show, services take center stage Games, graphic ring tones and other services dominate the showroom floor. Also: Yahoo battles Google for the cell phone.

SciTech: 0.9933143
Microsoft's Live Communications Server may drive interest in enterprise IM With Microsoft's new Live Communications Server 2005 due out in December, enterprise IM users and vendors are eyeing new opportunities for more secure messaging in the workplace.

SciTech: 0.99759287
EMC unveils 'Storage Router' EMC has unveiled long-awaited storage virtualization technology that the company said will allow users to manage its arrays -- and high-end boxes from major competitors -- through a single interface.

Business: 0.5094024
Gateway reports smaller net loss as restructuring continues Gateway Inc. reported a narrowed net loss in the first quarter as it continues to restructure its operations and integrate its acquisition of eMachines.

Business: 0.9981211
Update 1: UAL Posts \$274M Loss, Capping Bad Quarter Record fuel costs and low air fares contributed to a \$274 million third-quarter loss for United Airlines #39; parent company, which warned again that labor costs must be slashed again soon in order for it to emerge from bankruptcy.

SciTech: 0.9475102
Recording Industry Sues 750 Computer Users LOS ANGELES - The recording industry on Thursday filed another round of copyright infringement lawsuits against people it said were illegally distributing songs over the Internet.

World: 0.99938047
Arafat to seek treatment in France RAMALLAH, WEST BANK - Yasser Arafat is about to leave his compound in the West Bank for the first time in two and a half years. Two helicopters from Jordan were expected to arrive in Ramallah late Thursday

Business: 0.99861264
UPDATE 3-Alliance Capital profit rises in third quarter Alliance Capital Management Holdings LP (AC.N: Quote, Profile, Research), one of the biggest US money managers, on Thursday said its profit rose in the third quarter

World: 0.99938667
British tourists killed in Jordan bus crash Nine British tourists, two Jordanians and an Egyptian have been killed in a bus accident in southern Jordan, civil defence sources and diplomats say.

World: 0.9994085
Thaksin in the Firing Line After Massacre BANGKOK/JEDDAH, 29 October 2004 - A bomb ripped through two bars in southern Thailand yesterday, killing two people and wounding about 20, in what could be the first reaction to the deaths of 78 Muslims in police custody this week.

SciTech: 0.9981324
Hobbit-sized Humans Called Homo floresiensis Discovered by ... Long live the real Bilbo Baggins, the first Little People of the World, Homo floresiensis and Homo sapien archeologists Michael Morwood, Peter Brown and Professor Soejono!

World: 0.99940276
US diplomat among 7 injured in Islamabad hotel explosion ISLAMABAD: Seven people including foreigners were injured in a powerful explosion at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel lobby on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99624014
UK gov #39;t report cites merits of open source Open source software proponents received a potential boost from the UK government Thursday with a release of a report citing the well-documented advantages on the server side, but also growing maturity on the desktop front.

World: 0.9994228
Japan steps up efforts for Iraq hostage release Japan has made last-ditch efforts to secure the release of a Japanese hostage facing execution in Iraq. A Japanese government official says efforts are still being made to free Shosei Koda, 24, but there have been no reports of any progress.

Sports: 0.990289
Egypt names former player Shehata as caretaker coach The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has appointed a domestic coach to take over Italian Marco Tardelli who was sacked earlier this month after a surprise defeatto Libya, a spokesman said Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9937611
Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse (AP) AP - The Earth's last total lunar eclipse for nearly two and a half years didn't disappoint.

Business: 0.9745107
Shell Warns of New Cuts in Reserves of Oil and Gas The warning came during its earnings report and on a day when Shell said it would merge the two entities that make up the company, unifying the boards and management.

Sports: 0.9971744
Red Sox Spread Good Feeling Across Nation (AP) AP - It was a pinch-me morning. Did the Boston Red Sox really win the World Series or was it all a sweet dream? Opened the shades, let in the sunlight, blinked at red, gold and orange leaves shimmering against a clear blue sky. It seemed too perfect, too real.

Sports: 0.9819328
The Red Sox Gaze Ahead After Much Looking Back The Boston Red Sox are already thinking about next year, the year after and, above all, how to avoid another eight-and-a-half-decade drought.

Business: 0.9969348
New federal law ends check floating A new federal law that went into effect yesterday will eventually eliminate the days of check floating.. However, some Sumner County bankers say it depends on where you bank and

World: 0.9994306
As Drama Plays Out, Mixed Feelings for Arafat #39;s Neighbors No crowds of well-wishers massed Thursday outside the Mukata, the mostly ruined compound where Yasser Arafat has been confined for the past two years.

World: 0.99939203
Militant Rivals Show Unity Behind Arafat (AP) AP - The militant Palestinian group Hamas said Friday it was setting aside its differences with ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and called for a united Palestinian leadership to work toward general elections.

World: 0.99937636
Thai PM to Address Nation as More Bombs Hit South PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) - Bomb blasts rocked southern Thailand on Friday hours before Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was to address the nation as he faces his worst crisis following the deaths of 85 Muslim protesters. A second bomb exploded at a busy food stall in Yala province on Friday, wounding nine bomb squad members who had arrived to investigate an earlier blast that wounded three people, including one policeman, hospital officials said.

World: 0.9974637
Bush, Kerry Stick to Issue Of Security Presidential candidates combed the Midwest for the last few uncommitted voters Thursday, each carrying severe warnings that his rival's victory would worsen the security of Americans.

World: 0.99940443
Weakened Arafat Heads for France, Cancer Suspected RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, weakened by what doctors think may be leukemia, flew for treatment in France on Friday from the besieged West Bank headquarters where he has been pinned for over 2-1/2 years.

Sports: 0.99798894
Brazilian soccer player dies of heat attack during match Player Paulo de Oliveira, quot;Serginho, quot; of Brazilian First Division club Sao Caetano, Wednesdaynight died of a heart attack during the second half of a match against Sao Paulo

SciTech: 0.9313656
AOL attacks the spimmers A volley of lawsuits was launched against alleged spammers on Thursday by the four major US Internet service providers. This includes a case brought by AOL against twenty individuals accused of spimming, or

Sports: 0.9996106
Tennis: Agassi makes short work of Vliegen STOCKHOLM - Andre Agassi made short work of Kristof Vliegen in his opening Stockholm Open tennis match today, beating the Belgian 6-2 6-4 in just over an hour.

World: 0.9992712
At least seven police injured in second bomb in Thai south Police say the blast occurred less than 90 minutes after a previous explosion at the same site injured seven other people. The police had been conducting forensic research at the site of a bomb blast in the

World: 0.9991443
US confirms commitment to defend Taiwan Mr Powell says that while the US recognises the one-China policy, it will offer to assist Taiwan if it is threatened. A US State Department spokesman says the issue came up during talks with China #39;s visiting military chief, General Liang Guanglie.

Business: 0.9227756
Pension sales help to lift Aviva The UK's biggest insurer unveils better than expected sales figures for the first nine months of the year.

Sports: 0.74524266
New Englanders greet the day with wings on their heels In a Framingham coffee shop yesterday morning, an elderly man softly asked a customer if he could see her newspaper. When the woman held up the front page, emblazoned with news of the Red Sox victory, the man stared in silence, touched his eyes, and began to cry.

Business: 0.9971288
Sign off, then sign in G. Michael Caggiano Jr. lies awake at night thinking about bank signs. He ponders them during breakfast, while brushing his teeth, and quot;constantly quot; during the day, he says.

Sports: 0.9991448
Not quite high Tech Virginia Tech just couldn't seem to get going. There were turnovers. There were botched plays. There were missed opportunities. Then, in the last 5 1/2 minutes, Bryan Randall and the Hokies turned it all around.

SciTech: 0.98146904
AOL To Add Free Anti-Virus Service For Members America Online on Thursday said it would give away a formerly for-fee virus scanning service when it releases a special security-focused edition of its software next month.

Sports: 0.99971515
UPDATE 2-Chelsea sack Mutu after positive dope test Chelsea have sacked their Romanian striker Adrian Mutu after he tested positive for cocaine last month. quot;Chelsea has terminated the contract of Adrian Mutu for gross misconduct, quot; the Premier League club said on Friday.

Business: 0.9981598
Suit says secret accounts at DCX used for bribes The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating allegations that German automaker DaimlerChrysler AG maintained at least 40 secret bank accounts to bribe foreign government officials

SciTech: 0.9163024
Music industry group sues 750 for file sharing Los Angeles, October 29: A trade group representing the US music industry said on Thursday it has filed lawsuits against 750 people it claims used online file-sharing networks to illegally trade in copyrighted songs.

Sports: 0.9996803
Sluman shoots course-mark 62 Consistency was the key to Jeff Sluman #39;s record-breaking round on Thursday on the difficult Copperhead Course at the Westin Innisbrook Resort.

SciTech: 0.6570868
Dems, GOP: Who's Got the Brains? Well, both do, actually. But there are some discernible differences in brain activity which may just explain why a Democrat sees the world one way, and a Republican sees it another.

Business: 0.998543
Martha Stewart Living posts bigger loss Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., still reeling from the personal legal woes of its imprisoned founder, former chairwoman and CEO, posted a wider loss in the third quarter

Sports: 0.99970907
Canning Zook could backfire on the Gators Florida long-snapper Casey Griffith let the secret slip while talking to a Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Sun-Sentinel reporter this week: quot;Don #39;t tell anyone I told you this, but someone inside the system told me they heard we #39;re going to be playing against

World: 0.99934214
War costs 100,000 Iraqi lives Around 100,000 Iraqis have been killed in violence since the US-led coalition forces invaded the country in March 2003, said a report published Friday in British medicine journal The Lancet.

Business: 0.97711086
Loss-making Smart 'is not doomed' The head of Smart cars denies rumours that the loss-making firm may be sold, or even closed down, by parent group DaimlerChrysler.

Business: 0.9984987
Avon Third-Quarter Profit Rises CHICAGO (Reuters) - Avon Products Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AVP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AVP.N</A> on Friday posted higher quarterly earnings as business in Latin America and Europe helped offset weakness in the United States for the direct seller of cosmetics.

Business: 0.99531627
National Foods to look for protector 29/10/2004 National Foods will hunt for a quot;white knight quot; to protect it from Fonterras \$A1.62 billion (\$NZ1.76 billion) bid, raising the risk New Zealand dairy farmers will get dragged into an expensive bidding war.

World: 0.99940157
Ailing Arafat Arrives in Paris for Medical Treatment A French military jet believed to be carrying the Palestinian leader landed today at an airfield outside Paris, witnesses said.

Business: 0.9931913
French Firms Sagem, Snecma Plan Merger PARIS (Reuters) - French companies Snecma and Sagem announced a planned 7 billion euro (\$8.9 billion) merger on Friday, in a deal that analysts said was driven by political rather than shareholder interests.

Business: 0.9985644
Economy Grows at a 3.7 Percent Rate in 3Q The US economy grew at a 3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter - a pace that was slightly better than in the spring but not as strong as many analysts expected.

World: 0.99941945
Sudan Govt rejects call to separate religion, state Sudanese rebel leaders #39; demand that Islam be kept out of government in the war-torn region of Darfur, has been rejected by government negotiators.

Sports: 0.999686
Koch, Park leads first day in Nine Bridges Classic Carin Koch of Sweden and South Korea #39;s Grace Park both shot a 6-under-par 66 on Friday, taking the lead after the first round of the LPGA #39;s CJ Nine Bridges Classic.

World: 0.99676836
Cosatu Delegation Sent Home in Minibus A 12-member delegation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) was deported early yesterday after being driven to Beitbridge overnight in a minibus.

SciTech: 0.94341093
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.com?

Sports: 0.998884
Harrington tied for first at Valderrama Padraig Harrington is tied for first at the Volvo Masters in Valderrama, at two under after 14 holes. Joining him at the top of the leaderbaod are Angel Cabrera, Brian Davis, and Alastair Forsyth.

World: 0.99281585
EU Clears Flextronics Purchase of Units (AP) AP - European Union regulators Friday cleared Singapore's Flextronics International Ltd., the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, to acquire factories from Canada's Nortel Networks Corp.

SciTech: 0.9512428
Game sparks sales frenzy GAMES stores opened at midnight to meet demand for the latest version of the controversial Great Theft Auto. There were queues outside shops around Merseyside with people anxious

Sports: 0.9996964
Fitful Mauresmo Through to Linz Semifinals VIENNA (Reuters) - Top seed Amelie Mauresmo reached the semifinals of the Linz Open when she continued her run of success against Ai Sugiyama by beating the defending champion 6-2, 6-4 Friday.

Business: 0.99771935
Bank of America Fires Back at Parmalat LONDON (Reuters) - Grant Thornton and Bank of America have filed motions in a New York court to remove a U.S. injunction stopping them counter-suing insolvent Italian dairy group Parmalat, which has sued each for \$10 billion.

SciTech: 0.5014016
Optimism Drives Google Shares to New Highs (Reuters) Reuters - Stock of Google Inc. powered\to new highs on Friday, buoyed by the web search leader's new\products and growth prospects, which complement its recent\strong financial results, analysts said.

Sports: 0.99963367
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 toughest match of the tournament.

World: 0.99938107
Thai inquiry over Muslim deaths The Thai prime minister pledges to set up an independent inquiry into the deaths of 78 Muslim protesters in police custody.

SciTech: 0.9969009
Search Engine Marketing: Outsource or In House? Search Engine Marketing: Outsource or In House?\\The next Search Engine Strategies session I thought would be interesting to report on was Search Engine Marketing: Outsource or In House?. Chris Sherman is moderating this panel, which includes Drew Graham from Kelkoo, Bill Hunt from IBM, Joseph Morin from Autobytel (SEW Forum...

SciTech: 0.9974254
Xbox owner sues MS p2pnet.net News:- Microsoft is being sued for damages, restitution and other costs and fees, quot;on behalf of all Xbox owners across the United States, quot; says Reuters.

Business: 0.98957974
CSFB May Cut Costs by Merging Units, Shedding Jobs, People Say Credit Suisse First Boston, the securities arm of Switzerland #39;s second-biggest bank, plans to cut costs by combining some units and eliminating jobs, people familiar with the matter said.

SciTech: 0.9980995
AOL Adds McAfee to Bundle (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - America Online is adding a layer of security to its popular Internet\service with the bundling of virus protection software from McAfee at no\charge to customers. AOL (NYSE: AOL) claims it is the first ISP to offer premium\antivirus coverage in the basic membership package.

World: 0.99939144
Ukraine Challenger Predicts Mass Cheating in Vote (Reuters) Reuters - Liberal challenger Viktor Yushchenko\predicted on Friday that Ukrainian authorities would resort to\mass fraud to ensure victory for the establishment candidate in\an increasingly tense weekend presidential poll.

World: 0.9986443
Silva's Party Could Lose Sao Paulo Control President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's leftist Worker's Party appears set to lose control of South America's biggest city, Sao Paulo, with polls showing voters will replace the mayor with the man who lost the presidential election to Silva two years ago.

SciTech: 0.9964122
NASA Scientists Find Surface of Titan 'Very Alien' (Reuters) Reuters - The surface of Saturn's moon Titan\may be covered by thick drifts of combustible organic "snow"\floating on lakes of liquid methane or water and ammonia ice\flows, NASA scientists said on Friday.

World: 0.9986796
US Says Ukraine Can Still Salvage a Free and Fair Election The United States says Friday Ukraine still has an opportunity to conduct a free and fair presidential election Sunday, despite a campaign marred by charges of pro-government bias.

World: 0.99863017
Washington Post Comes Clean on Party (AP) AP - The Washington Post's executive editor says his paper should have told readers up front that it had helped arrange a Republican debate-watching party it covered, paid for food and carried a photograph that was not as spontaneous as the story suggested.

Business: 0.99849606
Update 3: ADM #39;s Earnings Skyrocket; Stocks Soars Shares in agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland Co. soared to a 6 1/2-year high Friday, fueled by a 77 percent increase in quarterly earnings.

Business: 0.9983912
S amp;P 500 Rises for 4th Day; Material, Energy Shares Lead Advance The Standard amp; Poor #39;s 500 Index rose for a fourth day as investors looked past a disappointing third- quarter economic growth report to better-than-expected readings on Chicago-area business and consumer confidence.

SciTech: 0.9017353
Secret Service Busts Internet Organized Crime Ring Feds allege 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers were involved in global scam.

SciTech: 0.99442333
Feds Charge 28 in ID Theft Ring Agents at the US Secret Service unmasked 28 people who thought they were safe behind anonymous identities and charged them in connection with alleged ID Theft activities.

Sports: 0.99971384
Australia conquer their final frontier Adam Gilchrist boldly went where no Australian captain since Bill Lawry has gone before at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur yesterday. His team #39;s 342-run win gave them an invincible 2-0

SciTech: 0.996729
Hosted E-Mail Service Leaves Windows for Linux Company outsources e-mail for small to medium businesses.

SciTech: 0.80418676
'Smelly' mates guide seabirds Seabirds called prions, which mate for life, find their nests by sniffing out their partners, scientists say.

World: 0.9993036
LIBERIA: Religious riots erupt in Monrovia, curfew imposed MONROVIA, 29 October (IRIN) - Religious riots between Christians and Muslims erupted in the Liberian capital Monrovia on Thursday night and continued on Friday morning until UN peacekeeping troops restored order and the government imposed an indefinite

SciTech: 0.9977482
Cassini radar lifts the veil from Saturn #39;s Titan WASHINGTON - The first radar images of Titan, the cloud-shrouded moon of Saturn, revealed a relatively young, active surface, NASA said Friday (Oct. 29).

World: 0.9993297
Bush seeks Schwarzenegger's muscle, as missing explosives cast campaign shadow (AFP) AFP - President George W. Bush called on the star power of actor-turned-California-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to boost his campaign appeal as Democratic challenger John Kerry shifted his attack from missing explosives in Iraq to domestic economics.

World: 0.99915504
Cambodia #39;s New King Ascends the Throne Description: In Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni who accedes to the throne with an elaborate coronation, following the abdication of his father King Norodom Sihanouk.

Sports: 0.9967244
Ghostzapper Has Speed to Burn GRAND PRAIRIE, Tex. The most brilliant American racehorse in years has labored in relative obscurity until now. But when he runs Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park, Ghostzapper can demonstrate his talent to the world and, quite possibly, win the horse-of-the-year...

Sports: 0.99970406
No. 18 Boise St. 69, Hawaii 3 Jared Zabransky and the No. 18 Boise State Broncos reduced Timmy Chang #39;s bid to break the NCAA Division IA passing record to a footnote Friday night, routing Hawaii 69-3 for their 19th straight victory.

SciTech: 0.9760785
Times to go completely compact The Times newspaper has announced that it is to move on from its tradition of publishing in a broadsheet format and will appear in a compact size only, starting on Monday.

Sports: 0.999708
Sluman, Byrd split lead; many bubbles burst Jeff Sluman and Jonathan Byrd were tied for the lead at the Chrysler Championship, both knowing the tournament really doesn #39;t start until the weekend.

Sports: 0.9996629
GOLF: CLARKE #39;S 11-SHOT TORMENT and then crashed out of it with a sextuple-bogey 11. The nightmare came on the infamous 536-yard 17th at Valderrama where

World: 0.9957274
Danish group #39;s gift criticized A Danish group has caused controversy in Colombia by publicly donating money to the country #39;s largest Marxist guerrilla organization.

World: 0.9993993
#39;Hundreds to be charged #39; over Thai protest PRIME Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said today hundreds of Muslims will be prosecuted over a demonstration that led to the deaths of 87 people in southern Thailand last week, in a move which could further raise tensions in the region.

Sports: 0.9859729
Gators may be hungover before Cocktail Party ike the bourbon and beer, emotions tend to spill over in this traditional grudge match along the St. Johns River they call quot;The World #39;s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

SciTech: 0.996938
Up, down and away: NASA #39;s #39;Weightless Wonder #39; makes final flight HOUSTON -- The NASA turbojet notoriously known as the quot;vomit comet quot; for its use in training astronauts for weightlessness made its final flight Friday.

Sports: 0.9997079
Injured Toomer might be able to play tomorrow Although Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer took limited work yesterday after missing the previous two days of practice, coach Tom Coughlin won #39;t decide on his availability

SciTech: 0.99749386
Titan Photos Pose New Questions Photographs and radar surveys from the Cassini spacecraft #39;s Tuesday-night flyby of Saturn #39;s mysterious moon Titan are raising more questions than they #39;re answering, say NASA scientists.

World: 0.9993998
Thailand to prosecute 300 Muslims detained in deadly riot BANGKOK : Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said the government would prosecute 300 Muslims detained at a riot this week that led to the deaths of 87 protesters, while another 900 would be released.

Sports: 0.9996979
Loeb forced out of rally ESTONIA #39;s Markko Martin took the Rally of Catalonia lead today after newly-crowned world champion Sebastien Loeb, the overnight leader, was forced out of the race with a severe oil leak.

SciTech: 0.9804977
Report: Global warming now inevitable The Arctic Council, an international group of northern nations, says global warming will be both a blessing and a curse. The group #39;s report, four years in the making and set for a Nov.

Sports: 0.99959666
Harrison keeps title for fifth time GLASGOW - Scotland #39;s Scott Harrison successfully defended his WBO featherweight title for a fifth time with a farcical first-round stoppage of Swedish-based Ethiopian Samuel Kebede on Saturday.

World: 0.99940085
UN Kabul kidnappers reveal demands A militant group is threatening to kill three UN hostages kidnapped in Afghanistan, including a British woman, unless all Taliban prisoners are released.

SciTech: 0.98938006
New RIAA File-swapping Suits Target Students Fletcher writes quot;The Recording Industry Association of America filed another round of lawsuits against alleged file-swappers, including students on 13 university campuses.

Sports: 0.99971
UPDATE 1-Tamada claims pole in Valencia Japan #39;s Makoto Tamada grabbed his third pole position of the season before Sunday #39;s Valencia MotoGP after clocking the fastest time in the second qualifying session on Saturday.

World: 0.99941957
First Black Watch troops move north to Sunni Triangle BAGHDAD, Iraq An advance party of British soldiers has arrived at its new base near Baghdad. The small group from the Scottish Black Watch regiment set up base camp south of the capital, according to a pool report made to British media.

Sports: 0.99957067
Forsyth Forges Clear He may be 120 places lower in the world, but it was advantage Alastair Forsyth in his Volvo Masters duel with Sergio Garcia today before a thunderstorm suspended play.

Sports: 0.99969137
Four pay price for India defeats India have dropped wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel and batsman Yuvraj Singh for the final Test against Australia. Opening batsman Aakash Chopra and seamer Ajit Agarkar were also left out after India conceded the

Sports: 0.9994912
UPDATE 1-Beck to face Youzhny in St Petersburg final Unseeded Slovak Karol Beck reached the first final of his career at the St Petersburg Open, upsetting seventh-seeded Michael Llodra of France 6-4 2-6 6-1 on Saturday.

World: 0.9993895
Iraqi president on visit to Kuwait KUWAIT CITY - Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar arrived in Kuwait on Saturday for a two-day official visit, an AFP correspondent reported.

SciTech: 0.99361354
Get the Facts on Microsoft Benchmarks Now that Steve Ballmer and company have given you all the facts you need to compare Windows and Linux, allow me to add just one little tidbit.

Sports: 0.9996952
After the Lord Mayor #39;s show It is just six days since the #39;mulligatawny madness #39; at Old Trafford, but the shock waves are still reverberating around the Arsenal dressing room.

World: 0.98921305
THE UNFOLDING UNIFORM Pakistan is inherently unstable. Dealing with them is like playing with matches in a forest. - Larry Pressler. That statement from Larry Pressler, made during his recent visit to India, coincided with

Sports: 0.99958485
Better Talk Now upsets rough Breeders #39; Cup Turf GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Ticker) - After further review, Better Talk Now proved to be the best after all. Overcoming huge favorite Kitten #39;s Joy, Better Talk Now pulled off a surprising upset in Saturday #39;s \$2 million Breeders #39; Cup Turf at Lone Star Park.

Business: 0.8905828
FasTrak Toll Bridge Discounts End Monday About 70,000 motorists signed up for FasTrak, the electronic toll collection system, since July 1, when tolls went up from \$2 to \$3.

Sports: 0.9995333
UPDATE 1-Singh takes lead at Chrysler World number one Vijay Singh shot a four-under-par 67 on Saturday and took the lead of the Chrysler Championship after three rounds.

SciTech: 0.97592044
China Closes 1,600 Internet Cafes in Crackdown China shut 1,600 Internet cafes between February and August and imposed \$12.1 million worth of fines for allowing children to play violent or adult-only games and other violations, state media said.

Sports: 0.99967825
New memories warm heart of this Bosox fan Is it really true? Did it really happen? Or was that just the figment of some Boston Red Sox fanatic #39;s wild imagination? Did the Red Sox really win the World Series for the first time since 1918 by sweeping the St.

Business: 0.998621
Oil bounces higher amid fears of supply disruption Oil prices bounced higher on Friday following two days of sharp declines that came on the heels of rising inventories of crude in the US and a move by China to cool its economy.

Sports: 0.99948883
No. 1 USC 42, Washington State 12 Reggie Bush and LenDale White each scored two touchdowns, Dwayne Jarrett caught two more from scores from Matt Leinart and No. 1 Southern California routed Washington State 42-12 Saturday.

Business: 0.9979309
Boeing trying to keep up Aircraftmaker seeks buyers for new ... Seattle -- The assembly line at Boeing Co. #39;s cavernous Everett plant near here is designed to keep moving continuously, if almost imperceptibly, as workers scramble over the silvery bodies of skeletal Boeing 777s, applying finishing touches.

World: 0.9994054
Black Watch Death Family Speak of #39;Devastation #39; Relatives of the Black Watch soldier killed during the controversial military deployment from Basra have spoken of their devastation at his death.

World: 0.9994118
Japan confirms captive in Iraq beheaded Japan has confirmed that the headless body found in Baghdad on Saturday is of the Japanese being held captive in Iraq. An armed group in Iraq had on Tuesday threatened to behead Shosei Koda, 24, within 48-hours unless Japan pulled its troops out of Iraq.

Sports: 0.9904508
Singletary shuffles into winner #39;s circle It is the best story of the Breeders #39; Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park. A partnership puts together an ownership group to buy and race thoroughbreds.

Sports: 0.98911417
Cast-aside candidates grab onto Sox coattails By Raphael Lewis and Benjamin Gedan, Globe Staff and Globe Correspondent October 31, 2004. Republican state Senate candidate Rod Jane of Westborough woke up yesterday with a plan to grab some attention from

Sports: 0.99964464
Ashado pulls away to win Distaff Ashado had a little trouble finding running room in the stretch of the Breeders #39; Cup Distaff on Saturday. But once she did, she quickly kicked away from the opposition

Sports: 0.9992537
It #39;s About Time Sox Became The Champs And Real Rivals Finally. the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have a bona fide rivalry. Please don #39;t assume that this belongs on the sports pages.

SciTech: 0.95666826
Nasa to resume shuttle missions The American space agency Nasa says the first space shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster of 2003 is to be launched next May or early June.

Business: 0.9110712
Putin ready to probe other oil companies Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to go after other oil companies the way he has hammered Yukos, a top Kremlin official has said.

SciTech: 0.9938812
PSP: Region Free There have been essentially four questions sent into the PSP Mailbag -- four questions, and a heck of a lot of hate mail. Those questions are: When is PSP shipping, what will PSP cost, how long will PSP #39;s

World: 0.9993886
Malaysia #39;s Anwar Returns to Hero #39;s Welcome Malaysia #39;s former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has come home to a rock star #39;s welcome Sunday. He returned from undergoing back surgery in Germany following his release from prison last month.

Sports: 0.9985557
Tar Heels beat Miami For the second time this month, UNC football fans had something to celebrate. In a stunning upset, the Tar Heels beat Miami 31 to 28.

Sports: 0.99881124
Dawgs get Gators off their back Not with players dragging off the field, their bodies drained by yet another anticlimactic loss. Not with their fired leader standing before reporters, struggling to hold back the tears once more.

World: 0.9992849
Iranian bill backs nuclear drive has passed a bill obliging the government to continue efforts to develop a nuclear energy programme. Uranium enrichment can be used both for nuclear power and to make atomic bombs.

World: 0.9994067
Kidnappers may extend deadline Militants holding three UN workers hostage in Afghanistan have offered to consider extending a three-day deadline for their beheading.

World: 0.99940836
Jordan #39;s Zarqawi Financier Jailed Six Months Jordan #39;s state security court jailed an Islamist militant for six months on Sunday for financing al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi #39;s bombings in Iraq but found no evidence to charge him with plotting any attacks.

Sports: 0.9997019
Martin wins second straight race Markko Martin won his second consecutive World Rally Championship race on Sunday to clinch the Rally of Catalunya. The Estonian, driving a Ford, followed up his recent victory in

World: 0.9993901
Anwar Begins Malaysia Political Comeback Malaysia #39;s most charismatic dissident Anwar Ibrahim, released from jail two months ago, kicked off his political comeback Sunday, vowing to restart a campaign for democratic reforms and racial equality.

Sports: 0.9992828
Novak Captures First Indoor Title BASEL, Switzerland Oct 31, 2004 - Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic won the Swiss Indoors for his first indoor title, defeating David Nalbandian in five sets Sunday in a final in which the Argentine smashed two rackets.

SciTech: 0.9838181
China Shuts Down 1600 Internet Cafes Between February and August of this year, China has shut down 1,600 internet cafes, and handed out 100 million yuan fines (US\$12 million) to cafe operators, for allowing children access to violent or adult-only content and games.

Sports: 0.99964595
UPDATE 1-Bolton end Newcastle run with 2-1 win Bolton Wanderers continued their impressive start to the season as they battled to beat in-form Newcastle United 2-1 on Sunday to stay in touch with the leading pack at the top of the Premier League.

Business: 0.9697353
Saturday Essay When in his mid-50s, immigrant Andrew Carnegie sold his steel holdings into a trust headed by JP Morgan in 1901, the Scottish immigrant and former cotton factory bobbin boy left a life of astounding, ground-up capitalism for retirement into philanthropy.

SciTech: 0.90519446
Kyocera Battery Recall Kyocera Battery Recall By guest contributor Josh Pereira. Kyocera, a leading manufacturer of CDMA phones, has announced a voluntary and precautionary recall of the batteries found in their KE/KX 400 Series, 3200 Series, and Slider Series phones.

Sports: 0.9983138
Redskins Loss - Bad News for Bush, Great for Kerry The Washington Redskins lost their final home football game before the US presidential election on Sunday -- and that #39;s great news for Democratic Sen. John Kerry and bad news for President Bush.

Business: 0.6335746
Automakers work on fuel cell vehicles General Motors (GM) and Chinese partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) on Saturday signed a joint development and commercialization agreement on hybrid and fuel cell

Sports: 0.9997131
Allardyce is infuriated by Souness #39; criticism BOLTON manager Sam Allardyce rounded on his Newcastle counterpart Graeme Souness last night for criticising their style of play. Allardyce saw his unsung side reclaim fourth spot in the table after a 2-1 victory at the Reebok Stadium.

SciTech: 0.9981248
Ninety million Bagle worms kill the Windows XP2 firewall Earlier this year Microsoft released a major security update for Windows XP, which was designed to strengthen the operating systems defences against attack from viruses and hackers.

World: 0.9994086
15 killed in Iraq hotel explosion BAGHDAD: Fifteen people were killed and eight others injured in an explosion that hit a hotel last night in the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, police and hospital officials said.

Sports: 0.99969995
ROSSI CELEBRATES IN STYLE Valentino Rossi hailed an quot;unbelievable quot; season after celebrating his fourth world championship with victory in Valencia.

World: 0.99813545
China Lays Into #39;Bush Doctrine #39; Ahead of US Poll On the eve of the US election, China laid into what it called the quot;Bush doctrine, quot; said the Iraq war has destroyed the global anti-terror coalition and blamed arrogance for the problems dogging the United States worldwide.

Business: 0.9713759
Med school move delayed to 2007 The MSU College of Human Medicine won #39;t be relocated to Grand Rapids until at least 2007, and could cost only half as much as university officials originally estimated.

Business: 0.94322616
Singapore #39;s unemployment rate eases to 3.4 as economy expands SINGAPORE : Singapore #39;s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in five years on the back of strong economic growth in the first half of the year, the government said Monday.

SciTech: 0.9714723
Business Technology: Microsoft And Its Blind Spot: Linux Steve Ballmer #39;s letter to customers said nothing about the widespread reality of tens of thousands of Microsoft customers who are eager to deploy BOTH Windows and Linux.

Business: 0.9903764
Some think this metal is golden So many disasters to avoid, so many uncertainties to resolve, no wonder so many investors have been cautious about buying stocks and bonds.

SciTech: 0.99696225
Venus and Jupiter witnessed in dawn rendezvous WITH no planets on view, and with large areas of the southern sky devoid of bright stars, the evening sky at our star map times may not be the most exciting of the year.

World: 0.99855703
Profile: Leftist Vazquez wins Uruguay presidential poll Uruguay #39;s leftist candidate Tabare Vazquez won a historic victory in Sunday #39;s presidential elections with more than 50 percent of the ballot.

Sports: 0.99970764
Liverpool target Morientes after Cisse break Djibril Cisse #39;s horrific injury will spur Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez into a renewed bid to prise striker Fernando Morientes from Real Madrid when the transfer window opens in January.

SciTech: 0.96965694
China shuts 1,600 cybercafes The Chinese government confirmed this weekend that it has closed 1,600 internet cafes and fined operators a total of 100m yuan since March, when it began its crackdown on violent or pornographic content, and other material it considers harmful to public

World: 0.9993874
ANWAR RETURNS TO MALAYSIA Former deputy leader of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, has returned home after two months overseas, and ahs pledged to fight on for reform in Malaysia.

SciTech: 0.97858125
Apple adds photos to iPods SAN JOSE, Calif. - Apple Computer Inc. rolled out a new iPod Tuesday that allows users to view and share photos as it opened nine new iTunes music stores in Europe, spurring its rivalry with Microsoft Corp.

Business: 0.99547464
Update 1: Oracle Raises Offer for PeopleSoft Software manufacturer Oracle Corp. said Monday that it raised its hostile bid for rival PeopleSoft Inc. to \$24 per share from \$21, and said the new price represents the company #39;s quot;best and final offer.

Sports: 0.9996239
Spanish flyer: Markko Martin steers his Ford Focus during the ... MARKKO MARTIN won his second event in succession as he held off a late charge from Marcus Gronholm to come out on top in the Rally of Catalunya.

Business: 0.994663
Singapore govt extends third-party war risk insurance SINGAPORE : The government is extending third-party war risk insurance cover to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and SATS Security Services, a unit of the Singapore Airlines group.

Sports: 0.99813217
Redskins lose, Kerry hopes for win TAMPA. Fla. First it was the Boston Red Sox World Series win that had John Kerry grinning, now another sports event has him feeling good.

Sports: 0.99965405
Kaneohes Wilson comes up short Kaneohe native Dean Wilson missed out yesterday on his final chance to secure his PGA Tour card. Wilson, who entered the final round of the Chrysler Championship tied for 18th and needing a top-20 finish to

Business: 0.9985575
Consumer spending jumped in September WASHINGTON - Consumers, who substantially slowed down their spending in late summer, roared back to life in September, boosting their purchases by 0.6 percent.

Sports: 0.99907076
49ers stake out some dubious turf Their fall to the bottom of the league is complete with an uninspired loss to another very bad team. By Matthew Barrows -- Bee Staff Writer.

SciTech: 0.8869679
China closes more Internet cafs Chinese authorities have between February and August of this year closed 1,600 Internet bars. In additional fines amounting to a total of 100 million yuan (9.

SciTech: 0.9063568
London Times goes strictly tabloid After more than two centuries as a broadsheet newspaper, The Times of London has gone strictly tabloid. On Monday, The Times moved to a totally compact format after almost a year of dual publication.

Business: 0.99835193
Sysco profit climbs 8 percent on sales Sysco Corp., the country #39;s largest food service distributor, Monday said profit for its latest quarter rose 8 percent, as it increased sales and trimmed expenses despite the hurricanes in the Southeast.

SciTech: 0.93099546
Dial M for Music Mobile-phone makers scored a surprising hit four years ago when they introduced handsets equipped with tiny digital cameras. Today, nearly one-third of the cell phones sold worldwide do double duty as cameras

Business: 0.99846977
Update 1: Sysco Profit Climbs 8 Percent on Sales Sysco Corp., the country #39;s largest food service distributor, Monday said profit for its latest quarter rose 8 percent, as it increased sales and trimmed expenses despite the hurricanes in the Southeast.

Business: 0.9975446
Merck Shares Drop on Report of Documents About Vioxx Drug Merck amp; Co. shares fell as much as 7 percent to their lowest level in more than eight years after the Wall Street Journal said the drugmaker tried for years to stop safety concerns from hurting sales of its Vioxx painkiller.

Business: 0.9944043
Allergan to close contact-lens solution plant, lay off third of ... Allergan Inc., the US drug company that makes the anti-wrinkle treatment Botox as well as contract lens solution at its Irish factory, plans to lay off more than a third of its Irish workforce as it ends its lens solution operations and

Sports: 0.8917144
Rehhagel runs into adoring Greeks in Germany Otto Rehhagel, the German who led Greece to an upset win at Euro 2004, is amazed how many adoring Greeks there are in every corner of the world and how hard it is to pay for anything when he meets the grateful fans.

SciTech: 0.97542614
Spimming for Dollars Today #39;s new word, for all you dictionary freaks, is quot;spim quot;. Spam IM (Instant Messaging) = Spim. IM Spam. And for many IM companies it is the bane of their existence requiring increasingly aggressive filtering and block list capabilities.

Business: 0.9979983
Allergan to axe 325 Westport jobs The county #39;s largest employer said the jobs losses at its Westport plant occurred following the spin off of Allergan #39;s optical medical device business to Advanced Medical Optics (AMO).

World: 0.9990706
A suicide bombing killed 3 people in a crowded Tel Aviv market ... A suicide bombing killed at least five people and seriously injured more than 30 others in a crowded Tel Aviv open-air market. Injured shoppers were treated on the ground, as vegetables were strewn on the pavement.

Sports: 0.9996878
Van driven by Arsenal quest for glory There #39;s little danger of Robin Van Persie getting carried away with himself. After scoring a dramatic first Premiership goal with the injury-time equaliser against Southampton

Business: 0.96062785
First credit rating for Serbia 19:50 November 01 Dow Jones LONDON -- Monday -- Serbia reached a milestone on the road to economic stability Monday, as its first-ever credit rating opened the way for a return to international credit markets.

Sports: 0.9996637
Report: Drugs Caused Ken Caminiti #39;s Death NEW YORK - A drug overdose killed former baseball star Ken Caminiti, who tested positive for cocaine in the weeks before he died at age 41 and had admitted using steroids during his playing days, the city medical examiner ruled Monday.

World: 0.999416
Darfur peace talks inch forward despite deadlock over security ABUJA (AFP) - African Union mediators met separately with Sudanese government envoys and the leaders of the uprising in the strife-torn region of Darfur in a bid to hammer out a deal on demilitarising the conflict.

Business: 0.99322236
Russia slaps Yukos with fresh, potentially fatal, tax claims MOSCOW : Russian authorities hit the bruised Yukos oil giant with a battery of fresh tax claims which could see the firm #39;s total debt soar to an astronomical 17 billion dollars.

Sports: 0.9997205
Pinkel reinstates Damien Nash Missouri tailback Damien Nash was reinstated by coach Gary Pinkel, ending a one-game suspension for the teams #39; leading rusher.

Sports: 0.9996804
Lions career sack leader Porcher retires ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Robert Porcher finally couldn #39;t take standing on the sidelines any more. Porcher, the Detroit Lions #39; career sack leader, retired Monday, ending a frustrating season and a 13-year career.

Business: 0.9889255
Jacobs Engineering Names Watson Chairman Shares of the engineering company closed earlier down 37 cents, or just under 1 percent, at \$40.36 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Business: 0.9985116
New housing goals finalized for Fannie, Freddie The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has finalized a rule that will require the nation #39;s two largest housing finance companies to increase their purchase of mortgages for low- and moderate-income families and underserved communities.

Sports: 0.9997085
FOOTBALL: WE WANT WALTER WALTER SMITH was flexing his muscles last night as he prepared to answer the SOS from the SFA. Scotland #39;s fans were finally put out of their misery when Berti Vogts resigned as manager of the national team.

SciTech: 0.9976725
Open Source Ingres Swings At Oracle, SQL Server The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Not SQL-type competition.

Business: 0.98169154
LG Electronics-Matsushita PDP battle TOKYO (CBS.MW) -- South Korea #39;s LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday it would file a counter measure against Japan #39;s Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.

Business: 0.81899863
La. Seeks New Bridge, Elevated Highway If you think oil is expensive now, just imagine if Hurricane Ivan had swung west and come ashore at this bustling oil and gas port at the southernmost point of Louisiana.

Business: 0.99851793
Paper says Merck hid data on Vioxx WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ - Shares of Merck amp; Co. plunged nearly 10 percent Monday after a media report said documents show the pharmaceutical giant hid or denied evidence for years that its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx causes heart problems.

SciTech: 0.9959306
Nokia announces Near Field Communication products With the Nokia NFC (Near Field Communication) shell on their phone, consumers will be able to access a variety of services and exchange information with a simple touch gesture.

Business: 0.9983022
MANY NEWSPAPERS SEE CIRCULATION DECLINES Some of the nation #39;s largest daily newspapers reported steep circulation declines yesterday, with overall circulation down across the industry, a new report revealed.

Sports: 0.99970454
Steeler subs doing their jobs When the New England Patriots rolled into town Sunday afternoon to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, the final outcome of the football game might have been secondary to some vital information needed by the black and gold as far as the rest of the season is

Business: 0.99723995
Oracle #39;s sweet on PeopleSoft Oracle sweetened its hostile bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft to \$9.2 billion, a 14 increase aimed at resolving the long-running takeover battle between the bitter foes.

Business: 0.9963638
Singapore Shares End Up on Wall St. Gains Singapore shares ended higher Tuesday boosted by modest overnight gains on Wall Street and easing oil prices, traders said. The United States is a major trading partner and the local stock market traditionally

SciTech: 0.96616334
Germans Use Nokia Phones in Wireless Ticket Trial The world #39;s top mobile phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday its phones would be used in a project to test wireless public transport fares in Hanau, near Frankfurt in Germany, beginning early next year.

Business: 0.99834967
Stocks to Open Up As Election Day Starts Dow Jones futures rose 37 points recently, while Nasdaq futures climbed 6 points and Standard amp; Poor #39;s futures edged up 3.60 points.

World: 0.9994154
Arafat #39;s brother moved to Cairo for cancer therapy Palestinian sources said on Tuesday that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s younger brother Fatehy Arafat was transferred to a hospital in Cairo to be treated for intestines cancer.

Business: 0.9981546
JFK Airport sees most growth among top US airports John F. Kennedy International Airport saw the most growth in passengers over the last year among the nation #39;s 25 busiest airports.

World: 0.99940825
Car Bomb Kills at Least Six in Baghdad A car bomb exploded outside the Education Ministry in central Baghdad Tuesday, killing at least six people and wounding about eight, the Interior Ministry said.

Sports: 0.999718
Premier League charges Villa manager with illegal approach for ... The Premier League has charged Aston Villa manager David O #39;Leary with making an illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie.

Business: 0.99110025
Cheap airfares help BAA profits Britain #39;s biggest airport operator BAA posted a 16 percent jump in first-half earnings on Tuesday, meeting expectations as cheap airfares and stronger economies drove up passenger numbers.

Sports: 0.99967897
Sri Lanka batsman fined as Pakistan tie series Sri Lanka #39;s Kumar Sangakkara has been fined 30 of his match fee for showing dissent during the fourth day of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi.

Sports: 0.9996451
Diva gallops into history wind, water and Makybe Diva -ll came together to create an unforgettable Melbourne Cup yesterday. The Diva raced through driving rain to win for the second year in a row.

World: 0.6193459
Volkswagen May Be Close to Settling Its Wage Talks Volkswagen and its workers entered a critical week in their wage negotiations on Monday, with signs that a compromise was taking shape even as protests flared at factories across Germany.

Sports: 0.99942327
Warriors lock up young veterans Staring at the possibility of watching two of his young standouts stage a walkout on opening night, Chris Mullin made one of the most important decisions in recent Golden State Warriors history Monday.

Business: 0.99049664
Profit Plunges at International Game Tech International Game Technology, the world #39;s biggest maker of slot machines, Tuesday said said profit for its latest quarter fell 50 percent from a year ago due to a charge for early redemption of debt and a tax adjustment.

Business: 0.9973978
Toyota #39;s quarterly profit drops Toyota Motor Corporation, the world #39;s second-largest carmaker, had an unexpected drop in quarterly profit as investment earnings declined at a truckmaking unit and a stronger yen cut the value of overseas sales.

Business: 0.9978029
Forest Says Drug Trial Misses Goal Forest Laboratories Inc. (FRX) on Tuesday said its experimental hypertension drug failed to meet all its goals in an effectiveness study, an outcome that will delay development and may lead to a new trial.

Sports: 0.99971515
Bettman says #39;season is likely slipping away #39; National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman doesn #39;t appear optimistic that the current player lockout will end soon, according to a televised report.

SciTech: 0.99257845
Windows-Based Treo On the Way? Earlier today, Engadget broke the story that PalmONE might be looking at possibly making a Windows-based Treo. Not dumping the PalmSource Treo #39;s that run PalmOS, merely adding to the line.

Business: 0.97877043
Volkswagen #39;s talks with union move forward LONDON, November 2 (newratings.com) - The German automotive giant, Volkswagen AG (VOW.ETR), continued its negotiations with the labour union today on its planned labour cost reductions.

Sports: 0.99969757
Liverpool #39;s Benitez hopes to sign new striker Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez would like to sign a new striker in January #39;s transfer window after an injured Djibril Cisse was sidelined for the rest of the season but warned he would not break the bank to sign someone.

SciTech: 0.97893333
PalmOne to play with Windows Mobile? Rumors of Treo #39;s using a Microsoft operating system have been circulating for more than three years. Now an investment bank reports that PalmOne will use a

Business: 0.6566561
AOL to cut 700 jobs America Online Inc. (AOL) plans to lay off 700 employees, about 5 percent of its US workforce, by the end of the year, several news organizations reported Tuesday.

World: 0.99940634
Death toll climbs in Baghdad blast A car bomb exploded outside the education ministry in central Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least six people and wounding about eight, the interior ministry said.

Sports: 0.9994374
Australian Bookies Gutted After Betting Splurge AUSTRALIA - As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald: quot;The biggest betting plunge in recent memory ensured bookmakers at Randwick were #39;stripped out #39; of more than \$3 million by Makybe Diva #39;s Melbourne Cup romp yesterday.

World: 0.9976858
Sabotage halts Iraq oil exports from north KIRKUK, Iraq, Nov 2 (AFP) - Iraqi oil exports to Turkey were halted after a series of attacks Tuesday, including a major strike on a pipeline network connecting wells west of Kirkuk with the main export pipeline and refineries further south, oil officials

World: 0.99440825
New Video of CARE Hostage Released Iraq kidnap victim Margaret Hassan #39;s three sisters, from left to right: Catherine Fitzsimons, Deidre Fitzsimons and Geraldine Fitzsimons make a statement to the media in Dublin Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2004.

World: 0.9994112
Captors threaten to hand hostage to Zarqawi An unknown militant group holding Iraqi-British hostage Margaret Hassan in Iraq has threatened to turn her over to a group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi if its demands are not met, Al Jazeera television says.

SciTech: 0.99739695
Climax to show off Avalon to US publishers #39;Project Avalon #39; becomes just plain Avalon; developer will show playable prototype of next-generation shooter to American execs.

World: 0.9994246
Report: CARE Hostage Faces Transfer To Al-Qaida BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The kidnappers of aid worker Margaret Hassan threatened to turn her over to an al-Qaida affiliated group within 48 hours if the British government refuses to pull its troops from Iraq, Al-Jazeera television reported Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99963725
Hewitt advances to Round 3 at Paris Masters Second seed Lleyton Hewitt beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday, turning back the French teenager #39;s bid for a second upset at the?

Sports: 0.9995072
UPDATE 1-Ronaldinho strikes to give Barca win over Milan A brilliant late strike from Ronaldinho gave dominant Barcelona a 2-1 win over AC Milan in an epic Champions League contest at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9991968
Group E: Arsenal mystery continues Arsenal wasted a golden opportunity to virtually guarantee themselves a place in the knockout phase of the Champions League when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Panathinaikos at Highbury on Tuesday.

Business: 0.99554247
Time Warner Shares Idle Ahead of Report Shares of Media giant Time Warner Inc. were little changed Monday ahead of the company #39;s third-quarter earnings report as investors wonder exactly what chairman Dick Parsons might say about its troubled America Online unit.

Business: 0.99840766
Steenland: Northwest Joins Southwest In Raiding Bankrupt ATA Turf Gnawed by Northwest. Joining an apparent feeding frenzy, Northwest Airlines (nasdaq: NWAC - news - people ) on Tuesday said it plans to expand in Indianapolis, a move that will knock rival ATA Airlines from its No.

Business: 0.9930855
AOL Is Said to Plan 700 Layoffs America Online, the country #39;s leading Internet service, is preparing to lay off as many as 700 of its 13,000 employees in the United States, according to an executive knowledgeable about its plans.

Sports: 0.97522175
Chelsea advances in Champions League Chelsea and Inter Milan have advanced to the next round of the Champions League, while AC Milan and Barcelona look certain to join them.

Sports: 0.99970144
Despite struggles at plate, Boone wins Gold Glove The way Bret Boone sees it, winning a Gold Glove after a tough offensive season is a validation of the award itself. quot;There #39;s a lot of debate about the Gold Glove, quot; the Mariners second baseman said.

SciTech: 0.99782026
Dark Echoes from Titan Microwave brightness of Titan reveals surface properties such as temperature composition and roughness. Image Credit: NASA/JPL. Looking at radar reflections of Titan, scientists are puzzled by what they see

Sports: 0.99418074
FleetCenter to be reunion arena It has all the gossipy intrigue and social awkwardness of seating the still-respected ex-wife and the sexy new girlfriend at the same table for a family wedding.

Business: 0.9962937
Oil firms above \$50 as Bush nears win Oil prices jumped above \$50 a barrel this morning, supported by US election tallies projecting a slim lead for President George W Bush.

Sports: 0.99916935
Needham nips Framingh As Carey Division rivals in the Bay State Conference, the Needham and Framingham field hockey teams met twice already this fall, with the clubs splitting a pair of 1-0 decisions.

Sports: 0.999584
Russell moving on, away from Lakers Bryon Russell doesn #39;t plan to read Phil Jackson #39;s book on the Lakers #39; tumultuous 2003-04 season. Russell doesn #39;t need to; he saw it all himself, as part of the not-quite Team of the Century.

Business: 0.9983937
Atlantic City settlement In an agreement that could have significant implications for locked- out San Francisco hotel workers, striking casino workers in Atlantic City today are expected to ratify a deal that offers lucrative benefits but abandons the union #39;s strategy to

Sports: 0.99860543
Report: Lehman to get Ryder Cup job Tom Lehman will get the chance to succeed where Hal Sutton failed when he is introduced as the 2006 United States Ryder Cup captain, according to golfdigest.

Sports: 0.99936765
Wallace fined for Newman collision. Former NASCAR Cup Champion Rusty Wallace has been fined \$10,000 dollars for deliberately ramming his Penske Racing teammate Ryan Newman at the conclusion of the Subway 500 at the Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago.

Business: 0.99842924
Update 2: Time Warner Profit Dips, Sets Aside Reserve Time Warner Inc., the world #39;s largest media company, said Wednesday that its third quarter earnings slid 8 percent as it set aside a \$500 million reserve because of pending government investigations.

Business: 0.9984446
Interpublic Posts Wider 3Q Loss Interpublic Group of Cos., the world #39;s third-largest ad conglomerate, said Wednesday that third-quarter losses widened significantly on increased charges as well as greater salary and severance costs.

World: 0.99932563
UAE Founding Father Buried, Elder Son Likely Successor ABU DHABI, November 3 (IslamOnline.net amp; News Agencies) - Arab and Muslim leaders converged on Abu Dhabi Wednesday, November 3, and joined the people of the United Arab Emirates in burying Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahayan, president and founding father

Business: 0.9800336
Wal-Mart China business grows Wal-Mart Stores, the worlds No.1 retailer, said the number of its China stores would be lifted by at least 15 new stores with the total of around 45 outlets throughout China.

Business: 0.99721694
Stocks Leap, Dow Up 142 Points at Open US stocks soared at the open on Wednesday as investors bet that George W. Bush would soon be declared the winner in the tight presidential race despite disputed results in the key state of Ohio.

SciTech: 0.994066
Nokia to launch RFID phone kit with a magic touch Nokia has launched its first product that supports Near Field Communication (NFC), an emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that could have significant implications for mobile commerce.

Sports: 0.99966455
Cricket: India embarrassed by Australia on rain-ravaged day BOMBAY : India #39;s bid to secure a face-saving win over Australia got off on the wrong foot after they lost two quick wickets in the 11 overs bowled on the rain-hit opening day of the fourth Test here.

SciTech: 0.99587125
NASA looking at May launch Citing technical challenges due to hurricanes, NASA officials said that the initial space shuttle mission for Return to Flight will slip from March to May 2005.

World: 0.9994072
Kidnappers in Iraq seize Lebanese-American contractor, four ... Gunmen abducted a Lebanese-American contractor who worked with the US Army from his Baghdad home, Iraqi officials said Wednesday, while four Jordanian truck drivers were seized by assailants in a separate kidnapping.

Business: 0.9979673
BOND REPORT CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - Treasurys remained solidly lower Wednesday in the wake of election results that had President Bush ahead of Democratic challenger John Kerry.

World: 0.99897397
Dutch Film Director Theo Van Gogh Killed Dutch film director and columnist Theo van Gogh was shot and killed yesterday morning in Amsterdam. The company Gogh owned and worked explained that he was attacked and murdered in the morning at Lineaustraat Street.

World: 0.9994173
Kidnappers In Iraq Seize Lebanese-American Contractor An Iraqi security official said gunmen abducted a Lebanese-American contractor who worked with the US Army in Iraq. Officials said gunmen snatched him when he answered the door at his Baghdad home overnight.

SciTech: 0.94087243
Business News for Technology Leaders Microsoft Makes Deal with ... A quot;landmark agreement quot; between Microsoft and England #39;s Department of Health to renew the agency #39;s license for desktop products could save it an estimated \$608 million.

Business: 0.9753734
No quick fix in Boeing-Airbus talks World Trade Organization (WTO) talks on a transatlantic row over plane subsidies will bring no quick fix for what could be the biggest commercial dispute in WTO history, officials and analysts warned on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9996815
CRICKET: Boje pulls out of tour to India South Africa #39;s vice-captain Nicky Boje has pulled out of the team to tour India next week because he has not been given any assurance by the Indian Police that he would not be arrested in connection with the 2000 match-fixing saga.

Business: 0.996543
Markets Celebrate Bush Victory Wall Street threw a victory rally for President Bush today, driving up the entire market -- especially the stocks that investors believe will benefit from even more dominant Republican control of the federal government.

SciTech: 0.9668872
Coming to Project Managers: Multiscreen Microsoft PC Microsoft Corp. has launched a new entry in its ongoing effort to bring more innovative PC form factors to marketin the somewhat quirky form of a high-end system specialized for project managers.

Sports: 0.9994172
Caley Determined to Make Right Choice Inverness Caledonian Thistle chairman Ken Mackie insists the club will not be rushed into appointing a successor to John Robertson.

Business: 0.9344116
Delta #39;s Aborted Crash Landing If you #39;ve ever been in an airplane that has to abort a landing, you know that it is a completely hair-raising, disorienting experience.

Sports: 0.9997235
Nhl Players Still Express Solidarity The cracks that were appearing in the NHL Players #39; Association #39;s resolve in the last two weeks were apparently smoothed over during a meeting Tuesday in Toronto.

SciTech: 0.9446039
Nokia plans to boost memory for phones New handsets from the mobile phones global leader will have hard disk to store more songs and pictures in a move to tap the rapidly growing smartphone market.

Business: 0.99861836
Ford: Monthly Sales Drop, Company Looks To New Vehicles Cruising along the ever-stretching road of decline. Auto giant Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) reported vehicle sales in October that fell 5 from a year ago.

World: 0.9989027
An ominous watershed? 4 more years of trauma? BEIRUT: Consistently second only to Ariel Sharon in terms of unpopularity among Arabs, US President George W. Bush #39;s re-election victory was greeted in the Arab world with a sense of disillusionment and foreboding.

SciTech: 0.9979226
Hackers reopen stolen code store with Cisco wares NOVEMBER 03, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - An anonymous group of malicious hackers reopened an online store that sells the stolen source code of prominent software products and is offering the code for Cisco Systems Inc.

Sports: 0.9994019
Deportivo La Corua 0-1 Liverpool: FT Report LA CORUNA, November 3 (Champions League) - Rafael Benitez heard his name ring around a Spanish stadium in his homeland again but this time it was from Scouse voices rather than those in Valencia, with whom he won La Liga.

Sports: 0.99969375
Roma 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen: FT Report ROME, November 3 (Champions League) - Vincenzo Montella #39;s injury-time equaliser forced Bayer Leverkusen to settle for a share of the points on Wednesday in Group B of the Champions League but the Eternal City club are virtually eliminated if not yet

Business: 0.9982084
US stocks: Markets rally on Bush win; oil surge limits gains US stocks rallied Wednesday, boosted by shares of health and defence companies that are seen benefiting from the re-election of President George W. Bush, but higher oil prices checked advances.

SciTech: 0.9728531
Microsoft Browser Market Share Slips Slightly Microsoft Corp. #39;s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) share of the browser market slipped slightly in recent months but still dominated with 92.

Sports: 0.99971765
Inter Milan #39;s Adriano apologises for dismissal Inter Milan striker Adriano has asked fans to forgive him after he was sent-off in the 0-0 draw against Valencia on Tuesday night.

Business: 0.99838495
Time Warner readies for accounting fallout NEW YORK Time Warner, the largest US media company and owner of America Online, said Wednesday that its third-quarter profit fell 7.8 percent as it set aside money to pay for potential penalties stemming from a government inquiry into its accounting

Business: 0.9985421
Constellation gets Mondavi for \$1.36B CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - By upping the ante a bit, Constellation Brands has made an apparently successful bid to gobble up winemaker Robert Mondavi in a \$1.

SciTech: 0.97388655
NHS Signs Microsoft License Deal The British National Health Service (NHS) has signed a massive software licensing deal with Microsoft. The deal will ultimately save the NHS \$625 million in licensing fees, as well as requiring that Microsoft

Sports: 0.99969685
Lehman relishes chance to halt US slide AFTER being named as the 2006 US Ryder Cup team captain by the PGA of America at a press conference in Florida last night, Tom Lehman insisted he saw the chance to halt Americas recent dismal showing in the biennial match with Europe as an opportunity

World: 0.99940205
Arafat #39;s health worsening, aides in Paris say Speaking from France, Palestinian officials say leader Yasser Arafat took a turn for the worse late Wednesday. Citing officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, The Associated Press reports that Arafat #39;s

World: 0.9978206
Foreign reactions to the election Top foreign officials across Europe are either accepting or welcoming the second term for President Bush. Meeting in Moscow, Italian prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Russian President Vladimir Putin said they welcome the Bush win.

Business: 0.99718237
CNH Global workers in Racine go on strike after contract stalemate CNH Global NV workers in Racine and three other cities went on strike Wednesday, six months after rejecting the company #39;s final contract offer.

Sports: 0.9996749
Lehman aims for players with passion AMELIA ISLAND - Tom Lehman had yet to officially take the job as the next US Ryder Cup captain, and already his phone was ringing.

SciTech: 0.9260556
Nokia to unify smartphone software AMSTERDAM: Nokia, the world #39;s biggest mobile phone maker, said on Wednesday it will create a single software platform for smart mobile phones that double as TVs, MP3 players, radios and e-mail devices.

Sports: 0.99948466
Singh looking to finish year in style Vijay Singh of Fiji tees off on the sixth hole during the first round of the Chrysler Championship on Oct. 28 on the Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Business: 0.9984629
NEWS CORP. NET PROFIT SOARS 27 News Corp. saw healthy gains in profit and revenue in the fiscal first quarter - helped by growth in advertising at the Fox News Channel and the Fox broadcast network, as

Business: 0.97342855
Update 1: Toshiba, TCL to Cooperate on Appliances Focusing on the fast-growing Chinese market, Japan #39;s Toshiba and major Chinese appliance maker TCL have signed a broad agreement to cooperate in making and marketing appliances in China, the companies said Thursday.

Business: 0.9852188
Auto sales rise; Asians gain share Consumers shrugged off higher gasoline prices and weaker economic conditions to lift new car and truck sales up 2.2 percent in October.

Business: 0.9949421
Yukos to vote on bankruptcy Yukos warned yesterday it could declare bankruptcy within months following fresh tax claims that could leave Russia #39;s biggest oil company facing an astronomical bill of \$17 billion (R104 billion).

World: 0.99820495
Blair Calls for World to Unite Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to bridge the trans-Atlantic rift over Iraq, urging a quot;fractured, divided and uncertain quot; world to unite in the wake of President Bush #39;s election victory.

Sports: 0.9995902
C #39;s open with dang: Squander 18-point lead in loss to Sixers This is getting monotonous. For the second straight night, a candidate from Boston was looking good after some exit polling, but when the last points/votes were counted, the opponent had the plurality.

SciTech: 0.99752086
Plans for new Beagle trip to Mars The team behind Beagle 2, the failed mission to land on Mars and search for life, have unveiled plans for a successor. Professor Colin Pillinger, lead

SciTech: 0.9768187
NHS signs nine-year extension with Microsoft The National Health Service (NHS) has extended a software licensing deal with Microsoft for nine years - three times longer than its current agreement.

World: 0.9994161
Arafat in critical condition: aides Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has been in a coma for several hours and now in critical condition, Arafat #39;s senior aides said on Thursday.

Business: 0.99851114
Crude Futures Ease on News of Good Supply Crude futures eased slightly Thursday after a US government report showed another boost in supplies ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Business: 0.99855417
CVS Profit Slips as Eckerd Expenses Weigh CVS Corp. (CVS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the No. 2 US drugstore chain, on Thursday reported a lower quarterly profit as it grappled with expenses tied to its recent purchase of Eckerd drug stores from JC Penney Co.

Sports: 0.999694
Youzhny sends champion Henman crashing out of Paris PARIS (AFP) - Defending champion Tim Henman crashed out of the 2.45-million-euro Paris Masters tamely surrendering the title he won so impressively last year.

World: 0.99913895
Cold War deserter jailed after 40 years The long, strange journey of Charles Robert Jenkins reached a tearful climax with a 30-day sentence in a military prison and a dishonourable discharge from the United States Army he deserted for North Korea almost 40 years ago.

Business: 0.9985524
MCI Reports \$3.4 Bln Third-Quarter Loss MCI Inc. #39;s (MCIP.O: Quote, Profile, Research) quarterly loss ballooned to \$3.4 billion as the No. 2 US long-distance company wrote down the value of its assets due to

SciTech: 0.6405623
Microsoft amp; Intel Team Up for Ad Campaign Microsoft and Intel recently announced a new advertising campaign entitled quot;Digital Joy quot; aimed at increasing awareness of living digital entertainment products, particularly Microsoft #39;s Media Center software.

World: 0.9990717
Bush says he will work with allies President Bush told a Thursday news conference he would continue to lead the United States in promoting freedom and democracy in the Middle East.

Business: 0.99577135
Mortgage Rates Rise Around the Country Mortgage rates around the country rose this week but are still at levels that should continue to provide support to the vibrant housing market, analysts say.

SciTech: 0.9365162
Movie Studios to Sue Illegal Film-File Traders Movie studios and the Motion Picture Association of America said on Thursday they would sue individuals suspected of illegally distributing movies over the Internet.

Business: 0.9977775
Telecom lifts first quarter net profit 19pc Telecom Corp today reported its September first quarter net profit rose 19 per cent to \$193 million. The profit bettered analysts #39; average forecasts of \$185m.

SciTech: 0.9975949
Hubble Sees Rare Triple Jupiter Eclipse Nov. 4, 2004 - A rare alignment of Jupiter #39;s three largest moons across the planet #39;s face was captured on film by the Hubble Space Telescope.

SciTech: 0.9704157
Movie studios launch legal offensive against online pirates LOS ANGELES - Hollywood studios said Thursday they will file hundreds of lawsuits later this month against individuals who swap pirated copies of movies over the Internet.

Sports: 0.99967
Shaq turns up heat in first outing with Miami SHAQUILLE O #39;Neal shot 7-for-9 and finished with 16 points in his Miami debut yesterday as the Heat took a 100-77 victory against the home side New Jersey Nets.

World: 0.99912447
Death threats on film-maker #39;s body A LETTER left on the body of a Dutch filmmmaker murdered in Amsterdam contained death threats against a Dutch politician, the justice minister said today.

Sports: 0.99970394
Stuttgart Closing on Qualification VfB Stuttgart went clear at the top of UEFA Group G with a convincing 3-0 win over Portuguese giants Benfica. Brazilian striker Cacau put Matthias Sammers side ahead and further

Sports: 0.9993831
Brennan Confirms Departure For 18 years Tom Brennan has been has been a sidelines fixture at Patrick Gym.His 19th will be his last. Today at his news conference, Brennan admitted he was at the end.

Sports: 0.9993357
Eagles sign cornerback Brown to six-year deal Sheldon Brown signed a six-year extension with Philadelphia on Thursday, keeping the second-year cornerback with the Eagles through the 2012 season.

SciTech: 0.9976052
Connect the jovian dots NASA #39;s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) captured an alignment of three of Jupiter #39;s largest moons: Io, Ganymede, and Callisto.

SciTech: 0.9057974
Nokia sees strong demand for smartphones and camera phones in 2005 Nokia has forecast that smartphone shipments worldwide are expected to increase to 238 million units by 2008, up from 23 million this year, according to Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager of multimedia at Nokia.

Business: 0.9918651
RAP OVER DANGER DRUG BAN A PAINKILLER for arthritis sufferers should have been banned four years ago, experts said yesterday. Vioxx, used by 400,000 Brits, was taken off the market by its US makers last month due to potentially deadly side-effects.

SciTech: 0.99607736
Modified mice help explain nicotine addiction WASHINGTON - Researchers in California, using genetically modified mice, say they #39;re closing in on understanding exactly what makes nicotine in tobacco so addictive.

Sports: 0.9997004
Mumbai set for battle The battle lines are drawn on the third of the fourth and final test in Mumbai. After a miserable batting display, India fought back thanks to their bowlers to restrict Australia #39;s first innings lead to 99 runs.

Business: 0.99818605
Study Says Drug #39;s Dangers Were Apparent Years Ago Merck and federal officials should have withdrawn the painkiller Vioxx from the market as early as 2000 because studies of the drug had clearly shown that it doubled the risk of heart attacks

Business: 0.99777645
Vioxx Should Have Been Recalled In 2000 Merck amp; Co Inc. should have pulled the arthritis drug Vioxx off the market in 2000, because there was enough evidence that showed it was associated with an increased heart attack risk, according to researchers.

World: 0.9989686
New EU Executive Chief Announces Revamped Team The incoming head of the European Union #39;s executive body has announced changes to his group of commissioners and says he is ready to go to the European Parliament to seek its approval of his team.

Business: 0.99857175
Drastic UAL cuts United Airlines, trying to further pare costs so it can emerge from bankruptcy, said Thursday it is seeking about \$725 million in annual savings through proposed pay

Business: 0.99841344
Executives dismissed in insurance inquiry ACE yesterday became the latest insurance company to announce changes in its business practices in response to the industry investigation launched by New York #39;s attorney general.

Sports: 0.9996332
Army To Meet Navy In Sprint Football WEST POINT, NY - Army #39;s sprint football team will conclude its 2004 campaign Friday evening when the Black Knights take on Navy with the Collegiate Sprint Football League title hanging in the balance.

SciTech: 0.9765499
Top US spammer is bound for the slammer Washington - A man convicted of violating anti-spam laws by sending out tens of thousands of unsolicited emails using fake addresses faces nine years in prison in Virginia, authorities said on Thursday.

World: 0.981399
Putin signs up Russia for Kyoto pact The Kremlin said Putin signed a parliament bill late on Thursday confirming Russia #39;s ratification of the protocol. Both chambers of Russia #39;s parliament approved ratification of the pact last month after Putin pointed the way.

Business: 0.99856704
United Airlines Seeks Staff Concessions NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Airlines is expected to ask a bankruptcy judge to let it extract new concessions worth \$725 million a year from employees as it seeks to reorganize, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources.

SciTech: 0.9582752
Locusts Devastate Mauritania Crops, Others Escape (Reuters) Reuters - Crop-devouring locusts have caused major\damage to cereals in Mauritania but other West and Central\African states have suffered much less than feared from the\worst infestation in over a decade, the U.N. said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.85608244
Calif. Voters Back #36;3 Billion Stem Cell Measure (Reuters) Reuters - A controversial California ballot\measure that would fund a decade of stem cell research with #36;3\billion in state money was headed for a resounding victory on\Wednesday, initial returns showed.

World: 0.9675501
Putin Signs Up Russia for Kyoto Pact MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin gave his seal of approval for Russia's crucial backing of the Kyoto Protocol, clearing the way for the U.N. environment pact aimed at curbing global warming to come into force early next year.

Business: 0.99851984
Pfizer: Celebrex Safe After News Report NEW YORK/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PFE.N</A> said on Thursday its arthritis drug Celebrex was safe after a report in a Canadian newspaper linked it to 14 deaths,

World: 0.99939597
US troops move toward Fallujah Insurgents and American forces clashed briefly Thursday near the Iraqi city. A large US assault is expected.

Business: 0.91908115
Regulator clears Abbey takeover The Financial Services Authority has cleared Spanish bank Santander Central Hispano's 9bn takeover of Abbey National.

Sports: 0.9994628
NFL games on TV NY JETS (6-1) at BUFFALO (2-5) When, where: Sunday, 1 p.m., at Orchard Park, N.Y. TV: Ch. 4. Last meeting: New York won, 16-14, Oct. 10. Comments: The Jets pulled out the first meeting, 16-14, on a late 38-yard Doug Brien field goal. Chad Pennington threw for a season high 310 yards in that game, 90 of which went to...

World: 0.99938047
Letter threat to Dutch politician A letter left on the body of murdered film-maker Theo van Gogh reportedly threatens the life of a liberal politician.

World: 0.9431995
Canadian freedoms 'under threat' Personal freedoms in Canada are being eroded by the "war on terror", the country's privacy commissioner warns.

SciTech: 0.99600875
NASA Picks May 2005 Shuttle Launch Date (AP) AP - NASA is aiming for a mid-May launch of the first shuttle flight since the Columbia tragedy almost two years ago. The launch date was the latest of several set by the space agency, and just as subject to change.

World: 0.93424016
Confident Bush Outlines Ambitious Plan for 2nd Term President Bush said he would begin work immediately on his proposal to overhaul Social Security.

World: 0.9994018
Israel, Egypt in Prisoner Swap CAIRO (Reuters) - Israel released six Egyptian students from prison on Sunday as part of a deal which includes freedom for Israeli businessman and convicted spy Azzam Azzam, Egyptian security sources said.

Business: 0.99328727
Sole Survivor Making sneakers in America is so yesterday. How can New Balance do it -- and still thrive?

SciTech: 0.8607016
'Money woes' foiled Beagle 2 shot A report into the loss of British Mars probe Beagle 2 blames the UK government's failure to commit funds early.

SciTech: 0.8372497
Dell, Philips cut \$700 million deal Dell will supply PCs, managed services and application packaging services to Philips Electronics worldwide, the two companies said Thursday.

SciTech: 0.8170113
Dubai first to breed at-risk bird A zoo in the Gulf has bred a bird which is threatened by the fast pace of development in the region.

Business: 0.993204
Santander Takeover of Abbey Approved by UK #39;s FSA (Update1) The UK #39;s Financial Services Authority approved Santander Central Hispano SA #39;s 9.4 billion-pound (\$17.4 billion) takeover of Abbey National Plc, paving the way for Europe #39;s biggest cross-border bank merger.

SciTech: 0.87617
10 O'Clock News goes interactive BBC One's 10 O'Clock News is launching the first interactive news television bulletin on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9978047
Hackers, spoofers and malware--oh my! IE exploit code could boost risk of browser mishaps. Microsoft says teamwork makes for better defenses.\

SciTech: 0.6406001
Wells Fargo computers stolen Identity thieves may have obtained information on thousands of Wells Fargo mortgage and student loan customers.

Business: 0.9985306
Retail, auto sales, job numbers suggest tougher times CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Could it be that people are just tired of buying things on the cheap at Wal-Mart? Free! Sign up here to receive our Weekly Roundup e-Newsletter!

SciTech: 0.9895315
Supercomputer breaks speed record The US is poised to push Japan off the top of the supercomputing chart with IBM #39;s prototype Blue Gene/L machine. It is being assembled for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, a US Department of Energy lab (DOE).

SciTech: 0.9717603
Convicted spammer gets nine years in slammer A brother and sister have been convicted of three felony charges of sending thousands of junk e-mails; one of them was sentenced to nine years in prison, the other was fined \$7,500.

SciTech: 0.97184145
Microsoft to help users prep for patching Microsoft said today that it plans to give customers three days' advance notice about its monthly security updates to help them prepare to install related software patches.

SciTech: 0.9880585
Search Marketing Beyond Google and Overture When most people talk about pay per click (PPC) search engine advertising, Google and Overture (Yahoo!) take center stage. But in reality, there are hundreds of smaller 'Tier Two' search engines that offer compelling PPC opportunities.

World: 0.96133673
Japan Airlines Sees Profit on Int'l Travel (AP) AP - Japan Airlines Corp. said Friday that it returned to profitability in first half of the fiscal year as international travel picked up from a decline a year ago caused by the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak in Asia.

Business: 0.9984773
Dollar Mired Near Lows Before Jobs Data LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar teetered just above nine-year lows on a trade-weighted basis on Friday as investors waited for key U.S. jobs data before deciding whether to extend the greenback's recent decline.

SciTech: 0.9404092
Studios to sue pirates Hollywood studios plan to file hundreds of lawsuits this month against people who illegally share movies online, industry representatives said Thursday.

Business: 0.99781585
Euro Stocks Rally After Strong U.S. Data LONDON (Reuters) - European shares strongly extended gains on Friday after data showed job creation in the U.S. economy was double expectations at 337,000 in October.

SciTech: 0.91765136
Nations Use Net to Spy, Plot Attacks Ex-Bush Aide (Reuters) Reuters - The world's most advanced\military powers are using the Internet to spy on their enemies\and prepare digital attacks against rogue targets, a leading\cyber security expert said on Friday.

SciTech: 0.9966323
Salesforce.com pushes integration (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Hosted CRM service provider Salesforce.com took another step forward last week in its strategy to build an online ecosystem of vendors that offer software as a service.

Business: 0.9974475
All rosy at which bank PRODUCTIVITY gains should keep Commonwealth Bank in a sweet spot for years to come, departing chairman John Ralph claimed yesterday.

World: 0.9988801
EU leaders agree on Commission reshuffle ISN SECURITY WATCH (05/11/04) - The EU heads of state agreed on Thursday night to a new line-up of commissioners in a attempt to bring the EU out of its institutional crisis that set in after incoming Commission President, former Portuguese prime minister

SciTech: 0.5975637
Hope Fades for Saving 2 Boys Stuck in Mexico Cave (Reuters) Reuters - Hopes of rescuing two small boys\trapped for five days in a jungle cave faded fast on Friday\after contact was lost with the brothers and as the cavern\flooded in overnight rains.

Business: 0.99855834
Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Sears Stake Vornado Realty Trust said on Friday it has acquired a 4.3 percent stake in the retailer Sears, Roebuck amp; Co.. Sears #39; stock rose as high as \$45.

SciTech: 0.9973787
First Flight of a Wild Condor Chick in California A wild-born condor chick has taken flight -- the first wild chick to fly in California in 22 years. The chick slowly began the process of fledging (first flight) by leaving the nest in early September and

World: 0.9944559
Ivory Coast's Army Bombs Rebel Towns (Reuters) Reuters - Government warplanes and helicopter\gunships pounded rebel-held towns in northern Ivory Coast for a\second day on Friday, fueling fears of a slide into all-out war\in the world's top cocoa grower.

World: 0.9992994
U.N.: Traces of Plutonium Found in Egypt (AP) AP - U.N. experts have found traces of plutonium near an Egyptian nuclear facility and are investigating whether it could be weapons-related or simply a byproduct of the country's peaceful atomic activities, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.

Sports: 0.9991824
Backman out as D-Backs manager The Diamondbacks will replace Wally Backman as manager, The Sporting News has confirmed, and his replacement will be Bob Melvin, according to the East Valley Tribune.

Business: 0.99028194
United Seeks Further Labor Cuts United Airlines is moving to obtain another \$725 million in labor concessions and eliminate employees' traditional pensions as it seeks the financing to come out of bankruptcy.

SciTech: 0.787675
Microsoft braces for crucial TV test Comcast trials will provide a big clue about the software giant's prospects for cable success.

Business: 0.9980186
Slew of Lawsuits Will Target Vioxx Maker Throngs of lawyers who represent people allegedly hurt or killed by the withdrawn painkiller Vioxx will gather in California and Las Vegas next week to discuss preparing class-action lawsuits against the drug #39;s maker, Merck amp; Co.

SciTech: 0.82933795
Rover gets mystery power boost Scientists have been baffled by a mysterious boost in power to one of its two robotic rovers which are exploring the surface of the Red Planet.

Business: 0.9985815
Sears Shares Soar as Vornado Boosts Stake NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=S.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">S.N</A> shares jumped as much as 25 percent on Friday after real estate company Vornado Realty Trust <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=VNO.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">VNO.N</A> said it raised its stake in the retailer, a step that could lead Sears to convert some of its real estate assets into cash.

World: 0.99939585
Morocco mosque collapse kills 10 A house collapses onto a mosque in north-eastern Morocco, killing 10 people and injuring five others.

World: 0.98236495
Atomic Power Station Halted in Russia, No Radiation MOSCOW (Reuters) - One reactor at a Russian nuclear power station was closed down after a malfunction, but there was no leak of radiation at the site near the city of Saratov on the Volga river, Russian news agencies reported on Friday.

Business: 0.99815995
Molson Will Pay Dividend to Push Through Coors Merger (Update6) Molson Inc., Canada #39;s biggest beermaker, said it will pay minority shareholders a special dividend to overcome opposition to its planned C\$3.

SciTech: 0.9972012
SCO Postpones Legal Web Site (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - The SCO Group is delaying the launch of a Web site focusing on the details of ongoing litigation concerning the company's intellectual property.

SciTech: 0.99592763
Verizon Wireless Buys NextWave Licenses (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Verizon Wireless is adding to its considerable spectrum holdings with the proposed acquisition of airwaves owned by NextWave Telecom. Under terms of the agreement, Verizon will pay US #36;3 billion for NextWave's PCS spectrum licenses in 23 U.S. markets.

Sports: 0.99929774
Diamondbacks Fire New Manager Backman Wally Backman is introduced as the new manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks during a news conference on Nov. 1, 2004, in Phoenix. Backman was fired Friday, Nov. 5, by the club.

World: 0.9992756
Millionaire Candidates List (AP) AP - Candidates who spent more than #36;1 million of their own money trying to win election to Congress in 2004 struck out in nearly every case. Eight made it to the Nov. 2 election, but only one was victorious. The spenders, how much they spent and how they fared:

SciTech: 0.9835864
Novell counters Microsoft's Linux 'facts' with 'truth' In a battle of dueling memos and e-mails, Novell CEO Jack Messman and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer are each touting their own software -- and criticizing the competition.

SciTech: 0.99612904
Action Game 'Halo 2' Sold Early on EBay (AP) AP - Advance copies of the aliens-versus-space marines video game "Halo 2" have already fetched as much as #36;265 on Internet auction site eBay, days before the official launch.

Business: 0.9879424
Google Stock Falls on Outlook - Analyst NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. fell almost 9 percent on Friday after an analyst forecast a sharp drop in the price over the next 12 months as the Internet search company grows more slowly.

Business: 0.99848795
U.S. October Hiring at a Seven-Month Peak WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. jobs were created at the heartiest pace in seven months during October, the government said on Friday, spurred by rebuilding in the hurricane-battered Southeast and brisk hiring in service industries.

World: 0.99939644
Peru Rebel Chief Scores Publicity Coup in Court CALLAO NAVAL BASE, Peru (Reuters) - Punching the air with a fist and chanting rebel slogans, Peru's Shining Path founder Abimael Guzman scored a propaganda coup on Friday and forced his terrorism retrial to be postponed for a week.

Business: 0.99855024
Update 3: Sears #39; Stock Surge After Firm Buys Stake Sears, Roebuck and Co. #39;s stock shot up 23 percent Friday after a real estate investment trust disclosed it had purchased a 4.3 percent interest in the department-store chain.

Business: 0.9951552
Red Robin Perched Higher The company beats third-quarter estimates and raises yearly guidance, but Wall Street doesn't seem to care.

SciTech: 0.9266289
Tiger Telematics Plans Business Smartphone Tiger Telematics acquired Integra SP, a UK company that produces software allowing real-time streaming of data and applications to handheld devices.

Sports: 0.9997125
Berkman tears ACL, may be out until June HOUSTON - Houston Astros star outfielder Lance Berkman suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and will undergo arthroscopic surgery within the next 10 days, the team announced Friday.

SciTech: 0.9972372
This week in open-source news Adobe quietly begins testing the waters to increase its involvement in desktop Linux. Also: Open-source Web browsers Mozilla and Firefox post gains over Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

SciTech: 0.99409336
Report: E-voting problems cause loss of votes E-voting machine problems caused more than 4,500 votes to be lost in one North Carolina county during Tuesday's general election, and gave U.S. President George Bush more than 3,800 extra votes in Ohio, according to The Associated Press.

SciTech: 0.9819708
Symantec adds threat data to Managed Security Services SAN FRANCISCO - In a bid to expand its services business, Symantec Corp. next week plans to start selling security intelligence data as an add-on to its Managed Security Services.ADVERTISEMENT<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;11714255;9651165;g?http://infoworld.com/spotlights/sbc/main.html?lpid0101035400730403idlp">SBC Datacomm White Paper</a> Find out how Crate Barrel expects to save \$180,000 by moving to VoIP, compared to a traditional PBX.

SciTech: 0.99789643
Webmaster Worlds World of Search Conference Features 70 Speakers Webmaster World's World of Search Conference Features 70 Speakers\\The WebmasterWorld of Search Conference scheduled for November 16-18 in Las Vegas has published a final speaker roster and announced over 24 sessions with more than 70 industry-leading speakers. The line up features speakers from such companies as Google, Yahoo, Kanoodle, Ask...

Sports: 0.99932206
USC Releases Stewart From Scholarship (AP) AP - Southern California point guard Rodrick Stewart was granted a release from his basketball scholarship Friday.

World: 0.9993112
22 Spend Own Fortunes, One Wins House Seat (AP) AP - Of the 22 candidates who each spent more than #36;1 million of their own money trying to win their first election to Congress, only one made it.

SciTech: 0.9522357
IDC: Software sales to hit \$189 billion The market researcher has predicted a 6.2 percent increase in software revenues during 2004.

SciTech: 0.9929079
A Sneak Peek at Trillian 3.0 Instant Messaging The popular IM consolidation service adds audio and video chat.

SciTech: 0.9516506
RSA sees looming identity crisis online As Internet becomes a crime-choked neighborhood, companies could close their e-commerce shutters and customers could flee.

World: 0.9994098
Returning Fallujans will face clampdown FALLUJAH, Iraq -- The US military is drawing up plans to keep insurgents from regaining control of this battle-scarred city, but returning residents may find that the measures make Fallujah look more like a police state than the democracy they have been promised.

SciTech: 0.99601763
Mount St. Helens Sprouts Magma Extension (AP) AP - The new lava lobe inside Mount St. Helens' crater has sprouted a piston-like protrusion the size of a 30-story building #151; glowing red at night.

SciTech: 0.9684796
Research predicts iceless Arctic Global warming is causing the Arctic ice-cap to melt at such an unprecedented rate that by the summer of 2070 it may have no ice at all, according to the most comprehensive study carried out on global climate change in the region.

World: 0.999102
Dutch security reviewed on threat THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The government vowed tough measures yesterday against what a leading politician called quot;the arrival of jihad in the Netherlands quot; after a death threat to a Dutch lawmaker was found pinned with a knife to the body of a slain

SciTech: 0.99434495
Record Breaking Supercomputer Performance US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced that a supercomputer developed for the nation #39;s Stockpile Stewardship Program has attained a record breaking performance of 70.

World: 0.9993994
Peruvian Maoist trial thrown into chaos The first hearing in the re-trial of former leaders of Peru #39;s Shining Path guerrilla group has ended in chaos. The judge suspended the hearing after the group #39;s founder, Abimael Guzman, and his 15 co-defendants

Sports: 0.99972147
GOLF ROUNDUP: Haas closer to ending drought ATLANTA -- The Tour Championship suddenly is loaded with optimism for Jay Haas and Tiger Woods. Haas, who turns 51 next month, showed no signs of slowing down.

Sports: 0.99968827
Jets' offensive line takes control WALTHAM -- East Boston's Jimmy Yarde lived the lineman's dream Tuesday night, returning a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown. Yesterday, he ran with something even more significant.

SciTech: 0.9774754
Microsoft amp; Novell Rumble Over Linux While its always interesting to watch two equally opinionated groups go at it, particularly over something as fundamental as whether Linux is worth it; the current fight is comical at best.

Business: 0.99341714
Cazenove teams up with JP Morgan Cazenove said it had agreed to hive off its investment banking business into a joint venture with JP Morgan Chase and Co, in effect ending the independence of the 181-year-old British bank.

Sports: 0.99964976
In it for long run PASADENA, Calif. -- They no longer have to do any politicking for the national championship. They can simply play for it now.

Business: 0.9985405
Sears gets a boost from Vornado Vornado Realty Trust gave Sears, Roebuck amp; Co. #39;s stock a big boost Friday when it said it bought a 4.3 percent stake in the famous but struggling chain.

Sports: 0.9996934
Wilson well placed in Mexico City Britain #39;s Justin Wilson was fourth in first qualifying for the final Champ Car race of the season in Mexico City. Wilson is looking to end his season on a high note after missing out on the rookie #39;s title to AJ Allmendinger.

World: 0.9993211
Iraq PM pleads for Europe #39;s help Iraq #39;s US-backed leader has made an impassioned plea for European nations divided by the war to reunite to help stabilize and rebuild his country.

Sports: 0.99734277
Surrey poised to sign Harbhajan Surrey are waiting for approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India before announcing Harbhajan Singh as an overseas signing for 2005.

World: 0.999406
US bombardment kills 5 in Fallujah FALLUJAH - US artillery shelled Fallujah yesterday after overnight air and tank attacks killed five people in Iraqs most rebellious city, braced for an all-out offensive now the US presidential election is over.

Business: 0.99858403
Wal-Mart Keeps Same-Store Sales Outlook 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 a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in November sales at its stores open at least a year.

Sports: 0.9996543
Hakkinen back at Mercedes Finland #39;s two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen ended his three year exile from motor sport on Saturday agreeing to drive for the Mercedes team in the 2005 German Touring Car Championship.

World: 0.9993825
Bush: Americans Expect Bipartisanship (AP) AP - President Bush is striking twin themes for a second term, vowing to fight hard for his political agenda while reaching across the aisle to Democrats.

World: 0.99939895
Musharraf visits Afghanistan Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf on his visit after the landmark presidential polls in Afghanistan congratulated his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai for his victory Saturday afternoon.

World: 0.99876654
Baffled in Loss, Democrats Seek Road Forward Democrats said President Bush's defeat of Senator John Kerry by three million votes left the party facing its most difficult time in at least 20 years.

Sports: 0.9975793
Sharapova Withdraws From Advanta Tourney (AP) AP - Maria Sharapova withdrew from her semifinal at the Advanta Championships on Saturday with a strained right shoulder.

Sports: 0.9997032
Contenders can #39;t afford any more mistakes When Nextel Cup leader Kurt Busch was hit by engine failure at Atlanta Motor Speedway and finished 42nd last Sunday, the mishap tightened NASCAR #39;s new 10-race championship format.

Sports: 0.99926764
Melvin Faces Major Challenge in Arizona (AP) AP - After the Wally Backman fiasco, the Arizona Diamondbacks were fortunate to have a handy and willing backup choice in Bob Melvin. The low-key Melvin so coveted the managing job that he brushed aside any concern about being the team's second choice. "This is the one I really wanted," he said. "This is where I feel most at home." That home, though, is in disarray.

Sports: 0.9996737
Greene Leads No. 8 Georgia to Rout of Kentucky LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Sports Network) - David Greene became the winningest quarterback in Division IA history and Thomas Brown ran for 130 yards with three touchdowns to lead eighth-ranked Georgia to a 62-17 rout of Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium.

Sports: 0.9995894
Eleusis wins Long Island #39;cap; Personal Legend wins Turnback the ... Eleusis made a successful US debut by beating Literacy by 2\\ lengths in Aqueduct #39;s Saturday feature, the Grade II, \$150,000 Long Island Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older.

Sports: 0.99591833
Woods Leads in Atlanta Playing his best golf of the year in the season-ending Tour Championship, Tiger Woods shoots a 5-under 65, leaving him tied with Jay Haas.

Sports: 0.996807
Lehigh Downs Hoyas Mark Borda throws four touchdown passes and Lehigh wins its seventh straight game, 49-18, over Georgetown.

Business: 0.9957074
Sparks fly in Gold Fields bid battle The bitterly fought \$8.1bn (4.5bn) bid battle for control of Gold Fields is set to become even more acrimonious this week when Harmony Gold Mining launches a fresh attack on its target #39;s track record.

Business: 0.940262
Ontario gets harsh with school dropouts HUNTSVILLE, ONT. - The Ontario government plans to introduce legislation that will require students to stay in school until they reach the age of 18, said the province?

Sports: 0.9997104
Woods joins Haas in TOUR Championship lead Tiger Woods was 2 years old when Jay Haas won his first golf tournament and 17 when he won his last. On Sunday, though, the two men will play together in the final group in the

World: 0.9962549
Silence the loose cannons The US presidential election is finally over! Now the hard part begins. I #39;m not talking about getting North Korea back to the negotiating table; that will come soon enough.

Sports: 0.9994288
Hamstring Shelves Moss Vikings receiver Randy Moss will miss his first game as a pro on Monday night against the Colts with a recurring hamstring strain that requires rest.

World: 0.9992111
Blair, Bush to Meet as Middle East Issues Loom British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has pushed for progress on Middle East peace talks and is one of the United States #39; closest allies, will meet with President Bush next week, the White House said on Saturday.

Business: 0.9901722
Social Security Reform a Boon for Funds? (Reuters) Reuters - The bonanza many believe President\Bush has handed the mutual fund industry with his plans to\reform Social Security may be a mirage, industry leaders said\on Friday.

Business: 0.9080463
It's Cleanup Time at Citi Charles O. Prince, the chief executive of Citigroup, is on a campaign to revamp the banking giant's culture after a financial scandal in Japan tainted its reputation.

Business: 0.99858654
Social Security Reform a Boon for Funds? NEW YORK (Reuters) - The bonanza many believe President Bush has handed the mutual fund industry with his plans to reform Social Security may be a mirage, industry leaders said on Friday.

Sports: 0.9993332
Inheriting Aura From Woods, the New King of Golf Is a Lion Vijay Singh has a golf swing to envy, even when fooling around. A few days ago on the driving range at the Tour Championship, Singh grabbed Steve Flesch #39;s golf clubs.

World: 0.9986028
EU offering economic incentives to Iran to suspend uranium ... CARROT AND STICK: The EU is hoping Iran will cease its nuclear program before the IAEA meets later this month. Another option could be economic sanctions.

Sports: 0.99944514
Steelers Downgrade Staley From Probable (AP) AP - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Duce Staley was downgraded Saturday from probable to questionable for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sports: 0.99968326
Rivers soaks up his big moment The game ball was retrieved following the Celtics #39; 107-73 victory over the Knicks last night. It will be appropriately lettered and presented to coach Doc Rivers to commemorate his first win for the club.

World: 0.99941874
Militants holding UN workers say talks have been postponed Militants threatening to kill three UN hostages said yesterday that talks with Afghan and UN officials had been postponed for another day.

World: 0.99939346
Peru's Toledo Wants New Judges for Guzman Retrial By Jude Webber LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian President Alejandro Toledosaid on Saturday he wanted new judges to try Shining Pathleader Abimael Guzman after the "shameful spectacle" he stagedat the start of his terrorism retrial, punching the air withhis fist and chanting rebel slogans.

Business: 0.9983152
union halts vote on grocers #39; offer Members of the grocery workers union will continue to meet to discuss the final contract proposal from King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons following a surprise decision by the international union to halt voting on the offers.

SciTech: 0.74118346
Flat-screen TV prices are falling for holidays But trend provokes industry unrest; panel makers call for drop in retail markups to move units. By Evan Ramstad and Gary McWilliams.

Sports: 0.99970967
RIJKAARD SAVOURS BARCA WIN Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard savoured his side #39;s battling qualities after the Catalan giants fought back to beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 at the Nou Camp and open up a nine-point lead in the Primera Liga.

World: 0.9994098
Afghan Militants Say Drop Some Hostage Demands KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan militants holding three U.N. workers hostage began talks with the government and the United Nations on Sunday and the kidnappers have dropped some of their demands, a militant spokesman said.

World: 0.9993254
Israel to present PA with #39;good will #39; steps in coming days Israel will respond with a series of positive gestures if the successors to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat will implement security reforms and a quot;real quot; cease-fire felt on the ground in the territories, Israeli security and diplomatic sources

World: 0.9993026
Arafat #39;s legacy: Statelessness for Palestinians The exit from the world stage of Palestinian leader and icon Yasser Arafat will mark the end of a turbulent era, and the beginning of a period of uncertainty and possible instability in the volatile cauldron of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

SciTech: 0.9970772
Photos Plus Music Equals an Expensive iPod (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - First Apple put some color on the iPod, when it offered the iPod mini in a palette of pastel hues, and now it has put some color inside it, in the form of the new iPod Photo.

Sports: 0.9996642
Knicks' Baker on rebound NEW YORK -- Putting a slight spin on Frank Sinatra, Gary Payton figures that if former teammate Vin Baker quot;can do it in New York, with a city like that, then he can do it anywhere. quot;

Sports: 0.99969876
Celtics put it together NEW YORK -- In the wake of a second straight fourth-quarter collapse Friday night, coach Doc Rivers said, quot;It just doesn't take a lot to distract us right now. quot;

Sports: 0.9997156
Badgers ride early surge MADISON, Wis. -- Anthony Davis ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback John Stocco threw for a career-high 297 yards and a touchdown as No. 5 Wisconsin remained unbeaten with a 38-14 rout of archrival Minnesota. Stocco also ran for two touchdowns as the Badgers, 9-0 for the third time in school history, moved into a first-place tie...

Sports: 0.999374
DaLomba sprints to win With the Eastern Massachussetts cross-country championships just a week away, yesterday's MSTCA Invitational at Franklin Park offered area runners a last chance to tune up for the title race.

World: 0.99940515
In Wake of Attacks, State of Emergency Declared in Iraq The Iraqi government declared a state of emergency for 60 days as U.S. and Iraqi forces prepared for an expected assault on rebels in Fallujah.

Business: 0.8342809
South Korea planning huge spending to revive economy: report (AFP) AFP - The South Korean government is preparing a huge quot;New Deal quot; spending package in the next few years to revive the country's sagging economy, Yonhap news agency said.

World: 0.99937785
Iraqi Interim Government Declares Martial Law BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government declared a state of emergency for 60 days on Sunday to quell violence gripping the country ahead of January elections.

World: 0.99940217
Hezbollah plane flies over Israel Lebanon #39;s guerrilla organization Hezbollah announced Sunday it hd flown an unmanned reconnaissance plane over northern Israel for the first time.

World: 0.999418
Ex-envoys: Mideast peace breakthrough possible JERUSALEM -- Former US envoys say that the passing of Yasser Arafat would open up new opportunities for Mideast peace, especially if new, pragmatic Palestinian leaders emerge.

Sports: 0.99958307
Safin Clinches Third Paris Masters PARIS (Reuters) - Marat Safin won the Paris Masters for a record-equaling third time when he beat Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek 6-3 7-6 6-3 on Sunday.

World: 0.99940884
Arafat Said to Have Liver Failure; PM to Visit PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat, critically ill in a Paris hospital, has suffered liver failure, a Palestinian official said on Sunday as Arafat's subordinates decided in his absence to enforce a law and order plan in Palestinian areas.

World: 0.99937904
Hezbollah flies unmanned plane over Israel Hezbollah sent an unmanned reconnaissance plane over Israeli airspace Sunday, the Lebanon-based group and the Israeli military said.

World: 0.9994103
Afghan officials meet kidnappers to seek release of UN workers ... KABUL (AFP) - Militants claiming to hold three foreign UN workers met Afghan officials on Sunday and gave them a list of 26 prisoners whom they want to swap for their hostages, a spokesman for the group said.

Business: 0.99845743
BT Group set to buy US Infonet for \$1bn LONDON: Britains BT Group is hoping to make a dramatic return to the US with a \$1bn acquisition of Californian telecoms group Infonet Services, the Sunday Times reported.

Sports: 0.99950516
Mauresmo Rallies to Take Advanta Title NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top seed Amelie Mauresmo rallied to beat Russia's sixth-seeded Vera Zvonareva 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to complete a successful defense of her Advanta championship title in Philadelphia on Sunday.

World: 0.9993562
Low Turnout Sinks Macedonian Bid to Kill Rights Bill SKOPJE (Reuters) - A referendum bid to block a law that gives Macedonia's Albanian minority more rights failed on Sunday, upholding a Western-brokered peace plan which ended ethnic fighting in 2001.

World: 0.999288
Afghan Militants Hold Talks on Hostages, but No Deal Yet Militants holding three foreign United Nations workers in Afghanistan said that they had held negotiations with officials from the Afghan government and the United

World: 0.99926716
Infiltration: Who knows better, Army or Patil? NEW DELHI: It appears another instance of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing. Barely hours after Shivraj Patil claimed in Srinagar that there was a drop in infiltration from across the border

World: 0.99923015
Canada #39;s military ombudsman to investigate troop complaints Canada #39;s military ombudsman will travel to Afghanistan next week to investigate troop complaints there, it is reported here Sunday.

Business: 0.98108613
Unskilled jobs to go There will be no jobs for unskilled workers in Britain within 10 years, the leading employers #39; organisation claims today. The prediction is based on the growth in

Business: 0.9872147
Kremlin keeps all guessing over YUKOS fate As YUKOS contemplates a staggering \$17.5 billion tax bill, the spectre of bankruptcy has never seemed closer for Russia #39;s biggest oil company.

SciTech: 0.9602117
Remote Control Could Save Soldiers' Lives (AP) AP - Unmanned aerial vehicles and other so-called "stand-off" weapons, whether currently used or in secret testing, belong to a developing high-tech arsenal that the U.S. military says will help minimize casualties as it battles insurgents.

Sports: 0.9750591
Goosen Wins the Tour Championship Retief Goosen closed with a 6-under 64 to win by four shots and become only the third player to overtake Tiger Woods in the final round.

Sports: 0.9807247
Ramaala's First Marathon Victory Is a Tale of the Tape South Africa's Hendrik Ramaala, who had never finished higher than fifth in a major marathon, won the New York City Marathon in 2 hours 9 minutes 28 seconds.

World: 0.9993262
Islamic group threatens to kill Indian cricketers in Bangladesh (AFP) AFP - A little known radical Islamic group has threatened to kill Indian cricketers when they tour Bangladesh from Tuesday, the Indian High Commission told AFP.

SciTech: 0.99727565
VARs: Stone #39;s Exit Won #39;t Slow Novell #39;s Linux Drive Solution providers last week said they do not expect the sudden departure of Novell vice chairman Chris Stone, who engineered the company #39;s aggressive Linux push, to slow its Linux initiative.

Business: 0.91806847
Big Tax Plans, Big Tax Risks Reforming the tax system is more politically risky and economically complex than the president let on during the campaign.

Sports: 0.99440706
Costecu Makes It Two Denisa Costescu follows up her victory in Indianapolis on Saturday with another win at the Veteran's Day 10K Sunday in Washington.

Sports: 0.9996834
Bonds deserves a quot;C quot; for historic 73 What symbol should be placed next to Barry Bonds #39; monumental mark of 73 home runs? How about a capital quot;C quot; for quot;The Cream, quot; quot;The Clear, quot; quot;The Cheat quot;?

Sports: 0.9994105
Bills' Williams Sustains Neck Injury (AP) AP - Bills right tackle Mike Williams sustained a neck injury and was driven off the field in an ambulance during the third quarter of Buffalo's 22-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Business: 0.9986268
Fed Expected to Stay the Course for Now If there is a good rule of thumb about the Federal Reserve, it is this: A startling economic report is not enough to sway policy. When the Labor Department reported

World: 0.9908948
Government gets tough as South Korea's labor reform sparks protests (AFP) AFP - The South Korean government is warning of tough action against union militancy as legislation aimed at increasing flexibility in South Korea's labor market triggered a head-on collision with labor groups.

World: 0.99447674
UK Train Line to Be Closed for Days #39; After Fatal Derailment A main rail line between London and southwest England will remain closed for a number of days #39; #39; as UK police investigate the weekend derailment of a FirstGroup Plc train, in which seven people lost their lives.

Business: 0.9913407
S.E.C. Is Said to Examine Stock Pricing by Big Brokers The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking at brokerage firms suspected of failing to get customers the best stock prices, people briefed on the inquiry said.

World: 0.9361921
India must recognize international realities: PM Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has responded to the Left #39;s criticism of his congratulatory call to US President George W. Bush by saying India must recognise international realities.

SciTech: 0.9301919
Photos: Matrix's high-rise chips Matrix Semiconductor's memory chips have several layers of transistors rather than a single plane.

World: 0.998615
Earthquakes Shake Central Japan; Bullet Train Resumed (Update4) A series of earthquakes shook central Japan in Niigata prefecture, where quakes that began last month have killed more than 30 people.

Business: 0.99657464
Closing the giving gap Near the entrance for the Christmas Tree Shop on Route 1 in Lynnfield, Barbara Patten stood next to her Salvation Army kettle and played her flute on a recent Saturday as customers walked past.

Sports: 0.9994584
Defense is chief problem again The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found a way to beat the Kansas City Chiefs. They simply outscored them.

Sports: 0.999699
Lewis, Allen super vs. Spurs Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and Ray Allen added 24, leading the SuperSonics to a 113-94 victory over the San Antonio Spurs last night in Seattle.

Business: 0.99167705
Start-ups are discovering they might have to wait until the timing is right Is the market for initial public offerings open or closed? Few questions loom larger for venture capital firms, which risk money on entrepreneurial companies and look for ''liquidity events quot; that will help them recoup their investments. But more than at any other time in the recent past, the answer may depend on your vantage point.

Business: 0.96762913
Nothing ventured, nothing at all gained There are two topics most venture capitalists hate to discuss: companies they invested in that tanked, and companies they didn't invest in that soared.

Business: 0.9962565
Westpac delivers \$2.5b profit Westpac Bank has reported a record after-tax profit of \$2.54 billion, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year #39;s results. The bank has also announced a final dividend of 44 cents, taking the full-year dividend to 86 cents fully franked.

Business: 0.7095776
ANZ increases IT spend A new \$100 million retail telling platform, which was completed in the first half of this year, and the growing cost of compliance were the key drivers for the rise according to the bank #39;s 2004 Annual Roadshow presentation.

Sports: 0.99889934
Bourdais takes series title MEXICO CITY - Sebastien Bourdais took his first Champ Car World Series title, beating teammate Bruno Junqueira with a flag-to-flag win Sunday in the Mexican Grand Prix.

World: 0.9994111
Negotiations for hostages in Afghanistan fall short Militants holding hostage three foreign UN workers in Afghanistan said they negotiated yesterday with Afghan government and UN officials in southern Afghanistan but that the meeting ended without results.

World: 0.9993788
Ivory Coast Leader Urges End to Violence ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo appealed for an end to the anti-French violence which erupted after France destroyed most of the country's air force in retaliation for the killing of nine French peacekeepers.

SciTech: 0.50308913
Flying taxis - quot;within five years quot; British company Avcen, designers of quot;Jetpod quot; taxi, believe they can offer a flying taxi service within 5 years. The taxi, due to undergo quot;proof of concept quot; test flights over the next 18 months, cruises to 228m with speeds of up to 350 mph (563 kph).

Sports: 0.9996413
Notebook: James giving Sonics a jump-start Jerome James showed up late to the Sonics #39; home opener, and his lack of substantial playing time in exhibition games hinted at another wasted season full of jokes about a 7-foot-1 guy who couldn #39;t grab a rebound from a toddler.

Sports: 0.9997223
Plummer spreading production Jake Plummer #39;s four touchdown passes and 137.8 quarterback rating Sunday only begins to describe the efficient air attack used by the Broncos to rout the Houston Texas 31-13.

World: 0.9963742
Website posts video of suicide attack against British troops A video purportedly showing a suicide attack against British troops last week was posted on an Islamic website. Soldiers from Britain #39;s Black Watch regiment were manning a vehicle checkpoint south of Baghdad

Business: 0.9983724
British Airways posts robust 2Q profit growth LONDON, November 8 (newratings.com) - British Airways #39; (BAI1.FSE) second-quarter pretax profits more than doubled this fiscal year, boosted by the company #39;s effective cost reduction measures and a robust upturn in the long-haul passenger traffic trends.

SciTech: 0.5447799
Flat-screen TV But the booming demand isn #39;t proving profitable for the companies that make the high-resolution video panels. For electronics retailers, it will be the holiday season of the flat-screen TV.

Sports: 0.99959224
Notes: Kahne, Harvick have verbal confrontation AVONDALE, Ariz. - Some sparks flew between rookie Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick at the conclusion of Sunday #39;s Checker Auto Parts 500.

Business: 0.67389536
PM welcomes EU partnership Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the Hague last night to participate in the India-European summit. quot;In recognition of Indias growing stature and influence, the EU has proposed a strategic partnership with India.

World: 0.99938774
France Says Hostages Still Alive a Few Days Ago France said on Sunday two French reporters held hostage with their Syrian driver in Iraq were still alive a few days ago. quot;We are working discreetly, following up leads, reestablishing

SciTech: 0.95743644
Tesco To Sell Downloadable Tunes Tesco aint daft, theyve done the insurance blag and now they getting stuck into the music downloading service. They will be the first supermarket to enter a market that is worth over 25million and is currently dominated by the Apple run iTunes.

SciTech: 0.9978096
ATI launches new Radeon Xpress 200 chipsets for AMD K8 platform ATI Technologies today announced the availability of its new Radeon Xpress 200 series of core logic chipsets for the AMD K8 desktop platform.

Business: 0.99854726
United seeking further cuts, ditching pension for 401(k) CHICAGO - United Airlines #39; workers are getting formal details on how the bankrupt company wants to replace their traditional pension with a 401(k)-style benefit plan - plus further steep reductions in pay and other benefits.

Business: 0.99859065
Stocks Open Lower as Wall St. Pulls Back US stocks opened slightly lower on Monday as investors pause after a three-day rally last week, with interest rates and a weakening dollar gaining focus now that the presidential election is over.

Business: 0.9984309
#39;Poison pill #39; just in case THE haste with which News Corporation has adopted a quot;poison pill quot; - or stockholders rights plan - following the bold move of John Malone #39;s Liberty Media to put its foot on a further 8 per cent of the voting stock demonstrates a real concern as to his

Business: 0.99823195
Interest rates to mark time AUSTRALIAN home owners can breathe a sigh of relief: stable interest rates are predicted well into next year. The Reserve Bank issued a glowing report card on the Australian economy yesterday, now that the

Business: 0.9981293
Canada Oct. Housing Starts Fall 5.4, Led by Cities (Update1) Canadian housing starts fell 5.4 percent to an annual pace of 225,000 units in October, led by drops in multi- and single-family homebuilding in cities, the federal government #39;s housing agency said.

World: 0.9671921
Greenpeace #39;shocked #39; over death of anti-nuclear protestor PARIS - The international environment watchdog group Greenpeace said Monday it was quot;shocked and very saddened quot; by the death of a French protestor who was struck and killed Sunday by a train transporting nuclear waste to Germany.

SciTech: 0.5722163
Microsoft settles antitrust cases with Novell, CCIA Microsoft Corp on Monday announced antitrust settlements with Novell Inc. and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), ending years of legal wrangling.

SciTech: 0.9888304
IBM to commercialize Blue Gene supercomputer Fresh from setting a record for performance among supercomputers just a few days ago, IBM on Monday announced it is making a commercial version of its Blue Gene system available to be aimed at businesses and scientific researchers.

SciTech: 0.991147
Microsoft Plans Heavy Hype for 'Halo 2' "Halo 2" appears to be one of the most hotly hyped and heavily anticipated video games ever, and Microsoft is planning a Tuesday release that may rival the best of Hollywood's movie glitz. -washingtonpost.com

Business: 0.57666135
Alternative Energy: Ready or not? Even with a boost from higher oil prices and growing concern about global warming, the payoff on most alternative energy technologies seems a ways off.

Business: 0.9985347
Microsoft Ends Decade of Antitrust Suits 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 had 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.

World: 0.99833614
Ivory Coast facing UN sanctions France is pushing to win passage of a UN resolution that seeks an arms embargo and other penalties against the Ivory Coast. France #39;s UN ambassador, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, hopes for a vote early this week.

SciTech: 0.99539727
Supercomputing at your fingertips Machines that only a few years ago seemed to be the stuff of fantasy are slowly but surely reaching the mainstream. Photos: IBM's Blue Gene/L Photos: Barcelona's big blade

SciTech: 0.78280026
Microsoft Makes Another Antitrust Deal Software giant settles with Novell and the CCIA, ending years of legal wrangling.

Business: 0.9986331
US Treasuries slip lower ahead of new supply Treasuries slipped lower on Monday as investors positioned themselves to absorb \$51 billion of new supply this week ahead of an expected Federal Reserve increase in official interest rates.

Business: 0.9982723
News Corp plans for poison pill News Corp, the media group led by Rupert Murdoch, on Monday announced plans for a poison pill rights issue to prevent a hostile takeover by potential predators such as Liberty Media, one of the company #39;s largest shareholders.

Business: 0.99155575
Pfizer's Gloom Factor The stock will continue to be depressed, but things will improve if Celebrex's safety is proven.

Business: 0.5637341
Phoney eBay bidders fined EIGHT eBay sellers were ordered to pay nearly \$US90,000 (\$118,000) in restitution and fines after admitting they had bid on products to inflate the prices.

SciTech: 0.9550193
IBM: Blue Gene Supercomputer For Sale Fresh after taking the performance crown and capping a five-year, \$100 million R amp;D effort, IBM today announced that Blue Gene is officially going on sale with a starting price of \$1.

SciTech: 0.99762386
Something Oozed on Titan #39;s Surface Summary - (Nov 8, 2004) NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft took this image of Titan as it sped past the moon on Oct. 26, 2004. It was taken from an altitude of 2,500 km (1,553 miles) using the spacecraft #39;s aperture

Sports: 0.9925217
Beckham Practicing Again With Real Madrid David Beckham trained with Real Madrid on Monday for the first time since breaking two ribs last month during a World Cup qualifier.

World: 0.9993382
Ivorian unrest poses new test for France Two years after French forces arrived to restore order in turmoil-torn Ivory Coast, a peace agreement between Ivorian rebels and the government of President Laurent Gbagbo is in

SciTech: 0.9954065
Scientists Try to Save Largest Salamander (AP) AP - The population of North America's largest salamander is plummeting in Missouri and Arkansas, and scientists from five states met to consider how to prevent the creature's disappearance.

SciTech: 0.99649066
Conversion Rates Between PPC (Paid) and Organic (Free) Results Conversion Rates Between PPC (Paid) and Organic (Free) Results\\In a thread over at Cre8asite Forums named Organic vs Paid traffic ROI?, there is a discussion going on about the different conversion rates and ROI seen between the pay per click traffic (paid traffic) and organic traffic (free traffic). I have...

SciTech: 0.8926838
IBM #39;s eServer Blue Gene For Sale IBM #39;s five-year, \$100 million Blue Gene project on Monday bore commercial fruit as the Armonk, NY-based computer maker announced it was offering the supercomputer to anyone who has at least \$1.

SciTech: 0.887968
UK to take tougher line on ultrawideband Report for British regulator calls for wireless technology to be more strictly controlled than in United States.

Sports: 0.9997029
OU puts exclamation point on season No apologies, no justifications, no excuses necessary. Oklahoma isn #39;t slinking into the BCS championship game through the back door this year.

SciTech: 0.9224779
IBM #39;s Blue Gene/L goes on sale quot;IBM plans to announce on Monday that the Blue Gene will be available immediately with a starting price of \$1.5 million. quot;.

SciTech: 0.9120644
FCC expected to keep states off VoIP's back Sources expect that on Tuesday, the FCC will exempt more Net phone calls from state telephone rules and taxes, even as the cable industry tries to grab VoIP's coattails.

SciTech: 0.9954071
VoIP firm ties rebate deal to Wi-Fi router Vonage and Cisco's Linksys have a new bundle: an 802.11g router and any of three Vonage plans.

SciTech: 0.99657416
Competitions Foster Next Generation Of Linux Talent IBM #39;s Linux Scholar Challenge is one of a few programs to drum up enthusiasm among students worldwide in Linux and open-source software.

Sports: 0.99969375
Victory so sweet after Athens collapse BRITAIN #39;S world record holder Paula Radcliffe ran away with the closest women #39;s winning margin in the history of the New York City marathon yesterday.

Business: 0.99851185
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 said it will pay \$536 million to its smaller rival Novell Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NOVL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">NOVL.O</A> to settle an antitrust suit and resolved a 10-year dispute with a computer trade group.

Sports: 0.9996062
Drink-drive swimmer #39;very sorry #39; AN apologetic Michael Phelps today said he made a dangerous mistake when he was arrested for drink-driving last week. The Olympic swimming champion was arrested and charged with drink driving after a trooper

Business: 0.99480623
BT to buy Infonet for US\$965mil BERLIN: BT Group Plc, Britain #39;s largest phone company, plans to buy Infonet Services Corp. for US\$965mil to add a data network spanning more than 180 countries.

Business: 0.9880701
LCC Int #39;l Posts 3Q Profit, Shares Tumble LCC International Inc., which offers wireless voice and data technical consulting, on Monday saw shares plummet as much as 12 percent in after-hours trade after the company swung to a third-quarter profit but predicted lower revenues are ahead.

SciTech: 0.99227166
#39;Halo 2 #39; has game fans ATLANTA - For many video game addicts, the buzz on the sequel to quot;Halo quot; is louder than a machine gun rat-a-tatting in their ears.

SciTech: 0.9525375
Postal Service to Use Motorola Devices (AP) AP - Motorola Israel Ltd. said Monday it will provide the U.S. Postal Service with new hand-held scanning devices under a three-year deal worth about #36;300 million.

SciTech: 0.9972826
ATI launches chipset for AMD desktops ATI Technologies on Monday delivered the Radeon Xpress 200, a new chipset for desktops using Advanced Micro Devices #39; Athlon 64 and other eighth-generation processors.

SciTech: 0.99792516
Novell launches Linux for desktop computers Novell, one of the popular names in the open-source community, has launched Linux Desktop 9 OS for enterprise computer systems today for lower deployment and management prices.

SciTech: 0.9971245
Volcano #39;cowboys #39; who ride a ring of fire Scientists tap everything from gas-sniffing devices to GPS systems to better forecast when a mountain will stir. By Brad Knickerbocker Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.

Business: 0.9986291
Six Flags 3Q Net Income Falls 60 Percent NEW YORK - Six Flags Inc. #39;s third-quarter net income fell 60 percent, as cool weather hurt attendance at its amusement parks. Six Flags late Monday reported net income of \$56.

Business: 0.9834511
Oracle to drop suit if takeover bid fails Oracle Corp. said Monday it will drop a lawsuit it filed in Delaware against PeopleSoft, its rival and takeover target, if a majority of PeopleSoft

SciTech: 0.9958905
Scientists find Arctic is warming quickly A four-year-long study of the Arctic climate confirms what many in Canada #39;s North have been saying for years -- the Arctic is melting, and faster all the time.

Business: 0.99840635
New York Times Co. announces plan to sell Manhattan building _ The New York Times Co. plans to sell its building on West 43rd Street in Manhattan to a partnership led by Tishman Speyer Properties, the companies announced Monday.

SciTech: 0.9914506
Last Gasp of a Dying Star? Spacecraft to Find Out A new spacecraft is being readied to make the fastest, most detailed study yet of the fleeting gamma ray bursts emanating from deep in space.

Sports: 0.99971694
Pittsburgh: Where the Unbeaten Go to Die The body blows came in staccato fashion, from the arm of a rookie quarterback and the legs of an old pro. Ben Roethlisberger would give the ball to Jerome Bettis, and Bettis

World: 0.9994018
Afghans Vow to Kill UN Hostage if Demands Not Met KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban splinter group holding three U.N. workers hostage demanded a response to its demands from the Afghan government and United Nations by Tuesday afternoon, saying it would kill one captive if they were not met.

Business: 0.9623784
Karp team won't buy Fan Pier For the second time in less than two months, a prospective buyer of the prime Fan Pier land in South Boston has pulled out of a deal.

SciTech: 0.76413035
Burning of fossil fuels threatens to overwhelm Arctic environment The burning of fossil fuels has contributed to warming in the Arctic that is much faster and more dramatic than scientists previously believed at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the world, a new international report concludes.

Sports: 0.99949455
NBA Today (AP) AP - Indiana at Minnesota (8 p.m. EST). Last year's Eastern and Western Conference regular-season champions meet for the first of two times this season.

SciTech: 0.9979138
CA integrates PestPatrol anti-spyware Computer Associates (CA) has integrated an anti-spyware product with its eTrust Security Management portfolio. The integrated product called eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5 includes faster detection and removal and an enhanced graphical interface.

Sports: 0.99605346
Phelps faces possible jail term Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps may face a jail term after being arrested on drink-driving charges last week in Salisbury, Maryland.

World: 0.9987991
Explosion in Kathmandu injures 30 At least 30 people have been hurt in a explosion in Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu. Police say it was a bomb. The explosion struck a building of the government-owned Employees #39; Provident Fund that was under construction.

World: 0.99942964
U.S. Forces Push Into Heart of Fallujah U.S. Army and Marine units thrust into the heart of the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Tuesday, fighting fierce street battles and conducting house-to-house searches on the second day of a major assault to retake the city from Islamic militants.

World: 0.9984806
South Africa Intervenes in Ivory Coast South African President Thabo Mbeki flew to Ivory Coast on Tuesday to launch an African effort to rein in four days of violence that have killed at least 20 people, wounded more than 600 and shut down cocoa exports from the world's largest producer.

World: 0.9994072
Bomb Explosion in Nepali Capital Wounds 38 KATHMANDU (Reuters) - A bomb tore through a government building under construction in the Nepali capital on Tuesday, wounding at least 38 people in an attack police suspect was carried out by Maoist rebels.

SciTech: 0.9977241
Bluetooth SIG completes Core Specification 2.0 The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced the successful completion of the first stage in its three-year roadmap for the wireless technology, with the release of Bluetooth Core Specification 2.0 EDR (Enhanced Data Rate).

Sports: 0.9997044
Strahan out for the season It #39;s bad enough when a team loses both starting defensive ends in one game. But when one of them is named Michael Strahan, it becomes a near disaster.

Business: 0.6992958
EchoStar Posts Profit, Adds Subscribers (Reuters) Reuters - EchoStar Communications Corp. \on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose on an aggressive\campaign to add more new subscribers.

Business: 0.9985864
Oil Downturn Deepens as Supplies Swell LONDON (Reuters) - Oil on Tuesday extended a price slide that has cut 12 percent from record highs in two weeks as growing signs of ample supply eases concerns over fuel stocks for the northern winter.

Business: 0.99805766
Dollar Holds Above Record Low Vs Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held almost a cent above its record low against the euro on Tuesday, winning a respite after heavy selling as European officials warned about a strong euro and investors grew wary ahead of U.S. trade data.

Business: 0.99720937
Lloyds TSB to Move More Than 1,000 UK Jobs to Asia (Update1) Lloyds TSB Group Plc, the UK #39;s No. 5 bank by assets, plans to move at least another 1,000 employees from Britain to Asia, where labor costs are lower.

SciTech: 0.995096
AMD et Chartered signent des contrats d #39;approvisionnement et de ... SUNNYVALE, Calif. and SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)9 Novembre 2004--Chartered adopte la fabrication de prcision automatise d #39;AMD et prvoit de fabriquer des processeurs AMD64 en 2006.

Sports: 0.9993351
Lights! Camera! Beckham! England #39;s most celebrated soccer player, David Beckham, has announced that he will undertake his first major acting role in a film trilogy called #39;Goal!

World: 0.9992686
EU will go it alone on nuclear project if French site bid fails BRUSSELS, Nov 9 (AFP) - The European Union said Tuesday it was prepared to forge ahead with a revolutionary nuclear energy project if negotiations with Japan and other backers on where to locate it break down.

Business: 0.99859315
CVS Same-Store Sales Up 5.4 Percent NEW YORK (Reuters) - Drugstore chain CVS Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CVS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CVS.N</A> on Tuesday said October sales at stores open at least a year rose 5.4 percent on higher demand for prescriptions and other merchandise at its CVS stores.

Business: 0.99855036
Stocks Open Flat, Waiting for Fed NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened flat on Tuesday as investors took another pause after last week's big rally, with the Fed expected to raise interest rates a quarter point on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99521893
Microsoft's Legal Cleanup Day Perhaps Microsoft was hoping for all eyes to be on the much-ballyhooed launch Tuesday of its "Halo 2" video game, but the company's efforts to clean up its lawsuit headaches can't be overshadowed by virtual gunslinging. -washingtonpost.com

SciTech: 0.99419504
FireFox Roars from the Gates Tuesday, November 9, 2004 will likely go down in the history books as the day the browser wars officially started. Obviously things happened before today to get us to the point where there was a real, legitimate

Business: 0.9927549
AOL Plans Revamp, Shake Up Management - Reports The America Online unit of Time Warner Inc. (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is reorganizing itself into four operational units to improve decision making, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Business: 0.9412693
Cablevision Narrows Loss on Revenue Surge Cablevision Systems Corp. on Tuesday said it narrowed its third-quarter loss as revenue jumped 20 percent, buoyed by subscriber growth.

SciTech: 0.85995376
Supreme Court Asked To Hear File-Sharing Arguments The file-sharing legal battle has moved to the Supreme Court, with a group composed of labor unions, sports leagues and state attorneys general asking for a hearing on a claim brought

Sports: 0.9933581
FA Plan New United-Arsenal Talks The Football Association are set to wait until after the conclusion of any disciplinary action against Arsene Wenger before trying to broker a peace summit between Arsenal and Manchester United.

World: 0.99938965
Armitage holds talks with Pakistani leaders: World News: Islamabad, Nov 9 : US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage Tuesday met top Pakistani leaders to exchange views on a wide array of issues, including the dialogue between Pakistan and India and the war on terror.

Business: 0.94900745
Cocoa Price Off, Ivory Coast Shot to Bits (Reuters) Reuters - World cocoa prices rose from intraday\lows, but exports from the Ivory Coast, the key global\supplier, remain on hold after mob violence and military\clashes paralyze business in the West African country, traders\said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.89933294
US rate rise locked in for Wednesday (AFP) AFP - The unexpected boom in US job creation in October has locked in an interest rate rise and will likely encourage another tightening in December, analysts said.

SciTech: 0.94413775
Matrix delivers on 3D memory chip promise Nearly three years after Matrix Semiconductor first announced plans to offer write-once memory chips based on a 3D design technology, the chips are in volume production.

World: 0.99937963
French Troops Clash with Ivory Coast Protesters ABIDJAN (Reuters) - French soldiers fired to disperse protesters on Tuesday after days of rioting in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan as South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki gave an upbeat assessment of a brief peace mission to the country.

SciTech: 0.9970848
Novell Brings Linux to the Desktop Novell #39;s Linux Desktop 9 includes an end-user operating system, office applications and productivity tools. It boasts the same levels of security and reliability as the SuSE Linux Enterprise

SciTech: 0.9977062
Crazy Like a Firefox Today, the Mozilla Foundation #39;s Firefox browser officially launched -- welcome, version 1.0. In a way, it #39;s much ado about nothing, seeing how it wasn #39;t that long ago that we reported on how Mozilla had set

SciTech: 0.99634403
Computer Associates Launches PestPatrol Computer Associates is releasing eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5, aimed at consumers and small businesses, and based on technology CA obtained when it bought anti-spyware provider PestPatrol two months ago.

SciTech: 0.99619246
Trio of New Games Victimized by Piracy DALLAS - A month before the video game #39;s scheduled release this coming Tuesday, illegal copies of the hot sci-fi action title quot;Halo 2 quot; were already circulating on the Internet.

Sports: 0.99963474
Dolphins owner Huizenga stayed with likeable Wannstedt a little ... This bit of coaching euthanasia -- Dave Wannstedt getting whacked (or whatever they called it) by the Dolphins -- had to happen. I #39;m quot;stepping aside for the good of the team #39; #39; is what he told me just after noon today.

SciTech: 0.99793977
Bluetooth Group Outlines Strategy (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - With Bluetooth short-range wireless technology finding its way into an array of hardware products, ranging from mobile phones to in-vehicle telematics systems, a working group promoting the specification has outlined a strategy to make it even more attractive and useful.

SciTech: 0.997509
AMD signs up for extra 64-bit production capacity Advanced Micro Devices Inc. will use Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.'s manufacturing services to produce AMD's Opteron and Athlon 64 processors starting in 2006, adding production capacity as the company starts building chips at its second Dresden, Germany, plant, the companies said Monday.

SciTech: 0.9981047
The Mozilla Firefox 1.0 is out! Even though this barely touches the topics of this site, it is well worth mentioning that the Mozilla Firefox browser has finally reached the 1.0 milestone.

SciTech: 0.9953544
Court considers textbook stickers downplaying evolution A Georgia school board is in court this week over quot;disclaimer quot; stickers it placed on biology textbooks stating that the theory of evolution has not been proven as fact.

SciTech: 0.84577996
Trojan horse drives spam into cell phones Infected computers send out a slew of unwanted text messages, a security firm says.

Business: 0.9985765
Fed #39;s rate hikes expected to continue this week and most of next ... The Federal Reserve is expected to nudge interest rates up for a fourth time this year on Wednesday, acting on the belief that the economy has finally emerged from an extended quot;soft patch.

SciTech: 0.9871132
WordPerfect Office 12 - Home Edition Defines Home Productivity ... Building on the company #39;s mandate to open the home consumer software market to value-priced alternatives to Microsoft(R) Office, Corel today announced the availability of WordPerfect Office(R) 12 - Home Edition.

SciTech: 0.99758613
Brief: IBM integrates Enigma technology into auto dealer portal Enigma's 3C Platform is designed to help IBM streamline business processes for automotive OEMs and dealers.

Business: 0.99814975
Marsh axes 3,000 as insurer braces itself for a payout MARSH amp; MCLENNAN, the insurance broker, is to axe 3,000 jobs to help to prop up its flagging profits, which have been hurt by a \$232 million (125 million) charge to cover a potential settlement with Eliot Spitzer, the New York attorney-general.

Sports: 0.99947613
Clarett accuses Ohio State of improprieties; school denies claims Former Ohio State star Maurice Clarett accused coach Jim Tressel, his staff and school boosters of arranging for him to get passing grades, cars, and thousands of dollars, including for bogus summer jobs.

Sports: 0.9991731
New Columbia Athletic Director Sounds Off (AP) AP - One day on the job, and Columbia University athletic director M. Dianne Murphy wasted little time saying what she thought of the school's sports performance.

Business: 0.9985499
Calif. Official Backs Anthem-WellPoint LOS ANGELES/PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - California's insurance commissioner on Tuesday ended his opposition to Anthem Inc.'s <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ATH.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ATH.N</A> proposed \$16.5 billion acquisition of WellPoint Health Networks Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WLP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">WLP.N</A> after Anthem agreed to hike its funding of state health projects.

Business: 0.99849784
Crude oil prices fall to their lowest level in seven weeks Crude oil futures closed below 48 dollars a barrel Tuesday, the lowest level in seven weeks amid rising expectations about US oil supply for this winter.

Business: 0.9976095
Shake-up at British retailer LONDON Marks amp; Spencer announced a management shake-up Tuesday that cost six senior executives their jobs, as the company said profit plunged and sales dipped in its home market for the first half of 2004.

Sports: 0.9991805
Robson is back with a swipe at his critics Bryan Robson ended a three and a half year exile from Premiership management by returning to the Hawthorns, where he first excelled as a player more than 20 years ago.

Sports: 0.99971193
Keane hits two to put Spurs back on track Tottenham, in disarray last weekend following the shock resignation of manager Jacques Santini, got their troubled campaign back on the rails last night by putting Championship opponents

SciTech: 0.9483213
Patch in for Microsoft server spoofing flaw Attackers could use hole in small-business software to trick personal information out of people.

SciTech: 0.92001647
Verizon brings top-speed DSL to 16 more areas DSL at 3mbps debuts in areas within company's existing footprint.

SciTech: 0.9642158
PeopleSoft revises third-quarter profit Oracle target adds \$2.6 million to bottom line after tax adjustment related to ex-CEO's severance package.

SciTech: 0.9890589
Nike teams with Sony on special GT4 offer A limited edition Gran Turismo bundle in Japan will come with a pair of Nike sneakers and T-shirt. TOKYO--Major running shoe and apparel manufacturer Nike is collaborating with Sony Computer Entertainment

World: 0.99932027
US troops reach centre of Fallujah as 48 killed in Baquba and ... FALLUJAH: Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi on Tuesday imposed a night curfew in Baghdad as US troops with crack Iraqi soldiers surged into the heart of Fallujah in a hail of explosions and gunfire on the second day of the largest operation in Iraq since

Business: 0.98955196
Chips are down in tech world EUROPE #39;s biggest chipmaker, Infineon, rocked the technology world today as profits fell e100m (70m) short of analysts #39; expectations.

SciTech: 0.98337066
Microsoft to showcase new MSN Search preview Microsoft is having big problems in the Search Engine Market. Their online search engine stands nowhere on popularity charts and now Google and Yahoo!

World: 0.99938786
Fallujah Violence Leaves 10 Troops Dead (AP) AP - U.S. troops powered their way into the center of the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Tuesday, overwhelming small bands of guerrillas with massive force, searching homes along the city's deserted, narrow passageways and using loudspeakers to try to goad militants onto the streets.

SciTech: 0.995622
Sail away into space The ancient art of sailing gets a space-age update next year with the launch of the first sunlight-propelled quot;solar sail quot; spacecraft.

SciTech: 0.9973335
True Colors With 48 editions in 19 different languages available in over 60 countries, Reader #146;s Digest is a publishing phenomenon: the world #146;s top-selling magazine. And wherever you buy your copy, at least one thing will remain constant #151; the quality and color balance of the images. See how a Mac-based workflow ensures this color consistency.\ Nov 09

Business: 0.99744046
Vivendi surprises with rise in revenue Vivendi Universal, the French media group that almost collapsed into bankruptcy two years ago, yesterday surprised investors with strong third-quarter revenues driven by soaring music sales in the Britain and North America.

Business: 0.98505336
Cisco #39;s Q1 Profit Leaps 29 Percent Cisco Systems has reported first-quarter profits of \$1.4 on sales of \$6 billion. Despite cautious spending by its corporate customers, softness in the global economy and a lingering uncertainty over whether

World: 0.9978618
Scotland awaits smoking decision The Scottish Cabinet is to meet amid signs it will opt to introduce a ban on smoking in public places.

Business: 0.9982951
UPDATE:NZ F amp;P Healthcare 1H Net Up; Currency Hedge Helps WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--New Zealand medical equipment maker Fisher amp; Paykel Healthcare Corp. (FPH.NZ) said Wednesday it is confident it can better the high revenue growth

Sports: 0.9997099
Cricket-Sri Lanka #39;s wicketkeeper calls it quits COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka #39;s wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana has announced his retirement from international cricket after being left out of the squad for next month #39;s tour to New Zealand.

Sports: 0.99395037
Mayor sure of ballpark support DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams said yesterday he is quot;very confident quot; that he has the seven necessary votes from the DC Council for his plan to build a ballpark near South Capitol Street Southeast.

Business: 0.998466
Pay Adviser Talks of Role in Ovitz Deal The outside adviser who helped draft the 1995 employment agreement for the president of Walt Disney, Michael S. Ovitz, testified on Tuesday that he had reservations

SciTech: 0.9959953
Warning over rapid Arctic warming With temperatures in the Arctic rising at twice the rate of elsewhere, the ice cover there will within the next 100 years completely disappear in summer and the biodiversity will change dramatically, according to a scientific study published this week.

SciTech: 0.9801507
Thousands queue for Halo 2 Hordes of video game fans queued outside more than 6500 stores across the United States overnight on Tuesday to get a copy of the new Halo 2 game whose first day takings are expected to rival a Hollywood blockbuster.

World: 0.9994029
Kidnapped Italian freed in southern Philippines (AFP) AFP - An Italian aid worker walked free from the southern Philippines jungle, a day after he was abducted by local gunmen.

Sports: 0.9988794
Varitek's terms could be tough to meet As much as the Red Sox hope to persuade Jason Varitek to stay in Boston, they face a mighty challenge since Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, said last night the catcher expects to receive a five-year contract with a no-trade clause that compensates him as lucratively as the top catchers in the game.

Business: 0.9924643
Microsoft plays up growth, dividend They were preaching to the choir, but Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer still did their best to sell the virtues of Microsoft stock at the company #39;s annual shareholder meeting yesterday in Bellevue.

Business: 0.8202602
(B)old new frontiers Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. yesterday announced plans to team up to design a vehicle to take astronauts back to the moon and even beyond, but they #39;ve got to make one stop first

SciTech: 0.9968347
FCC OK's paging company deal (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - Arch Wireless Inc. can complete its #36;367 million acquisition of Metrocall Holdings Inc.

SciTech: 0.9706078
Patron Saint of the Nerds St. Expedite might not even be a true saint, but that doesn't stop programmers and job seekers from asking for his help. Michelle Delio reports from New Orleans.

SciTech: 0.8574417
Microsoft enters the Internet search market at last After years of licensing search technology from Yahoo and seeing its Web search market share slowly but steadily decline, Microsoft has finally developed its own search engine and is expected to unveil it later this week.

Sports: 0.99948055
BRDC waiting for a proposal The Formula 1 teams say that the British Grand Prix is saved but the owners of Silverstone, the British Racing Drivers #39; Club do not yet have a deal with Formula One Management.

SciTech: 0.9942807
FCC declares authority over states on VoIP (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Federal regulators Tuesday declared authority over the states in governing Internet phone services, a move providers called crucial to fostering growth, innovation and competitive pricing in the budding industry.

World: 0.9993963
Musharraf Hopeful For Kashmir Solution ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Nov 10 (SADA) - President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday hoped that debate on options he spelt out recently on Kashmir issue would take Pakistan and India closer to find out the settlement of decades-old dispute.

World: 0.9994216
Iran official warns of NPT pull-out if West presses Iran will pull out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and develop its atomic programme in secret if Western nations threaten or put pressure on Tehran, a senior Iran diplomat was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99423176
Prosecutor Explains Why Spammer Sent to Slammer During my opening statement, I explained to the jury that sending spam by itself is not a crime, but when you masquerade your identity, you violate Virginia #39;s law that took effect in July 2003.

Sports: 0.9997117
Sainz forced off road TWO-TIME world champion Carlos Sainz #39;s career came to a premature end today after the Spaniard was forced out of the Rally of Australia.

World: 0.7393044
India will never become an international liability: Manmohan Singh ... India News gt; The Hague: The Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has said that despite three changes in government in the past 14 years since the economic reforms were introduced in the country, there has been no roll back in the reforms programme.

World: 0.9994099
France Begins Evacuations From Ivory Coast France and the United Nations began evacuating thousands of French and other expatriates Wednesday trapped at U.N. offices and a French military base amid days of anti-foreigner rampages in Ivory Coast's largest city, French and U.N. officials said.

SciTech: 0.9980452
Solar spacecraft set to launch next year The \$4 million Cosmos 1 project is backed by The Planetary Society, co-founded by Carl Sagan. By The Associated Press. A solar sail spacecraft designed to be propelled by the pressure of sunlight will be launched

Business: 0.9930582
Hong Kong Shares Rise on Airline Stocks Share prices in Hong Kong rose Wednesday, led by airline stocks, on falling oil prices. The key Hang Seng Index jumped 155.70 points, or 1.2 percent, to end at 13,672.

Business: 0.99025375
Cable Wireless to Cut 600 Jobs LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Cable Wireless posted its first net profit in over 3 years and announced plans to cut 600 jobs and return cash to investors, sending the telecom company's shares racing to 5-month highs on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.88819516
Tributes pour in for #39;Crazy Horse #39; Hughes had been battling the illness for 15 months but deteriorated in the past few days, his wife Barbara said. quot;He died at his home in Sheffield with his family around him, quot; she said.

Business: 0.998563
Delta to Cut 6,000-6,900 Jobs CHICAGO (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines on Wednesday said it plans to cut between 6,000 and 6,900 jobs during the next 18 months, implement a 10 percent across-the-board pay reduction and reduce employee benefits in a bid to avoid bankruptcy.

World: 0.99931526
Observers warn militant groups may exploit bitterness in ... NARATHIWAT, Thailand : The deaths and beatings that followed last month #39;s demonstration in southern Thailand have left an indelible mark on the psyche of the Muslims living

SciTech: 0.9949799
HP Unveils an Array of Printing Products Hewlett-Packard showed off 14 new imaging and printing products during an event in Frankfurt, Germany this week. HP executives showcased the HP LaserJet 4345mfp multifunction copier, which they say can crank

SciTech: 0.9975547
Solar Sail Launch Date Set smooth wombat writes quot;Get out your PDAs and set aside March 1, 2005. That is date the solar sail, named Cosmos 1, is set to be launched from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea.

World: 0.99925166
Bush 'picks new attorney general' White House legal counsel Alberto Gonzales is the president's choice for attorney general, sources say.

SciTech: 0.9975979
Launch Date Set for Solar Sail Summary - (Nov 10, 2004) The countdown has begun for the launch of the Planetary Society #39;s Cosmos 1 spacecraft; the first ever to be powered by a solar sail.

Sports: 0.9996031
Two Michigan State receivers arrested on bomb-making charges Two Michigan State football players have been charged with planting homemade bombs outside apartments. Terry Love and Irving Campbell, both 19-year-old redshirt freshmen wide receivers

SciTech: 0.993272
Gap, Wild Planet Get Together on Radio Sweatshirt NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wild Planet, a toy maker known for its spy gear and adventure gadgets, said on Wednesday it was teaming up with clothing retailer Gap Inc <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=GPS.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">GPS.N</A> to sell sweatshirts with FM radios built in at GapKids stores.

Sports: 0.9997197
Showalter edges Twins #39; Gardenhire in AL Texas #39; Buck Showalter and Atlanta #39;s Bobby Cox were named managers of the year Wednesday in balloting by the Baseball Writers #39; Association of America.

Sports: 0.99966633
Mauresmo confident of LA victory Amelie Mauresmo insists she can win the Tour Championships this week and finish the year as world number one. The Frenchwoman could overtake Lindsay Davenport with a win in Los Angeles.

Business: 0.9985454
Federated Department Stores Posts Profit NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federated Department Stores Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=FD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">FD.N</A>, parent of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, posted higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on Wednesday, as the company rebounded from the Florida hurricanes.

SciTech: 0.9980274
Energy Dept. funds open-source InfiniBand work Three-year project will back programmers' effort to build Linux software support for the high-speed networking technology.

SciTech: 0.9944496
Don #39;t Answer the Cell Phone, it #39;s Spam Again It figures...and just when it looked like some major email spammers were going to jail, too. So far, it #39;s only in Russia, but it #39;s nasty.

World: 0.99937433
Chile's Lagos Receives Torture Commission Report By Ignacio Badal SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Chilean President Ricardo Lagosreceived a chilling report on Wednesday from a governmentcommission that interviewed more than 30,000 victims tochronicle for the first time the systematic use of tortureduring Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 dictatorship.

SciTech: 0.9958656
Firefox Browser Alternative to Microsoft (AP) AP - 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.

Business: 0.6690368
Toile Gets A Makeover The traditional pattern shakes its fussy image as designers give it a new look

SciTech: 0.9409839
Google Enhances Discussion Groups Google is improving on the discussions its popular Web site hosts, hoping the upgrades will spur more online banter and make its market-leading search engine a richer destination.

Sports: 0.9980404
Andreas Herzog Retires From Pro Soccer (AP) AP - Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Andreas Herzog, who played for Austria in the 1990 and 1998 World Cups, retired from professional soccer Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.991168
Business Objects touts dashboards, standardization Business Objects executives this week touted dashboard technology features and rallied support for standardization on their new business intelligence software -- two hot-button issues for users here at the company's International Users Conference.

SciTech: 0.9958385
IBM plans Web meeting service, takes aim at WebEx IBM's new Lotus Web Conferencing Service, expected to be offered next month, requires that users simply register an account and have an Internet connection, a Web browser and a phone.

Business: 0.9683898
Residents Protest Nation #39;s First Hydrogen Refueling Station Two dozen protesters greeted Mayor Tony Williams and top executives of Shell, who came to open North America #39;s first hydrogen refueling station.

World: 0.9993917
Refugees #39; hopes for return will outlive Arafat BEIRUT, Lebanon - Yasser Arafat promised Palestinians he would return them to the homes they lost when Israel was founded in 1948.

Business: 0.9984701
Forget Bextra NEW ORLEANS - This morning, Pfizer was blindsided as The New York Times reported information about a reanalysis of old data that say the drug giant #39;s Bextra, which is similar to Merck #39;s Vioxx, increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Sports: 0.99810827
Soccer: Juventus beat Fiorentina 1-0 in Italian league match ROME : Juventus extended their lead at the top of Serie A to six points after they scraped a 1-0 home win over Fiorentina and closest rivals AC Milan were held to a goalless draw at Brescia.

Business: 0.9862394
Nikkei Seen Flat; Earnings, Data Awaited TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks are expected to change little from the previous day's closing levels on Thursday as investors await key domestic economic data and earnings reports from companies such as Tokyo Electron Ltd. September machinery orders data is due on Thursday afternoon, ahead of Friday's gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the July-September quarter.

Business: 0.99304634
Intel doubles cash dividend MANHASSET, NY - Intel Corp. (Santa Clara, Calif.) has taken some lumps this year due to weakening market conditions and several strategic errors, but the semiconductor supplier remains loyal to its shareholders.

Business: 0.99559
Officials: Boston #39;s Big Dig highway project full of leaks ... But taxpayers won #39;t have to foot the bill -- Massachusetts Turnpike managers say the repairs are the responsibility of the private contractors who built the nearly 15 (b) billion dollar tunnel project.

SciTech: 0.8425663
From Digital Camera to Print, No Computer Required The big news in digital photography is the explosion of printers designed exclusively for 4-by-6 photos. A comparison of seven printers vying for your business.

Sports: 0.983491
League of Development Major League Soccer plans to start a new league to develop young players, part of its 10-year sponsorship deal with Adidas.

SciTech: 0.99703765
Superfast Notebook Graphics: NVidia #39;s GeForce Go 6800 PC World #39;s first tests of NVidia #39;s just announced high-end mobile graphics chip, the GeForce Go 6800, show that it is one of the first notebook graphics components to support performance rivaling that of desktop boards.

Business: 0.99179536
Growth cut THE Bank of England yesterday cut its forecast for UK economic growth next year to 2.5 per cent and said inflation could be below expectations.

SciTech: 0.9751329
Microsoft Takes on Google Early Thursday, Microsoft will begin revving its engines squarely in Googles direction with the Beta launch of the new MSN Search engine.

Business: 0.99477106
Exporters Lead Nikkei Up, Trade Slow TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average was up 0.37 percent in mid-morning trade on Thursday as a recovery in the dollar helped auto makers among other exporters, but trade was slow as investors waited for important Japanese economic data.

Sports: 0.99956673
Foster, Bender out against Clippers Indiana Pacers center Scot Pollard and forward Jonathan Bender missed Wednesday night #39;s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, adding to the team #39;s injury woes.

SciTech: 0.9979128
News: Banks prepare for ATM cyber crime An industry and law enforcement group hopes to prevent Windows XP-based cash machines from inspiring "the next wave of ATM crime."\

SciTech: 0.9823599
Microsoft to launch new search engine Software giant, Microsoft Corp., has decided to release beta versions of its updated MSN search engine earlier today. The company hopes to compete against leading search engines such as Google and Yahoo by

World: 0.9993813
Fallujah 'Hostage Slaughterhouses' Found (AP) AP - U.S. troops, on the verge of gaining control of the city, fought pockets of resistance in this former militant stronghold Wednesday and uncovered what the Iraqi commander said were "hostage slaughterhouses" in which foreign captives had been killed.

World: 0.99932814
Specter Wants to Make Case to Lead SJC (AP) AP - Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., wants to make his case to be chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee directly to the panel's GOP members next week.

Business: 0.9986117
Cost of borrowing goes up in US America #39;s central bank, the Federal Reserve, last night raised interest rates for the fourth time in six months and warned US consumers and businesses to expect further increases in the cost of borrowing over the coming months.

Sports: 0.9996964
Brand, Clippers Clobber Pacers INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 10 (Ticker) -- The Indiana Pacers were looking for a first. The Los Angeles Clippers accomplished one. Elton Brand had 19 points and a season-high 16 rebounds as the Clippers pounded the Pacers, 102-68.

Sports: 0.9991598
Traber rehabbed all of last season Traber was chosen in the first round and 16th overall of the 2001 draft by the New York Mets, and made his major league debut with Cleveland in 2003.

Business: 0.99484336
Fed Raises Interest Rate A 4th Time, To 2 Percent The Federal Reserve suggested that it would continue to raise interest rates gradually through much of next year.

Business: 0.99789906
Intel Doubles Dividend, Boosts Buyback by \$11.5 Bln (Update2) Intel Corp., the world #39;s biggest computer-chip maker, doubled its quarterly dividend and boosted its stock buyback program by \$11.

Sports: 0.9995328
MOTOR RACING: FERRARI IN TALK FURY FERRARI are to snub crucial talks at Heathrow today aimed at revolutionising Grand Prix racing. The Italian giants are the only team blocking radical changes that could save the leading outfits

Business: 0.99832183
Delta Air to Issue More Shares Delta Air Lines, fighting to avoid bankruptcy, said yesterday that it had won approval to bypass shareholders to issue up to 75 million common shares.

Sports: 0.999713
Edu quot;devastated quot; as Arsenal future in doubt The Brazilian midfielder, 26, broke a bone during Tuesday #39;s League Cup victory over Everton - his comeback match after a calf injury.

World: 0.9992925
Row over Australian army photo A picture of Australian troops dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan stirs accusations of racism.

Business: 0.9985935
Analysis: US heating oil guides NYMEX The price of oil futures jumped sharply Wednesday when a disappointing decline in the US heating-oil supply trumped growth in the crude stockpile.

Sports: 0.9781576
NASCAR gives liquor a shot Beginning next season, NASCAR will uncork its long-standing ban on hard-liquor sponsorships, which will tap a new source of funding for at least two high-profile race teams.

World: 0.9994136
Arafat dead at 75 PARIS -- Yasser Arafat, who triumphantly forced his people's plight into the world spotlight but failed to achieve his lifelong quest for Palestinian statehood, died this morning at a French hospital, the chief doctor at the hospital said. He was 75.

Business: 0.54957694
TUC urges 6 minimum wage rate The UK's minimum wage should rise to rise to 6 an hour in the next two years, the TUC says, but business calls the proposal "totally irresponsible".

Business: 0.9985655
Marsh says Putnam isn't on block Officials of embattled Marsh amp; McLennan Cos. yesterday moved to squelch speculation that its Boston money management firm, Putnam Investments, will be divorced from its corporate parent, either in a sale to an outside buyer or through a private buyout engineered by Putnam executives.

Sports: 0.9995988
Guard registers a special point Gary Payton didn't know he had joined the 20,000-point club last night until the public address announcer at the FleetCenter trumpeted the feat.

Business: 0.9983677
FTSE dips as insurers fall Blue-chip shares have retreated from 28-month highs, with insurer Royal amp; Sun Alliance leading the losers as investors baulk at the potential for further adverse claims from its US business and a rating downgrade.

Business: 0.99753076
Metropolitan Life Mandates Banks For Sterling Bond LONDON (Dow Jones)--Metropolitan Life Global Funding has mandated HSBC, Deutsche Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland to lead-manage its forthcoming sterling-denominated bond issue, one of the lead managers said Thursday.

Business: 0.996148
Gold Fields loses high court bid to halt Harmony takeover South African mining giant Gold Fields lost a high court bid to halt a hostile takeover by rival Harmony Gold, which is seeking to create the world #39;s biggest gold producer, a court official said.

Sports: 0.9990277
PIRES UNFAZED BY FRANCE EXCLUSION Robert Pires admits his current form does not merit inclusion in the French national side but has made it clear he has no plans to retire from international football.

SciTech: 0.99802244
Euro supercomputing initiative welcomes users European researchers can now turn to a new supercomputing network for help in their scientific endeavors. quot;We have just completed testing, quot; said David Henty with the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre, a

Sports: 0.9995245
Two Michigan St football players arrested EAST LANSING, Michigan (Ticker) - Two Michigan State football players were arrested Tuesday morning for planting three homemade quot;MacGyver bombs quot; outside a campus apartment.

World: 0.9993592
Sub flees after navy chase The fragile relations between Tokyo and Beijing were further weakened yesterday when a suspected Chinese nuclear submarine was chased out of Japanese territorial waters.

SciTech: 0.7016216
Cloud rat arrives at London Zoo London zoo celebrates the birth of a Panay cloud rat, a very rare tree-living rodent from the Philippines.

SciTech: 0.9968078
UK: GTA San Andreas Sells One Mi According to the ELSPA, GTA: San Andreas has become the fastest selling video game of all time in the UK. They claim that the title has sold more than one million units in just nine days.

World: 0.9993861
Passing of Arafat Draws Mixed Reactions (AP) AP - Tears and gunshots, praise and condemnation marked the death of Yasser Arafat, whose fight for the Palestinian cause made him a towering and controversial figure on the world stage.

SciTech: 0.9981341
Interview: OSDL chief Stuart Cohen - Part 2 In the second of a two-part interview, Open Systems Development Labs chief Stuart Cohen gives his views on Linux security, desktops, the Domino effect towards Linux, and why Microsoft will eventually port to Linux.

SciTech: 0.99786633
Microsoft Patches for ISA Server 2000 and Proxy Server 2.0 Microsoft has released bulletin MS04-039 reporting a security vulnerability in Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 and in Proxy Server 2.0, and has also announced the availability of the patches to resolve these issues.

World: 0.9993919
Central Baghdad Car Bomb Kills 17, Wounds 20 A car bomb exploded near a police patrol in busy central Baghdad on Thursday, killing 17 people and wounding 20, police said. A police source said the blast missed a convoy

World: 0.99938846
Viet Nam deeply regrets Palestinian leader #39;s death Ha Noi, Nov. 11 (VNA) - quot;We are deeply moved and grieved by the death of President Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian State and President of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, quot; Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung has said.

Business: 0.99848783
Jones confirms deal to buy Barneys Jones Apparel Group said Thursday it struck a deal to acquire Barneys New York Inc., agreeing to pay \$400 million for the upscale clothing retailer #39;s outstanding stock and debt.

Business: 0.99662566
HK banks to adopt different prime rates HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hang Seng bank announced Thursday that they will cut their lending and saving rates despite the 25 points rate hike in the United States overnight.

World: 0.9994165
Yasser Arafat dies Yasser Arafat, who triumphantly forced his peoples plight into the world spotlight but failed to achieve his lifelong quest for Palestinian statehood, died today, aged 75, Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat confirmed.

World: 0.9985488
US welcomes speech by Taiwan president WASHINGTON -- The State Department is welcoming what it describes as quot;the positive and constructive points quot; in a speech on China policy by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian.

Sports: 0.99970067
Jet-Lagged Clarke Tied for Lead in Japan GOTEMBA, Japan (Reuters) - Britain's Darren Clarke shook off the effects of jet-lag and a hectic schedule to fire a six-under-par 66 for a share of the first-round lead at the Taiheiyo Masters Thursday.

Business: 0.99142754
Jones Buys Barneys in \$400 Million Deal A company with a middle-brow reputation announced a deal today to buy the singularly trendy clothing chain.

Business: 0.9986082
Wall Street: Will the rally continue through December? So far, Wall Street #39;s hoped-for fourth-quarter rally has met investors #39; expectations. But there #39;s been enough bad news lately to make you wonder if the buying will sputter.

SciTech: 0.9957178
Red Hat opens office in China The Linux firm said it will be collaborating with Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel and Oracle, as well as with Chinese companies.

SciTech: 0.9956061
Microsoft slaps down Intel #39;s Itanium chip THE CINDERELLA of Intel #39;s chips, the Itanium, has been told it can #39;t go to the Microsoft #39;s supercomputer ball. That #39;s according to a report on Infoworld, which claims that the software giant will only support

World: 0.99938095
Terror Suspects Arrested in Netherlands Description: Dutch police arrest three suspects after a counterterror operation in The Hague. The murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a suspected Islamic extremist has heightened concern about terrorism in the Netherlands.

Business: 0.9984162
PepsiCo Reaffirms Its 2005 Outlook PepsiCo Inc., the world #39;s second-largest carbonated soft-drink maker, reaffirmed its outlook for 2005 Thursday after rival Coca-Cola Co.

Sports: 0.9845835
World Cup triumph means more money England #39;s first Rugby World Cup triumph a year ago generated profits of 13.5 million pounds (\$29.8 million Cdn) despite the loss of revenue from a lack of home games.

Business: 0.9985764
Target Earns \$537 Million Target Corp., the No. 2 US discount retailer, on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit on stronger sales and gains from selling its Mervyn #39;s department store chain, and forecast 2004 would end well.

SciTech: 0.9974458
Testimony Ends In Evolution Sticker Trial ATLANTA -- Testimony concluded Wednesday in the lawsuit against Cobb County Georgia schools for placing disclaimer stickers about evolution in high school biology texts.

Business: 0.9526543
Prized Fossil Just a Rock? With positive and negative results, it remains to be seen what type of Fossil this company really is.

SciTech: 0.7975207
Photo: Gap's gadget garment Clothing retailer's new high-tech kids' fleece comes with a built-in radio.

World: 0.9992507
Police Remove Checkpoints Around Capitol (AP) AP - Police checkpoints that have surrounded the Capitol since last August were gone Thursday following a postelection decision by authorities to lower the threat level.

Business: 0.98565626
Nortel financial filings could be delayed into 2005 Less than a week after it launched a media blitz to boost its image, Nortel Networks Ltd. postponed yet again the release of its financial statements, underlining the company #39;s challenges to steer out of the

Sports: 0.9994326
Bucs decline option on reliever Boehringer Jose Mesa and Salomon Torres did most of their best work in tandem in 2004, so it is only fitting that they would come to terms on news deals with the Pittsburgh Pirates on the same day, too.

Sports: 0.99967957
Pac-10 Teams Seek to Revive Reputation (AP) AP - As it looks ahead to another basketball season, the Pac-10 can take some comfort in one thing: There's a lot of room for improvement after a miserable 2003-04. And with traditional power Arizona leading the way, the conference should indeed be much better.

World: 0.99908626
Europe Must Adapt to U.S. View on Terror, NATO Chief Says The head of NATO said there was a critical "perception gap" between Europe and the U.S. on the subject of global terror.

Business: 0.99849427
Delta Pilots Ratify Concession Package CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pilots at Delta Air Lines Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DAL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DAL.N</A> on Thursday ratified a concession package that will save the carrier \$1 billion a year, in a move the company hopes will buy it time to restructure outside of bankruptcy.

Business: 0.9569219
WTO rules against US gambling laws The World Trade Organization says the US ban on cross-border gambling violates international trade laws; the United States said it would appeal.

Business: 0.9774391
Agilent Guides Sharply Lower Agilent #39;s (A:NYSE - news - research) fiscal fourth quarter came up light, and the company slashed first-quarter guidance. Blaming a weak chip business, the Palo Alto, Calif.

Sports: 0.9996979
Only injury can stop peerless Federer at Masters Cup Last season, Roger Federer left Houston not even the top-ranked player of the year. He returns to the Westside Tennis Club next week to defend his Masters Cup title as the most

World: 0.999388
Arafat #39;s body arrives in Cairo for funeral The body of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has arrived in Cairo from Paris for a military funeral which presidents and other dignitaries from around the world are due to attend.

SciTech: 0.99242276
Microsoft launches new search engine Redmond-based Microsoft Corp. on Thursday launched a test version of its new MSN Search service, hoping to compete with Google and other major Web search services.

SciTech: 0.9612072
Four in court over SQL theft FOUR former Microsoft employees have been charged with stealing \$US32.4 million (\$42.71 million) worth of software and selling it on the side.

Sports: 0.99970466
More mature Busch looking forward to Darlington Kurt Busch has learned a lot during his four years in NASCAR #39;s top series. He just hopes that knowledge is enough to carry him and his Roush Racing team to a Nextel Cup championship.

Business: 0.99509996
Delta Pilots Ratify Concession Package (Reuters) Reuters - Pilots at Delta Air Lines Inc. \on Thursday ratified a concession package that will save the\carrier #36;1 billion a year, in a move the company hopes will buy\it time to restructure outside of bankruptcy.

World: 0.999421
Blair Flies to Stand by Bush in Post-Arafat Plans (Reuters) Reuters - As George W. Bush formulates his plans\for a Middle East without Yasser Arafat, British Prime Minister\Tony Blair will be standing where he says he belongs: right by\the U.S. president's side.

World: 0.99934775
Dutch Lawmakers Say Threat Underestimated (AP) AP - Dutch lawmakers accused the government Thursday of underestimating the threat from Islamic terrorists and failing to protect a filmmaker slain by a suspected Muslim radical.

SciTech: 0.9950991
European spacecraft prepares to orbit Moon Europes first lunar spacecraft is set to go into orbit around the Moon on Monday. SMART-1 has already reached the gateway to the Moon, the region where its gravity starts to dominate that of the Earth.

Sports: 0.99970824
Senna suspension stands Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - UEFA #39;s suspension and fine of Villarreal #39;s Marcos Senna was upheld on Thursday after an investigation into the player #39;s positive drug test.

World: 0.99939525
Deadly Explosion Hits Central Baghdad There were no official casualty figures but witnesses said at least four people were killed and several others wounded. The blast set more than 10 cars on fire.

Business: 0.9985719
Delta Pilots Ratify Concession Package CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pilots at Delta Air Lines Inc. on Thursday ratified a concession package that will save the carrier \$1 billion a year, in a move the company hopes will buy it time to restructure outside of bankruptcy.

SciTech: 0.997141
Firefox - Ready To Take On Internet Explorer? The open-source Firefox browser is chipping away at Internet Explorer #39;s market dominance, and analysts are saying that Internet sites should add it to their test list.

Sports: 0.99971014
Four players shoot opening-round 66 SEMMES, Ala. -- Grace Park, looking to clinch second place in the Player of the Year race, birdied the final hole Thursday to gain a share of the lead after the first round of the Tournament of Champions.

SciTech: 0.96896565
Outsourcing to Arkansas A new kid on the block promises to give offshore outsourcing a run for its money--by routing technology work to rural America. Outsourcing Blog

Business: 0.98216313
Intel dauphin Otellini becomes king Intel #39;s board has given the go ahead for the long anticipated shift in power from current CEO Craig Barrett to current President Paul Otellini Come May 18, Otellini will take over the chipmaker and become its fifth ever CEO.

Sports: 0.99953866
Ironman winner confirms she used drug Nina Kraft, winner of last month #39;s Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawai #39;i, acknowledged yesterday that she had used the banned endurance-boosting drug EPO.

World: 0.99931014
Philippine Rail Cars Crash Into Ravine, 100 Trapped MANILA (Reuters) - Rescuers in the Philippines smashed train windows with axes and hammers Friday to reach 100 passengers trapped when a carriage derailed and dragged other cars into a ravine, killing at least four people.

Business: 0.9656051
Intel Taps Otellini As Next CEO Intel #39;s board, as expected, has named Paul Otellini to succeed Craig Barrett as CEO effective next May 18, the company announced Thursday.

Sports: 0.99962175
Italy: Sicilian derby ends in draw PALERMO, Nov 11 (SW) - After a 39-year wait for a Serie A Sicilian derby, the match between Palermo and Messina on Thursday managed only a 0-0 draw.

World: 0.9994025
Local Israeli And Palestinian Teens React To Arafat #39;s Death The death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is deeply dividing an already torn Middle Eastern country. As Palestinians mourn the loss of their leader

SciTech: 0.9911573
#39;Star Trek #39; spaceship enters the gateway to the Moon A EUROPEAN spacecraft powered by a Star Trek-style thruster has flown through a lunar gateway that puts it on course to reach the Moon on Monday.

World: 0.99938226
Strong Quake Hits Indonesian Island, Kills Six JAKARTA (Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale shook an island in eastern Indonesia on Friday, killing six people and injuring at least six more, a government official said.

SciTech: 0.99737895
Georgia Evolution Dispute Embarrasses Some Atlanta, Nov. 11 - First, Georgia #39;s education chief tried to take the word quot;evolution quot; out of the state #39;s science curriculum.

World: 0.9993092
Sharon cautious on reopening talks The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, yesterday said the death of his long-time rival, Yasser Arafat, could prove to be quot;a historic turning point in the Middle East quot;.

Sports: 0.9995183
Patriots Open With Win George Mason has five players score in double figures Thursday night as the Patriots defeat Indianapolis-Purdue Fort Wayne, 69-51, in the opening round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

Sports: 0.9996804
No. 6 Syracuse Crushes N. Colo. 104-54 Syracuse #39;s Hakim Warrick dunks against Northern Colorado during the first half in Syracuse, NY, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli).

Sports: 0.99674666
Giants Hold On to Warner Eli Manning, sleepy-eyed and tousled-haired, dropped off his playbook at his locker Thursday. Four television crews swarmed around him.

Sports: 0.999689
McCline, Byrd say fight won #39;t weigh heavy on friendship Jameel McCline had made a habit of calling heavyweight titleholder Chris Byrd, his good friend, whenever he found out about his next fight in order to hear Byrd #39;s opinion and discuss strategy.

Business: 0.9980804
NJ Transit Riders Get A quot;Fare quot; Warning (1010 WINS) (NEWARK) NJ Transit #39;s executive director on Thursday said the agency #39;s 400,000 daily riders should expect fare hikes of up to 15 percent starting in July to offset a projected \$50 million deficit caused by higher fuel and security costs and

World: 0.99939287
Earthquake hits Indonesian island At least six people are killed as a strong earthquake jolts an island in eastern Indonesia.

Sports: 0.9991763
Orange Crush Bears Sixth-ranked Syracuse scores the first 24 points of the game and cruises to a 104-54 victory over Northern Colorado on Thursday night in the first round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

Sports: 0.9996774
#39;Noles put clamps on Wolfpack The Florida State offense looked inept in the first half of its game Thursday night against North Carolina State. It played feebly.

World: 0.99933285
Some Grieve for Arafat While Others Sigh in Relief In death, as in life, the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat provoked a great wave of contrary emotions across the Middle East on Thursday - grief at the passing of the once

World: 0.99940455
Arafat memorial important - Mbeki Describing Yasser Arafat as one of the giants of the twentieth century, SA president Thabo Mbeki said it was important for him to be at his memorial service in Cairo on Friday.

Business: 0.99852365
Delta pilots OK \$5B in concessions SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Pilots at Delta Air Lines approved a management-backed pay cut that will save the airline \$5 billion over the next five years, the pilots union said Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99618214
Game Daze: #39;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, #39; #39;Midway Arcade ... It #39;s violent. It #39;s profane and politically incorrect. It #39;s packed wall to wall with tough thugs doing terrible things.

Business: 0.98102355
Yen Rises Vs Dollar Despite Japan Data TOKYO (Reuters) - The yen advanced against the dollar on Friday, shrugging off weak third-quarter growth figures for Japan as market worries persisted about the huge U.S. deficits.

Sports: 0.9987214
Schedule filled with key games Supernatural forces must be at work in the land of high school football. There's no other way to explain a schedule that features 12 games between first- and second-place teams of leagues this weekend.

World: 0.99922514
Japan to Protest to China Over Intruder Submarine TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will protest to China after concluding that a nuclear-powered submarine that intruded into its waters this week belonged to the Chinese navy, top government spokesman Hiroyuki Hosoda said on Friday.

Sports: 0.9992908
No. 12 Mississippi St. Struggles in Opener (AP) AP - Two of the three ranked teams playing on the opening night of the college basketball season cruised to easy wins. Then there was Mississippi State.

Business: 0.99485576
Report: EADS Could Link With Thales The French government is considering a linkup of European Aeronautic Defence amp; Space Co. with Thales SA to create an aerospace giant, the financial daily Les Echos reported Friday.

SciTech: 0.9971852
Brown Bears Came to N. America Earlier Than Thought, Fossil ... The discovery also sheds light on the ancestry of modern brown bears, which has long puzzled researchers. A genetic analysis of the skull fragment indicates its owner was closely related to the brown bears

World: 0.9992188
Nujoma's Man Set to Sweep Namibia Elections OSHAKATI, Namibia (Reuters) - Hifikepunye Pohamba, who has spearheaded moves to expropriate white-owned land for redistribution to black peasants, is virtually guaranteed victory in Namibia's presidential polls next week.

Business: 0.9950896
Austrian Panel OKs Siemens Takeover Bid Austrian regulators have approved Siemens AG #39;s bid to takeover engineering competitor VA Technologie AG, Austrian radio said Friday.

Business: 0.9951438
Hit animated films boost Pixar Pixar Animation Studio reported on Thursday strong third-quarter results that were lifted by solid home video sales of its older blockbuster hits quot;Finding Nemo #39; #39; and quot;Monsters, Inc.

Business: 0.8539684
France joins Germany, Japan in economic slide (AFP) AFP - The French economy hit a rough patch in the third quarter, throwing the government's full-year growth target into question amid signs of an economic slowdown in the 12-nation eurozone.

Business: 0.99857974
US Oct. retail sales up 0.2 Auto sales declined 2.2 percent in October after a 4.3 percent increase in September. Excluding autos, retail sales rose 0.9 percent, the strongest sales since May.

Sports: 0.99964905
Tigers #39; challenge: Win out or lose out Satchel Paige said don #39;t look back because something might be gaining on you. Satch was a baseball pitcher, not a football coach.

World: 0.9991054
'Tensions high' in Nigeria state Anambra state in Nigeria is tense after gangs set fire to the governor's office and other buildings, local officials say.

World: 0.9993882
Kashmir separatist chief arrested Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is prevented from leading a protest against allleged rapes by an Indian army officer.

SciTech: 0.99746764
Halo 2 vs Xbox hacks p2pnet.net News:- Xbox add-ons that let users run items not produced by Microsoft have been out there almost since Day One. quot;Hackers who equip their Xboxes with mod chips and other upgrades such as bigger

Sports: 0.9428858
49ers tickets are available Since just before the start of the NFL #39;s regular season two months ago, television viewers in the Bay Area have been seeing commercials for a product that for years has sold itself.

Business: 0.9955006
New York's Spitzer Expects to Sue Universal Life (Reuters) Reuters - New York Attorney General Eliot\Spitzer, who is probing bid-rigging in the insurance industry,\expects to file suit against health insurance consultant\Universal Life Resources as early as Friday, a spokesman for\his office said.

Business: 0.9554357
Telephone Tag (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - ARRIS GROUP (5, ARRS) saw its market cap unjustifiably halved recently when Comcast, a huge customer (24 of Arris' sales), hinted it might buy next-generation technology from Cisco Systems. Arris supplies the technical guts that cable companies use to provide phone service. (For the reverse phenomenon, see story on p. 162.)

SciTech: 0.99794334
HP Hugs JBoss Tighter HP (Quote, Chart) deepened its relationship with open source software concern JBoss, agreeing to become a major source of support for its application server and Linux.

SciTech: 0.99711657
NASA scramjet goes for Mach 10 burn NASA #39;s X-43A scramjet will on Monday undergo its third test flight during which scientists will attempt to push the vehicle to Mach 10.

SciTech: 0.9975733
Microsoft probing reported flaws in Windows XP SP2 NOVEMBER 12, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp. yesterday said it is investigating claims that several new vulnerabilities have been found in Windows XP Service Pack 2 by security firm Finjan Software Inc.

Sports: 0.9995809
One of nation #39;s hottest coaches, Tedford will shock nation and ... The T-shirt was the brainchild of Bob Rose, the University of California #39;s aptly named executive associate athletic director for communications, and it speaks to the school #39;s football revival on numerous levels.

World: 0.99941695
US Forces Move Deeper Into Fallujah; Clashes in Mosul US and Iraqi forces are pushing deeper south into the city of Fallujah on the fifth day of a joint offensive to drive out insurgents.

World: 0.9993703
EU studies Iranian response on nuclear program wrangle VIENNA (AFP) - EU officials were evaluating Iran #39;s response to an offer for Tehran to avoid possible UN sanctions over its nuclear program in a wrangle that has led a UN watchdog to hold up a key report.

SciTech: 0.9945082
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent golden EA #39;s James Bond-baddie shooter has left its secret headquarters and taken over the factory. Like an evil genius announcing his demands, Electronic Arts has let the world know that GoldenEye: Rogue Agent has gone gold.

World: 0.99928015
Prosecutor Seeks 8-Year Jail Term for Italy's PM MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian prosecutor asked a court on Friday to sentence Silvio Berlusconi to eight years in jail for bribing judges as the prime minister's four-year corruption trial reached its closing stages.

SciTech: 0.99739575
Europes First Moon Probe to Enter Lunar Orbit Europes first mission to the moon is just days away from its goal after taking the slow boat from Earth more than a year ago. The spacecraft, dubbed SMART-1, will make its first close pass by the moon on the evening of Nov.

World: 0.9991768
France defends itself against accusations of excessive force in ... ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (CP) - France defended itself Friday against accusations by Ivory Coast authorities, and some western evacuees, that it used excessive force to protect foreigners against violent mobs during five days of upheaval in its former West

World: 0.98350126
Secretary Rumsfeld Remarks En Route to El Salvador SEC. RUMSFELD: As you know, were going to be stopping in El Salvador and Nicaragua and Panama and Ecuador. The first stops will be visits to the places, particularly El Salvador and Nicaragua - countries

World: 0.99656445
Relatives of abandoned man found The family of an 82-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer who was abandoned at a hospital have come forward.

SciTech: 0.99703276
Firefox - Ready To Take On Internet Explorer? (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - While Firefox wins rave reviews for its browser technology and appears ready to chip away at Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) dominant Internet Explorer market share, the open-source browser is probably a long way off from unseating IE in the enterprise.

World: 0.99932945
Vilsack, Dean Jockey for Top DNC Post (AP) AP - Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack told Democratic leaders on Friday he may seek the party's top job as the jockeying to replace chairman Terry McAuliffe intensified.

Business: 0.9986034
UPDATE 4-New York #39;s Spitzer charges Universal Life with fraud New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on Friday filed suit against Universal Life Resources (ULR), charging the life and disability insurance broker with taking fraudulent kick-backs for steering business to certain insurers

SciTech: 0.9978872
Security company warning of vulnerabilities in Windows XP SP2 A US security company is warning that it has found ten #39;serious #39; vulnerabilities in Windows XP systems with SP2 installed.

SciTech: 0.9971951
Video phones act as dating tools Plus: At 80, fractal discoverer Benoit Mandelbrot says he has much math work left to do. News.com Extra

Business: 0.9984971
SunTrust Restates Results, Profits Up NEW YORK (Reuters) - SunTrust Banks Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=STI.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">STI.N</A>, which fired three executives over its accounting for bad loans, on Friday restated first-half profit higher by \$25.1 million, more than it had forecast, to fix the mistakes.

Business: 0.99857557
GenCorp to reject Steel Partners offer--CNBC GenCorp (GY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is expected to reject a \$17 per share offer from US investment fund Steel Partners II, according to a report by CNBC.

Sports: 0.9987238
Lokomotiv Moscow captures league title Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - Lokomotiv Moscow won the Russian Premier League championship on the final day of the season with a 2-0 victory over Shinnik Yaroslavl.

SciTech: 0.9573912
Coalition asks US Congress to kill copyright bill WASHINGTON - A coalition of technology and advocacy groups on Friday asked the U.S. Senate to kill copyright legislation that might result in jail time for people who trade copyrighted files online.

SciTech: 0.9515101
Is Google the new devil? Looks like Microsoft may have been biding its time to get back at search giant Google. Missing Links

SciTech: 0.67865425
U.S. to Allow Some Telemarketing 'Robo Calls' WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Telemarketers will be able to use prerecorded "robo calls" to stay in touch with established customers starting next week -- at least for the short term, U.S. regulators said Friday.

Business: 0.9963935
Governor calls for resignation of Big Dig chief BOSTON Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is calling for the resignation of the head of the state #39;s Turnpike Authority. Romney #39;s move comes in the wake of reports that a record 14-point-six (b) billion-dollar

SciTech: 0.9812521
Microsoft Now Leads in PDA, Embedded OS Two new studies show Microsoft (Quote, Chart) is now leading both the embedded operating system category as well as in PDAs. According to statistics by research firm Gartner (Quote, Chart), Microsoft #39;s Windows

World: 0.99939215
Fallujah Assault Traps 50,000 Residents, Party Says (Update2) Tens of thousands of civilians are confined to their houses in Fallujah and may be in need of humanitarian aid as US and Iraqi forces battle insurgents for control of the city, according to Iraq #39;s Islamic Party.

Sports: 0.99865097
USC, Auburn Complete Seasons Undefeated (AP) AP - Southern California and Auburn finished perfect regular seasons in very different ways.

World: 0.9994036
Arafat Buried in Chaotic Scenes in West Bank (Reuters) Reuters - Yasser Arafat was buried on\Friday in chaotic scenes of grief and gunfire at the compound\where he spent his final years encircled by the Israeli army\and powerless to realize his dream of a Palestinian state.

World: 0.99939346
Police Lose Control of Mosul Amid Uprising (AP) AP - The Iraqi government rushed reinforcements Friday to the country's third-largest city, Mosul, seeking to quell a deadly militant uprising that U.S. officials suspected may be in support of the resistance in Fallujah #151; now said to be under 80 percent U.S. control.

Business: 0.9986204
Oil Prices Don #39;t Deter Shoppers; Consumer Confidence Index Up Consumers shrugged off record oil prices to increase spending at the start of the fourth quarter, data released Friday by the Commerce Department showed.

Sports: 0.999713
Warren Is Told Not to Get Personal The NFL cautioned Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Gerard Warren not to pick up a personal foul penalty against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during tomorrow #39;s game.

World: 0.9993229
New Ivory Coast Violence Shatters French Connection Chanting quot;We want the French! quot; a crowd of armed and angry young men swept past La Planta, a club owned by an Ivorian. They started to attack the nearby Byblos

Business: 0.9980811
Fed Sticks With Its 'Measured' Pace Federal Reserve officials agreed at a meeting in September that they probably would keep raising their benchmark interest rate in coming quarters because of the likelihood of continued solid economic growth.

SciTech: 0.80779976
Microsoft Takes Lead in PDA Software Microsoft Corp.'s software platform for personal digital assistants took over the market lead from PalmSource Inc. for the first time in the third quarter, according to market research released Friday.

Business: 0.986878
Asian rust poses problem to area farmers David Martz, like many other area farmers, just sighed upon hearing the news that Asian soybean rust had been discovered in Louisiana.

World: 0.9994042
Final respects paid to Arafat Palestinians pay their last respects to Yasser Arafat after chaotic scenes at his burial in Ramallah.

World: 0.9992181
Ship hits Japan breakwater At least six crew members are killed and one is missing after a South Korean cargo ship hits a breakwater in Japan.

Sports: 0.9963018
Yankees' Holding Pattern Is Sure to Change Brian Cashman, the general manager of the Yankees, on Friday looked as if he had been up deep into the night plotting how to improve the team.

World: 0.9992987
Prosecutor seeks 8 years in jail for Berlusconi MILAN -- An Italian prosecutor asked a court yesterday to sentence Silvio Berlusconi to eight years in jail for bribing judges as the prime minister's four-year corruption trial reached its closing stages.

Sports: 0.99972314
Iverson Answers Bell in OT PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12 (Ticker) -- It seemed like a highly unlikely game for Allen Iverson to sink his first career game-winning buzzer-beater.

World: 0.9993661
Mosque set on fire in Netherlands A Dutch mosque is set on fire in what appears to be the latest attack on the Muslim community.

World: 0.9993662
Iran Says EU Nuke Negotiations in Final Stages TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's negotiations with the European Union over a deal which would spare Tehran from possible U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program are in their final stages, Iran said Saturday.

Sports: 0.9996532
Warren tones down his bark #39; #39;The views of the host do not necessarily reflect the views of the station or its sponsors. #39; #39;. The Browns were not thrilled when Warren said he would gladly pay a \$50,000 fine to rub out Roethlisberger, who

World: 0.9993556
Bush Says U.S. Will Push Hard on Peace Plan At a news conference with Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Bush said there was a "great chance" to create a Palestinian state.

Business: 0.98373413
US Air Asks Court to End Labor Contracts US Airways asked to throw out contracts covering passenger service agents, flight attendants and other workers and replace them with less-expensive ones.

SciTech: 0.99801886
Coding Viruses for the Mind If as some have suggested religions are viruses of the mind, then it might make sense to separate the components of any given religion into two parts. The first part being those things which are necessary to maintain viral infection and which assist in the infection of new hosts. The second part is the payload: Those instructions which the virus writer wishes those who have been infected to carry out or execute. My hope is that this method of analysis will assist others in understanding the structure of existing religions as well as those who aim to write one from scratch

SciTech: 0.95372486
Wireless Operators Team on Wi-Fi Roaming NTT Communications, T-Mobile USA, Telstra, StarHub, and Maxis Communications have joined to establish roaming arrangements that allow customers to use wireless broadband services from Internet access points -- called hotspots quot; -- in their countries

Sports: 0.9996866
Tennis: Mauresmo books semi-final berth at WTA Tour Championships LOS ANGELES : France #39;s Amelie Mauresmo has booked her berth in the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

Sports: 0.9997259
Warren warned following threat CLEVELAND - The NFL gave a warning to Browns defensive tackle Gerard Warren on Friday, a day after he said he would try to hit Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the head Sunday.

World: 0.99938893
Pakistan Says Militants on the Run, Despite Blast NANO, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani forces are driving al Qaeda-linked militants out of mountains near the Afghan border but attacks such as a bomb that wounded soldiers on Saturday could not be ruled out, a commander said.

Business: 0.9789609
FDA Bans Vioxx And Bextra Critic From Advisory Panel Meeting A drug safety expert says his invitation to participate in a meeting on the risks of arthritis drugs like Vioxx and Bextra has been rescinded by government officials because he publicly expressed concerns about the medications.

Sports: 0.9996393
Toronto Raptors Team Report - November 13 (Sports Network) - The surprising Toronto Raptors will try to push their record to 5-2 tonight, when they continue their six-game road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.

World: 0.9993229
Grief, tears as mother, seven children killed in house fire mourned (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - ST. CATHARINES, Ont. (CP) - About 1,000 mourners filled a church Saturday for a funeral service for a mother and her seven children killed when fire tore through their century-old rural southwestern Ontario home.

Sports: 0.9995838
Parker #39;s confidence key; Wade needs seasoning Tonight #39;s game featuring the Miami Heat and their three-time NBA finals MVP Shaquille O #39;Neal versus the San Antonio Spurs and their two-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan has obvious potential as an early-season championship preview.

SciTech: 0.998066
HP Joins with JBoss on Server Support Hewlett-Packard Co. and open-source middleware vendor JBoss Inc. on Friday said that HP will now provide first-line support for JBoss #39; open-source Java application server.

Sports: 0.99961
The NFL is at its midway point. Time to hand out some awards It #39;s the NFL midseason, and I #39;ve done a pretty good job the last couple of months pretending I don #39;t cover the sport for SI.

Sports: 0.99929774
No. 6 Texas Rallies Past Kansas, 27-23 (AP) AP - Vince Young scored on an 18-yard touchdown run with 4:11 left and threw a 22-yard TD pass to Tony Jeffrey with 11 seconds remaining to rally No. 6 Texas past Kansas 27-23 Saturday.

Sports: 0.9997178
Beckham returns to England squad for Spain game David Beckham, out for a month with broken ribs, was named by Sven-Goran Eriksson to England #39;s team for its friendly match on Wednesday against Spain at Real Madrid #39;s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

SciTech: 0.9923172
Greek, British Police Break Illegal Software Ring Greek and British police in a joint operation cracked a multi-million illegal software sales ring, arresting two people and seizing thousands of pirate high-tech software programs, Greek police said on Friday.

Sports: 0.999701
Hornets' Davis Sidelined with Back Injury NEW ORLEANS (Sports Network) - New Orleans Hornets guard Baron Davis did not make the trip to Milwaukee for Saturday's game against the Bucks because of a strained lower back.

Sports: 0.9997216
Carolina's Davis Done for the Season CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sports Network) - Carolina Panthers running back Stephen Davis will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve Saturday.

Sports: 0.99957556
PSV Stays Top After 1-0 Win Over Willem II AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink scored his seventh goal of the season to give Dutch league leader PSV Eindhoven a 1-0 win over Willem II Tilburg on Saturday.

Sports: 0.91321105
Through Strife, Ravens Are Bonding and Winning Through Intimidation Since 1996, the team's first season in Baltimore, the Ravens have projected an image of 11 black helmets swarming to the football, imposing their will with unequaled fervor.

World: 0.9991025
Panama Assures Rumsfeld on Canal Security PANAMA CITY, Panama (Reuters) - Panama's security chief told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Saturday the Central American nation was working to prevent any terror attack that might close the Panama Canal.

Sports: 0.999037
The Rundown Unquestionably the showcase game of the day. Auburn already has sewn up the Southeastern Conference West, and Georgia would need Tennessee to lose to have a chance in the East.

Sports: 0.9963715
Man Utd calls for emergency Glazer meeting THE directors of Manchester United will this week demand an emergency meeting with Malcolm Glazer, head of the Florida family that is stalking the world-famous football club.

Sports: 0.9995235
Spurs accuse liar Santini FORMER Tottenham Hotspur manager Jacques Santini sparked a war of words last night after claiming that he had resigned nine days ago because of a rift with director of football, Frank Arnesen, and not as previously stated for personal reasons.

Sports: 0.9987882
Chance to Measure Up During his 14 seasons as an NFL assistant and head coach, Virginia Coach Al Groh was often involved in the evaluation of college prospects.

Business: 0.99685943
Stocks End Higher as Dell Boosts Techs Stocks extended their rally on Friday, led by technology shares after computer maker Dell Inc. (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) shot up 8 percent on a higher quarterly profit and an optimistic forecast.

Sports: 0.999699
Michigan State Shocks Wisconsin EAST LANSING, Mich. (Sports Network) - Jason Teague, who ran for 112 yards and a score on 17 carries, caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter to snap a tie and help Michigan State post a 49-14 win over

Sports: 0.9970137
Arizona State Retires Tillman's Jersey (AP) AP - Jake Plummer was among about 50 former Arizona State teammates of Pat Tillman who gathered Saturday night to help the school retire the fallen soldier's No. 42 jersey in an emotional halftime ceremony.

SciTech: 0.9937158
Firefox Leaves No Reason to Endure Internet Explorer That should have been said a long time ago. After Microsoft cemented a monopoly of the Web-browser market, it let Internet Explorer go stale, parceling out ho-hum updates that neglected vulnerabilities

World: 0.9991912
Editorial: Sub incident shows China #39;s stripes After days of speculation and a chase by Japanese destroyers and a surveillance plane, it has finally been determined that the nuclear submarine that intruded into Japanese territorial water between Okinawa and Taiwan was Chinese.

SciTech: 0.8335895
Final Round in Cable-ISP Fight The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear whether cable operators must give access to their lines to third-party ISPs. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.

SciTech: 0.9754484
Adobe Gets High Marks for Photo Fixes Among three digital photography repair programs, Adobe Elements is cited as providing the right amount of features and commands while maintaining user simplicity.

SciTech: 0.9617238
At Tuesday #39;s midnight hour, you #39;ll find a meteor shower While walking the pooch in the crisp early morning air Wednesday, you might hear a few snaps, perhaps a buzz, and maybe even some whistles overhead.

Sports: 0.99970967
(5) California 42 Washington 12 SEATTLE Fifth-ranked California ran past Washington 42-to-12. JJ Arrington rushed for 121 yards and Marshawn Lynch matched that. Lynch had TD runs of 32 and 70 yards along with a 29-yard scoring reception.

World: 0.99939
Life After Yasir Arafat His successors wanted an orderly funeral. They brought in bulldozers to clean up Yasir Arafat #39;s broken-down headquarters in Ramallah.

SciTech: 0.6086897
Microsoft takes lead in handheld market Microsoft Corp., worlds largest software maker, increased its market shares of Windows CE, operating system for handheld devices, in the third quarter of this year, stated a research study conducted by Gartner, Inc.

Sports: 0.99963915
Will Bills be more receptive? FOXBOROUGH -- Hello, Mike Mularkey. Welcome to opportunity. Watch that game film of New England-St. Louis last week?

Sports: 0.99935406
This silence can't be golden What does Larry Bird think of Ron Artest's recent sabbatical? He's not saying. But given that this was a guy who came out of traction to play a game, we can pretty much assume what he has said behind closed doors.

World: 0.99928206
American deaths The Pentagon has released the names of the following US service members killed recently in Iraq:

Sports: 0.9994404
I quit because of recruitment problems: Santini Tottenham manager Jacques Santini said he left the north London club because he was not in control of recruitment, he said on French television on Saturday.

SciTech: 0.978075
Newest video games gun to be No. 1 Voters apparently weren #39;t the only ones willing to stand in long lines. The release of this year #39;s two hottest video games - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Halo 2 - had gamers lined up at stores across the nation to pick up their pre-ordered games.

SciTech: 0.989202
Virtual Warriors Have Feelings, Too Instead of playing Halo 2 as intended, a filmmaker and a crew of machinima peers exploit the game's software quirks to create their online comedy series, Red vs. Blue, within Halo's virtual world.

Sports: 0.99971324
Beckham Could Quit England After World Cup England captain David Beckham has revealed that he is considering retiring from international football after the 2006 World Cup. The 29-year-old Real Madrid midfielder is keen to preserve his club career for

World: 0.99940634
Northern Irish Protestant group pledges to end violence Northern Ireland #39;s main pro-British paramilitary group, The Ulster Defence Association (UDA), has pledged to end all violence and work towards complete disarmament.

Business: 0.9961893
Except for less export business, most find little to complain ... Longtime Gonzales County rancher Jim Selman, who raises calves in the biggest cattle county in the nation #39;s biggest cattle state, sees 2004 as a year to remember.

Sports: 0.99958974
Safin tallest obstacle to host #39;s patriotic games hope AS tennis fans go, Houston #39;s Jim #39;Mattress Mack #39; McIngvale is very rich, extremely forthright, exceedingly patriotic and unflinchingly Republican.

World: 0.983751
Activists Want Divestment From Sudan (AP) AP - Black activists and religious groups are pressing public pension funds to divest a purported #36;91 billion in holdings of companies operating in oil-rich Sudan.

SciTech: 0.99465454
Kiwi firms ditch Explorer for Firefox Aoraki Mt Cook Ski Planes and New Zealand Tourism Online are turning their backs on Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer. Both companies are among the early adopters of Firefox, a free quot;open source quot; Web browser.

Sports: 0.99967086
Motorsport: Loeb matches record season PERTH - French driver Sebastien Loeb won his first motor rally of Australia yesterday when comfortably negotiating the final six stages near Perth.

Sports: 0.9996846
D.C. to Face K.C. for MLS Championship (AP) AP - Peter Nowak has played in two MLS Cups #151; he liked the first a lot better #151; and gets another crack at the championship this year. The rookie coach will guide D.C. United in Sunday's title game against Kansas City.

Sports: 0.994896
Online Football: Bruins unable to squeeze past Trojans The UCLA football team had all that it asked for: possession of the ball in the fourth quarter with an opportunity to beat No. 1 USC.

Business: 0.9984133
COLUMN: Many Struggle to Comply with Sarbanes Rules A flurry of companies may miss the deadline to comply with new regulations brought in after the corporate scandals of 2002, but the key for investors will be to judge how serious the underlying problems really are.

Sports: 0.9996855
Middlesbrough spoil Robson #39;s home-coming Bryan Robson had an unhappy start as West Bromwich Albion manager on Sunday when the Premier League strugglers went down 2-1 to Middlesbrough on the ground he once graced as a budding England great.

World: 0.9994012
Iran Agrees to Suspend Uranium Enrichment (AP) AP - Iran has agreed to fully suspend uranium enrichment and linked activities that Washington asserts are part of a nuclear weapons program, diplomats said Sunday.

World: 0.9992993
Obama Balances Stardom, Local Interests (AP) AP - In the days since he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama has chatted by phone with President Bush, had his picture in People magazine and appeared several times on national television.

Sports: 0.9991334
USC rolls to easy win Despite playing well Arizona was unable the hold the top ranked USC Trojans, losing 49-9. The score was a bit deceiving as the Wildcats hung tough with the nations best team for about a quarter and a half.

Sports: 0.9997087
NFL Game Summary - Detroit at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL (Sports Network) - David Garrard hooked up with Jimmy Smith for a 36-yard touchdown pass 5:28 into overtime to lift Jacksonville over Detroit, 23-17, in a wild affair at Alltel Stadium.

Sports: 0.999699
No. 6 Duke Tops South Fla. in Women #39;s NIT Duke #39;s Wanisha Smith (23) celebrates a Duke basket along side assistant coach LaVonda Wagner during the second half of the second round of the Pre-Season Women #39;s National Invitational Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004 in Durham, NC No.

World: 0.99940646
UDA pledge ceasefire The UDA, Northern Ireland #39;s largest loyalist paramilitary group has pledged to end all violence and work towards complete disarmament.

World: 0.9993808
Abbas Escapes Gaza Shooting Unharmed (AP) AP - Mahmoud Abbas, the temporary successor to Yasser Arafat, escaped unharmed Sunday when militants firing assault rifles burst into a mourning tent for the deceased Palestinian leader, killing two security guards and wounding six other people.

World: 0.9993174
B.C. Mountie killed in stolen truck crash leaves wife, two small children (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - VERNON, B.C. (CP) - Vernon RCMP have identified the auxiliary officer killed when the cruiser in which he was riding was struck by a stolen truck as Glen Evely, 39.

SciTech: 0.9981158
NASA to test hypersonic scramjet WASHINGTON: NASA will today conduct the final and fastest test flight of its pilotless X-43A hypersonic research aircraft, aiming to send it zooming across the Pacific Ocean at about 10 times the speed of sound -- almost 3.2 kilometers (two miles) per

SciTech: 0.99811757
Firefox 1.0 Presents Threat to IE The Firefox browser offers superior security features over Internet Explorer -- and as long as IE drives more than 90 percent of the world #39;s computers, hackers will continue to make it a target.

Sports: 0.99947244
Serena Ends Mauresmo's Year-End No. 1 Bid (AP) AP - Serena Williams is in love #151; with her new attacking game and herself.

Sports: 0.99971193
Prso seals victory for 10-man Rangers Striker Dado Prso netted a second-half penalty as Rangers battled to a 1-0 Scottish Premier League win at Hibernian on Sunday. Prso converted after 65 minutes after

World: 0.9993723
France, Ivory Coast relations worsen Nine French peacekeepers were killed during an air raid by Ivorian bombers more than a week ago. France responded by destroying most of the Ivorian air force.

Sports: 0.9955473
Instant Analysis: Va Tech at Miami For so many years, so many big games, and so many white-knuckle moments, the Miami Hurricanes have made the last minute of a football game their close friend.

Sports: 0.9996872
Norman looking to post a low score Greg Norman will be looking to post a low score to give the leaders a target in the final round of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum #39;s Hyatt Resort, north of Brisbane.

World: 0.9993339
NOBEL LAUREATE TO CONVEY CHEN #39;S GOODWILL TO BEIJING LEADER AT APEC Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh said Friday he will convey President Chen Shui-bian #39;s goodwill to mainland Chinese President Hu Jintao at the upcoming informal leadership meeting

World: 0.99493706
In Taipei, Talk of Arms -- and Amity Premier Yu Shyi-Kun hopes economic ties to the mainland will guarantee peace. If not, quot;Taiwan has to have to ability to defend itself quot;.

SciTech: 0.99642247
Yahoo, EarthLink to Test New Anti-Spam System WASHINGTON (Reuters) - EarthLink Inc. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=ELNK.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">ELNK.O</A> and Yahoo Inc. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=YHOO.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">YHOO.O</A> said on Monday they would begin tests of a new anti-spam technology that encodes digital signatures into customers' e-mail as a way to separate legitimate messages from unwanted spam.

Sports: 0.98889434
Wardian, Feldman Right at Home in Parks Marathon Michael Wardian rounded the corner onto Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, smiling broadly and waving to the cheering crowd. Making his way to the finish line, Wardian ran comfortably, looking more like someone finishing a training run rather than a race.

Business: 0.9966217
ONGC, Cairn Energy decide to team up Mumbai: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Scottish oil firm Cairn Energy Ltd have decided to team up for oil exploration and production (E amp;P) in the domestic as well as international markets.

SciTech: 0.9969363
Sun to shine spotlight on new operating system, Solaris 10 Sun Microsystems SUNW is expected to release a new version of its operating system today - a big part of the struggling computer maker #39;s plan to save itself.

Sports: 0.9990108
ROCASTLE OFFERS SUPPORT TO NOVO Hibernian midfielder Craig Rocastle has promised to back Rangers striker Nacho Novo if he decides to appeal against the red card he picked up at Easter Road.

World: 0.9783506
India launches rural aid project India launches a \$445m food-for-work programme aimed at tackling hunger in poor rural areas.

SciTech: 0.98953575
Halo 2; Donkey Konga The first Halo game sold quite a few Xboxes (we know a few Xbox owners who don't appear to play any other titles on their consoles), and Halo 2 has already clocked \$125 million in sales -- on its first day in stores.

Sports: 0.9125282
Ford underlines committed to motorsport. Despite confirming the successful sale of both Jaguar Racing and its Cosworth engine company to new owners, Ford Motor Company has stressed that it remains committed to supporting motorsport at all levels.

Sports: 0.9997174
Colts 49, Texans 14 INDIANAPOLIS Peyton Manning completed 18 of 27 passes for 320 yards and threw five touchdowns as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Houston Texans, 49-to-14.

SciTech: 0.9893839
Yahoo Doubles Free E-Mail Storage Limits Yahoo Inc. is more than doubling its limits on free e-mail storage in its latest move to combat two of its biggest rivals, Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp.

SciTech: 0.9925487
Metier Assists FBI Information Technology Initiative Metier Ltd. of the District won a one-year, \$2 million contract for software and services for the FBI's Enterprise IT Portfolio Management Program. The new initiative will improve oversight of the FBI's information-technology systems, applications and assets by the agency's IT management and staff, the company said.

SciTech: 0.74699426
Fate of Cameras on the Line Virginia's 10-year experiment with red-light cameras at traffic intersections expires next year, and it is uncertain whether they will be renewed.

Business: 0.9985605
Wrigley to Buy Life Savers, Altoids CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WWY.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">WWY.N</A> is buying the Life Savers and Altoids candy and mint businesses from Kraft Foods Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KFT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">KFT.N</A> for \$1.48 billion in cash, the companies said on Monday.

Business: 0.8484077
Reports: China Will See More Shortages Shortages of coal and electricity are expected to fail to keep up with demand this winter, state media reported Monday. The National Power Regulatory Commission reported high demand for virtually every region

World: 0.9993992
Iran says it will stop enriching uranium WASHINGTON -- Iran pledged yesterday to temporarily suspend its uranium enrichment program in an attempt to ease suspicions that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons. The move could defuse a longstanding showdown with the United States over Iran's nuclear activities, diplomats said.

World: 0.99940145
Ivory Coast arms embargo backed ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- African leaders backed an arms embargo and other immediate UN sanctions against Ivory Coast yesterday, isolating President Laurent Gbagbo's hard-line government even further in its deadly confrontation with its former colonial ruler, France.

Sports: 0.9997131
Rivera was a corner stone for Ruiz NEW YORK -- For a time Saturday night, John Ruiz was ready to give up.

World: 0.9992932
Strong Quake Injures Six in Colombia BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Six people were hurt and two hospitals evacuated after a strong earthquake shook a large part of western Colombia on Monday, the government said.

SciTech: 0.9951664
Sun to set Solaris free, after a fashion Operating system to come at no charge for servers with x86 processors. But the bug fixes will cost you.

Business: 0.9869878
Microsoft signs two Indian deals The announcement came as Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer opened the group #39;s new Indian headquarters in the city of Hyderabad.

Sports: 0.99971634
Pires prepared to pay fine for wearing wrong kit Arsenal star Robert Pires said Monday he is prepared to pay a fine for not wearing the official French team sponsor #39;s kit in a television interview last month.

Business: 0.99859697
Lowe #39;s Q3 earnings jump 15.5 percent NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Lowe #39;s reported a strong 15.5 percent increase in earnings in the third quarter early Monday and offered a bullish outlook for the full year.

Business: 0.992466
Passenger Revenue Boost for Air France-KLM Air France-KLM on Monday posted a 61 percent rise in revenue in the group #39;s fiscal second quarter, boosted by the merger between the French and Dutch carriers and a strong rise in passenger and cargo revenue.

SciTech: 0.99287355
Adobe Launching New Version of Acrobat by Year #39;s End Adobe Systems Inc. will release version 7.0 of its digital document product Acrobat by the end of the year, including a new free Acrobat Reader with added reviewing capabilities, the company announced Monday.

SciTech: 0.98562974
Microsoft steals PDA topspot Windows CE has become the most popular PDA operating system, passing the Palm OS for the first time. Worldwide shipments of PDAs using Microsoft #39;s system were just under

SciTech: 0.97648925
Games just don #39;t get much better than #39;San Andreas #39; This country has seen a massive upsurge in morality since Election Day, and nowhere is this more evident than in the commercial failure of the quot;Grand Theft Auto quot; games.

Business: 0.9979547
Steel group sees continued strength in China demand LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European markets saw a moderate advance in early trade Monday, carrying over some of the late-session rally on Wall Street and helped by steel group Arcelor #39;s view of Chinese demand.

Business: 0.9973309
Econ Edge: The Economic Week Fed Governor Speaks (12:45 pm ET) Federal Reserve Governor Mark Olson speaks about his economic outlook at a roundtable lunch in Toronto.

SciTech: 0.94310766
Dell touts new blades #39; bang for the buck Organizations are replacing aging servers with newer more-powerful boxes, often Linux--based, and theyre also investing in storage.

Business: 0.65713733
Microsoft Storms India Microsoft is making big news in India this week by expanding its Hyderabad campus and signing two lucrative deals in Asias fourth largest economy.

SciTech: 0.9967925
Dell takes second shot at blades Two years after launching its first blade server, Dell Inc. on Monday is set to launch a follow-up product: the PowerEdge 855, a server based on Intel Corp.

Business: 0.9984767
Deficit at US Pension Agency Soars to \$23.3 Billion The deficit at the federal agency that rescues failed US pension funds more than doubled to \$23.3 billion in fiscal 2004, officials said on Monday, as the safety net was hit by losses from pension plans that have failed or are

Sports: 0.9997192
Ganguly suspension appealed London - The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday confirmed that it had received notice from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that it was intending to appeal against captain Sourav Ganguly #39;s two Test match suspension.

SciTech: 0.9949458
Dell and Microsoft Launch Joint Software (AP) AP - Dell Inc. and Microsoft Corp. promised big savings on the billions of dollars companies spend on system maintenance as they unveiled jointly developed software Monday that manages and upgrades servers in one mouse-click.

Business: 0.99460804
SEC Charges Hollinger's Black with Fraud (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. regulators filed fraud charges\on Monday against former Hollinger International Inc. \Chairman Conrad Black and his deputy, David Radler, moving to\bar the two from serving as officers of a public company.

Sports: 0.9995666
Hornets' Davis Out with Back Injury (Reuters) Reuters - New Orleans Hornets guard\Baron Davis is expected to be sidelined one-to-two weeks\because of a lower back injury.

Sports: 0.9943334
Myskina, Kuznetsov to Play in Fed Cup (AP) AP - Anastasia Myskina and Svetlana Kuznetsova will lead Russia's Fed Cup team when it plays Austria in this month's semifinals. Defending champion France will feature Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce in the other semifinal against Spain, which has won this event five times.

Business: 0.997948
Boeing Offers 777 Cargo Freighter Boeing Co. on Monday said it is offering a 777 cargo model that will be the largest and farthest-flying twin-engine freighter. The Boeing 777 freighter is scheduled to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2008.

SciTech: 0.710988
Smart phones to make up 16 of market LONDON-A new study shows that the market for smart phones will continue to increase during the next several years, with global shipments growing from 14.

SciTech: 0.9413179
Grand Central spiffs up integration service Company enhances online service for moving business information between corporations.

World: 0.99941576
Iran agrees to nuclear enrichment freeze -diplomats Iran has agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme in an attempt to ease concerns that its nuclear programme is aimed at developing weapons, a Western diplomat close to the United Nations said today.

Business: 0.9884928
Deutsche Bank to Sell Scudder Business to Legg Mason Deutsche Bank AG of Germany plans to sell its New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago offices of Scudder Private Investment Counsel to Legg Mason Inc. for \$55 million, plus payments of up to \$26 million, the company said Monday.

SciTech: 0.99742824
Liquid Machines pours out new DRM software Liquid Machines today announced the release of Email Control Version 6.0, an e-mail policy and security messaging software package designed for enterprise networks.

Business: 0.9893166
Microsoft Opens Software Development Center in India (Update3) Microsoft Corp., the world #39;s largest software maker, will hire several hundred #39; #39; people in the next year at its development center in India, expanding its workforce of 800, Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said.

SciTech: 0.81369483
Dell Takes Another Cut at Blade Market quot;The biggest danger to HP and IBM is a price war, quot; said John Enck of Gartner. quot;Blades are still premium-priced products from IBM and HP.

Business: 0.9985978
SEC Charges Hollinger's Black with Fraud WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators filed fraud charges on Monday against former Hollinger International Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HLR.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HLR.N</A> Chairman Conrad Black and his deputy, David Radler, moving to bar the two from serving as officers of a public company.

Business: 0.9985869
Lowe #39;s Forecast Hammers Stock Home improvement retailer Lowe #39;s Cos. (LOW.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday reported a 15 percent rise in third-quarter profit, aided by its expansion to New York

Business: 0.98897797
Boeing to build cargo version of 777 NEW YORK: Boeing Co said today it will manufacture a cargo version of the twin-engine Boeing 777 commercial airliner. Due to enter service late in the fourth quarter of 2008, the Boeing 777 Freighter will

World: 0.9994061
Fighting spreads in Sunni Triangle Fierce battles between insurgents and US and Iraqi forces killed at least 27 people today in Baqouba and south of Baghdad as US forces move against the last remaining pockets of resistance in Fallujah.

SciTech: 0.9969818
Wonkette: Blogs force quick action from major media Plus: Row brewing over peer-to-peer ads. News.com Extra

World: 0.99925154
Man Sets Himself on Fire Near White House (AP) AP - A man set himself afire Monday just outside a White House gate and repeatedly yelled "Allah Allah" as a Secret Service officer held him facedown on the sidewalk.

Sports: 0.99969935
Bonds MVP Award Provides Sparkle in Tainted Season NEW YORK (Reuters) - San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds captured a record seventh MVP award Monday, providing a sparkling finish to a season tainted by doping allegations.

SciTech: 0.9916372
Acer Ships 64-bit Notebook Acer America Corp. on Monday introduced a notebook based on the 64-bit mobile processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The Ferrari 3400, which runs on the Mobile AMD Athlon 64 for thin and

SciTech: 0.9270639
Alienware tames its prices for home PC users With its lowest-priced home PC to date, company shows desire to move beyond pricier game machines.

Sports: 0.9980673
SEC's Gaston Admits Official Missed Call (AP) AP - The Southeastern Conference's supervisor of officials said an LSU player should have been called for pass interference on a pivotal interception against Alabama.

Business: 0.9969785
Oil Edges Down, Microsoft Boosts Techs NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices touched 2-month lows near \$45 a barrel on Monday before taking back most of their losses, but the downward trend knocked energy company stocks lower and U.S. stock indexes ended little changed. A rise in Microsoft shares helped boost the technology sector.

World: 0.9994204
UN Council Votes Ivory Coast Arms Embargo (Reuters) Reuters - The U.N. Security Council on\Monday imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast and\voted to punish key government and rebel leaders with\additional sanctions next month.

SciTech: 0.9981457
Will Firefox Ignite Enterprises? Many users are celebrating Mozilla #39;s release of Firefox 1.0, its open-source Web browser. The beta version was downloaded some 8 million times.

SciTech: 0.9979824
Yahoo, EarthLink Test DomainKeys Spoofing Defense Yahoo announced enhancements to its e-mail service, implementing search, more storage and its DomainKeys sender authentication technology, which is also being deployed by Internet service provider EarthLink in a test roll-out.

Sports: 0.9934668
Reggae Boyz Head to World Cup Qualifier (AP) AP - Jamaica's soccer team left Monday for Columbus, Ohio, where it will play the United States in a crucial World Cup qualifying match.

Sports: 0.99968886
Mularkey sticking with Bledsoe as Bills starter Mike Mularkey has a message to those clamoring for rookie quarterback JP Losman to replace Drew Bledsoe as Buffalo #39;s starter. Not yet.

Business: 0.99279165
Dow Jones to buy MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO: MarketWatch Inc, which owns the CBS.MarketWatch.com website, has agreed to be acquired by Dow Jones amp; Co for US\$520mil, ending a month-long bidding war for the online financial news and information provider.

SciTech: 0.9763966
Take control of your desktop chaos Dragging and dropping files into well-organized desktop folders can be a chore for everyone but the most fastidious. A new technology, however, aims to do most of the work for you.

SciTech: 0.99605286
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 as many as 10 servers in a seven-unit chassis that can fit into a standard-size rack.

SciTech: 0.997486
NASA Cancels Hypersonic Flight NASA scrubbed its mission Monday to launch a pilotless plane that is capable of flying at 10 times the speed of sound. The launch of the X-43A was canceled due to technical problems.

World: 0.99940073
Wounded troops detail fierce fight LANDSTUHL, Germany - Four US servicemen wounded last week in the Iraqi city of Fallujah on Monday described intense fighting with a skilled enemy, adept at markmanship and rigging booby traps.

World: 0.99338657
France #39;s #39;Watergate #39; trial opens In France, 12 people have gone on trial for running a phone-tapping operation used by the late President Francois Mitterrand to monitor his opponents.

World: 0.66527516
Microsoft open new software development unit in India (AFP) AFP - Microsoft said it will join with India's second-largest software firm, Infosys Technologies, to provide software and consulting to manufacturing, banking and automobile companies.

Sports: 0.99970055
Federer puts right spin on easy victory over Gaudio A grey, damp opening day at the Masters Cup here was memorable for the latest amazing shot in Roger Federer #39;s armoury. The world No 1 played an overhead with so much spin that the

World: 0.9994072
Timing Of Indian Move In Kashmir Vital: Pak Paper Islamabad, Nov. 16 (NNN): Pakistans leading newspaper, Dawn, finds the timing of the Indian announcement on reduction of troops in Kashmir as significance.

SciTech: 0.9947767
NetApp claims breakthrough with new storage software Network Appliance has announced what it terms a key milestone in its Storage Grid vision with the release of its Data ONTAP 7G enterprise storage software, which the company is touting as bringing newer functionality and lower costs to the concept of

Sports: 0.9987124
Eagles lead Cowboys 7-0 after first quarter Terrell Owens turned the first pass thrown to him into a 59-yard touchdown and gave the Philadelphia Eagles a 7-0 lead over the Dallas Cowboys after the first quarter Monday night.

Sports: 0.9992537
No. 2 Wake Forest Rips George Washington (AP) AP - Chris Paul scored 25 points and six assists to lift Wake Forest past George Washington 97-76 in the Preseason NIT in the Demon Deacons' debut as the nation's second-ranked team.

Sports: 0.99737406
Bonds getting better with age Barry Bonds continues to defy the odds, and at 40 years of age he is still easily the most dominant hitter in Major League Baseball.

Business: 0.99799806
S amp;P 500 Slides; Nasdaq, Dow Rise The Standard amp; Poor #39;s 500-stock index slipped from a three-year high, dragged lower by energy shares including Exxon Mobil as crude-oil prices dropped to their lowest in almost two months.

World: 0.99942005
Rebels Attack in Central Iraq and the North A rebel counteroffensive swept through central and northern Iraq on Monday as American troops struggled to flush the remaining insurgents from the rubble-strewn streets of Falluja.

World: 0.9859635
Blair builds Atlantic bridge Tony Blair last night put worldwide political and human rights at the centre of his hopes to revitalise the United Nations and bring the United States and Europe closer together again in pursuit of global democracy.

Business: 0.99855334
Wrigley gets into the candy business CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. said Monday that it #39;s getting into the candy business via a \$1.48 billion acquisition of the Life Savers and Altoids brands, among others, from Kraft Foods Inc.

World: 0.99937624
Australian train crash injures scores A high-speed passenger train carrying more than 160 people jumped the rails and crashed in eastern Australia, injuring most of those on board, officials said.

World: 0.99816626
China sets terms for Taiwan talks China is ready to resume negotiations after nearly five years with Taiwan if the island nation accepts the quot;one China quot; principle, the state media reported Monday.

SciTech: 0.9826617
Conservationists Meet to Plan Global Green Agenda (Reuters) Reuters - More than 5,000 scientists,\conservationists and politicians meet in Thailand over the next\week to hammer out a blueprint for saving some of the world's\most endangered species and fragile ecosystems.

Sports: 0.99969316
Celtics OK with this traveling Gary Payton was back at practice yesterday. His third round trip to California since the start of training camp was, as they say in the trade, an elevator ride. Out on Saturday. Check on the family. Back on Sunday in time for the rap concert at the FleetCenter.

World: 0.9664895
China 'owns up' over mystery sub \China has expressed regret for the intrusion of one of its subs into Japanese waters last week, Tokyo says.

Business: 0.998473
Mass. franchisees hit Shell in lawsuit Four years after filing suit against the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Cos., Shell service station owners in Massachusetts went before a US District Court judge in Boston yesterday, charging that Shell took several measures in the late 1990s to drive them out of business.

World: 0.999044
Swimmer, 77, believed killed in shark attack CAPE TOWN -- A great white shark estimated to be at least 18 feet long attacked and presumably killed an elderly South African woman yesterday off a beach near Cape Town, officials said. Tyna Webb, 77, who lived in the area, was swimming off Sunny Cove in Fish Hoek when the massive shark circled her and then attacked, witnesses and...

SciTech: 0.9867595
South Korea #39;s LG claims development of media broadcasts-receiving ... SEOUL: South Korea #39;s LG Electronics Inc announced that it has developed the world #39;s first mobile handset capable of receiving terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasts (DMB).

Sports: 0.99971074
Mets decline Leiter's \$10.2 million option Al Leiter, 39, became a free agent when the New York Mets declined his \$10.2 million option and decided to pay a \$2.1 million buyout. The lefthander went 10-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 30 starts last season. He was on the disabled list from May 11 to June 1 because of tendinitis in his left shoulder.....

World: 0.9987984
Japan snubs Russian proposal, says it wants all disputed Kuril ... TOKYO: Japan said it wanted Russia to return all four Kuril islands, snubbing Moscow #39;s renewed talk of returning two of them to end the dispute that has prevented the countries from formally ending World War II.

SciTech: 0.77794963
Web Still in Early Days, Tech Leaders Say The Internet is only in its early adolescence with a raft of improvements on the horizon, and the venture capitalists who helped fund the early boom are

Sports: 0.9997094
Federer relieved to return Roger Federer still appears unbeatable after he showed no signs of a torn thigh muscle to defeat Argentina #39;s Gaston Gaudio 6-1, 7-6 in the opening match of the ATP Masters Cup in Houston.

Sports: 0.9995981
Notebook: Bears #39; Urlacher to miss 4-6 weeks Just when their defense was playing at a high level and sparking a three-game winning streak, the Chicago Bears lost standout linebacker Brian Urlacher.

World: 0.99901235
Russia seeks island conflict resolution Russia has begun making overtures to Japan to end a 48-year-old territorial dispute over the Southern Kurile Islands, the Novosti news agency said Monday.

World: 0.93234044
MITTERAND PHONE-TAP TRIAL OPENS Proceedings are due to begin on a case that has scandalised France for over two decades. Twelve Mitterand-era government officials and senior police officers will face trial in Paris for running a phone tapping

World: 0.9991134
Powell Announces His Resignation Secretary of State Colin L. Powell announced his resignation Monday, ending four years of battles with Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld over the course of U.S. foreign policy.

SciTech: 0.99537057
Acer Boosts Its Ferrari Acer has announced the newest addition to the Ferrari line of notebooks, the Ferrari 3400. The notebook is based on the latest Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processor 3000 for thin and light notebooks.

SciTech: 0.9977894
AMD readies security, virtualisation features for 2006 Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) plans to build security and virtualisation features into its server processors by 2006, the company said Friday during its annual analyst event.

World: 0.9993691
UN divided over Darfur measures On the eve of a high-profile UN Security Council visit to Nairobi, members are split over a draft resolution on atrocities in Sudan #39;s western Darfur region.

Business: 0.9913146
Oreskes Named Times Deputy Managing Editor The New York Times has appointed Michael Oreskes, who directed much of the newspaper #39;s coverage of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, to deputy managing editor.

SciTech: 0.9950401
Reality TV Show Follows the Unfaithful (Reuters) Reuters - Two Emmy-nominated\reality producers are developing a series about infidelity,\featuring stories of unfaithful spouses who have turned to a\popular online matchmaking service that caters to attached\people seeking extramarital affairs.

Business: 0.8522964
Microsoft to hire hundreds in India Microsoft on Tuesday announced its decision to localise Windows and Office software in 14 Indian languages over the next 12 months and that the company would hire #39;hundreds #39; in India this year.

SciTech: 0.9949173
IU researchers helping to study video game-violence link Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine are trying to determine whether violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto can make players more prone to violent behavior.

Sports: 0.9996315
4-to-6 defense: Urlacher out Lovie Smith #39;s Monday morning started off with a phone call from Tony Dungy, his longtime friend and former boss. The Indianapolis Colts #39; coach was too early to offer condolences.

World: 0.9991677
Ivory Coast Leader's Camp Criticizes Arms Ban ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Supporters of Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo criticized on Tuesday a United Nations decision to impose an arms embargo on the world's top cocoa grower but rebel leaders welcomed the move.

Business: 0.99672854
Wrigley bites into Kraft WRIGLEY is buying the Life Savers and Altoids sweet and mint businesses from Kraft Foods for 800 million. The deal allows Wrigley to expand in the sweet section, while leaving Kraft to focus on the rest of its food business.

Business: 0.9930165
NOVA, BP to Form Joint Venture NOVA Chemicals Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed to form a joint venture with BP PLC to manufacture and market styrenic polymers in Europe.

Business: 0.99821556
Stronger Sales Boost JC Penney Earnings (Reuters) Reuters - Department store operator J.C. Penney\Co. Inc. on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose 86.3\percent, helped by stronger sales and fewer markdowns.

Business: 0.99841976
Wholesale prices post biggest gain since 1990 Wholesale prices shot up 1.7 last month, biggest gain in nearly 15 years and well above expectations, as energy costs skyrocketed and food prices surged, a government report said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.999226
Former Louisville Basketball Player Dies (AP) AP - Former University of Louisville basketball player Larry Williams has died. He was 48.

Business: 0.98914844
Casino owners team up in Macao MACAO Publishing amp; Broadcasting said Tuesday that it had bought a stake in Stanley Ho #39;s latest gambling project in Macao as Asia #39;s two leading casino operators team up to expand in the region.

Business: 0.9984749
Stocks Open Lower; Inflation Data Weighs NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Tuesday after a government report showing a much larger-than-expected rise in U.S. producer prices in October raised inflation concerns.

Business: 0.73897773
Crude oil prices continue decline Crude oil fell to the lowest price in almost two months after Iran, OPEC #39;s second-biggest oil producer, said it would stop enriching uranium to ward off US calls for sanctions.

Sports: 0.99939597
Gerrard available for Reds Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes he is ready to make his comeback against Middlesbrough at the weekend following a two-month injury lay-off.

SciTech: 0.7672299
Oil Company on Trial in Madagascar Over Pollution (Reuters) Reuters - The operator of Madagascar's\privatized oil refinery went on trial on Tuesday, accused of\polluting the environment around the Indian Ocean island's main\international port, officials said.

SciTech: 0.99743253
Europe #39;s Mission to Moon Called Success In this artist #39;s rendition released by the European Space Agency, the European-made SMART-1 solar-powered satellite is seen nearing the Moon on its way to make the first comprehensive inventory of key chemical elements in the lunar surface.

SciTech: 0.9945892
Ofcom's review of telecoms due this week Analysis That'll be the circus in town, then

SciTech: 0.995652
Sony BMG Head Says in Early Talks with Grokster (Reuters) Reuters - Sony BMG, the world's No. 2 record\label, is in early talks with file-sharing network Grokster in\what could lead to a legalized Internet music service, its\chairman said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9978079
SMART-1 makes lunar orbit The SMART-1 probe has entered its lunar orbit, and the history books as the first European mission to have done so. Professor David Southwood, director of science for the European Space Agency (ESA), said: quot;Europe

Business: 0.99820566
American Express sues credit card rivals American Express is suing Visa and MasterCard plus eight US banks, claiming anti-competitive tactics kept it out of the market. The litigation is the latest setback for Visa and MasterCard, which last month

Business: 0.84103596
Update 2: EDS Reports Third-Quarter Loss Electronic Data Systems Corp. finally settled a dispute with outside auditors and reported a third-quarter loss of \$153 million due to the write-down of a huge contract to build a computer network for the Navy.

SciTech: 0.99762124
NASA delays flight of X-43A scramjet to attempt Mach 10 LOS ANGELES NASA will try again today to fly an unmanned hypersonic jet designed to reach a record speed of Mach Ten, or seven-thousand-miles-per-hour.

SciTech: 0.978585
Apple Sailing on Digital River the iPod -s a nifty little device, primarily allowing you to listen to downloaded music, but also giving you the opportunity

SciTech: 0.9978021
Nokia demos first mobile call using IP standard Nokia has developed a prototype handset that supports Mobile IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), a version of the protocol that will help to improve the quality of VoIP (voice over IP), streaming video and other applications delivered to wireless devices.

World: 0.99109393
Dutch mulling limits on freedom of expression Many Dutch decision-makers wondering whether reactions, particularly criticism of Muslims, did not go too far. By Isabelle Wesselingh - THE HAGUE.

Business: 0.99652016
Nova Chemicals, BP to Form European Plastics Venture (Update1) Nova Chemicals Corp., Canada #39;s largest chemical maker, and BP Plc, Europe #39;s biggest oil company, agreed to merge their European styrenics polymer businesses into a 50-50 venture to reduce costs.

SciTech: 0.9965898
Sony to offer DVD burner for Mac Sony on Tuesday announced plans to release a new dual-format DVD burner that is compatible with Macintosh computers. The external double-layer DVD drive, dubbed the DRX-710UL-T, is designed to record up to

SciTech: 0.9836263
LG Electronics Unveils World #39;s First Terrestrial DMB-Receiving ... LG Electronics has unveiled the worlds first terrestrial digital multimedia broadcast-receiving mobile phone, and demonstrated its functions.

Sports: 0.9947686
Xabi Reckons England Are Great Xabi Alonso is prepared for a hard battle when Spain meet England in the Bernabeu on Wednesday having experienced the build-up from the other side.

SciTech: 0.9980287
Not To Be Outfeatured, Yahoo Adds E-mail Storage (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) has beefed up e-mail storage for users of its free e-mail service from 100 megabytes to 250 MB. The Internet giant also unveiled an anti-spam authentication technology called DomainKeys, which curtails messages sent from spoofed addresses.

SciTech: 0.97548795
IBM launches global computing grid IBM announced today that it was driving the initiative to use the worlds vast untapped computer power for useful things (like playing games and shopping online isn #39;t useful!

SciTech: 0.9963915
European probe arrives to orbit moon PARIS - Europe #39;s dishwasher-sized spacecraft has entered a lunar orbit. The unmanned mission is the continent #39;s first voyage to the moon.

SciTech: 0.9943141
LG Unveils Terrestrial DMB-Receiving Phone LG #39;s DMB-receiving System-on-Chip lets users watch terrestrial broadcasts while talking on the phone. LG plans to use its terrestrial DMB phone technologies in an aggressive campaign to penetrate the global

Business: 0.99855083
Zurich Employees Plead Guilty in Probe NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two senior insurance underwriters at Zurich American Insurance Co. pleaded guilty on Tuesday to misdemeanors related to bid-rigging in the insurance market.

SciTech: 0.89129007
Motorola buy adds heat to mesh networking A Motorola acquisition and an expected deal from Nortel show the market for mobile ad hoc network equipment is hot.

Business: 0.6338288
HP Profit Tops Lowered Forecast (Reuters) Reuters - Hewlett-Packard Co. on\Tuesday said quarterly profit topped its own lowered\expectations as the computer and printer maker saw record\revenues in every business and every region.

SciTech: 0.9981014
Sun previews next version of Java Sun Microsystems on Monday night posted a prerelease, "snapshot" version of Java 2 Standard Edition 6.0, code-named Mustang, which represents the next generation of the Java platform.

Business: 0.9360402
Google stock falls as share lockups expire SAN FRANCISCO, - Shares of Google Inc. fell as much as 6.5 percent Tuesday, as selling restrictions were lifted on 39 million shares held by employees and early investors in the newly public Web search company.

World: 0.99938464
Committee Recommends Abusive Clergy Ban (AP) AP - A committee overseeing a review of the child protection plan adopted by Roman Catholic bishops has recommended preserving a ban on church work for clerics who molest young people, according to a document the panel has sent to all U.S. bishops.

Sports: 0.99692196
Olympic hopefuls for #39;12 submit bids The five cities looking to host the 2012 Summer Games submitted bids to the International Olympic Committee, entering the final stage of a long process in hopes of landing one of the biggest prizes in sports.

World: 0.99905306
Spanish teenager pleads guilty in first trial stemming from Madrid ... MADRID, Spain There #39;s been a guilty plea in the first trial stemming from the Madrid train bombings earlier this year. A 16-year-old has pleaded guilty to charges he helped transport dynamite used in the attack.

World: 0.9986546
Quietly, tide of opinion turns on Chechen war Although discussion of the war has been marginalized, many experts say Russians may not prefer it that way.

SciTech: 0.96667147
Novell NetWare users get Microsofts Offer With Novell concentrating on Linux more and more, many NetWare consumers might be facing dilemmas on where to move on for future needs.

SciTech: 0.994985
Viruses: Blame Microsoft? Last year we explored the question of Microsoft #39;s potential liability for software flaws exploited by viruses and other forms of malware.

Sports: 0.9996388
Agent: #39;It #39;s going to be a love-in #39; As many as 60 National Hockey League agents, including those representing the top players in the game, will descend on a Chicago hotel meeting room Wednesday for a tte--tte with executives

World: 0.9993018
Sharon takes step towards peace ARIEL SHARON, the Israeli Prime Minister, made his first conciliatory gesture towards Palestinians after the death of Yassir Arafat when he said that he would consider co-ordinating the dismantling of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip with a new

World: 0.99699104
South Korea president in Brazil (AFP) AFP - South Korea's President Roh Moo-Hyun started an official visit to Brazil as part of his country's campaign to find new business in the region.

SciTech: 0.9957766
NASA 'Scramjet' Launched on Mach 10 Try (AP) AP - A tiny unmanned NASA "scramjet" soared above the Pacific Ocean Tuesday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or almost 7,000 mph, in a successful demonstration of a radical new engine technology.

Sports: 0.9995241
Unhappy Robinson Rejoins 76ers (AP) AP - Unhappy he hasn't been traded, Glenn Robinson rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9958079
Agent: Extortion Plot Targeted Sheffield (AP) AP - New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield and his wife were the targets of a blackmailer who claimed to have embarrassing sexual videotapes of her and a musician, Sheffield's business agent said Tuesday.

Business: 0.997995
Crude oil futures fall to US\$46 per barrel after moving above \$47 Crude oil futures fell Tuesday after moving above \$47 US a barrel in intraday trading. December delivery crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped 76 cents to \$46.11 per barrel.

World: 0.9993525
Doesn't matter to me if health care is privately delivered:Alta's Klein (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta Premier Ralph Klein acknowledged Tuesday that he personally doesn't have a problem with private delivery of health-care services.

Sports: 0.99968886
Jerry Graybeal quits as Weber State coach OGDEN, Utah -- Weber State football coach Jerry Graybeal resigned Tuesday after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program #39;s 43-year history.

World: 0.96545756
US doctor says evacuations, body armor has helped save lives in ... The commander of the biggest US military hospital abroad said Tuesday that American troops body armor and speedy evacuations appear to be helping save lives in the

World: 0.99909294
U.S. Commander in Iraq Calls Shooting 'Tragic' The killing of a wounded Iraqi by a U.S. Marine in Fallujah was termed a "tragic incident" by the U.S. military commander in Iraq on Tuesday as Arab satellite channels replayed unedited footage of the shooting as often as every half-hour.

World: 0.9936319
Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion Bested by a Republican campaign emphasizing Christian faith, some Democrats are stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left."

World: 0.99902153
We have to learn to be patient on Indian pitches: Smith (AFP) AFP - South African skipper Graeme Smith said his team had to learn to be patient on slow pitches if they hoped to do well in an upcoming two-Test series against India.

Business: 0.9925384
Eisner Says Ovitz Required Oversight Daily Michael D. Eisner appeared for a second day of testimony in the shareholder lawsuit over the lucrative severance package granted to Michael S. Ovitz.

World: 0.99934405
Queen Urges Thais to Help Govt. Fight Muslim Unrest BANGKOK (Reuters) - Revered Queen Sirikit has urged all Thais to work with the government in its fight against the violence in the largely Muslim south, where almost 500 people have been killed since January.

SciTech: 0.5898279
Science counts species on brink A list of 15,000 species threatened with extinction - many of them by human activity - is published.

SciTech: 0.9427519
Google Stock Slips as New Shares Hit Market Google Inc. stock dropped more than 6 percent Tuesday as tens of millions of new shares held by early investors and employees of the search engine giant became available for sale for the first time.. -The Washington Post

World: 0.9994055
Australia comdemns apparent killing of aid worker in Iraq Australia #39;s Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says the apparent murder in Iraq of aid worker, Margaret Hassan, is a heinous and inexcusable crime.

Sports: 0.99918383
Colonials upend Medford For most of the season, the Acton-Boxboro football team has garnered the headlines with its record-setting win streak. Last night, the boys' soccer team proved A-B is not just a football school, claiming MIAA Division 1 North sectional title with a 1-0 win over two-time defending champion Medford.

SciTech: 0.9824508
Gates announces new Windows update tool update Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Tuesday detailed his company #39;s plan for computer management software and announced a long-awaited Windows update tool.

Business: 0.92666256
Judge asked to penalize Microsoft over e-mails Burst.com asked a US judge to penalize Microsoft for destroying e-mails it says the world #39;s largest software company should have preserved as evidence in antitrust suits.

Sports: 0.99928963
New home ice looks slick If playing for one of college hockey's most storied programs wasn't enticing enough for potential recruits, Boston University's new \$97 million Harry Agganis Arena should do the trick.

Sports: 0.999666
Today's schedule College hockey: MEN -- Stonehill at UMass-Dartmouth, 7:30 p.m.; Franklin Pierce at Assumption, 7:30 p.m.; WOMEN -- Sacred Heart at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.

SciTech: 0.9605421
Getting with the program Microsoft, the behemoth Redmond, Wash., software company lurking over the computing world, Nov. 11 released a quot;beta, quot; or test, version of its online search service.

Business: 0.99781215
Update 8: Crude Oil Futures Sink to \$46 Per Barrel December delivery crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped 76 cents to \$46.11 per barrel. The benchmark light, sweet crude remained about \$8 a barrel cheaper than its closing record of \$55.17 recorded Oct. 22 and Oct. 26.

Sports: 0.9993554
Clip and save The historically maligned Clippers appeared headed for a letdown. They started their first seven games above.500 and had their first home game in eight days against the mediocre Toronto Raptors.

World: 0.9994017
Confusion Over Afghan UN Hostages 17 November 2004 -- Afghanistan #39;s Interior Ministry believes three UN workers abducted nearly three weeks ago in Afghanistan are probably still being held in the area.

World: 0.99940777
Hassan: #39;Abhorrent act #39; says Blair Western political leaders have united to condemn the kidnappers of charity worker Margaret Hassan after a video surfaced apparently showing a militant firing a pistol into the head of a blindfolded woman wearing an orange jumpsuit.

SciTech: 0.9964737
Movie Studios Sue File Traders The Motion Picture Association of America slaps an undisclosed number of individuals with lawsuits, accusing them of sharing copyright flicks on the internet. By Katie Dean.

SciTech: 0.997795
Sony plans dual-DVD for Mac The DRX-710UL-T external DVD burner supports both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0. It ships with Roxio Toast 6 Lite. Double-layer support means users can burn up to 8.5GB of data on a single DVDR DL disc.

World: 0.9994025
Battles rage across Mosul MOSUL, Iraq -- US and Iraqi troops stormed insurgent-held police stations and neighborhoods in this northern city Tuesday, retaking a number of sites seized last week by gunmen who rose up in support of militants in Fallujah.

Sports: 0.9996753
Louisville Slams Tulane NEW ORLEANS (Sports Network) - Eric Shelton rushed for two touchdowns, Stefan LeFors passed for 247 yards with two touchdowns and No. 7 Louisville completed a perfect Conference USA campaign by routing Tulane, 55-7,

Business: 0.987834
Dollar Dives to Record Low Vs. Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar crashed through key barriers to a record low on the euro and a 7-month low on the yen on Wednesday, as concern mounted a forthcoming G20 finance ministers' meeting would do little to halt its slide.

World: 0.9532954
ConocoPhillips boosts LUKoil stake to 10 percent (AFP) AFP - US oil major ConocoPhillips has boosted its stake in Russia's second-largest oil producer LUKoil to 10 percent, giving Conoco at least one representative on LUkoil's board.

SciTech: 0.98993754
Grid bids to save the world Hoping to harness a few million of the personal computers not already running the SETIhome screensaver, IBM and United Devices yesterday launched the World Community Grid to act as a clearing house for humanitarian IT projects.

SciTech: 0.99716765
Sony Burner For Mac Users Sony has introduced a Mac compatible external double-layer dual-format DVD drive. The DRX-710UL-T comes with Roxio #39;s Toast 6 Lite software and will be available next month.

Business: 0.71608037
Dollar hits new low against euro The US Treasury Secretary pledges commitment to a strong dollar, as the currency hits another record low against euro.

World: 0.93919206
Putin Says Russia Working on New Nuclear Systems (Reuters) Reuters - Russia is working on new nuclear missile\systems that other powers do not have in order to protect\itself against future security challenges, President Vladimir\Putin said Wednesday.

Business: 0.99861455
Dow falls on Wal-Mart update and rise in producer costs DISAPPOINTMENT over Wal-Marts third-quarter sales performance and news of a sharp rise in October producer prices sent shares in the United States on a downward path yesterday.

World: 0.92565084
Focus on deadly Africa diseases The UN's Global Fund meets African leaders in Tanzania for talks on fighting the world's deadliest diseases.

Business: 0.9975579
Long-Awaited Audit Shows Major Discrepancies In Newsday ... The Audit Bureau of Circulations released the long-awaited results of its audit of the Tribune Company #39;s scandal-tarred Newsday on Tuesday, confirming the magnitude of the discrepancies uncovered by the company #39;s recent internal audit.

SciTech: 0.93301696
Microsoft #39;s quest for Google-like gold falls short, for now Microsoft Corp. last week released a preview version of its new Internet search engine. It will be available in its final form early next year.

Business: 0.9985971
\$904,800 in refund checks go undelivered in Southeastern ... PHILADELPHIA - The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 1,088 Southeastern Pennsylvanians whose income tax refund checks could not be delivered.

SciTech: 0.9973156
NASA #39;scramjet #39; makes historic flight off California LOS ANGELES NASA #39;s unmanned quot;scramjet quot; proved it #39;s small but it #39;s fast -- in a record-breaking demonstration above the Pacific Ocean.

World: 0.9993905
Arafat was not poisoned Paris - Doctors who treated Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat believe he died of a blood condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and have ruled out poisoning, Le Monde newspaper reported on Wednesday.

World: 0.9866149
Smoking ban would target pubs ritain #39;s government proposed banning smoking in most public places yesterday, setting off debate over what one smoker decried as the brainchild of a busybody quot;nanny state.

SciTech: 0.99278873
Sparkle starts shipping GeForce 6600 GT AGP <a href="http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1755/">GeForce 6600GT AGP, as good as it gets?</a> Hardware Analysis

SciTech: 0.9847959
MPAA takes filesharers to court The Motion Picture Association of America has gone on the offensive in its battle against piracy and peer-to-peer sharing of movies, and has launched more than 200 civil suits against users it identifies as being the worst offenders.

Business: 0.99838054
Housing Starts Surge 6.4 Pct. in October WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing starts jumped a larger-than-expected 6.4 percent in October to the busiest pace since December as buyers took advantage of low mortgage rates, a government report showed on Wednesday.

Business: 0.98980254
Sears and Kmart Agree to Merge in \$11 Billion Deal Two of the nation's most well-known companies today said they would combine to form the third-largest U.S. retailer.

Business: 0.9986106
Consumer Prices: Biggest Jump Since May Surging energy costs drove US consumer prices up by a hefty and larger-than-expected 0.6 percent last month, the biggest jump since May, a government report showed on Wednesday.

Business: 0.8880107
Business: Bush Administration Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein will be online to discuss his latest column, which looks at the Bush administration's plans for Social Security and health care.

World: 0.99922013
Bombings at Two Buenos Aires Banks Kill 1 (AP) AP - Homemade bombs exploded in two Buenos Aires banks Wednesday, killing a security guard, police said.

World: 0.89355856
Explosions rock Argentine banks A blast rocks a branch of Citibank in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, killing a security guard, reports say.

Business: 0.9985121
Jack In The Box profit surges 32 percent, helped by sales jump SAN DIEGO San Diego-based Jack in the Box says profit for its latest quarter soared 32 percent. The fast-food chain says net income for the fourth quarter rose to 21-point-7 (m) million dollars from 16-point-4 (m) million a year ago.

World: 0.99924797
Cricket: NZ suffer Franklin blow New Zealand bowler James Franklin misses the first Test against Australia with injury.

Business: 0.99858344
Martha, Vornado shares rise on Sears-Kmart deal Shares of local companies Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Vornado Realty Trust were boosted by news that Sears and Kmart will merge in an \$11 billion deal, creating a new company called Sears Holdings with about \$55 billion in yearly revenue and

Business: 0.9985587
Enbridge to Buy Some of Shell's Pipelines TORONTO (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ENB.TO target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ENB.TO</A> will buy Shell's Gulf of Mexico natural gas pipelines for \$613 million in a move that will make it a major transporter in the huge gas-producing area, Canada's No. 2 pipeline company said on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.994262
SBC Gives Microsoft \$400 Mln Internet TV Deal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - SBC Communications <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=SBC.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">SBC.N</A> will use Microsoft Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MSFT.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">MSFT.O</A> technology to launch video services over upgraded high-speed data lines, the companies said Wednesday.

World: 0.9969773
Russia working on new nuclear weapons: Putin MOSCOW - New nuclear weapons systems being developed in Russia could include a missile designed to defeat the US missile defence shield.

Business: 0.99860686
USA : Wal-Mart predicts bumper Christmas Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world #39;s biggest retailer, informed it was confident to see quot;another record quarter and a successful holiday season quot; after posting solid third-quarter results.

SciTech: 0.8438679
Cheese sandwich back on eBay MIAMI -- You might say that this time, eBay melted in the resolve to ban the online sale of part of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich.

Sports: 0.9997129
CASEY COMMENTS NOT #39;SMART #39; - VERPLANK The backlash to anti-American comments by Ryder Cup player Paul Casey has already started - and is likely only to get worse in the coming months.

Sports: 0.99916124
Canucks Announce Partial Sale VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Sports Network) - The Vancouver Canucks Wednesday announced the sale of 50 percent of the team and its arena, General Motors Place.

Business: 0.9985929
Treasuries Mount Rally Despite Inflation NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices rallied on Wednesday as inflation excluding food and energy, one of the Federal Reserve's preferred price measures, proved less dramatic than bond bulls had feared.

World: 0.999403
UN council arrives in Nairobi UN Security Council members have arrived in Nairobi for a two-day meeting devoted to the conflicts engulfing Sudan, including the western Darfur region.

Business: 0.9985526
Stocks Up After Sears Deal, HP Earnings NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday after Kmart's plan to buy Sears in an \$11.5 billion deal was announced and computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HPQ.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HPQ.N</A> posted solid earnings.

World: 0.9993616
Still under fire, US troops shifting to relief effort US forces in Fallujah offer food and first aid as they face scattered pockets of guerrilla resistance.

Sports: 0.99959165
Delhomme Questionable Against Cardinals (AP) AP - Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme did not practice Wednesday and is questionable this week because of a broken bone in his right thumb.

World: 0.93175095
APEC Ministers Urge New Effort on Trade Talks Pacific Rim trading nations said on Wednesday they should pool their influence to energize talks to free up world trade. As trade and foreign ministers from the 21-member Asia-Pacific

Sports: 0.99902034
Closer Percival OKs \$12M Deal With Tigers Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Troy Percival speaks to the media after a news conference in Detroit, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004. Percival and the Tigers agreed on a \$12 million, two-year contract.

World: 0.6124427
Democrats Question Kerry's Campaign Funds Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than \$15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.

Sports: 0.99670935
Baseball Owners Set to Approve Expos Sale (AP) AP - The proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington is set to be approved when baseball owners meet Thursday in Chicago.

SciTech: 0.99639773
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Review November 17, 2004 - Most of us who #39;ve been gamers for a while are familiar with the history behind Troika, which was formed from key members of the Black Isle group that made the Fallout, among other talented individuals.

World: 0.9994087
Palestinians investigate rumours that Israel poisoned Arafat THE Palestinian Authority is to set up an official commission of inquiry into Yasser Arafats death amid increasing rumours among the Palestinian public that he was poisoned by Israel.

Business: 0.99772304
Column: CEO Pay Stays High NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. executives are reaping another year of abundant pay, and the rich rewards are likely to stir demands for greater disclosure on how and why heads of companies are compensated.

Sports: 0.99960583
Pot charge dropped against Anthony In a case that his lawyer said quot;has received more prosecutorial scrutiny than any petty offense in Denver history, quot; Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony saw the marijuana charge he faced dropped by the Denver City Attorney #39;s office today.

SciTech: 0.9883527
Odd couple: Schwartz and McNealy It hasn't even been eight months since Sun Microsystems promoted Jonathan Schwartz to be Chief Executive Scott McNealy's right-hand man, but the two are already acting like an old couple. Missing Links

World: 0.98482805
Fox to push Bush on migration at APEC Mexico President Vicente Fox said Wednesday he will meet with US President George W. Bush in Chile during the economic summit of Pacific Rim nations.

Sports: 0.9988493
No. 10 Ohio St. Tops No. 24 Arizona 78-45 (AP) AP - Caity Matter exploited Arizona's defense by hitting four 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead No. 10 Ohio State to a 78-45 victory in the semifinals of the Women's NIT on Wednesday night.

Sports: 0.999683
Pacers triumph in Harrington #39;s return Harrington scored a season-high 30 points in a superlative performance against his former team, but the Indiana Pacers still escaped Conseco Fieldhouse with a 93-83 victory over Atlanta.

SciTech: 0.995682
Fire Pit Dated to Be Over 50,000 Years Old (AP) AP - In the growing debate about when people first appeared on this continent, a leading archaeologist said Wednesday he has discovered what could be sooty evidence of human occupation in North America tens of thousands of years earlier than is commonly believed.

Business: 0.8476417
Dollar in Sight of All-Time Low Vs Euro (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar was in striking distance of\record lows against the euro and 7- month lows versus the\yen on Thursday, as traders concluded that nations at an\upcoming G20 meeting would tolerate a weaker dollar.

Sports: 0.9971789
US MNT Streaking Into Final Round The US mens national team will look to extend their record unbeaten streak to 13 matches when the take on Jamaica at Columbus Crew Stadium in its final match of semifinal-round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Business: 0.9965988
A Pair of Dethroned Kings In the early 1980s, Sears and Kmart were American retail giants, with gobs of money, huge portfolios of real estate and loyal customer bases that should have made them fast-growing fulfillers of Americans #39; insatiable demand for more stuff.

World: 0.9993337
India #39;s Offer for Peace Talks on Kashmir Is Sweetened With Aid India #39;s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, came to Kashmir on Wednesday offering unconditional talks with anyone willing to renounce violence and a \$5.3 billion economic

World: 0.8653306
Kashmiris reject Indian PM #39;s offer MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 17: A multi-party alliance fighting Indian rule in Kashmir rejected on Wednesday the economic package offered by Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during

Sports: 0.99409986
Olympic 2012 : Madrid unveils bid dossier Madrid, one of five cities bidding to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, unveiled its dossier on Wednesday (17 November), just two days after submitting it to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sports: 0.99837804
Argentina Heads World Cup Qualifying Group After Brazil Loses Argentina moved atop South America #39;s qualifying group for the 2006 soccer World Cup with a 3-2 victory over Venezuela, grabbing the lead after world champion Brazil suffered its first defeat of the campaign.

Business: 0.9985826
US stocks gain on Kmart-Sears merger Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as investors welcomed the merger of Kmart Holding Corp. and Sears. However, climbing oil prices restricted gains.

Business: 0.99746406
US Airways Watch: 11/18/04 US Bankruptcy Court Judge Stephen Mitchell will hear arguments today asking him to reconsider a four-month, 21 percent pay cut he imposed on many unionized workers last month.

Sports: 0.99966574
Nuggets 112, Raptors 106 Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and Kenyon Martin added 24 points and 16 rebounds, helping the Denver Nuggets hold off the Toronto Raptors 112-106 Wednesday night.

World: 0.7767234
India desperate for jobs, infrastructure despite economic boom (AFP) AFP - Despite India's economic boom in software and outsourcing services, economists have warned the government needs more reforms to create jobs in manufacturing to cut poverty.

World: 0.9990689
Australia, US seal free trade agreement (AFP) AFP - Australia and the United States sealed a free trade agreement to start January 1, 2005 after clearing last-minute obstacles.

SciTech: 0.992255
Seagate to Ship 400 GB HDD SL: Seagate Technology has announced that it will begin shipping the world #39;s highest capacity PC hard drive to retail stores and resellers.

World: 0.9993988
Israeli tank reportedly kills Egyptian troops An Israeli tank has opened fire and killed three Egyptian troops on the sensitive border between the two countries, mistaking them for Palestinian militants on the way to carry out an attack, Israeli media says.

World: 0.9988206
PM backs indigenous alcohol ban CURFEWS and alcohol bans may be necessary in Aboriginal communities, Prime Minister John Howard said today, adding that civil liberties were less important than staying alive.

Business: 0.9985441
Pilgrim Baxter founders to pay \$160m WASHINGTON -- The two founders of the Pilgrim Baxter mutual fund family have agreed to pay \$80 million each to settle regulators' charges of improper trading to benefit themselves and friends at the expense of longer-term shareholders, the authorities said yesterday.

Business: 0.99828124
Trustees worry on oversight A month after federal regulators adopted sweeping new rules for mutual fund oversight, fund trustees remain concerned about their ability to serve as watchdogs over fund managers and others who handle investor money, a new survey shows.

SciTech: 0.9954541
Running may have defined the body Next time you drive past a jogger on the street, give her a honk and a wave - she #39;s honing the skill that helped define the human body, according to a study by researchers from the University of Utah and Harvard.

World: 0.99941087
Report: Israeli army mistakenly kills three Egyptian soldiers JERUSALEM A preliminary Israeli army investigation has found that Israeli troops apparently killed three Egyptian soldiers by mistake, thinking they were Palestinian militants along the Gaza-Egypt border.

Sports: 0.9997018
Raptors fall to Nuggets CBC SPORTS ONLINE - After starting the season with three straight wins, the Toronto Raptors are heading back home with a losing record.

World: 0.9994035
Israeli tank kills three Egyptian troops An Israeli tank has opened fire and killed three Egyptian troops in a border zone near the Gaza Strip after mistaking them for Palestinian arms smugglers, Israeli security sources say.

World: 0.9993967
Three Egyptian policemen killed by Israeli tank fire near border (AFP) AFP - Three Egyptian policemen were killed overnight by Israeli tank fire on the tense border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip when they were mistaken for Palestinian arms smugglers, officials said.

World: 0.9990441
Putin backs veto for members of expanded Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected a key recommendation of a United Nations panel on expanding the UN Security Council, saying any reform would be one-sided if new members did not have veto power.

Business: 0.9986375
Optimism raises markets Stocks bounded higher Wednesday as investors shrugged off a fresh indicator of rising inflation and welcomed postitive economic reports and the merger of Kmart Holding Corp.

Business: 0.9953029
Sanpaolo and Dexia in merger talks By Reuters - November 18 2004 ... Italian bank Sanpaolo and Dexia, the Franco-Belgian group, confirmed they were in preliminary talks after a report that they were considering a merger to create a major cross-border lender.

Business: 0.9984968
AA takes soft option on cost cuts PENNY-PINCHING American Airlines is to remove the pillows from half its planes to save \$300,000 (163,000) a year. While the cost savings are small beer compared with the \$4bn a year American has slashed

Sports: 0.9997075
Woods on Top at Rain-Soaked Dunlop Phoenix MIYAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods fired a superb five-under-par 65 in torrential rain to take a three-stoke lead after the first round of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament Thursday.

Business: 0.9985195
Enron probe turns focus to 1.3 mn stock sale by Lay #39;s wife : Houston, Nov 17 : US authorities are probing if Linda, wife of ex-Enron Chairman Ken Lay, acted improperly when she had their family foundation sell 1.3 million Enron stocks just days before the energy giant #39;s bankruptcy.

Sports: 0.9996623
US ends Jamaica #39;s Cup hopes Eddie Johnson scored his fifth goal in three games Wednesday and the US national soccer team eliminated Jamaica from 2006 World Cup contention with a 1-1 tie at Columbus, Ohio.

Business: 0.9984951
US commercial crude oil reserves rise slightly US commercial crude oil inventories increased 800,000 barrels to 292.3 million in the week ending Nov. 12, the Energy Department reported Wednesday.

Business: 0.6028592
SBC calling on cable SBC is teaming up with Microsoft to provide consumers with a new way to view television -- a move that puts it in direct competition with the cable TV industry.

World: 0.99928755
Mbeki calls for arms embargo, rebels vow to fight President Thabo Mbeki has urged all countries, including Ivory Coast #39;s neighbours, to immediately enforce a United Nations arms embargo on government and rebel forces in Ivory Coast.

SciTech: 0.9800418
Safety First With Latest AOL 9.0 America Online (Quote, Chart) is bundling existing security features along with new ones for the Thursday launch of its AOL 9.0 software client, security edition.

Sports: 0.99954396
HONDA LINKED WITH BAR TAKEOVER BAR #39;s engine partner Honda is believed to be interested in purchasing the Brackley team and a deal could be done within the next 12 months.

Business: 0.98780817
PeopleSoft Investors Urged to Tender Shares NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. on Thursday said in a letter to PeopleSoft Inc. stockholders that it would withdraw its hostile takeover bid if less than half of PeopleSoft shares were tendered by the offer's deadline.

Sports: 0.9976412
Honda aiming for BAR buyout? Motorsport.com. Reports this week suggest that Honda is aiming to either buy BAR or become co-owner of the team by purchasing a shareholding.

SciTech: 0.9300892
Google Unveils Scholar Search Tool JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The online search engine leader Google has unveiled a new tool for scholarly research. The new service is aimed at making better sense of all the scholarly work stored on the web and it

SciTech: 0.89159775
DNA lab that handles high-profile cases fires analyst GERMANTOWN, Md. A Maryland-based private lab that analyzes criminal-case DNA evidence has fired an analyst for allegedly falsifying test data.

Business: 0.9985697
Oil Steady as Winter Worries Stem Decline LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Thursday as concern over lean heating fuel supplies in the United States and Europe ahead of winter stemmed falls of nearly \$10 since late October.

SciTech: 0.9952879
On Google's Horizon... Microsoft (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Careful followers of search-engine giant Google surely took note this morning of reports that the company is reiterating an earlier warning that its future growth could fall below expectations. As the BBC News reported, the company "has warned that fiercer competition is set to hit sales growth. The firm, which had a successful share flotation earlier this year, said its rate of growth from the second quarter to the third may not be sustainable."

World: 0.9992836
Fini named Italy foreign minister The leader of Italy's right-wing National Alliance, Gianfranco Fini, is appointed foreign minister.

Business: 0.9859013
Update 2: Google Says Revenue Growth Is Slowing Shares of Google Inc. slipped in pre-market trading Thursday after the world #39;s most popular Internet search engine warned for the second time in a week that its fourth-quarter revenue growth rate is likely to slow from previous quarters.

SciTech: 0.99554163
Seagate claims storage record Seagate claims to have broken the record for the most storage on a single disc platter, managing to store 133GB per disc in its newly released 400GB hard drive.

Business: 0.9985556
Broker Downgrades Sink Medtronic CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of Medtronic Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MDT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MDT.N</A> on Thursday sank 7 percent to their lowest level in more than three months after the medical device maker posted weaker-than-expected growth in one of its key business units, sparking at least three broker downgrades.

SciTech: 0.9971938
Gauging Reactions To MSN Search Last Thursday, MSN announced the official beta launch of their search engine. Although a preview had been available on their sandbox site, the launch marked the official unveiling of the company #39;s proprietary search technology to the general public.

SciTech: 0.9777278
New Google Scholar search service aimed at academics Google Inc. on Thursday formally launched a new search service aimed at scientists and academic researchers. Google Scholar is a free beta service that allows users to search for scholarly literature

SciTech: 0.9882427
Bill Gates Gets 4 Million E-Mails a Day Bill Gates might not use AOL, but he's definitely got mail. The Microsoft Corp. chairman receives millions of Internet messages a day, said Steve Ballmer, the company's chief executive. "Bill literally receives 4 million pieces of e-mail per day, most of it spam," Ballmer said Thursday.

Sports: 0.99935466
Report: Spurrier Will Take S. Carolina Job (AP) AP - Steve Spurrier has agreed to take over as football coach at South Carolina if Lou Holtz retires at the end of the season, The Tennessean of Nashville reported in Thursday's editions.

SciTech: 0.9900995
AOL beefs up its homeland security AOL has added a range of features to ward off computer viruses, intrusive spyware programs and spam to a special edition of its internet access package, AOL 9.0 Security Edition.

Business: 0.98501575
Congress Told FDA Failed Public on Vioxx WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration failed the public in its oversight of Merck Co Inc.'s painkiller Vioxx, which has been withdrawn, and is "incapable of protecting America" from another dangerous drug, an agency researcher told Congress on Thursday.

Business: 0.76596093
SBC and Yahoo! extend pact to offer Internet service SAN ANTONIO SBC Communications and Yahoo are expanding their high-speed Internet service partnership to link video, wireless phone, Internet and other services.

Business: 0.99852484
Stocks in Motion: Claire #39;s Shares of Claire #39;s Stores (CLE:NYSE - news - research) were among the NYSE #39;s losers Thursday, falling 15 after the company posted third-quarter results that missed analysts #39; expectations and warning about the fourth quarter.

Business: 0.9984686
Leading Indicators Down for 5th Month (Reuters) Reuters - A key forecasting gauge of future\U.S. economic activity fell for a fifth straight month in\October, a private research firm said on Thursday.

Business: 0.95869595
Kiwi hits eight-year high against struggling greenback The New Zealand dollar has hit its highest level this year, propelled by a dramatic dip in the US dollar. As the greenback slumped against most global currencies, the kiwi rose to 71.02USc, its highest level for eight years.

SciTech: 0.96429116
Google Unveils Service for Academics Google has launched Google Scholar, a search service aimed specifically at the academic community. The search tool will help scientists and academic researchers locate papers, theses and

Business: 0.99850684
Blue Chips Rise, Altria Higher on Upgrade NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips rose on Thursday, led by Altria Group Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MO.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">MO.N</A> and other tobacco stocks, after a federal appeals court expressed skepticism about whether the government could force cigarette makers in a lawsuit to pay billions of dollars.

Sports: 0.99943024
London to unveil 2012 bid plans London #39;s bid team will reveal their final plans for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games when they unveil full details of the bid document on Friday.

SciTech: 0.97831583
Apple Confirms More UK Retail Stores Coming; Additional Locations ... Apple Computer confirmed Thursday it plans to open two additional Apple retail stores in the United Kingdom in 2005 - one in Birmingham, northwest

World: 0.99940014
Israel Apologizes for Killing Egyptian Officers The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, apologized to Egypt today after an Israeli army tank crew fired on an Egyptian patrol near the border with Gaza, killing three Egyptian police officers.

Sports: 0.99958175
FIFA to investigate racism in Madrid Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - FIFA will launch an investigation into the racist chants Spanish fans aimed at black English players during Wednesday #39;s friendly at the Bernabeu in Madrid.

SciTech: 0.9518693
Cambridge SoundWorks gives digital music a spin Home theater company to help users digitally convert audio CDs and store songs on a DVD or player.

SciTech: 0.8652838
Epiphany looks to beef up call center CRM software maker Epiphany Inc. this week is rolling out new analytical software, including two new products and vertical-specific bundles aimed at the communications and retail finance industries.

SciTech: 0.9767263
MPAA Sues First Movie Swappers Industry group will offer a free program to help users find and eliminate illegal files.

Business: 0.9933956
Stern Blasts FCC at Satellite Promotion #39;Down With the FCC! #39; Howard Stern Says at New York Rally to Promote Switch to Satellite Radio. Radio host Howard Stern, below center, waits as thousands of his fans line up to receive a free Sirius radio from him in Union Square in New York Thursday, Nov.

SciTech: 0.99371815
MPAA seeks research, P2P cop role on Internet2 The Motion Picture Association of America is in talks with the Internet2 research consortium, hoping both to test next-generation video delivery projects and to monitor peer-to-peer piracy on the ultrahigh-speed network.

Sports: 0.9988086
Spain reflects on football racism row The racist chanting by Spanish fans at Wednesday night #39;s friendly international in Madrid has left the government here red-faced and fearing a black-mark against the city #39;s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Sports: 0.99897635
Mears wins Busch pole Casey Mears set a track qualifying record and won his third NASCAR Busch series pole of the season Thursday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

World: 0.9990426
Prince Charles chastised for quot;old fashioned quot; views A minister has launched a scathing attack on heir to the throne Prince Charles, accusing him of being quot;very old fashioned quot; and out of touch in his views on teaching in schools.

Business: 0.90420973
Argentina Views China As Market Economy Argentina recognized China as a market economy on Thursday, granting the Asian country a status it has been seeking worldwide to keep countries from imposing penalties on the dumping of Chinese exports.

World: 0.9431595
Police Chief Backs Using Force Against Intruders Britains top police officer today called for an urgent updating of the law to protect householders who use force to defend their homes against criminals - even if it involves killing the intruder.

World: 0.9994091
Bereft Indian pilots leaving Andamans are saluted by air force (AFP) AFP - The Indian air force saluted pilots who rescued hundreds on the remote Nicobar islands despite losing family and colleagues when their base was destroyed by last week's deadly tsunami.

World: 0.9977913
MEPS APPROVE REVAMPED COMMISSION Ending three weeks of stalemate, European lawmakers have approved a new executive commission for the European Union. European MPs had refused to accept a new team of commissioners proposed by Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

World: 0.9994147
E. Guinea coup suspects say they were tortured Equatorial Guinea has told a court he and his comrades had been chained like animals and tortured into confessing. and hand-cuffs to plead their innocence on Thursday.

World: 0.99934715
Palestinians to host Western diplomats Sponsors of an internationally backed Mideast peace plan will send their foreign ministers to the region next week in hopes of restarting Israeli-Palestinian talks in the wake of Yasser Arafat #39;s death.

Business: 0.9956143
Nike Co-Founder Knight Steps Down as CEO (Reuters) Reuters - Nike Inc. co-founder\Philip Knight, who helped transform a small-start up business\into the world's biggest athletic shoe company, will step down\as chief executive officer, the company said on Thursday.

Business: 0.98573965
Nike CEO Philip Knight resigned The co-founder of Nike Inc. Philip Knight has resigned from his position as chief executive officer, the company said on Thursday.

Business: 0.82395935
Is Mad Cow Disease Back? Reuters is reporting that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a possible second case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Sports: 0.9987023
Expos Skipper Robinson OKs One-Year Deal (AP) AP - Frank Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract to return as manager of the Expos, although whether he actually manages the team next year will hinge on the pace of the team's sale and the whim of the new owners.

Business: 0.9985203
Disney Profit Up, TV Outshines Studio LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DIS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">DIS.N</A> posted a 24 percent rise in profit on Thursday as advertising gains at ESPN and ABC television networks more than made up for a sharp slowdown at Disney's movie studio.

Business: 0.9966535
FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.

SciTech: 0.9012107
IBM Says Swamps Rivals in Key UNIX Computer Test IBM (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday its workhorse commercial computers have smashed the industry #39;s most demanding tests, which analysts said creates

Sports: 0.9995771
Spain hunts for fans who racially abused England players The Spanish government responded to diplomatic pressure from Britain yesterday by starting a search for fans who racially abused England players during a quot;friendly quot; football match with Spain.

Sports: 0.99412847
Disgraced Greek sprint pair charged Kostas Kederis and Ekaterini Thanou, the sprinters who brought shame on Greece on the eve of the Olympics, are facing the end of their careers after being charged with missing a drug test and faking a motorcycle accident.

SciTech: 0.94290936
Air Force to launch enterprise Microsoft initiative The U.S. Air Force tomorrow plans to announce an enterprisewide Microsoft software initiative that some analysts see as a prime example of how users can leverage their spending power to force vendors to deliver more secure products.

Sports: 0.999713
Are the Spanish really racist? For once, it was the English fans who could claim the moral high ground. The Spanish Football Federation now faces an official inquiry after several black players in Wednesday night #39;s England squad were subjected

World: 0.99928397
Powell accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear missiles The Bush administration yesterday accused Iran of attempting to develop missiles with nuclear warheads - a charge that could derail the European arms-control agreement struck earlier this week.

SciTech: 0.9947625
ObjectWeb adds portal content management middleware Using open-source modules instead of commercial alternatives -- even standards-based ones -- could save businesses money.

SciTech: 0.8720577
McCain again opposes the president Global warming needs more attention, according to John McCain, and President Bush needs to lead the way. I listened to some of the hearings on this subject this week, and I must say the people testifying are

Business: 0.9974727
Nike founder steps down Nike boss Phil Knight last night announced his decision to step down as chief executive of the footwear company he helped found 42 years ago.

World: 0.99940586
Bush Confronts New Challenge on Issue of Iran While assembling a new national security team, President Bush is confronting what could become the biggest challenge of his second term: how to contain Iran #39;s

Business: 0.9984793
Kmart and Sears announce merger Kmart Holding Corp and Sears, Roebuck and Co said Wednesday that they are merging to form a new retail company called Sears Holdings Corp that will be the US #39; third-largest retailer with about US\$55 billion in annual revenues.

SciTech: 0.99010617
A Fair Tax Some say a "fair tax" that removes the need to file tax returns from the vast majority of the citizenry is a national sales tax. This doesn't seem to be very fair to people trying to feed, house and clothe themselves and seems to subsidize large land holders (Bush's favorite constituency). There is a tax that lives up to the promises broken by Bush's proposal for a national sales tax.

Business: 0.99842536
American Fare Cuts Presage Price War American Airlines slashed its fares to Miami yesterday by as much as 85 percent from several cities including Washington's Reagan National Airport, possibly setting off a winter fare war on routes to Florida.

Business: 0.998376
Eisner Continues Defense of Hiring, Firing GEORGETOWN, Del., Nov. 18 -- When Walt Disney Co. chief executive Michael D. Eisner and Disney President Michael S. Ovitz appeared on "Larry King Live" on Sept. 30, 1996, their corporate partnership was dissolving into an acrimonious disaster.

SciTech: 0.99684215
Running was a key human characteristic By Lee Bowman. The ability to run long distances across the African savannah gave human ancestors an evolutionary advantage over other primates that walked upright, but could not run the mile or 20, researchers argue in a new study.

Business: 0.9973315
Nike co-founder stepping down president effective December 28 after more than a year-long search. Knight, 66, who also will give up his title of president,. chairman, quot; Knight said in a statement on Thursday.

Sports: 0.99967515
Hokies making statement about ACC title intentions The annual summer barbecues that Ralph Friedgen and Frank Beamer co-host at their lake homes in Georgia may be a little less cordial after the way Beamer #39;s Virginia Tech Hokies waxed Friedgen #39;s Maryland Terrapins 55-6 last night.

Business: 0.9027543
Eichel Wants Strong Euro on G20 Agenda German Finance Minister Eichel called for the euro #39;s quot;brutal quot; rise versus the dollar to be put on the agenda of the summit of G20 countries in Berlin this weekend amid concerns the greenback #39;s slide could hit EU growth.

World: 0.99939835
3 Egyptian soldiers killed in Israeli error JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops mistook three Egyptian police officers for Palestinian militants and shot them dead yesterday along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, increasing tensions between the neighbors.

Sports: 0.99931765
Roddick breaks down Safin Top-seeded Roger Federer overcame a second-set lapse and remained unbeaten in the ATP Masters Cup Championships with a victory last night over Carlos Moya.

Sports: 0.99964595
Spurs 88, 76ers 80 The Philadelphia 76ers got a firsthand demonstration of why Tim Duncan might be the toughest player in the NBA to defend. Duncan scored a season-high 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Spurs to

SciTech: 0.99642473
Microsoft warns Asian governments of potential Linux lawsuits SINGAPORE : Microsoft #39;s chief executive Steve Ballmer warned Asian governments on Thursday that they could face patent lawsuits for using the Linux operating system instead of Windows.

Business: 0.9984383
Auto suppliers feel squeeze DETROIT -- New car and truck sales rose more than two per cent during the first 10 months of 2004, but many of the companies that supply parts to the big automakers have little to celebrate -- their profits are shrinking as raw materials costs rise and

SciTech: 0.9462875
Lab used by LAPD falsified DNA data and possibly dozens -- of pending criminal cases to determine whether critical evidence was tainted or falsified during

SciTech: 0.8382945
Dream TV Screen, Now in Size Large The most desired electronic gift item for this holiday season is a plasma TV. You might, however, want to consider something that wasn't even in the running: L.C.D.

SciTech: 0.9879381
PeopleSoft Chief Threatens to Sue Over Oracle Statements PeopleSoft's chief executive accused Oracle of spreading misleading information about his stock sales and threatened to sue for defamation.

Business: 0.9847735
First Howard, Now Mel: Karmazin Joins Sirius As CEO Hours after his close associate Howard Stern addressed a teeming crowd about the benefits of Sirius Satellite Radio, former Viacom Chief Operating Officer and President Mel Karmazin announced that he has signed onto the fledgling company as CEO.

SciTech: 0.9896959
So you think you get a lot of e-mail SINGAPORE -- If you didnt think anybody else could possibly get any more spam than you, then think of Bill Gates. The Microsoft Corp.

SciTech: 0.98354405
Oracle gets with the patch programme The company said Thursday that it will release security bulletins and accompanying patches for its products on 18 January, 12 April, 12 July and 18 October.

Sports: 0.9996865
Oram shuns Cairns comparisons Brisbane - New Zealand batting hero Jacob Oram shunned comparisons with one of his country #39;s great all-rounders Chris Cairns after he bludgeoned the Kiwis into contention against Australia here on Friday.

World: 0.9992225
Football: Brazil legend's UK debut Brazil football great Socrates is set to make his debut for non-league Garforth Town on Saturday.

Sports: 0.99964297
This week #39;s golf tournaments Last year: Meg Mallon won the season-ending tournament for her lone 2003 title, beating Annika Sorenstam by a stroke. Last week: Heather Daly-Donofrio won the Tournament of Champions in Mobile, Ala.

Business: 0.9963188
Oracle tender results out Saturday Company will report preliminary count of its \$8.8B hostile bid for PeopleSoft after 1 am ET. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. said it would report preliminary results of its \$8.8 billion hostile tender offer

Sports: 0.9948554
Spain Condemns Racial Abuse, Defends Reputation MADRID (Reuters) - The Madrid council has condemned the racist behavior of fans that marred Wednesday's friendly between Spain and England and said that the events should not be allowed to harm the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

World: 0.9990126
Football: Spanish FA apologises The Spanish FA apologises to its English counterparts following racist chanting.

SciTech: 0.9788183
A PC in the toaster? How mod! photos There's also room in the humidor and the Darth Vader helmet. Take a gander at some strange and wonderful creations.

Business: 0.9967049
Auction for Yukos core set for Dec. 19 A planned sale of Russian energy giant Yukos #39; main asset has become clouded by confusion over the price, the participants and the legality of the sale.

SciTech: 0.9685601
Google Launches New Search Tool For Academics Google has rolled out a new search tool called, Google Scholar. Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts

World: 0.9993794
A conspiracy theory : In the aftermath of Arafats passing AH Jaffor Ullah. Yasser Arafat, the acknowledged leader of Palestinian people, lived amidst controversy all through his life. The cause of his death has now become a source of controversy amongst the departed leaders people all over Middle East.

World: 0.999175
Vladimir Putin: Claims of authoritarian drift quot;total nonsense quot; President Vladimir Putin rejected concern that he is beating a path toward authoritarianism, calling such criticism quot;total nonsense quot; in an interview published Friday and saying Russia needs time to build democracy after centuries of heavy

Business: 0.99148154
Sirius Satellite Radio quot;outperform, quot; target price raised NEW YORK, November 19 (newratings.com) - Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus amp; Company reiterate their quot;outperform quot; rating on Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI.

Sports: 0.99964976
GAME NOTES: The 24th-ranked Memphis Tigers and the fifth-ranked ... Orange are set to square off in the title game of the Coaches vs. Cancer. Classic. The Orange posted an impressive 71-58 victory over 12th-ranked.

Business: 0.99686086
Emi profits fall but online music market improving LONDON: EMI, the world #39;s third-largest music group, reported a drop in first-half profits on Friday but said the beleaguered industry was rebounding as online music sales start to take off.

Business: 0.9948479
Greenspan issues new warning over US current account deficit (AFP) AFP - US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said the United States' huge current account deficit cannot be indefinitely financed by foreign countries and investors.

Business: 0.990741
California employee pension fund tenders PeopleSoft shares to ... NOVEMBER 19, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - The California Employees #39; Retirement System (Calpers) is tendering its 1.5 million PeopleSoft Inc.

Sports: 0.9990313
Prem Preview: Everton v Fulham A favourite with the crowd during his time at Goodison Park, many fans will not forget Radzinskis comments prior to his 1.75 m move to the Londoners during the summer.

World: 0.99938655
Pakistan arrests key Al-Qaeda operative (AFP) AFP - Pakistani security forces have arrested a key Al-Qaeda operative wanted in connection with attacks on Christian targets and a failed bid to kill President Pervez Musharraf, an official said.

World: 0.9067414
Bush Signs Into Law Debt Ceiling Increase WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Friday signed intolaw a measure authorizing an \$800 billion increase in thecredit limit of the United States, the White House said.

Business: 0.998602
Dollar Plunges on Greenspan Comments NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar sank across the board, dropping to multiyear lows against the yen and the euro on Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said demand for U.S. assets could ease at some point given the size of the current account deficit.

SciTech: 0.9043396
Tacoma weathers ERP and CRM 'perfect storm' Problems with a \$50 million-plus rollout of SAP's ERP, CRM and other business apps in the city of Tacoma, Wash., have generated a storm of end-user complaints, bad press and a call for an independent audit of the situation.

Sports: 0.99968624
It takes 6 Gators to match Bowden There is no shortage of ways to measure Bobby Bowden #39;s stellar career as Florida State #39;s football coach. There are the 277 of his Division IA leading 350 wins here, which is

SciTech: 0.99009985
Hotmail Fights Fraud and Gmail with New Domains To kick off the availability of the new domain names, Microsoft will conduct a charity auction of what it believes will be the most sought after UK addresses.

Business: 0.9884084
FCC says allowing cable TV subscribers to choose their channels ... Federal regulators rejected on Friday the idea that allowing cable TV subscribers to pay only for channels they want would lower high cable bills.

World: 0.84227556
UN deadlock defeats cloning ban The United Nations has shelved efforts to draft a treaty banning the cloning of human embryos in a setback for the Bush administration.

Business: 0.96498704
Gleaning Insights From Berkshire Other than Comcast and ServiceMaster additions, it's been a quiet quarter of trading for this portfolio.

Business: 0.80758893
Big Dig Tunnel Is Riddled With Leaks In a burgeoning political and engineering scandal, Boston #39;s gleaming new underground Interstate 93 highway is riddled with hundreds of leaks.

Sports: 0.9997043
Holyfield #39;s effort to unify heavyweight title running out of time Evander Holyfield just doesn #39;t get it. He #39;s beyond old for a fighter and seemingly hasn #39;t been able to punch his way out of a paper bag in years.

World: 0.9993019
North Korea-watchers ponder significance of Kim #39;s changed status SEOUL - Watchers of the reclusive North Korean regime are buzzing about reports that might indicate a change in the cult of personality surrounding Kim Jong Il.

World: 0.9994054
Kidnap fears for lost tsunami boy Police in tsunami-hit Thailand search for a Swedish boy feared kidnapped by child sex traffickers.

Sports: 0.9964688
Busch Wins Pole for Season-Ending Race Pressure? What pressure? Kurt Busch, last in the qualifying line and first in the NASCAR Nextel Cup points, waited out 54 other drivers Friday and then won the pole for the season-ending Ford 400, which will determine the 2004 champion.

Business: 0.9961921
Investors expect PeopleSoft shareholders to back Oracle bid REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. Investors continue to bet today that most PeopleSoft shareholders will back Oracle #39;s nine-point-two (b) billion-dollar takeover bid for its bitter rival.

World: 0.9993544
Van Gogh #39;s murder brings out Holland #39;s contradictions The murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a young Muslim of Moroccan descent has shaken Holland to its very foundations. To most people, including the Dutch, the killing and its violent

Business: 0.9985226
Icahn Takes The High River NEW YORK - Why has Carl Icahn set his sights on the relatively insignificant Mylan Laboratories, a generic drug company with just \$1.5 billion in sales and a \$4.3 billion market cap?

SciTech: 0.9332474
Images: Nintendo grows up--a little The Nintendo DS includes a touch-sensitive screen and is geared for an older crowd.

SciTech: 0.92890173
Barrett: Good business models vary widely BANGALORE, INDIA - Peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing would never have gathered momentum if the music industry had adopted models for distribution over the Internet, said Intel Corp. Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett, addressing IT executives in India Friday.

Sports: 0.9997141
Pepperdine 80, Fairleigh Dickinson 79 Glen McGowan had 22 points and little-used reserve Chase Griffin came off the bench to make two clutch free throws to help Pepperdine hold off Fairleigh Dickinson 80-79 Friday for fifth place in the BCA Invitational.

Sports: 0.9994141
Nebraska Player Charged With Assault An arrest warrant was issued Friday, Nov. 19, 2004, for Nebraska offensive lineman Darren DeLone, shown in this undated handout photo.

SciTech: 0.9818018
Hey mate, we're moving offshore too! Australia's IT News reports the findings of a recent survey in which more than 20 percent of company execs said they were considering or recommending offshore outsourcing. Outsourcing Blog

World: 0.999329
Clinton Rips Starr, Media on Prosecution (AP) AP - In a prime-time television outburst, Bill Clinton ripped old nemesis Kenneth Starr and what the former president portrayed as a gullible media eager to report every "sleazy thing" leaked from a prosecutor bent on bringing him down.

Business: 0.99382544
Yukos under the hammer at \$8.6bn Russia pressed ahead yesterday with controversial plans to break up the country #39;s biggest oil company Yukos, setting a date of December 19 for an auction of its main production unit at a bargain basement starting price of \$8.65bn (4.88bn).

SciTech: 0.9975803
First Look: iPod Brings Music to Your Photos (PC World) PC World - Apple's latest offers a brilliant color screen and photo capabilities, but the price is high.

World: 0.9715907
Next Big Hit at the Modern: Its Reopening The buzz over the greatly enlarged museum is expected to turn into a cacophony on Saturday.

World: 0.99798965
Funding of Election Monitors A Concern A delegation that was paid to watch the Ukraine elections by a lobbyist affiliated with one of the candidates has some saying the move taints the process of promoting democracy.

Sports: 0.99954885
Steelers' Staley Downgraded to Doubtful (AP) AP - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Duce Staley was downgraded to doubtful Friday with a sore hamstring, meaning he will almost certainly miss a third consecutive game Sunday.

World: 0.99687576
Protesters Denounce APEC Summit in Chile Thousands of protesters marched peacefully through downtown Santiago on Friday, expressing anger at a weekend summit of Pacific Rim leaders, particularly President Bush. But violence later erupted at a rock concert.

Business: 0.9615147
No tax on Internet access until at least 2007 Consumers won #39;t have to pay a tax to log on to the Internet until at least 2007, after Congress voted Friday to renew a recently lapsed ban on Internet taxation.

Business: 0.5946251
Lawyers In the Limelight By all appearances, Steven Woghin was a lawyer at the top of his game. After years in government service, the former Justice Department attorney had worked his way up to a comfortable six-figure salary and the chief legal job at software maker Computer Associates International Inc.

SciTech: 0.9866014
Inside Apple #39;s new Regent Street store With 48 hours left before its official opening, Apple gave us a sneak peek at the new Regent Street Store. Billed as #39;a place to belong #39;, it #39;s staffed by the 138 successful candidates, whittled down from an original list of over 4000 applicants.

SciTech: 0.6381384
System glitch hits HSBC A glitch leaves customers of HSBC bank unable to use its internet services as well as cash machines.

Business: 0.99803406
Market not ready to cheer Despite announcing the biggest news in its short history, OSI Pharmaceuticals stock fell nearly 10 percent Friday, as some investors grew nervous about whether its newly approved cancer drug would be the bonanza they expected.

World: 0.9993994
Myanmar frees nearly 4,000 prisoners UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has praised the release of several political prisoners in Myanmar, the BBC reported Saturday. Annan also said he hoped others still behind

SciTech: 0.9978021
Linux Core Consortium may not derail fate #39;s wheels Fate may hold something of a pre-determined fragmentation for Linux operating systems, like Unix before them, that even standards efforts cannot undo.

World: 0.99351466
World's oldest man dies aged 113 The world's oldest man, who gave up driving at 108 because "slow drivers annoyed him", dies at 113.

Sports: 0.99965453
Spurrier expected to replace Holtz Lou Holtz wanted his South Carolina players to focus on their game against Clemson. They suddenly have a lot more on their minds. Holtz will retire as coach at South Carolina

Sports: 0.9972953
Manchester United Beats Charlton 2-0 (AP) AP - Manchester United defeated Charlton 2-0 Saturday in the Premier League behind goals from Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Charlton did little to test United's defense before 67,704 fans, and the only surprise was that Man United didn't score more.

Sports: 0.99969375
Toronto Raptors Team Report - November 20 (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors found themselves on the wrong end of a 101-94 decision against the red-hot Seattle SuperSonics on Friday at the Air Canada Centre.

World: 0.9993494
Top Senate Dem Calls for Bipartisanship (AP) AP - Rallying a party stung by presidential and congressional losses, the incoming Senate Democratic leader reminded fellow lawmakers on Saturday of their shared commitment to help the nation.

World: 0.9852191
England humble Sprinboks Charlie Hodgson scores 27 points as England overwhelm the Springboks at Twickenham.

Sports: 0.9983802
Police Join Probe Into Pistons-Pacers Mass Brawl Police launched an investigation on Saturday into an extraordinary mass brawl involving players and fans at a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.

Sports: 0.9996828
Harvick Holds Off McMurray for Busch Series Win HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Sports Network) - Kevin Harvick held off fellow Nextel Cup driver Jamie McMurray on three restarts over the final 20 laps to capture the Ford 300. The No.29 Chevrolet crossed the finish line 0.218 seconds ahead of runner-up McMurray.

Sports: 0.99954826
Michigan St. Beats Central Conn. St. Michigan State #39;s Liz Shimek (52) starts a fast break trailed by Central Connecticut State #39;s Gabriella Geugbelet, left, and Michigan State #39;s Kelli Roehrig, right, during the second half Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, in East Lansing, Mich.

SciTech: 0.99794155
NASA Successfully Launches Swift Satellite NASA #39;s Swift satellite successfully launched today aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket at 12:16 pm EST from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

Sports: 0.99937564
United States Edge Ahead at Kiawah Island The Rest of the World face an uphill task in their bid to win the UBS Cup for the first time after the United States took the second day fourball session 4-2 to establish a 6 - 5 lead going into the final day singles at Kiawah Islands Cassique

Sports: 0.99970895
Federer to meet Hewitt in Masters Cup final Houston, TX (Sports Network) - World No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland and third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt each posted straight-set wins and advanced to Sunday #39;s final at the lucrative 2004 Tennis Masters Cup.

Sports: 0.99969685
Gamecocks, Tigers brawl CLEMSON, SC South Carolina and Clemson duked it out in the closing minutes of today #39;s game at Clemson. Police, security and coaches tried to separate the teams, who scuffled before the game started and continually pushed and showed each other throughout.

World: 0.99942446
African Troops Begin with Small Steps to Calm Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - The rebels emerge from the desert\haze like ghosts. First one, silhouetted atop a sand dune and\holding a grenade launcher, then a dozen more, their shadowy\figures appearing in unison.

World: 0.9993814
China miners 'trapped by fire' Rescuers in northern China look for dozens of miners thought to be trapped after a fire broke out.

World: 0.99941885
Al-Jazeera man remanded in Spain A Spanish court remands Tayseer Alouni and eight others in custody ahead of their trial for suspected al-Qaeda links.

Business: 0.996642
Senators Want Boeing Deal Investigated Leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee asked the Defense Department on Friday to have its inspector general #39;s office investigate the Air Force #39;s effort to

Sports: 0.99943465
WRAPUP 1-Careless Chelsea and Arsenal let victories slip League leaders Chelsea allowed Bolton Wanderers to recover from two goals down to force a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in one of two major surprises in the Premier League on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9871185
With a Rookie Quarterback in the N.F.L., Call It in the Air Debuts are rarely pretty, especially for rookies such as Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who will make his first start Sunday.

Sports: 0.99334925
Auburn Stays Perfect No. 2 Auburn rallies in the second half and defeats rival Alabama, 21-13, Saturday to keep its national championship hopes alive.

Business: 0.9955428
ViewPoints: Just say #39;No #39; You can #39;t get much clearer than No. That was the strongly implied response of the US Treasury secretary, John Snow, to Europe #39;s growing cries that he help it deal with a weakening dollar by intervening to stop the slide.

World: 0.9994041
Iraq continues battle against insurgents BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Insurgents continued to strike against coalition targets in Iraq Saturday, resulting in the deaths of one US soldier and four government employees in Baghdad.

SciTech: 0.997999
US Spacecraft to Probe Origin of Gamma Rays Far Beyond Our Galaxy The US space agency, NASA, launched a satellite Saturday that scientists hope will help them locate the sources of mysterious gamma ray explosions, the

SciTech: 0.9681023
Titantic is a treasure to be protected, explorer says Legendary explorer Robert Ballard was nervous this summer as he prepared to return to the Titanic for the first time since he discovered the famous shipwreck nearly two decades ago.

Business: 0.9952237
Congress Asks SEC for Mutual Fund Study (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Congress asked the\Securities and Exchange Commission on Saturday to send\lawmakers a report justifying a new rule forcing mutual fund\boards to have independent chairmen.

Sports: 0.99968386
All-rounder McGrath Glenn McGrath, thoroughbred fast bowler for a decade, embarked on a new career as an all-rounder in his 102nd Test match at the Gabba, hitting his first half-century as Australia

Sports: 0.9995665
Cavs Beat Bobcats for Sixth Win in Row (AP) AP - LeBron James scored 25 points, Jeff McInnis added a season-high 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their sixth straight, 100-84 over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.

Sports: 0.9997179
Michigan Gets Rose Bowl Berth Despite Loss to Ohio St. COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Troy Smith threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 145 yards and a score to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 37-21 victory over No. 7 Michigan in the final game of the regular season for both teams.

Business: 0.9985337
Congress Asks SEC for Mutual Fund Study WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress asked the Securities and Exchange Commission on Saturday to send lawmakers a report justifying a new rule forcing mutual fund boards to have independent chairmen.

Sports: 0.99940217
Sorenstam maintains Florida lead Annika Sorenstam could only manage a level-par 72 on day three of the ADT Tour Championship in Florida but it was enough to maintain a one-stroke lead.

World: 0.75136304
Will there be peace in Great Lakes region? To coordinate and cooperate or not to, that is where the rub is, and that is the key issue when it comes to answering the question whether there will be peace in the Great Lakes region.

World: 0.9994068
Leaders of Spain, Portugal, Latin America urge Falklands dialogue (AFP) AFP - Leaders from Spain, Portugal and their former colonies in Latin America urged Britain and Argentina to renew their dialogue on the Falkland islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas.

World: 0.99931765
Explosion in southern Italy kills eight, gas leak possible cause FOGGIA, Italy Eight people have been killed in an explosion that leveled a two-story apartment building in southern Italy. Firefighters are investigating whether a gas leak is to blame.

Sports: 0.9997141
Florida Upsets No. 10 Florida State 20-13 Florida State #39;s Chauncey Stovall, left, comes down with a fourth-quarter-touchdown catch as Florida defender Vernell Brown, right, falls down, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, in Tallahassee, Fla.

Sports: 0.9996698
Fans are to blame, but players will face biggest penalties Look for David Stern to come down hard on the principals in Friday #39;s Pacers-Pistons brawl. With the NBA #39;s image possibly at stake, many around the league expect him to send a strong message when he makes his final ruling.

Business: 0.99789727
Dreams of perfect market are fine, as long as they don't come true In these times of financial wrongdoing and subsequent systemic changes, it's only natural to wonder what a perfect investment world would look like.

Business: 0.99651897
Hotel workers #39; lockout off for now Employers, union OK 60-day ... Thirty-eight raucous days of picket lines, tough talk and the angst of 4,300 San Francisco hotel workers locked out of their jobs with the holidays nigh were put aside Saturday when negotiators for the hotels and the workers #39; union agreed to a 60-day

Sports: 0.99970514
Westwood Closes in on First Title of 2004 SUN CITY, South Africa (Reuters) - Briton Lee Westwood closed in on his first title of 2004 when he claimed the third-round lead in the Sun City Golf Challenge Saturday.

Business: 0.9968071
Lawyer says we #39;re good guys Drug giant Merck pulled its painkiller Vioxx because it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Now the company may face thousands of lawsuits.

Sports: 0.9991892
Local knowledge produced benefits Patriots fans had one of their own working Sunday's regular-season finale against the 49ers. Fox producer P.T. Navarro considers himself a New Englander, even though he moved around the country as the son of college football coach Frank Navarro (Columbia, Wabash, Princeton).

Sports: 0.9986085
Woods wins Dunlop Phoenix Miyazaki - Tiger Woods shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to win the Dunlop Phoenix for his first title since February and first victory in Japan.

Sports: 0.9989054
Huskies blank Buffalo Dan Orlovsky threw for 283 yards and a touchdown in his final home game yesterday to lead Connecticut to a 29-0 victory over Buffalo, assuring the Huskies of a winning record and making them eligible for a bowl bid.

Sports: 0.9997086
AUBURN 21, ALABAMA 13 Auburn #39;s Strong Second Half Keeps It in ... For one half Saturday, the controversy over the Bowl Championship Series looked like it might disappear in the dampness of Bryant-Denny Stadium as undefeated Auburn found itself in a fight with archrival Alabama.

World: 0.9992761
Army restricted ethnic recruits The British Army secretly restricted numbers of ethnic recruits, according to official files just released.

Sports: 0.99970394
Ohio State defense keeps Hart in check COLUMBUS - It had been awhile since anyone had slammed the door on Michigan phenom Mike Hart. The freshman running back established a school record by rushing for 150 or more yards in five straight games entering

World: 0.9994074
Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bombing Kills 10 BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen killed the Baghdad governor in Iraq's highest-profile assassination in eight months and a suicide bomber killed 10 people near the Green Zone on Tuesday in an escalating campaign to wreck a Jan. 30 election.

Business: 0.9985362
Taser Execs Selling Heavily on the News Shares of Taser International Inc. (TASR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) have jumped 20 percent since early last week as the stun gun maker issued a slew of announcements

Business: 0.9371872
Update 1: Negotiators Meet at WTO for Farm Talks Negotiators met Friday at the World Trade Organization for formal farm talks, capping a weeklong series of informal discussions on ways to reach a wider-ranging liberalization accord by the end of 2005.

Sports: 0.99970716
Ohio State #39;s big plays kill Wolverines Football coaches, especially those at Michigan, continually stress the importance of preventing the big play. A lot of players didn #39;t get the message on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9997008
Sugar Shane Not so Sweet (November 21, 2004). Ronald Winky Wright successfully defended his 154 lb. title for the sixth time in the highly anticipated rematch with the formerly sweet Sugar Shane Mosley

Business: 0.9971322
Rats in Mouse #39;s house? Remember John Edwards Two Americas campaign theme? It occurred to me how well that theme fits the corporate world. For proof, look no further than the stockholder lawsuit against Walt Disney Co.

World: 0.9991873
Costa Rica quake A powerful early-morning earthquake in Costa Rica shook presidents and prime ministers from their beds while damaging houses and frightening several people into heart attacks.

Sports: 0.9995433
Vieira slams Spain #39;s stance on racism Patrick Vieira has fiercely criticised Spain #39;s record in combating racism in football and paid tribute to England #39;s record in acting against it.

Sports: 0.9979634
Utah Caps Unbeaten Season With Rout of BYU (AP) AP - Utah beat rival Brigham Young 52-21 Saturday, completing its first unbeaten season since 1930 and putting the Utes one step closer to the first appearance in the Bowl Championship Series for a team from a mid-major conference.

SciTech: 0.99742717
Three More Linux mobile Phones Coming in Japan An anonymous reader writes quot;NEC and Panasonic have developed three Linux-powered 3G mobile phones to be introduced in Japan in the coming months -- NEC #39;s N900iL, NEC #39;s N901iC, and Panasonic #39;s P901i.

Sports: 0.9995338
Mosley Unable to Escape Winkys Jab Las Vegas, NV: You have to give credit to Sugar Shane Mosley. For the second time in his career, the former world champion valiantly tried to reverse a thorough beating by jumping headfirst into an immediate rematch.

World: 0.99877626
After a decade of silence, Cambodia's cinema enjoys resurgence (AFP) AFP - After a decade of silence, Cambodia's movie industry is enjoying a boom due to a dash of Hollywood attention, burgeoning nationalism and cheaper production costs, industry insiders say.

Business: 0.99845827
Anil Ambani authorises mother to take decisions on his behalf MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a family meeting of the Ambanis here on Monday on the ownership issue in the Rs 80,000 crore-Reliance group of industries as Mukesh Ambani returned from the US even as his brother Anil is understood to have

World: 0.99881625
Commuter Plane Crashes in China, Killing 54 A China Eastern Airlines commuter plane crashed into a frozen lake in northern China this morning, killing all 53 people on board and 1 on the ground, state media and the airline said.

World: 0.9271425
Halliburton leading contender in construction of British aircraft carriers: report (AFP) AFP - Halliburton, the oil services giant once run by US Vice President Dick Cheney, has emerged as a leading contender to manage the construction of two British aircraft carriers, The Sunday Telegraph said.

World: 0.9992705
Deadly fire sweeps through China mines SHAHE, CHINA - Nine people were confirmed dead and 57 remained missing late Sunday after a fire swept through five iron ore mines in northern China, the Xinhau news agency said.

Business: 0.9966725
Update 2: Oracle Poised to Pounce on PeopleSoft Bolstered by investors, Oracle Corp. appears destined to complete its long-sought takeover of PeopleSoft Inc. unless its rival becomes more profitable and proves it #39;s worth more than the \$9.2 billion bid currently on the table.

Business: 0.5685413
Google creators in share sell-off Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have announced plans to sell millions of shares in the web search company they launched in 1998.

Sports: 0.99921095
Backstage Pass; Mosley-Wright 2 By Sammy Rozenberg (AP Staff Writer/BoxingScene Staff Writer). BoxingScene was ready and willing to engage in conversation during the post-fight press conference following the Shane Mosley-Winky Wright rematch.

World: 0.72493505
Australia cancels 80pc of Iraqi debt Nineteen countries, including Australia, have agreed to cancel 80 per cent of the debt Iraq owes them. The deal secured for the Paris Club of creditor nations ends a trans-Atlantic dispute and probably sets

World: 0.9994172
Arafat nephew set to pick up medical chart PARIS - Nasser al-Kidwa, nephew of the deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, arrived in Paris from Cairo Sunday to pick up a copy of Arafat #39;s medical records.

World: 0.9994112
PM invites North East groups for talks Striking a personal chord, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today invited ULFA in Assam and other insurgent groups in the North East to shun violence.

World: 0.99941325
US urges Israel to help Palestinian vote US Secretary of State Colin Powell has launched a new Middle East peace drive by saying he will press both Israeli and Palestinian leaders for steps to help Palestinians elect a successor to Yasser Arafat.

Sports: 0.9995522
Iverson Misses Game Against Heat (AP) AP - Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson didn't travel with the team for Sunday's game against Miami because of a bruised right elbow.

World: 0.99939215
Iran pledges to halt nuclear work The head of Iran #39;s nuclear energy organisation said work would stop at two nuclear facilities in the central cities of Isfahan and Natanz.

Business: 0.979732
No deal on dollar as US shrugs off European pressure Europe and Japan failed yesterday to persuade the United States to address the decline in the dollar, despite talks at a fractious meeting of the Group of 20 industrialised and developing nations.

Sports: 0.9987639
For Dempsey, soccer impasse qualifies as a concern US national team candidates expected to begin training in Los Angeles this week for the start of the final round of World Cup qualifying. Instead, the training camp has been postponed because of a contract dispute between the US Soccer Federation and the US National Soccer Team Players Association.

World: 0.98712486
Blunkett gets tougher on drugs New police powers to prosecute offenders for possession if they test positive for drugs when they are arrested, even if the only drugs they have are in their bloodstream, are to be announced this week.

SciTech: 0.9015488
Top exec shares business lessons Jeff Raikes was working at Apple Computer in the early 1980s when a guy named Steve Ballmer called and asked him to interview for a product-management job at a small software outfit in the Seattle area.

SciTech: 0.83651674
NVIDIA and Intel sign broad cross-license and chipset license ... quot;NVIDIA and Intel Corporation announced that the companies have signed a broad, multi-year patent cross-license agreement spanning multiple product lines and product generations.

World: 0.90085787
APEC Leaders Vow to Scrap Trade Barriers Pacific Rim leaders pledged Sunday to shore up global security and push ahead with the World Trade Organization's negotiations on lowering global trade barriers.

Business: 0.7296889
HGS Picks Watkins as New Chief Executive Human Genome Sciences Inc. plans to announce today that it has hired a 20-year product development veteran from Abbott Laboratories Inc. as chief executive. H. Thomas Watkins, 51, will face the challenge of completing the Rockville company's makeover from gene hunter to drug marketer.

Sports: 0.99968326
Bettis, Steelers post eighth straight win CINCINNATI - Jerome Bettis ran for 129 yards and the Pittsburgh Steelers #39; blitzing defense created havoc in the second half in a 19-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday.

Business: 0.9985885
UPDATE:James Hardie 1H Net Disappoints; Cuts FY Forecast SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian building products manufacturer James Hardie Industries NV (JHX) surprised investors Monday by reporting a 9.5 drop in net profit for

Sports: 0.9970837
Favre Does It Again With the Texans nursing a second-half lead, the stage was set for another Packers' comeback, authored by Brett Favre. The result: a 16-13 Green Bay win.

Sports: 0.9996586
Defense finally craters against Favre Considering how poorly the Texans #39; defense played in the first halves in blowout losses to the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts the previous two weeks, Sunday night #39;s performance was encouraging.

World: 0.99612576
Bush Tries to Mend Ties With Latin America 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."

Business: 0.95777553
Toy Safety Glance 398,000 Bumble Bee toys distributed by Graco Children #39;s Products. Graco received 26 reports of antennae breaking off the toys, including five reports of children who started to choke on the broken parts.

Business: 0.99855167
Holiday sales results lift Wal-Mart, Kmart Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said a surge in after-Christmas shopping spurred December same-store sales gains of about 3 percent, at the high end of its forecast. Kmart Holding Corp. said profit rose 10 percent during the holiday season after it limited deep discounts.

SciTech: 0.9979091
Skulls Trojan keelhauls Symbian phones Users with Symbian-based mobile phones have been hit by malicious code that disables smartphone features. Skulls, a Trojan horse program that poses as gaming software, is one of the first examples of malicious code to successfully infect mobiles.

Sports: 0.99907
GULLIT TO TAKE ACTION AFTER DEFEAT Feyenoord boss Ruud Gullit has launched a stinging attack on his players after watching them crash to their third defeat of the season against FC Groningen.

World: 0.9993932
Iran Suspends Key Nuclear Work to Avoid Sanctions Iran on Monday froze sensitive nuclear work including uranium enrichment in a move likely to thwart US efforts to report the Islamic state to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Business: 0.90204644
Amtrak Infrastructure On Brink, DOT Warns The national passenger rail service risks a "major point of failure" if infrastructure needs remain unaddressed, the U.S. Department of Transportation warned in a scathing report made public.

Business: 0.99340594
Xstrata in new bid for mines firm Swiss firm Xstrata relaunches a takeover bid for Australian mining company WMC Resources by appealing directly to its shareholders.

Sports: 0.99969494
Nine men Bhoys fall at Ibrox CELTIC lost ground in the title race today after Rangers won a heated Old Firm encounter that will be better remembered for its sending offs and scuffles.

Sports: 0.99771106
Wright ready to cash in after win Shane Mosley gave Winky Wright his big chance. After beating Mosley a second time, Wright is now ready to cash in on it. Wright pronounced himself one of boxing #39;s elite contenders Saturday night after beating

World: 0.9992636
China Iron Mine Fire Death Toll Rises to 57 BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from a fire that swept through an iron mine complex in the northern Chinese province of Hebei rose to 57, with three miners still missing, Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

World: 0.99940157
Raid in hunt for Afghan hostages \US and Afghan forces raid houses in Kabul as part of a hunt for three UN workers kidnapped last month.

SciTech: 0.54573774
Microsoft and Dell Get Air Force Pact Microsoft Corp. on Friday said that together with Dell Inc. it will provide the Air Force with software and related support services to simplify the acquisition process in an agreement worth up to \$500 million over six years.

Business: 0.9968162
CAT and AstraZeneca enter \$175m collaboration AstraZeneca intends to invest over 120m in Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) through an innovative five-year research collaboration and a 75m equity

Business: 0.99856025
Trump's Casinos File for Bankruptcy PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Donald Trump's casino operations filed for bankruptcy Sunday in a long-expected move that would allow the real estate maverick to restructure the company's debt and overhaul its aging casinos.

Business: 0.9936965
Xstrata Makes a Bid for WMC Resources Swiss mining group Xstrata PLC Monday launched a hostile 7.4 billion Australian dollar (US\$5.8 billion; euro4.4 billion) bid for uranium and copper miner WMC Resources LTD, increasing pressure on the independent Australian miner.

Business: 0.8584379
HK Disneyland Theme Park to Open in September Hong Kong #39;s Disneyland theme park will open on Sept. 12, 2005 and become the driving force for growth in the city #39;s tourism industry, Hong Kong #39;s government and Walt Disney Co.

Business: 0.9930841
Ryanair names Liverpool airport as 12th base Ryanair is making Liverpool #39;s John Lennon Airport its 12th European base. The low fares airline is investing \$240m in four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft and will launch nine new European routes from the airport.

SciTech: 0.9980944
Trapeze Software Eases Services Delivery (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Trapeze Networks this week will announce upgrades to its wireless LAN switch software.

Business: 0.997239
Study Ranks St. Louis as Fourth Most Dangerous City A new study ranks St. Louis as the fourth most dangerous city. Camden, New Jersey came in first, followed by Detroit and Atlanta. The rankings are in Morgan Quitno #39;s quot;City Crime Rankings, quot; an annual reference

Business: 0.9976847
KarstadtQuelle Sells Stake in Venture Troubled German retailer KarstadtQuelle AG said Monday it is selling its 82 percent stake in a three-year-old joint venture with coffeehouse chain Starbucks Coffee International to the US company.

SciTech: 0.9939406
Panasonic braves Linux-fuelled wrath of Ballmer Was this what Microsoft (Steve Ballmer) was growling and threatening about, when he told Asian countries: quot;nice little Linux OS you have here.

World: 0.99938226
Arafat #39;s nephew not ruling out poison as cause of death While Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew says toxicology tests on his uncle show no poisons were found in his system, Arafat #39;s nephew isn #39;t ruling that out as a cause of death.

World: 0.7962968
Putin in Brazil for space talks Russian president Vladimir Putin visits Brazil for talks on its space programme and the sale of fighter planes.

World: 0.9992084
Iraq gears up for elections Iraq: Iraq geared up Monday for its first post-Saddam Hussein elections on January 30 despite relentless nationwide violence, as world powers gathered in Egypt for a conference on the country #39;s future.

World: 0.99943095
Powell Meets with Middle East Leaders CBN.com - (CBN News) -ERUSALEM -h the death of Yasser Arafat behind them, the Palestinians and Israelis are now facing an historic opportunity to move forward in peace.

World: 0.9994143
ElBaradei strongly rejects charges of collaboration with Iran International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei angrily rejected allegations that he had collaborated with Iran ahead of releasing investigation reports about Tehrans nuclear program.

Business: 0.9985354
Campbell 9 Pct. Profit #39;Hmmm Hmmm Good #39; Campbell Soup Co. (CPB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday posted a better-than-expected 9 percent rise in profit, sending shares to a near three-year high, as heavy promotions and product improvements spurred soup sales.

Sports: 0.9727664
F1 power struggle now in session. The legal battle for control of Formula One gets underway in earnest today, with Bernie Ecclestone and the three German banks that make up the major shareholding in the sport going to court to decide who has the right to power.

Business: 0.9931613
Stelco Loses Contract to Supply GM Steel (Reuters) Reuters - Stelco Inc.\(STEa.TO) has lost a contract to supply steel to General Motors\Inc., its biggest customer, because the insolvent\Canadian steelmaker failed to strike a deal with its workers,\the union at Stelco said on Monday.

SciTech: 0.8200782
Thomson Joins Microsoft-Time Warner Deal (AP) AP - French technology company Thomson SA said Monday it was joining Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc.'s proposed venture to make anti-piracy software, a move that could relieve European Union concerns about the pending deal.

SciTech: 0.9971908
Bofra Worm Spreads by Banner Ads Attacks exploit IE flaw, and allow attacker to gain complete control of your PC.

SciTech: 0.98541623
Google Founders Selling Off Stock Google Founders Selling Off Stock\\Is this a sign that Google stack is overpriced? Or does it just mean that since there is so much interest in Google and its shares right now that the founders decided to sell off a big part of their holdings with the search engine. Dow...

World: 0.9993787
Israel trial over slain Gaza girl An Israeli military court has charged an army officer with illegally using his weapon when he allegedly shot a Palestinian girl who was already dead.

Sports: 0.9994979
McCartney to headline Super Bowl halftime in #39;05 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Paul McCartney will headline the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show as the National Football League goes mainstream after the controversy over this year #39;s show.

Business: 0.9888626
Stelco Loses Contract to Supply GM Steel (Reuters) Reuters - Stelco Inc. (STEa.TO) has lost a\contract to supply steel to its biggest customer General Motors\Corp., the company said on Monday, after the insolvent\Canadian steelmaker failed to strike a deal with its workers.

World: 0.94323313
Ivory Coast violence deals economic blow Burned, looted shops dot the commercial capital. European airlines have suspended flights. And only a few ships remain in what was one of West Africa #39;s busiest ports.

SciTech: 0.97440165
Bofra burrows in through banner ads Hackers may be using banner ad servers to multiply the impact of the Internet Explorer virus, security experts warn.

SciTech: 0.9662448
Pioneer replaces plasma TV power supplies Certain Pioneer TVs have a faulty power supply. An upgrade is available.

Sports: 0.9993469
CU Athletic Director Dick Tharp Resigns (AP) AP - Colorado athletic director Dick Tharp resigned Monday, ending a nine-year tenure sullied by accusations of recruiting violations and fiscal mismanagement.

Business: 0.9976005
Nike Boosts Dividend by 25 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - Nike Inc. boosted its\quarterly dividend by 25 percent on Monday, citing strong cash\flow and growth prospects as the world's biggest athletic shoe\company has racked up record revenue and soaring profits the\past few years.

Business: 0.9985808
Stocks Finish Up, Apple Provides a Lift NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Monday as a higher price target for shares of Apple Computer Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AAPL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AAPL.O</A> prompted enthusiasm for technology stocks and a rally in crude oil stalled.

Business: 0.9969093
TiVo Net Loss Widens; Subscribers Grow TiVo Inc.(TIVO.O: Quote, Profile, Research), maker of digital television recorders, on Monday said its quarterly net loss widened as it boosted spending to acquire customers, but subscribers to its fee-based TV service rose

SciTech: 0.9784555
Company launches Windows-only JFK Assassination game via online ... quot;A spokesman for the president #39;s brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., called the game #39;despicable. #39; The Glasgow-based firm Traffic said quot;JFK Reloaded quot; was an educational quot;docu-game quot; that would help disprove conspiracy theories about Kennedy #39;s death.

SciTech: 0.9978606
RTX Provides Cordless Phones for Net-Based Calls COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish electronics equipment maker RTX Telecom <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=RTX.CO qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">RTX.CO</A> said on Monday it had signed an agreement with Skype, a provider of Internet-based voice telephony, to develop and market cordless handsets.

Sports: 0.99907684
NFL Suspends Seattle Receiver Four Games (AP) AP - Seattle receiver Koren Robinson was suspended without pay Monday for the next four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

SciTech: 0.8518047
Update: PeopleSoft board won't negotiate Oracle takeover PeopleSoft executives said over the weekend that they won't discuss a sale to Oracle at a price of \$24 per share but would consider an offer at a higher price.

Sports: 0.99971956
Seahawks Receiver Robinson Suspended by NFL NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Koren Robinson has been suspended without pay for four games by the league for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

World: 0.9990669
Forgoing stiff upper lip, Charles jousts with critics LONDON: In an unusual departure from the tradition of regal silence and the stiff upper lip, Prince Charles fought back Monday against accusations by a government minister who called his views on education quot;old fashioned quot; and quot;out of time.

SciTech: 0.8690766
Report: IBM software executive to become CA CEO Computer Associates is set to name a recently departed IBM executive as its new chief executive officer, The Wall Street Journal reported online on Monday.

Business: 0.989185
Defence contractors chase \$23bn deal EUROPES biggest defence contractors will have the chance to bid for a \$23 billion (12 billion) air refuelling contract for the US Air Force that has been withdrawn from Boeing.

Business: 0.99593556
Xstrata puts \$5.8bn bid to shareholders Xstrata yesterday took its \$5.8 billion (3.1 billion) cash bid for Australian miner WMC hostile, laying the ground for another major takeover clash between the old guard and the new of the mining world.

Business: 0.9985582
Pulitzer shares surge on possible sale ST. LOUIS Pulitzer Incorporated shares spike more than 17 percent on news that the publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and two Arizona newspapers is considering a possible sale.

World: 0.9993593
Chinese President Meets With Castro (AP) AP - Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Fidel Castro Monday for talks focusing on the broadening ties between Cuba and China, which has become the island's third-largest trading partner.

SciTech: 0.99517435
Measures Aim to Stem Middle East Bird Slaughter (Reuters) Reuters - Conservationists launched a\three-year project on Tuesday to protect millions of migrating\birds which are indiscriminately targeted by hunters in North\Africa and the Middle East.

SciTech: 0.9973779
Britain #39;s Biggest Dinosaur Found in Isle of Wight (Update1) A prehistoric neck bone found 12 years ago by amateur fossil hunters in Britain belongs to the biggest dinosaur ever discovered in the UK and possibly Europe, a report published in the Cretaceous Research Journal said today.

Sports: 0.9997259
Artest banned for season; Jackson gets 30 games, O #39;Neal 25 NEW YORK (Ticker) - Ron Artest received the longest suspension in NBA history Sunday as he was banned for the rest of the season for his role as the ringleader in what amounted to a riot.

Business: 0.98919386
Trump #39;s casinos file for bankruptcy Donald Trump #39;s flagship casino business yesterday filed for bankruptcy as part of a financial restructuring aimed at easing \$1.8bn (1m) debt.

Business: 0.998569
McDonald #39;s CEO Charlie Bell devoted working career to McDonald #39;s OAK BROOK, Ill. Cancer has forced Charlie Bell to step down as CEO of the restaurant chain to which he #39;s devoted most of his working career.

World: 0.9764381
SKorea's Hyundai Motor to join strike against labor reform bill (AFP) AFP - Workers at South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor will go on strike Friday to oppose proposed government labor reform legislaton, union leaders said.

SciTech: 0.99707603
Novell ships Desktop Linux for the enterprise NOVELL Inc has announced the availability of the Novell Linux Desktop 9, powered by SuSE Linux. Backed by Novells extensive enterprise-level support, training and consulting services, Novell Linux Desktop

Sports: 0.99679464
Ramsey, Redskins Come Up A Little Short in First Start Patrick Ramsey can picture each long pass he threw during his first start this season. The five deep throws came on tight spirals that were only a tad off.

Business: 0.98032594
BHP stock boosted by share buy-back Mining giant BHP Billiton has completed a bigger-than-expected A\$2.27 billion (950 million pound) share buyback, driving up its stock price as investors reinvest profits from the tax-efficient deal.

SciTech: 0.9284931
Publisher Files Copyright Suit Against Google An adult publishing company sued Google last week, alleging a dozen counts of copyright infringement. Perfect 10, a Beverly Hills, CA-based publisher of an adult-oriented magazine and Web sites, asserts that

Sports: 0.9997106
SA-India Test: South Africa declare at 510 for 9 : Sports India: Cricket gt; Kanpur, Nov 22 : South Africa declared their first innings at 510 for nine on the third day of the first cricket Test against India here today.

SciTech: 0.9974837
Lawmakers give the space agency greater flexibility in its new ... After a year of wrangling over NASA #39;s \$16.2 billion budget, lawmakers have delivered in a big way, giving the space agency its full funding request and unprecedented spending flexibility.

Business: 0.9982488
Icahn blasts CEO Coury after Mylan rejects stock buyout offer The war of words between Mylan Laboratories Inc. and the company #39;s largest shareholder over Mylan #39;s \$4 billion deal to acquire King Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Sports: 0.9947491
Paul McCartney To Perform at Super Bowl Following this year #39;s quot;Nipplegate quot; affair with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the organisers of half-time entertainment at the Super Bowl aren #39;t taking any chances in 2005.

Sports: 0.9779886
Paul McCartney to perform at Super Bowl The organisers of the half-time entertainment for next year #39;s Super Bowl have signed a deal with Sir Paul McCartney to entertain millions.

Sports: 0.9993005
Timberwolves go all way back Trailing by 12 points with 4 minutes, 27 seconds left, having gone longer than that since they last scored, the Minnesota Timberwolves could have been thinking about finally getting home after a week on the road.

Sports: 0.9997166
Notebook: USC, Sooners in control of BCS USC vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl appears to be three victories away - two by USC and one by the Sooners. USC and Oklahoma held the top two spots in the Bowl Championship

World: 0.9994117
Israel Kills 5 Palestinians in North Gaza -- Medics GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers shot dead five Palestinians in north Gaza on Tuesday after mortar fire from Palestinian militants wounded two people in a nearby Jewish settlement, medics on both sides said.

SciTech: 0.9970758
The Blog Confusion \\I hear that we have a new word - vlog. The amount of confusion this will result\in should be terrifying.\\My appologies to Abbott and Costello... I couldn't resist.\\Abbott: I say Blogs's on first, Vlogs's on second, and Blogosphere's on third.\\Costello: Is Blog the publisher?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: Is Blog going to have the video too?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: And you don't know the fellows' names?\\Abbott: Well I should.\\Costello: Well then Blogs publishing the story?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: I mean the persons's name.\\Abbott: Blog.\\Costello: The guy on first.\\Abbott: Blog!\\Costello: The first publisher.\\Abbott: Blog.\\Costello: The guy writing...\\Abbott: Blogs the publisher!\...\\

Sports: 0.98979586
Sox lose Kapler to Japan Outfielder Gabe Kapler became the first player to leave the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo.

World: 0.99940705
Peru Arrests Siege Leader, to Attack Police Post (Reuters) Reuters - Peruvian authorities have detained a\former army major who led a three-day uprising in a southern\Peruvian town and are preparing to storm the police station he\took over with 200 supporters, a government source told Reuters\early on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.97173214
Family of JFK attacks Dallas death game A VIDEO games company from Scotland is causing outrage in America with a title called JFK Reloaded, which allows players to look through the crosshairs of Lee Harvey Oswalds rifle and assassinate the late US President.

Business: 0.98132104
A.I.G. Will Accept Monitor and Pay \$80 Million to Close Inquiries The insurance company has agreed to pay about \$80 million to settle investigations into insurance sales that were used by companies to manipulate their earnings.

SciTech: 0.9885738
Group Cites Video Games for Violence, Sex (AP) AP - 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.

SciTech: 0.99625957
REVIEW: 'Half-Life 2' a Tech Masterpiece (AP) AP - It's been six years since Valve Corp. perfected the first-person shooter with "Half-Life." Video games have come a long way since, with better graphics and more options than ever. Still, relatively few games have mustered this one's memorable characters and original science fiction story.

SciTech: 0.99703383
Phone Makers Embrace Linux (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Open-source software is carving a larger niche in the mobile realm, with electronics firms NEC (Nasdaq: NIPNY) and Panasonic rolling out Linux-based handhelds for Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM).

SciTech: 0.9808216
Bride of Kazaa Arnold Schwarzenegger married a Kennedy. Michael Jackson married a Presley. And Kazaa married an Internet phone company. Beginning Monday, the latest version of the embattled file sharing companys software

World: 0.99940693
Serbia, Bosnian Serbs Fail to Help War Crimes Tribunal, UN Says The governments of Serbia and the Bosnian Serb enclave of Bosnia-Herzegovina have failed to bring war crimes suspects to the United Nations tribunal, Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte told the Security Council.

SciTech: 0.99170905
No Sign of El Nino in Pacific for Now - Scientists (Reuters) Reuters - Sea temperatures in the southeastern\Pacific show no sign of bringing extreme "El Nino" weather\conditions in the next two months, Peru's Maritime Institute\(IMARPE) said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9945056
Catalina Foxes Back After Near Extinction (AP) AP - A unique subspecies of fox that is about the size of a house cat is back from the brink of extinction on Santa Catalina Island and can survive on its own thanks to a captive breeding program, the head of a nonprofit group that manages most of the island said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.998145
Arrowhead: It still is pointing the way In comparison to its contemporaries it could be termed a modern marvel, an example of how to do things right when everyone else was doing things wrong.

World: 0.99940336
Four men held over Jakarta bomb Four men are arrested over the suicide bomb attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta, police say.

SciTech: 0.98627394
Citrix buying VPN company Net6 for \$50 million BOSTON - Citrix Systems is buying Net6, a privately-held maker of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology, for \$50 million cash, Citrix said Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.98578274
Echoes Repeats Success Don't junk that GameCube: Metroid Prime 2 provides gorgeous atmosphere, a sweet score and fun gameplay to create a winner. By Chris Kohler.

World: 0.99700963
Chavez Visit to Spain Sparks Coup Controversy MADRID (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's fence-mending visit to Spain sparked political uproar on Tuesday when Madrid for the first time backed his allegations that the former Spanish government backed a coup against him.

Sports: 0.9997137
Three arrested after demanding money from NBA star Three men were arrested Tuesday night for trying to extort \$3 million from Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. Joubert Santos and Jason Pabon of the Bronx

Sports: 0.99969673
They #39;re not on same side Unable to reach an agreement on a one-year deal that pleases both sides, Al Leiter and the Mets finally were able to come to terms on something: It #39;s time both sides stop talking to each other and start looking elsewhere.

Sports: 0.9996747
Been there, won that: ND hopes USC game mirrors effort vs. ... SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the second time in less than a month, the Notre Dame football team returned to the practice field Tuesday after a bye week preceded by a frustrating home loss.

Sports: 0.99968326
Gamecocks can expect fun, intensity from new Coach Spurrier (Columbia-AP) Nov. 24, 2004 - Friends and colleagues of South Carolina #39;s new coach Steve Spurrier say he is a family man who jokes around and likes to play golf, just like his predecessor Lou Holtz.

Sports: 0.9996106
Cricket-Lillee a victim of generational change, says spin guru MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Cricket Australia said it was better off hiring full-time coaches than employing bowling great Dennis Lillee, who has abruptly ended his long coaching involvement with the body.

World: 0.9993237
British Media: Security Stopped Several Major Terrorist Attacks A British television station and a newspaper are reporting that British security services believe they have thwarted several major attacks planned by terrorists linked to Osama bin Laden #39;s al-Qaida organization.

Sports: 0.9996295
Portsmouth Manager Redknapp Resigns to Take Break #39; From Soccer Harry Redknapp has quit as manager of English soccer Premiership club Portsmouth and said he wants a complete break #39; #39; from the game, the club Web site reported.

World: 0.9991984
U.N.: N.Korea Sends Positive Message on Nuke Talks SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea gave a visiting U.N. official a "very positive message" about resuming stalled six-way talks on its nuclear programs, the South Korean Unification Ministry said Wednesday.

Business: 0.9747738
Travelers Stuff Roads, Terminals Traditionally, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, and the American Automobile Association expected travel this year to hit pre-Sept.

Business: 0.99445397
No Changes for Certain Nortel Accounting Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday that a far-reaching revision of its faulty financials will not require accounting changes for sales of certain fiber optic equipment.

World: 0.99910295
Asia ; Freed UN Hostages Say Humbled by Support in Ordeal The UN workers, who helped to run a presidential election won last month by US-backed incumbent Karzai, discussed their ordeal with him at his presidential palace in the morning.

World: 0.9830199
Britain plans national ID cards London -- Invoking a global threat of terrorism, the British government announced plans Tuesday to introduce national identity cards for the first time since the World War II era.

World: 0.9992505
La. Becomes Latest Political Battleground (AP) AP - The swamps, bayous and rice fields of Louisiana's Cajun country have emerged as the site of the nation's latest political battleground.

Sports: 0.9996916
Bearcat qb has broken bone in throwing hand CINCINNATI University of Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli (guh-DOO #39;-lee) has a broken bone in his throwing hand, and may miss Saturday #39;s game at number-seven Louisville.

World: 0.99941206
#39;Grateful #39; Kabul hostages look forward to returning to work Three UN election workers who were freed yesterday nearly a month after being abducted in Afghanistan have spoken of their gratitude to the Afghan people for supporting them during their plight.

Business: 0.99809736
World Trade Organization holds off on sanctions over US anti ... The World Trade Organization held off Wednesday on approving stiff sanctions on US exports - ranging from cod to mobile homes - intended to punish Washington until it repeals the so-called Byrd amendment.

World: 0.99940443
Iran Seeks to Amend Nuclear Freeze Deal (AP) AP - Iran sought on Wednesday to partially roll back its commitment to freeze all uranium enrichment programs, demanding the right to run some equipment that can be used to produce nuclear arms.

SciTech: 0.6295257
Elderly 'need digital TV funds' Vulnerable groups such as the elderly should be helped to buy digital TV equipment, a report says.

Business: 0.9904835
Microsoft, EU Officials in Procedure Meeting Microsoft (Quote, Chart) and representatives of the European Union #39;s Competition Commission will sit down at the table together on Thursday, but it won #39;t be to eat.

SciTech: 0.9375098
Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.

Business: 0.99464357
US Travelers Face Weather Delays on Holiday Journey (Update2) Travelers faced weather delays across the US as they took to the highways and airways today to begin what industry experts say will be the biggest Thanksgiving travel weekend since 2000.

Business: 0.9826841
Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit The judge considering Microsoft Corp. #39;s appeal against European Union sanctions has called a closed meeting for Thursday to decide what action to take after two more major

Business: 0.9867988
MyTravel Wins Court Approval for Creditor, Shareholder Meeting MyTravel Plc, an unprofitable UK tour operator, got the go-ahead from a London court to meet creditors for approval of a refinancing plan after it submitted a revised version.

SciTech: 0.99573284
Phishing on the increase, group says (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - 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).

SciTech: 0.99579334
E-Mail And IM Get Closer ICQ, an IM service provider owned by America Online, and Mail2World Inc., a provider of messaging and collaboration services, this week revealed a free upgrade to the ICQmail service that

World: 0.9988373
The East-West stakes over Ukraine Russian and Western leaders are sharply at odds over the country's election crisis.

World: 0.9992488
Weah returns to Liberia Liberian legend George Weah returns to Liberia to launch his bid for the country's presidency.

SciTech: 0.9811218
Apple iPod holds sway in Japan Juliana Sasaki did not bother checking out Sony #39;s digital music player in Tokyo before buying her iPod mini. quot;I knew Sony and other companies had MP3 players, but they can #39;t beat the mini, quot; says Sasaki, 23, a language teacher.

Sports: 0.9968232
Ohio State Bomb Dogs Irk Michigan Coach (AP) AP - The intense rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has gone to the dogs #151; bomb-sniffing ones.

Business: 0.9958331
Time Warner, SEC near deal on AOL troubles The Securities and Exchange Commission and Time Warner Inc. are nearing agreement on a deal in which the media giant would pay about \$750 million to settle wide-ranging allegations

Sports: 0.9996977
Zimbabwe cricket tour collapses England #39;s tour to Zimbabwe was on the brink of cancellation last night after David Morgan, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, instructed Michael Vaughan #39;s team not to board a flight to Harare an hour before it was scheduled to leave

Business: 0.9870991
Spanish buy Luton airport operator in 551m deal Luton Airport was bought by the Spanish yesterday as part of a 551m takeover deal which will net the men who run it almost 60m.

Sports: 0.9997008
Jags #39; Leftwich likely to start on Sunday Jacksonville, FL (Sports Network) - Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich participated in practice Wednesday and is expected to start this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

World: 0.99942124
Annan Starts Reshuffling UN Staff for Reform Push (Reuters) Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi\Annan on Monday chose the high-profile British head of a key\agency as his new chief of staff, the start of a reshuffle\aimed at instituting U.N. reforms and combating scandals.

Business: 0.9886175
Spaniards to run Luton airport after 551m deal Luton, Cardiff and Belfast International airports are to fall into the hands of a Spanish toll motorways operator through a 551m takeover of the aviation group TBI by a Barcelona-based Abertis Infrastructure.

Business: 0.99782014
Judge Threatens to Punish MCI Over Fees It Has Paid The judge who presided over the Securities and Exchange Commission #39;s fraud suit against MCI, the long-distance telephone company, threatened to punish the company yesterday for ignoring his

Business: 0.9929369
Agency sustains \$2 M hit The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission lost about \$2 million in revenue Wednesday as thousands of holiday travelers zipped through the toll booths for free.

SciTech: 0.98555875
Good Luck and Bubblewrap.com Collard greens and black-eyed peas, a New Years tradition, on a chefs site; Virtual-Bubblewrap.com lets you punch holes with your mouse; KnowItAllVideo.com, where amateur instructional videos are posted and rated.

Sports: 0.9996859
Lions have their work cut out for them against Manning You see it every time Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning steps to the line of scrimmage before taking the snap. It #39;s like he #39;s going through his own little workout routine.

Sports: 0.99958295
Chicago Bulls Silence Utah Jazz, 101-99 (AP) AP - Ben Gordon scored a career-high 22 points, including four free throws in the final minute, to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Utah Jazz 101-99 Wednesday night to avoid an 0-10 start that would have been the worst in franchise history.

SciTech: 0.99754494
Science ; As ice thaws, arctic peoples at loss for words Science News, Iceland, What are the words used by indigenous peoples in the Arctic for quot;hornet, quot; quot;robin, quot; quot;elk, quot; quot;barn owl quot; or quot;salmon?

Business: 0.8956255
TSA #39;pat-downs #39; cross the line for some fliers Millions of holiday travelers nationwide are experiencing an all-too-intimate form of security screening that some say amounts to sexual groping - a quot;pat-down quot; by government officials.

SciTech: 0.99488056
Skulls on your Symbian phone? Don #39;t panic! PETALING JAYA: Virus experts at British software security firm Sophos Plc have advised customers not to panic, following media reports of a Trojan horse which infects cellphones.

SciTech: 0.9919402
Sid Meier #39;s Pirates! sets sail The fourth-quarter deluge of top-quality games continued today, with Atari announcing that Sid Meier #39;s Pirates! had shipped to stores.

SciTech: 0.83579475
Streamlined Cable TV in a Card An innovation called the CableCard, which slides into a slot on the back of many new TV sets, is meant to eliminate the cable box. So why aren't cable customers hearing more about it?

Business: 0.8569823
Dollar drops to new overnight low The dollar hits yet another record low against the euro, causing concerns about the German and wider eurozone economies.

Sports: 0.9983359
Here's the catch: Branch is back Deion Branch lists the Revolution among his favorite soccer teams in his press guide biography. And Branch's Patriot season has mirrored that of the Revolution -- a long-term injury sustained in the second game, followed by a spectacular recovery after the halfway point in the season. Branch strained his knee in the Patriots' 23-12 win at Arizona Sept....

Sports: 0.9945089
Cocky Arsene Arsene Wenger is confident that Arsenal will make the knockout stages of the Champions League, despite needing to beat Rosenborg to make sure.

Sports: 0.9996462
PSG lead race for second Group H berth Such has been Chelsea #39;s dominance of their Champions League group that the other three teams including holders Porto are still all vying for a place in the knockout stage going into their final games next month.

World: 0.9994061
Blast kills one, injures 15 in southwest Pakistan QUETTA, Pakistan - A bomb fixed to a bicycle killed one man and injured 15 people in southwestern Pakistans restive desert province of Baluchistan on Thursday, police said.

Business: 0.97022176
Petrol sales boost Tesco turnover The UK's largest supermarket - Tesco - says strong petrol sales aided a rise in third quarter sales across all parts of its business.

Business: 0.80318075
British grocer Tesco sees group sales rise 12.0-percent (AFP) AFP - Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket chain, said that group sales grew by 12.2 percent in the third quarter, driven by strong performances from its stores at home and abroad.

Business: 0.99679226
FBI Interviews Halliburton Whistleblower Bunnatine Greenhouse, chief contracting officer of the Army Corps of Engineers, is seen in her official undated government photo. FBI agents recently spent a day interviewing Greenhouse, the Army contracting

Business: 0.99708253
More harmful drugs may be on the market After writing about hundreds of individual and class-action lawsuits that have been filed on behalf of consumers who developed cancer, suffered heart attacks or other medical problems from hormone replacement therapy drugs and Vioxx, an FDA employee now

Business: 0.992853
Court bars MCI from making payments A federal court Wednesday barred No. 2 US long-distance carrier MCI Inc. from making further payments to cover more than \$25 million in unauthorized expenses related to bankruptcy of predecessor WorldCom.

World: 0.9994161
Abductor kills self in Moscow region hostage freeing operation MOSCOW, November 25 (Itar-Tass) - A special task force unit freed both women who were held hostage by two armed army deserters in the Moscow region.

World: 0.9994055
UK minister visits Arafat grave UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw lays a wreath at the grave of former Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

Business: 0.9965564
Judge: MCI may have violated court order on certain fees NEW YORK A federal judge in Manhattan says MCI may have violated a court order by paying more than 25 (m) million dollars in professional services fees as part of its bankruptcy proceedings in excess of caps on such fees.

World: 0.9993926
One killed, 15 injured in Khuzdar bomb blast One person killed and 15 injured as bomb went off in a market in district Khuzdar of Balochistan, reports The News. According to police officials, the bomb was planted in a cycle.

Sports: 0.99855083
Deacons Defeat Friars Justin Gray leads Wake Forest with 21 points despite suffering a gashed face as the top-ranked Demon Deacons beat Providence, 79-67.

SciTech: 0.99650675
Intel puts in plug for Linux (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Intel is making a big push to help personal computer makers in China and India offer the Linux operating system on machines powered by the company's chips.

SciTech: 0.99536264
Intel Helps Asian PC Partners Ship With Linux (TechWeb) TechWeb - Chipmaker provides Linux tools to reach growing market there.

Sports: 0.99722725
France surges into Fed Cup final Defending champion France surged into the Fed Cup final, completing a 5-0 sweep of Spain on Thursday behind singles victories by Nathalie Dechy and Tatiana Golovin.

SciTech: 0.9755604
Exeter uni cans chemistry department In a move that has been dubbed as #39;disastrous #39; by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Exeter University is to drop the teaching of chemistry as a subject.

World: 0.9993475
Pro-pot groups says federal policies out of step with Canadians (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A group which advocates legalized marijuana says a new poll shows federal pot policies are out of touch with public opinion.

SciTech: 0.7868754
Nintendo Returns to Profit (AP) AP - Nintendo Co. returned to profit in the first half of the fiscal year from a loss a year ago as the Japanese video-game maker erased foreign exchange losses and turned more profit with game-software sales.

World: 0.9992956
UN urges dialogue after Rwanda vows action Rwanda insisted on Thursday that it would soon attack rebels inside the Democratic Republic of Congo unless they were disarmed, as the United Nations Security

Sports: 0.9997018
Blues Misfit Joins Villarreal Former Birmingham striker Luciano Figueroa has returned to the elite of European football with a move to Spanish club Villarreal. The Argentina international was signed by the Blues for 2.5million before

Sports: 0.9996965
Hartson #39;s goal gives Celtic hope in Europe They may not have exorcised their demons but Celtic certainly laid one ghost with a towering performance to come from behind to draw with Barcelona in the Nou Camp and take their

Business: 0.9978969
New drug extends multiple sclerosis options 25/11/2004 - The first in a completely new class of drug for multiple sclerosis has been approved in the US, opening up a new avenue of treatment for sufferers of the debilitating diseases and potential blockbuster revenues for developers Elan and Biogen

Business: 0.90252274
WTO backs Korea in shipbuilding dispute with EU The World Trade Organization has ruled against European Union claims that the Korean government provided illegal subsidies to its shipbuilding industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said today.

Sports: 0.9986273
Golovin and Dechy lead France into Fed Cup final MOSCOW (AFP) - Tatiana Golovin and Nathalie Dechy led holders France to a 5-0 mauling of Spain to set up a Fed Cup final clash against Russia.

SciTech: 0.9970701
Detailed View of Dione Summary - (Nov 25, 2004) Cassini took this amazing photograph of Dione, one of Saturn #39;s larger moons, on October 27 when it was 1.2 million km (746,000 miles) away.

World: 0.9993655
US-Israel ties hang on Palestinian Vote In a pace-setting adventure next January that could herald a new beginning in the Middle East or spell disaster for all is the election of a Palestinian successor to the charismatic Yasser Arafat and a new Baghdad regime that could bring to an end the

Sports: 0.9946061
Wiggins Siblings Honor Dad by Playing (AP) AP - Candice Wiggins is a walking advertisement for the anti-drug effort. A star freshman for Stanford's basketball team, she showed up for a recent practice wearing a T-shirt reading: "No doubt about it. My health. My sport. My victory. I compete clean."

World: 0.9993636
Deputy prime minister lauds decision of Ukrainian court in disputed election (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Deputy prime minister Anne McLellan has applauded the intervention of Ukraine's supreme court in that country's disputed presidential election.

Sports: 0.99834013
NAIA Coach Nears Matching Smith's Total (AP) AP - Harry Statham thought he was making a temporary stop when he took over as McKendree College's basketball coach in 1966. His dream was to win a state high school championship, but jobs at the premier high schools were hard to come by, especially for a young coach. Statham figured if he could put a few successful seasons together at McKendree, his alma mater, he'd be able to land a better job.

Business: 0.99270755
Probe Sought on Charges FDA Discredited Whistleblower The head of the Senate Finance Committee called on the US Department of Health and Human Services to launch a probe of allegations that the US Food and Drug Administration went out of its way to discredit a whistleblower.

Sports: 0.9964735
Monkey chant fan banned from football for five years A football supporter who racially abused Dwight Yorke, the Premiership striker, was banned yesterday from every soccer stadium in England and Wales for five years.

Sports: 0.9989926
Racist Blackburn fan cops five-year ban A SOCCER fan was fined \$2400 and banned from soccer grounds for the maximum five years yesterday when he pleaded guilty to racially abusing Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke.

Sports: 0.9996798
Brown in line after Livingston sack Preston LIVINGSTON have sacked Allan Preston as manager. The former Hearts and St Johnstone defender and his assistant, Alan Kernaghan, were dismissed after a run of seven defeats left the club

SciTech: 0.9965544
all in the beak: scientists find secret of homing pigeons #39; ... The sensitivity of a homing pigeon #39;s beak could provide an answer to the complicated story of how it finds its way home. Scientists have shown for the first time that homing

Sports: 0.9995409
No. 17 Rutgers Stops South Dakota State (AP) AP - Freshman guard Matee Ajavon scored 29 points to lead Rutgers over South Dakota State 68-50 on Thursday in the opening game of the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

World: 0.99940383
Protests in Canada over Ukraine crisis (AFP) AFP - Hundreds of Canadians, many of Ukrainian descent, braved freezing temperatures to protest what they consider to be the fixed outcome of the Ukrainian presidential election.

World: 0.99935704
Syria says it is ready for talks on peace DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian President Bashar Assad is ready to resume peace talks with Israel quot;without conditions, quot; a top UN envoy said yesterday.

World: 0.99937564
A threat to the West Bank pullout The expected withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is substantively different from that which Israel will carry out in the northern West Bank, in the area of Jenin.

Business: 0.9837964
Yukos bosses in exile, its survival in doubt Russian oil company Yukos, with shares near all-time lows and its bosses in exile, warned last night it is being driven toward bankruptcy.

World: 0.9994154
Mediation efforts to end Ukraine crisis step up as Solana due in Kiev (AFP) AFP - Attempts to mediate the political crisis in Ukraine are gathering pace with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski expected in Kiev.

World: 0.9993761
US official murdered in Baghdad WASHINGTON: A US State Department official who worked with the Iraqi ministers of education and higher education was murdered in Baghdad by a group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the group claimed on Thursday.

World: 0.99937767
Two US soldiers killed KABUL -- Two US soldiers died and another was injured when a bomb ripped through their patrol in southern Afghanistan yesterday. The troops were attacked near Deh Rawood, a town 400 km southwest of Kabul where

Sports: 0.99966764
Henry doubtful for Anfield clash Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is doubtful for Sundays Barclays Premiership trip to Liverpool with a calf injury. The Frenchman aggravated the problem during Wednesday nights ill-tempered Champions League

World: 0.9993094
Harry Flies Home after #39;Kidnap Plot #39; Claims Prince Harry flew back to the UK from Argentina today amid reports of a plot to kidnap him. Local media said that gunshots had been heard at a polo ranch where he was working.

Sports: 0.9995523
Eras blend together perfectly As the final seconds ticked down on the last home game of his high school career, Larry Abare glanced up the hill at the far end of Edward M. Leary Field and watched all the little boys in blue jeans and Acton-Boxboro jerseys, one of them scrambling through the leaves with a football tucked carefully under his arm....

Sports: 0.99949443
Brockton upset makes Waltham's day WALTHAM -- Paul Mayberry was dripping, Luis Cotto was weeping, and Alex Russo was kneeling on the sideline.

Sports: 0.9989209
Cordio paves the way For the last six years, the Leominster Blue Devils have endured a Thanksgiving Day filled with frustration instead of celebration.

Sports: 0.99946517
Marzeoti (4 TDs) paces Shawsheen For years, Shawsheen Tech and Greater Lowell have battled for the William J. Collins Cup on Thanksgiving Day.

Sports: 0.99967265
Melrose comes up short Melrose entered its Thanksgiving Day matchup with Wakefield as an undefeated powerhouse bound for the postseason. But Wakefield has tripped up the Red Raiders in recent years -- and yesterday was no exception.

Sports: 0.99946564
A traditional victory for A-B Ask anyone associated with the Acton-Boxboro football program about the secret to its success, and they'll say it's rooted in a winning tradition established long before members of the 2004 team ever strapped on a helmet.

Sports: 0.9997162
Police use stun gun to subdue T-Wolves #39; Olowokandi Minnesota Timberwolves center Michael Olowokandi was arrested early yesterday after police used a stun gun to subdue him when he refused to leave an Indianapolis club.

World: 0.99930143
Eight children stabbed to death as they sleep A man broke into a school dormitory and stabbed eight sleeping children to death before fleeing. The murders at the Ruzhou No2 Senior Middle School in Pingdingshan, in the central province of Henan, was the

World: 0.9994123
Darfur rebel group promises to respect truce One rebel group in Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region Thursday pledged to fully respect a truce with the Sudanese government amid contradictory statements and international concern about an escalation in fighting.

Sports: 0.9995609
NBA brawl sends wrong message to all of us Ever since last Friday night #39;s NBA brawl in Detroit, I have tried to make sense out of the whole mess. I have watched replay after replay of the ordeal, hoping to come up with some sort of reason

World: 0.99935144
450 Colombian Paramilitaries Disarm (AP) AP - Some 450 right-wing paramilitary fighters left Colombia's crowded battlefields, turning in their weapons and asking society to let them back into its fold.

Sports: 0.9984592
Cal Quarterback to Enter NFL Draft (AP) AP - California quarterback Aaron Rodgers will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

World: 0.9994011
Top Zarqawi Aide Captured in Iraq A lieutenant of Iraq's most feared insurgent leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, was captured this week, the country's national security minister said Thursday.

Business: 0.97914064
Yukos considers self-destruction Shareholders in Yukos are considering liquidation or filing for bankruptcy, after deciding against a rescue plan for the embattled Russian oil firm.

SciTech: 0.97839373
Behaviour control by smartphone The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is developing mobile phones designed to learn users #39; daily habits so that they can predict what users will do, reports The Register.

Business: 0.9984238
US Airways, GE reach accord on airplane leasing and financing The Wall Street Journal reports that the carrier #39;s largest creditor has agreed to an aircraft leasing and financing deal that would give US Airways a financial lifeline.

Business: 0.9973719
BT sells off stake in Eutelsat BRITISH Telecom today announced the sale of its stake in one of the worlds largest satellite companies for 363 million. The telecoms giant said it was offloading its 15.8 per cent holding in Paris-based

SciTech: 0.9876913
Nintendo moving into online within 3 to 4 years Comments attributed to Nintendo #39;s Shigeru Miyamoto in this week #39;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.

World: 0.9994049
Iran #39;committed #39; to nuke freeze Iran #39;s chief negotiator to the United Nations nuclear agency says Tehran is committed to the freeze on uranium enrichment agreed earlier this month.

Business: 0.99855214
Salvation Army says Target policy threatens fund-raising ST. PAUL - Salvation Army officials say they #39;re worried that they may not meet their holiday fund-raising goal because they won #39;t have bell-ringers outside of Target stores.

World: 0.9994197
Russia agrees to Dalai Lama visit despite certain anger from China (AFP) AFP - Russia will allow Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit a southern Buddhist Russian region for the first time, the foreign ministry said in a move certain to anger China.

Sports: 0.9994685
Hayden walks into strife Spirit of Australia was on the skids last night after another example of double standards by the home side marred the opening day of the second cricket test against New Zealand in Adelaide.

Business: 0.8920111
WTO approves sanctions against US The European Union, Japan and others will be able to impose heavy sanctions against US firms dumping goods from early next year.

SciTech: 0.9462619
Chicago to Hold EBay Auction to Raise Money for Cultural Programs City officials hope there are people willing to pay plenty of money to own a vintage Playboy Bunny costume, toss green dye into the Chicago River or throw a dinner party prepared by Oprah Winfrey's chef.

World: 0.99930656
Four employees of British security firm slain by mortar attack in ... A mortar attack killed four employees of a British security firm and wounded 15 others in the Baghdad #39;s Green Zone, a fortified area that houses the

World: 0.9989592
Parties call for postponement of elections Despite a new call Friday for a postponement of the Iraqi elections, President Bush said he hopes they still go forward. Seventeen political parties say the election should be put off for at least six months

World: 0.9923315
India test-fires surface-to air missile India has successfully test-fired a surface-to-air missile from a site in the eastern Orissa state on Friday, a government official said on condition of anonymity.

SciTech: 0.9974486
mmO2: i-mode launch looks certain mmO2 and NTT DoCoMo are reportedly planning to launch a UK i-mode mobile service. November 26, 2004 4:35 PM GMT (Datamonitor) - The much-touted tie-up between NTT DoCoMo and mmO2 to bring i-mode mobile content to the UK looks to be a done deal.

World: 0.9993592
Mounties left in dark by U.S. on deportation of Syrian-born Canadian (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The Mounties provided information on Maher Arar to American authorities but were left in the dark when the U.S. deported the Canadian citizen to Syria, newly released documents show.

Sports: 0.9997204
NBA Game Summary - Portland at Dallas Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Dallas to a 92-83 win over Portland at American Airlines Arena.

SciTech: 0.9641891
Recording Industry, File-Share Face Off The next chapter in the global legal battle between the recording industry and file-sharing services is due to unfold here Monday when the owners of the hugely popular Kazaa software go on trial on civil copyright infringement charges.

Business: 0.9980344
Board with Mukesh: Reliance Mumbai, Nov. 26: Mukesh Ambani apparently commands the full support of the board on all recent decisions, including the controversial one that elevated him to the final authority in the group.

Sports: 0.9996531
Winter on Saturday: Peace initiative in Spain shows Beckham #39;s ... David Beckham prevented a major incident between England #39;s fired-up players and their aggrieved Spanish counterparts in Madrid, according to an England insider yesterday.

World: 0.9991903
Man held for slashing teens Beijing - Chinese police have detained a man who they say murdered eight teenagers and injured four others in a school dormitory overnight, state press said late on Friday.

Business: 0.9201363
Toy Safety Report Released checking for them by hand before buying -- because children could choke on them, consumer advocates said in an annual warning on toy safety.

Business: 0.937685
Dollar Drops Further as Central Banks Reassess Reserves The falling dollar reached new depths against the euro today as the dollar's status as the premier international reserve currency is growing more precarious.

Sports: 0.9996952
Frisday #39;s Sports Transactions BOSTON CELTICS_Activated G Delonte West from the injured list. Placed F Justin Reed on the injured list. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS_Activated G Aaron McKie from the inujred list.

Business: 0.9976418
Reliance battle seen getting messier in days ahead: Business India: Mumbai, Nov 26 : The much talked about family feud over the control of Reliance Industries, India #39;s largest industrial house, is set to turn into a full-fledged boardroom battle that may entail a revamp of the company #39;s management.

Business: 0.980772
W.T.O. Authorizes Trade Sanctions Against the United States The World Trade Organization authorized about \$150 million in trade sanctions on the U.S. in retaliation for an import duties law that has been ruled illegal.

Business: 0.9829851
Land Rover aims new model at US Land Rover will launch a sports tourer next year in a what is likely to be a test of British carmakers #39; ability to compete in the US.

SciTech: 0.99704677
Gone Phishing? Zastrossi writes quot;According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, phishing sites--the practice of making sites that look and act like popular sites such as banks in order to steal personal information from customers--rose from 543 sites in September to

Business: 0.9983919
WR Grace Is Likely to Face Indictment in Montana Case By Bloomberg News. WR Grace amp; Company, a producer of chemicals and building material that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 amid thousands of asbestos-related claims, said yesterday

World: 0.86817205
Forecast Frosty for U.S.-Canadian Ties TORONTO -- The weather won't be the only thing that's cool when President Bush visits neighboring Canada next week.

SciTech: 0.98221165
SmartPhones Get Smart In an attempt to become more useful, US researchers are developing new smartphone software which watches users calling and usage patterns and tries to learn how best to help.

World: 0.9701595
India test-fires missile NEW DELHI, Nov 26: India on Friday test fired Akash, the indigenously developed surface-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, about 14km from Balasore (Orissa).

World: 0.99931955
2 Ex-Officers Nabbed in Venezuela Slaying National Guard troops arrested two brothers Friday in connection with a state prosecutor's killing, just days after two suspects in the car bombing case were shot dead by police, authorities said.

Business: 0.9984048
Stocks Finish Mixed in Early Close Stocks finished mixed in post-holiday trading Friday as Wall Street meandered through a shortened session. The major indexes ended the week higher as investors looked forward to the results of the first weekend of holiday shopping and a key jobs report next week.

Sports: 0.9980446
Hoyas Beat The Citadel New coach John Thompson III gets his first victory as Georetown routs the Citadel, 69-34, behind 23 points from Brandon Bowman.

Sports: 0.9991468
Gray was selected tourney MVP Justin Gray went down to the Madison Square Garden court as soon as Mustafa Shakur inadvertently kicked him in the face while going for a loose ball.

Sports: 0.99868625
Wake Forest survives at the NIT No. 1 Wake Forest used a 19-5 second half run to take the lead and then held off Arizona 63-60 to win the preseason NIT. Mustafa Shakur had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but he missed a runner in the lane.

World: 0.99939823
Iran, EU Negotiators Seek Nuke Agreement (AP) AP - A key U.N. atomic agency meeting adjourned for the weekend, giving Iran time to consider a total freeze of a program that could make weapons grade uranium and for delegates to decide on further steps in policing Tehran's nuclear activities.

SciTech: 0.9812583
Apple enhances UK online shopping The store adds such features as details of an expected dispatch date it the point where shoppers select a product. For example the Power Mac G5 Dual 2.5GHz is quot;usually dispatched 1 - 3 Weeks

Business: 0.9837943
WTO Sanctions on US Exports Widens Gap in Congress Angry over unfair subsidies paid to US companies from tariffs collected on goods imported here, the WTO has widened the gap with Congress by imposing sanctions of their own.

Business: 0.99706787
Nissan #39;s supply shortage sends steel stocks up US steelmakers #39; shares rose sharply yesterday, with US Steel, Allegheny Technologies and Nucor (which operates a mill in Seattle) reaching their highest prices in at least seven years, after Nissan said the metal is in short supply in Japan.

Business: 0.98227733
Steel stocks soar as shortages are biting Steel shares hit seven-year highs yesterday after Nissan said the metal is in short supply in Japan. US Steel rose \$3.30, or 7, to \$51.25, while Nucor surged \$2.90 to \$54.05, an all-time high.

Sports: 0.99925536
Rison Free After Making Support Payment (AP) AP - Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison was released from jail Monday after paying #36;10,000 in child support.

World: 0.99926335
Backgrounder: Basic facts about ASEAN Leaders from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are gathering in Vientiane, capital of Laos, for a summit meeting among themselves and a series

World: 0.9992725
Iraq election delay #39;considered #39; Iraq #39;s electoral commission has said it will consider a request from leading political parties to delay general elections scheduled for 30 January.

World: 0.99937683
Iraq commission examines request to delay polls BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq #39;s electoral commission was due to study a call by top leaders to delay the January 30 polls because of violence gripping the country, as US-led troops continued their anti-insurgency crackdown.

Sports: 0.99934477
Stephen Dodd leads Volvo China Open Stephen Dodd took a three-stroke lead Friday after 36 holes of the Volvo China Open in Shanghai to stand six-under-par 138 after two rounds.

World: 0.9994199
ASEAN to push Australia, New Zealand to sign non-aggression pact (AFP) AFP - Southeast Asian foreign ministers said they would encourage Australia and New Zealand to accede to a non-aggression pact with their 10-nation ASEAN group that South Korea signed.

Business: 0.99358505
Yukos plans to fix itself before auction The Russian oil giant Yukos said yesterday that management was putting together an emergency plan to continue running the company for a few months, even after the auction of its prize asset in December.

SciTech: 0.9967179
Holidays disrupts launch plans for da Vinci rocket team KINDERSLEY, SASK. - A team from Ontario has delayed the launch of its private rocket until at least January. The da Vinci Project had planned to use a gigantic balloon to lift a rocket to 24 kilometres.

Sports: 0.99784684
Serie A Preview: Inter-Juventus The Derby of Italy is back on Sunday night as Inter host arch-rivals Juventus in a do-or-die encounter for the Nerazzurri. Inter-Juventus is never an ordinary match, even when both teams are not fighting for any major honours.

World: 0.9993948
Rioters firebomb police station TERRIFIED police have told how they feared they would die as a rampaging mob burnt down the police station in which they were trapped on Palm Island, off north Queensland.

World: 0.9987098
Return of Relics to Rekindle Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue VATICAN CITY, NOV. 25, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Theological dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches is expected to resume after the relics of Sts.

World: 0.99938107
UN aid plane shot at in Ivory Coast Abidjan - A United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) plane was met with gunfire and threats when it arrived in Man, western Ivory Coast, the UN said in a statement on Saturday.

Sports: 0.99927765
Sixers-Wizards matinee doesn #39;t disappoint Still home in Philly for the Thanksgiving holiday, we decided to hit the Sixers/Wizards matinee yesterday. One of the best decisions we #39;ve made in a long time.

Business: 0.61487734
It may be end of line for narrow track Hurricane forecasters debate the usefulness of the quot;skinny line quot; in tracking maps, and look at more accurate alternatives.

SciTech: 0.99649197
Violent video games slammed p2pnet.net News:-The launch of the now much-maligned Kill Jack Kennedy Again game has achieved at least one thing: Its woken the mainstream media up to the fact that video games based on giving players a way to take part in virtual murder aren #39;ta

Business: 0.9917555
Alltel buys Cingular properties, expands network Little Rock-based Alltel will expand its wireless phone service in Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas in a \$170 million deal with Cingular Wireless.

Sports: 0.99970907
Pompey start life without Harry with a win London - Portsmouth have recovered from the shock of manager Harry Redknapp #39;s resignation in midweek to give new executive director Velimir Zajec his first win.

Sports: 0.9996853
Game swings back and forth as Giteau toys with England #39;s defence After so many signs of a fresh enthusiasm and a new sense of adventure in the England side, they ended their autumn series on a backward note, losing to the side they had beaten in the World Cup final.

SciTech: 0.9673951
Climate change and unfamiliar species leave Inuit lost for words Global warming is increasingly rendering Inuit and other Arctic peoples at a loss for words. They simply do not have names in their languages for the temperate species flocking up from the south.

World: 0.99923325
US Army Deserter Jenkins Obtains Early Release from Detention in ... A former US Army sergeant who defected to North Korea almost 40 years ago - has been released after serving 25 days in military detention in Japan.

Sports: 0.9995521
No. 5 North Carolina 63, No. 24 Villanova 56 The North Carolina Tar Heels put their lackluster first half behind them. Then they did the same to Villanova. After scoring just 25 points in the first half, the No.

Sports: 0.9996979
Knicks Hold Off Raptors, 108-102 New York Knicks #39; Jamal Crawford puts up a shot against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004. Crawford scored 30 points in the Knicks #39; 108-102 win.

SciTech: 0.75041056
The Shockwaves of Sumatra The Indian Ocean earthquake of December 2004 produced a shockwave that created tsunamis all across the Indian Ocean. The tsunamis hammered nearby Indonesia and struck as far as the coast of East Africa. The death toll has climbed over 100,000 and continues to grow. It also created social shockwaves.

World: 0.99937207
Official: FARC Sought Bush Assassination Colombia's main rebel group asked followers to mount an assassination attempt against President Bush during his visit to Colombia last week, Defense Minister Jorge Uribe said. There was no evidence Saturday that rebels even tried to organize such an attack.

Sports: 0.99148434
The Egg Goes to The Plucky Rebels Backup quarterback Robert Lane has 205 total yards with a touchdown pass and a touchdown run in Mississippi's 20-3 win over Mississippi State on Saturday.

SciTech: 0.99560237
NASA Finishes Redesigned Shuttle Fuel Tank (Reuters) Reuters - NASA has finished building a redesigned\space shuttle fuel tank that was reconfigured to eliminate the\debris problem that doomed the shuttle Columbia and its seven\astronauts, agency officials said on Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9996327
Bucks Edge Pistons 96-90 (AP) AP - Michael Redd scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half, Keith Van Horn added 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks ended a six-game losing streak with a 96-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.

SciTech: 0.99714124
Weather Data In Your Own Back Yard (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - WeatherBug wants to make meteorologists out of its users. The Internet weather service based in Gaithersburg has begun selling sensors that can turn anyone's back yard into a Web-connected weather station.

Sports: 0.996438
Virginia Tech downs Virginia, 24-10 The team that few thought could contend for an Atlantic Coast Conference title less than two months ago is now one game away from winning it on its first try.

Business: 0.99858993
Eurozone data to confirm slumping confidence, easing inflation BRUSSELS (AFP) - Eurozone figures due out this week will confirm that confidence is slumping due to high oil prices and the rise of the euro, and that inflation is easing, economists said.

World: 0.99489707
Death bell tolls for Russia's Yukos oil giant (AFP) AFP - Russia's Yukos does not begin the week teetering on the edge of ruin where it has been for months now. The oil giant is flat on its back, gasping for its last breaths of air.

Business: 0.99392796
Time to look overseas for a healthier 401(k) I change the mutual funds in my 401(k) plan about as often as the Red Sox win the World Series.

Business: 0.9963899
Rate hikes by Fed dull ARMs #39; luster 30-year fixed home loans remain appealing, but variable rates have been on the move up. By Sandra Block. If you #39;re hoping an adjustable-rate mortgage will help you afford your dream house, you may want to rethink those granite countertops.

World: 0.99852437
SAY NEIGHBORS #39; WEAPONS LEAVE THEM VULNERABLE Electrical engineering student Roozbeh Rahimi reflects a common sentiment among Iranians when he expresses hope that this famous tourist city will gain fame soon for its nuclear technology.

SciTech: 0.9824127
#39;SICKOS #39; HUNTING FOR DEER WITH A MOUSE SAN ANTONIO - Forget about PlayStation 2 - Texas entrepreneur wants to kick computer gaming up to the next level by offering players a chance at some real-live killing via mouse and modem.

World: 0.9989293
Bush won #39;t take Iran #39;s word for it CRAWFORD, Texas As President Bush sees it, quot;the only good deal is one that #39;s verifiable. quot;. He #39;s applauding the efforts of some European countries to get Iran to honor its commitment to refrain from developing nuclear weapons.

Sports: 0.99966633
Pitt can crash BCS with closing victory As if things weren #39;t bad enough for the Bowl Championship Series, it appears that Pittsburgh is going to represent the Big East with an 8-3 record.

World: 0.9994179
Annan Urged to Play Larger Role in Iraq (AP) AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, under fire in Congress over a troubled oil program for Iraq, received some friendly advice last month in a private meeting with former U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and other foreign policy experts.

World: 0.99939084
Sri Lanka army blames Tamil Tigers of failing to keep pledge Sri Lanka #39;s army Sunday blamed theTamil Tigers for failing to attend a meeting Saturday which they had agreed to attend during a meeting with the international trucemonitors and the government troops.

Sports: 0.99934095
Ravens' Offensive Coordinator Resigns (AP) AP - Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh resigned under pressure Monday after meeting with head coach Brian Billick, who finally lost patience with the team's sputtering attack.

Sports: 0.9996935
Illini hit on all cylinders, zap Zags There #39;s no way No. 5 Illinois could have shredded THE Gonzaga, king of the mid-majors, the way it demolished its opponent at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday.

Business: 0.9983608
#39;Designer #39; Christmas tree growers target national holiday market AURORA, Ore. The National Christmas Tree Association is hoping a push of designer trees will renew consumer demand for live trees.

Sports: 0.9996283
Game itself needs repair Last Sunday night, while announcing the suspensions of Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, and others, the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, spoke forcefully and eloquently about redefining quot;the covenant between players and fans and between fans and fans, and making sure we can play our games in a very welcoming and peaceful setting. quot;

World: 0.99929726
Rwandan #39;motivated by riches #39; Ouagadougou - Rwanda #39;s threat to launch military strikes in Democratic Republic of Congo would be motivated by the abundant mineral wealth in its giant western neighbour not by the desire to attack Hutu fighters based there, a Congolese diplomat said here

Business: 0.99851435
Wal-Mart Move Ominous Sign for Retailers (AP) AP - Weaker-than-expected holiday shopping forced Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Saturday to cut its projected sales increase for November by more than half, an ominous announcement for retailers as their busiest time of year begins.

Sports: 0.99969554
Fed Cup all tied up FRANCE #39;S Russian-born Tatiana Golovin left the Fed Cup final hanging in the balance today as she beat Russia #39;s US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-1 to level the tie at 2-2 and take it to the final doubles match.

World: 0.99939275
Sinn Fein Says N.Irish Deal Nears; No Bush Call (Reuters) Reuters - The leader of Sinn Fein, Northern\Ireland's main Catholic party and the political ally of the\Irish Republican Army (IRA), said Sunday he believed his\Protestant rivals were ready to agree to a peace deal.

Sports: 0.9996302
Sorenstam's Putt Sets Up #36;300K Skin (AP) AP - Annika Sorenstam calmly sank a short birdie putt on the ninth hole, earning a hug from Tiger Woods. More importantly, it kept #36;250,000 in play in the Skins Game.

Sports: 0.99898976
Redskins, Steelers Underway Patrick Ramsey makes his first second start of the season as the Redskins face the AFC North-leading Steelers at a sloppy Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

Sports: 0.9996972
DEFOE DRIVES SPURS HOME Jermain Defoe underlined his claims for an improved contract as he inspired Tottenham to a 2-0 win against 10-man Middlesbrough. New coach Martin Jol, who secured his first win in charge, may have been helped

Sports: 0.9991973
Arsenal loses again in Premier League Arsenal dropped five points behind Chelsea in the English Premier League on Sunday after losing 2-1 to Liverpool on an injury-time goal by Neil Mellor.

SciTech: 0.9885572
Trouble in PSP Land November 27, 2004 - Things aren #39;t looking good for the PSP over in Japan. Well... maybe that #39;s not exactly true. If you #39;re Sony, and you want to generate lots of hype for your new portable system, things are looking very good.

Business: 0.99830246
Retail Sees Solid, Not Stellar, Holidays (Reuters) Reuters - Holiday shopping got off to a flying\start in the United States this weekend.

Sports: 0.9992835
Titans' McNair Hints at Retiring From NFL (AP) AP - Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair hinted Sunday that his 10th season in the NFL could be his last.

Sports: 0.99966335
Bills 38, Seahawks 9 Drew Bledsoe went all the way home to Washington state to help the Buffalo Bills collect a rare road win. Willis McGahee had 116 yards rushing and four touchdowns, leading Buffalo to a 38-9 win over Seattle

Business: 0.98148537
CBI calls for cuts in spending to reduce borrowing GORDON BROWN faces a new warning today that he will have to raise taxes by 7 billion or cut swaths of government spending if Labour wins next years general election.

Sports: 0.9994467
Surprise Chargers #39; air power changing Marty #39;s stripes KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The San Diego Chargers players couldn #39;t quite believe what they were hearing, nor would many in the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium if they were privy to it.

Sports: 0.9977077
Bears Set to Sign QB Jeff George (Reuters) Reuters - The Chicago Bears are expected\to sign quarterback Jeff George on Monday.

Sports: 0.9996867
Giants #39; Frustration Seeps to Surface as Slide Continues At about the moment a melee broke out on the Giants #39; sideline Sunday - after Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter hit Giants quarterback Eli Manning out of bounds

SciTech: 0.72532886
Signs of a Glut and Lower Prices on Thin TV's Dont buy that high-definition TV yet. Competition may force the prices down further.

Business: 0.99858934
Holiday Shoppers Off to a Fast Start Holiday shoppers spent 10 percent more Friday than they did a year ago, according to early reports, but Wal-Mart Stores Inc. dampened hopes for a strong start to the key retail season by

Sports: 0.99966633
Hard-running Dillon #39;s difference in making champs even tougher It wasn #39;t just to resuscitate one of the league #39;s worst rushing games. It was to make Dillon and that dreadful rushing attack allies when the weather and/or the opponent demanded it -- which they did Sunday

Business: 0.9195497
Discovery Channel Tests Power of Licensing By rushing more than 700 products under the American Chopper brand as part of a new in-house licensing program, the cable channel is relying more heavily on licensing to market shows.

World: 0.95896184
Int #39;l conference calls for mine-free world Senior officials of 143 governments are calling for the total ban of production and use of anti-personnel landmine. Senior government officials of 143 countries across the world

World: 0.99910563
Cambodia plays active role in ASEAN Cambodia has been active and playing an increasingly important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and regional affairs politically and economically

World: 0.9992607
Tremor shook Japan At least 14 people sustained injuries when a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 hit a sparsely populated area of Japan #39;s northernmost main island of Hokkaido.

Sports: 0.999676
GAME DAY RECAP Sunday, November 28 Sandora Irvin had 23 points and 17 rebounds and TCU upset a ranked team for the second night in a row, beating Michigan State (No.

Sports: 0.9996722
Fish top 49ers in Brutal Bowl Dolphins 24, 49ers 17 The Dolphins spent the holiday week eating room service food and practising thousands of kilometres from home, all to prove they were the best of the NFL #39;s worst two teams.

Sports: 0.99971944
Eagles 27, Giants 6 EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Philadelphia Eagles won a fourth consecutive NFC East title by making Eli Manning look very much like a rookie.

World: 0.9991173
Colombia reveals plot to assassinate Bush Colombian rebels plotted to assassinate George Bush during his brief stopover in the port of Cartagena last week, according to the country #39;s defence minister.

Sports: 0.9983052
Quarterback Brady enjoyed a field day FOXBOROUGH -- Though more than \$300 million was invested in the construction of Gillette Stadium, part of it going to a state-of-the-art drainage system, the playing surface reminds Tom Brady of his high school field in San Mateo, Calif.

World: 0.99941754
Zarqawi group claims Mosul killings BAGHDAD -- Iraq's most feared terrorist group claimed responsibility yesterday for slaughtering members of the Iraqi security forces in Mosul, where dozens of bodies have been found. The claim raises fears the group has expanded to the north after the loss of its purported base in Fallujah.

SciTech: 0.99726355
Clearest view yet of Saturn #39;s largest moon Scientists controlling the cameras aboard the Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn have just recovered two extraordinary, contrasting images of the planet #39;s most intriguing moons.

Sports: 0.9995807
ITA: Juventus blows 2-goal lead againt Inter Milan Serie A leader Juventus wasted a two-goal lead in the second half and was held to a 2-2 draw by Inter Milan at San Siro on Sunday, losing ground to defending champion AC Milan.

Business: 0.9983754
Wal-Mart reduces sales forecast Wal-Mart, the world #39;s largest retailer, has lowered its November growth forecast amid concerns that fuel costs may slow down Christmas retail sales.

Business: 0.58366275
Iraq to spend \$1 billion to expand oil production Iraq is planning to spend more than \$1 billion in 2005 to boost its oil production capacity by about 15 percent to 3.25 million barrels a day, an Iraqi official said.

World: 0.99940634
PA #39;s Abbas rules out interim deal with Israel The Palestinians will not accept an interim settlement with Israel, Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas told the Arab League during a visit to Egypt yesterday.

SciTech: 0.9837964
Brighter Previews for Your Pictures Epson's Photo Fine technology promises vivid, crisp colors on digital camera LCDs.

SciTech: 0.9946643
New Wi-Fi Nearly Doubles Speed Belkin's Pre-N wireless networking line also dramatically improves range--even for 802.11b and 802.11g gear.

World: 0.9970413
France #39;s American problem PARIS -- US diplomats here respond to Jacques Chirac #39;s continued Yankee-bashing following George W. Bush #39;s re-election by saying the French president is out of step with his people, who are not nearly that anti-American.

SciTech: 0.8928945
Google Stumbles With New Desktop Tool Google wants to help you effectively access the piles of information you store in the documents, e-mail messages, Web pages, and contact lists stuffed on your PC.

Business: 0.9985927
Oil Down 3 Pct. as U.S. Winter Stays Mild NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slid 3 percent on Monday on expectations that more mild U.S. weather at the start of the New Year will limit heating oil demand.

SciTech: 0.9968189
The Next Giant Leap Rendezvous quot; for the docking techniques he developed while at MIT earning his PhD in astronautics. Lessig: Technology over ideology!

SciTech: 0.996644
Planned Grand Canyon Flood Seeks to Reverse Erosion Description: Researchers flooded the Colorado River last week, in an attempt to reverse erosion in the Grand Canyon. NPR #39;s Liane Hansen speaks to Denny Fenn, director of the Southwest Biological Science Center, about the experiment #39;s preliminary findings.

World: 0.99940145
Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile ISLAMABAD - Pakistan test-fired a short-range missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons on Monday, and said more tests are planned.

Business: 0.6383591
EasyMobile launch set for March Denmark #39;s leading telecoms operator TDC says it will launch a low-budget mobile telephone operator dubbed quot;easyMobile quot; with mobile network operator T-Mobile in Britain in March 2005.

Business: 0.9907487
More buyers choose artificial Renee McDonald remembers the Christmas trees of her youth: spindly, fake and out of a box. They were hard to put up, and they just didn #39;t smell right.

SciTech: 0.93688637
Chip power, times 10 IBM, Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. on Monday unveiled some key details on the powerful new quot;Cell quot; processor the three are jointly producing to run next-generation computers, game consoles and TVs.

SciTech: 0.9763787
SEO #39;s Multiplying Effect on Paid Inclusion Paid inclusion (PI) has always been a hot potato. It #39;s not quite SEO (define) and not quite search advertising. No one wants to touch it.

Sports: 0.9997129
Burger and Boks get IRB gongs South Africa #39;s Schalk Burger has been honoured as international rugby #39;s player of the year in 2004. The Springboks, the reigning Tri Nations champions, also scooped the awards for Team of the Year and Coach

Sports: 0.9933635
Myskina caps magnificent year for Russia Anastasia Myskina capped a magnificent year for Russian tennis by leading her country to their first Fed Cup title with a dramatic win over holders France.

SciTech: 0.98526824
Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount, and New Line Support HD-DVD Major movie studious Paramount, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., and New Line Cinema all said today that they have adopted the new high definition DVD disc format (HD-DVD), and will begin issuing movie titles in the new format in 2005.

Business: 0.7486104
MetroPCS obtains Cingular air com November 29, 2004, 8:33 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.

Sports: 0.9996469
Dillon enjoys a grand time Corey Dillon keeps piling up the rushing yards for the Patriots, but he could care less. What Dillon wants to pile up is wins. He #39;s doing that, too, in his

SciTech: 0.9939857
Mamma Search is Buying Copernic Mamma Search is Buying Copernic\\Mamma.com Inc., the paid search company, and Copernic Technologies Inc. announced that Mamma has signed a letter of intent where they will acquire all of the shares of Copernic Technologies for a combination of cash and shares of Mamma.com Inc. The closing of the acquisition will...

Sports: 0.99510914
Toronto #39;s SkyDome sold for \$25 million Toronto #39;s Major League Baseball franchise finally has a nest it can call its own. Blue Jays-owner Rogers Communications has reached a \$25 million deal to buy the SkyDome.

World: 0.9991861
Court Declines to Hear Gay Marriage Case (AP) AP - The Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a dispute over gay marriages, rejecting a challenge to the nation's only law sanctioning such unions.

World: 0.9993631
Sharon Survives 3 Parliament No-Confidence Votes JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday narrowly survived three parliamentary no-confidence votes sponsored by opposition parties over deepening poverty in Israel.

World: 0.9923766
Romania Faces Hung Parliament Risk After Vote BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania faced weeks of uncertainty on Monday after inconclusive general elections in the poor Balkan country, already struggling to stay on track to join the European Union. Partial results showed the ruling ex-communist Social Democrats (PSD) of Prime Minister Adrian Nastase a whisker ahead of the opposition centrists in Sunday's election but well short of a majority in parliament.

SciTech: 0.996431
Space Station Crew Moves Rescue Capsule The maneuver frees the hatch on the docking station that the crew members will use for work sorties in January and March. In addition, the launch of an unmanned Progress cargo ship has been postponed one day to December 24.

Business: 0.9890472
Telekom Austria taps the Bulgarian market Telekom Austria, Austrias largest telecoms operator, obtained access to the relatively underdeveloped East European mobile services market by winning the right to purchase the Bulgarian mobile operator MobilTel for 1.6billion (\$2.12billion).

Business: 0.9966827
Philippines GDP grows 6.3 on strong exports The Philippine economy continued to grow robustly in the third quarter despite rising consumer prices, with the gross domestic product expanding by 6.3 per cent from a year ago

Sports: 0.99968207
Tough courses #39;killing excitement #39; RICHARD Green is campaigning for a fair go for players in a bid to make home tour tournaments more exciting this summer. Green blasted the brutal course set-up for last week #39;s Australian Open, claiming it

Business: 0.991273
Cost of #39;12 Days of Christmas #39; now is \$66,000 PNC Financial Services says the luxury cars and vintage watch would cost you just as much as all the gifts listed in the Christmas carol quot;The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Business: 0.9976699
Merck #39;s Board Adopts Severance Plan for Top Officials (Update5) Merck amp; Co., seeking to keep managers from leaving after the withdrawal of its Vioxx painkiller, adopted a plan to give severance payments to more than 200 executives should control of the company change.

World: 0.9957327
Anxious wait for whale rescuers RESCUE workers will know this morning if their attempts to save whales beached yesterday on Maria Island, off Tasmania #39;s east coast, were successful.

World: 0.99940157
Musharraf Sees 'Light at End of Tunnel' with India (Reuters) Reuters - Pakistani President Pervez\Musharraf said on Monday there were prospects for resolving all\disputes with India, including over Kashmir, through peace\talks now under way.

SciTech: 0.6916313
A U.S. brain drain? A drop in engineering degrees combined with a fall-off in foreign students matriculating at U.S. colleges spells big trouble ahead.

Sports: 0.9996761
Diouf Charged After Spitting Row Bolton #39;s El-Hadji Diouf has been charged by the Football Association for spitting at Portsmouth #39;s Arjan de Zeeuw in Saturday #39;s 1-0 win for Pompey.

Business: 0.9970999
Bush Picks Kellogg CEO for Commerce President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, the Cuban-born CEO of Kellogg Co (KN: Quote, Profile, Research), as his nominee to be commerce secretary, his second selection of a Hispanic for a second-term Cabinet.

Business: 0.9973488
Bush Picks Kellogg CEO for Commerce 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.

SciTech: 0.99793494
Pew Weblog Statistics \\Interesting data this morning (thanks Dan ) on weblogs:\\"Blog readership shoots up 58 in 2004 6 million Americans get news and\information fed to them through RSS aggregators But 62 of online Americans do\not know what a blog is"\\Read the PDF for more stats (man I hate PDF).\\"27 of internet users say they read blogs, a 58 jump from the 17 who told us\they were blog readers in February. This means that by the end of 2004 32\million Americans were blog readers. Much of the attention to blogs focused on\those that covered the recent political campaign and the media. And at least\some of the overall growth in blog readership is attributable to political\blogs. Some 9 of internet users...\\

World: 0.9991673
Sudan backtracks on aid workers Sudan reverses its decision to expel Oxfam and Save the Children's local heads, accused of political meddling.

World: 0.99936885
Jordan prince loses succession Jordan #39;s Prince Hamzah says he is conceding to the wish of King Abdullah II to strip him of his crown as heir to the throne. quot;I obey the command of my elder brother out of my loyalty, love

Business: 0.99813724
Stelco Financing by Deutsche Bank Gets Court Approval (Update2) Deutsche Bank AG #39;s C\$900 million (\$759 million) proposal to provide financing to Stelco Inc. was approved by an Ontario judge over the objections of rival bidders and Stelco #39;s unions.

SciTech: 0.975995
Sun acquisition to boost IT services portfolio Sun Microsystemshas agreed to purchase Ashburn, Virginia, IT services company SevenSpace, the companies announced Monday. With the purchase, Sun takes a further step away from its traditional focus on supporting only its Solaris operating system platform and beefs up its support for competing operating systems like Windows, HP-UX and AIX.

Sports: 0.9972805
Six players suspended for one game Six players from both Clemson and South Carolina will be suspended for one game next season for their participation in a brawl near the end of the rivalry game November 20th.

Sports: 0.99967325
Bosox strike deal with Mirabelli; Yanks, Flaherty close The Boston Red Sox have signed backup catcher Doug Mirabelli to a two-year deal worth \$3 million, making him the first of the World Series champions #39; 16 free agents to re-sign.

World: 0.99940765
Iraqi Forces Foundering in Face of Killings and Threats by Rebels Iraqi forces, whose performance is crucial to securing January elections, are riddled with problems, say local U.S. officials.

Sports: 0.9960908
ACC Loses 2 Ranked Teams; Big East Get 2 (AP) AP - The Atlantic Coast Conference's record run of seven ranked teams came to an end Monday.

SciTech: 0.9749194
Autonomy, Mamma.com Join Desktop Search Ranks Not to be left out of desktop search, two search vendors on Monday leaped into the growing space for managing e-mail, documents and other hard-drive data.

Business: 0.99152327
America's Best Airline? Hawaiian Airlines is putting up impressive numbers, including some that really matter to travelers.

Sports: 0.99769396
Former Basketball Player Found Dead (AP) AP - Mark Haymore, who played on Indiana's unbeaten 1976 NCAA championship team before transferring to Massachusetts, has died. He was 48.

World: 0.9488943
Cyprus says could support Turkey EU bid Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said Monday he would not oppose Turkish European Union accession talks provided Turkey met European standards.

Sports: 0.99963856
Nuggets Knock Off Hornets 76-67 (AP) AP - Earl Boykins scored 22 points to help the Denver Nuggets overcome the absence of Carmelo Anthony and defeat the New Orleans Hornets 76-67 on Monday night.

Sports: 0.9996989
Kansas State 76, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42 Clent Stewart scored a career-high 15 points and Kansas State used stifling defense for a 76-42 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday.

SciTech: 0.9901543
NTT DoCoMo, Mm02 Sign Deal TOKYO - Japan #39;s top cell phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. and major British mobile carrier mm02 plc reached an agreement that will allow mobile telephone users in Britain, Germany, and Ireland to surf the Internet on the handsets, DoCoMo said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.99966824
Kansas Gets Chance For Revenge Against Nevada The Jayhawks were ... The second-ranked Jayhawks can redeem themselves for one of their most frustrating losses last season Monday when they welcome the Wolf Pack to Allen Fieldhouse.

Business: 0.99758625
Gold Fields wins appeal to fight takeover Gold Fields Ltd. won an appeal on Friday in its battle to stave off a hostile \$7.1 billion takeover by Harmony Gold Mining Co. that would create the world #39;s largest gold mining company.

SciTech: 0.95235157
Toshiba wins HD DVD support Four film studios are expected to release movies on the new HD format in the last quarter of 2005. TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp.

SciTech: 0.9961916
#39;Breakthrough #39; on hydrogen fuel US scientists had made a breakthrough in their quest to make low-cost hydrogen, a technology key to finding new sources of energy to end US dependence on foreign oil, they said.

World: 0.9993906
Pentagon Disputes Red Cross Criticism (AP) AP - A Pentagon spokesman said Monday that Red Cross officials have "made their view known" that the indefinite detention of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amounts to torture.

Sports: 0.9816088
Super Bowl Advertisers Still in the Game After Scandal NEW YORK (Reuters) - Advertisers may have been bitten once by an indecency scandal at the 2004 Super Bowl, but they are not shy about getting back into the game for the next U.S. football championship.

SciTech: 0.9969901
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. The four companies developing the Cell consumer electronics microprocessor released a few more details

World: 0.99814963
Chirac puts retirement on hold President Jacques Chirac passed his 72nd birthday yesterday locked in a struggle to maintain his relevance in the face of an intraparty challenge and continuing friction with the world #39;s only superpower.

World: 0.6147487
EU draft draws fire in Turkey BRUSSELS: Turkey will have to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, if only tacitly, if it wants to begin membership negotiations with the European Union, according to a draft document that was leaked here Monday.

Sports: 0.9997111
Brett Favre Shines as Green Bay Mauls St. Louis NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brett Favre celebrated his 200th consecutive start by throwing three touchdown passes as the Green Bay Packers destroyed the St. Louis Rams 45-17 at Lambeau Field Monday.

Business: 0.8841128
Industrial output falls in Japan Japan's industrial production falls in October while unemployment rises, providing more evidence of a slowdown in the world's second largest economy.

Sports: 0.99972063
Kansas, Oklahoma State cruise to easy victories NO. 2 KANSAS 85, NEVADA 52: At Lawrence, Kan. - Wayne Simien had his third double-double in as many games and Kansas routed Nevada on Monday night, avenging an embarrassing loss of a year ago.

Business: 0.8962378
With work, Dana-Farber learns from '94 mistakes Nurse Teresa Mazeika has known the woman knitting in the blue reclining chair for months. But she asks Carolyn Harlow her name and birthday anyway, as she approaches with chemotherapy for Harlow's blood cancer. Mazeika, a 17-year nursing veteran at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, isn't taking any chances that she is about to give the drug to the wrong patient.

Sports: 0.9996774
Day 3: Dravid, Ganguly take charge India lost two wickets on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today. South Africa bounced back from a miserable day on the field yesterday to remove the dangerous

World: 0.9957033
Swedes Blast Gov't Response to Tsunami (AP) AP - Hours after a tsunami flattened south Asia beaches #151; a magnet for thousands of vacationing Swedes #151; the Swedish foreign minister went to the theater.

World: 0.99941707
Peru Launches Offensive to Retake Siege Town LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian authorities on Monday launched an offensive to retake a police station and end a three-day siege by former soldiers in a southern Andean town.

Sports: 0.9996798
UConn awaiting invite to Motor City Bowl Theres still one more domino to fall, but today the University of Connecticut football team is expected to be invited and accept an invitation to play in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 27.

Sports: 0.9996989
Dubois helps Maine top Dartmouth David Dubois scored a game-high 17 points as Maine held on for a 58-52 men's basketball victory over Dartmouth last night at Hanover, N.H.

Business: 0.9972626
Update 2: Report: Gazprom to Take Part in Yukos Sale The newly-created oil unit of Russian gas monopoly OAO Gazprom, Gazpromneft, will take part in the auction of the embattled Yukos oil company #39;s largest unit, Yuganskneftegaz, Dow Jones NewsWires reported Tuesday, citing the news agency Prime-Tass.

Business: 0.99263704
Lawmakers Grill Citigroup Japan Chief Citigroup #39;s top executive in Japan endured unprecedented questioning by lawmakers on Tuesday over a scandal at the firm #39;s private bank in the country, the latest turn in a high-profile case that has embarrassed the world #39;s biggest

Sports: 0.9989172
Minaya ahead in count even if he strikes out This is the way Mets fans wanted their team to do it with Vladimir Guerrero and Alex Rodriguez. They wanted the general manager of the moment, Steve Phillips or Jim Duquette, to get in there early.

World: 0.99939144
Car Bomb North of Baghdad Kills 7, Wounds 19 (Reuters) Reuters - A car bomb exploded near a U.S.\military patrol in the town of Baiji, north of Baghdad, on\Tuesday, killing at least seven Iraqis and wounding 20 people,\including two U.S. soldiers, doctors and the military said.

World: 0.99939823
Musharraf Can Be Pakistan President and Army Chief ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's acting president signed a bill on Tuesday that will allow military ruler Pervez Musharraf to stay on as army chief despite his pledge to quit the office by the end of the year.

Business: 0.9847584
Plane repos ready to take flight At the airport, you hear all of the usual explanations: bad weather, mechanical difficulties, no crew available. But now there #39;s another excuse you might hear as times get tougher for cash

Business: 0.99830997
UK House Prices Rise at Fastest Pace Since July (Update3) UK house prices unexpectedly rose in November at the fastest pace since July, reinforcing expectations real estate values will level out, avoiding a collapse from records, according to Nationwide Building Society.

Business: 0.9952643
Wall Street Set for a Flat Start (Reuters) Reuters - Wall Street was set for a flat start on\Tuesday as investors braced themselves for a slew of data, with\a steadier dollar helping to offset the impact of firmer crude\oil prices.

Business: 0.9244896
Eurozone recovery struggles as monetary union fails to yield results: OECD (AFP) AFP - Recovery in the eurozone is battling higher oil prices and a rising euro as monetary union has so far failed to spur sustained economic dynamism in the 12 nations using the single European currency, the OECD revealed.

World: 0.99931526
Cosatu to meet over conflict with ANC The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said that it will hold a lunchtime press conference on Tuesday to discuss the controversial public spat between its leader Zwelinzima Vavi and the African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson

Business: 0.99520975
REL asks quitting directors to rethink Mumbai: The board of Indian power utility Reliance Energy Ltd. told the Bombay exchange on Tuesday it had asked its six directors who resigned last week to reconsider their resignations.

World: 0.9205431
Renault unveils investment plan for Asian hub in South Korea (AFP) AFP - 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, notably China.

Business: 0.9984066
OECD tips US growth slowdown in 2005 US economic growth will slow to 3.3 per cent in 2005, more than a full percentage point below this year, with the effect of high energy prices dragging on the economy for the next few quarters, the OECD said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9968555
HP releases new products for enterprises Launches OpenView Automation Manager, Service Desk version 5.0 and partnership with Cisco for reselling HP management software. MADRID: Hewlett Packard has launched its HP OpenView Automation Manager that

World: 0.9993685
Philippine Floods Kill Hundreds More than 300 people died after flash floods and landslides devastated three coastal towns and left swathes of the northern Philippines under water on Tuesday.

Business: 0.99698263
Clayton Offers to Buy Rexel for 2.6 Billion Euros (Update5) Clayton, Dubilier amp; Rice Inc. is leading a 2.6 billion-euro (\$3.45 billion) buyout of an electrical- equipment supplier from France #39;s Pinault-Printemps-Redoute SA, the New York-based firm #39;s third European acquisition this year.

Sports: 0.9986959
Football Association charges Bolton striker over spitting incident Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf was cited for improper conduct by the Football Association on Monday after spitting in the face of an opponent.

Business: 0.9973527
USA: Smithfield Foods reports higher Q2 earnings US meat processor Smithfield Foods has reported higher second-quarter earnings, as higher hog prices offset lower pork margins and a loss in its beef operations.

SciTech: 0.9924941
O2 to roll out i-mode The deal, which was leaked to the press last week, will see the UK-based mobile operator deliver data services -- such as games, ringtones and entertainment -- through a platform that has been credited with making NTT DoCoMo the force that it is in

SciTech: 0.9827533
Screensaver Strikes Back at Spammers New software allows recipients of spam to band together to target known websites behind the messages. The idea is to bombard the sites with messages, slowing them down and making them more expensive to run.

SciTech: 0.9946854
Study: Brain Scan Helps Diagnose Bipolar Disorder (Reuters) Reuters - Bipolar disorder, a sometimes\misdiagnosed mental illness characterized by wide emotional\swings, may be identifiable by chemical abnormalities visible\in victims' brains, researchers said on Tuesday.

World: 0.99932635
Princess Di's Ex-Bodyguard Disputes Claim (AP) AP - A former bodyguard of Princess Diana on Tuesday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was "bumped off."

SciTech: 0.99395645
Tech Firms Keep Riding Chinese Tiger Microsoft watched a software deal with China go bust less than two weeks into the contract. And Beijing is pushing its government IT officials to buy local. But China remains a vibrant market where tech firms have to stay in play. -washingtonpost.com

Sports: 0.9996681
Milan Mandaric statement quot;Over the past two-and-a-half years the football club have currently paid 11.5million on transfer fees, loan fees and appearance payments to clubs for 25 players.

SciTech: 0.998104
Cell Phone Virus Mutates, Carries Payload Security company F-Secure warned of a variant on the Skulls Trojan horse that infects smart phones running the Symbian operating system.

Sports: 0.99948186
Redknapp and Mandaric clear the air Harry Redknapp maintained on Tuesday that he had nothing to hide from the transfer deals conducted at Portsmouth during his time as manager.

SciTech: 0.99373466
Log on to be a satellite spy A Canadian inventor has created Internet-based technology that could soon see regular computer users acting as armchair spies. Vincent Tao, an engineer at Toronto #39;s York University

SciTech: 0.973612
Sharman begins defense in Kazaa case Sharman Networks, the company behind the Kazaa peer-to-peer file sharing software, began its defense in a Sydney court room on Tuesday against charges by members of the music industry that the company aided music piracy and copyright infringement.

Sports: 0.9996935
Najeh to the rescue for Packers No Ahman Green, no problem. At least that #39;s what it looked like on Monday night, as the Green Bay Packers ran roughshod over the St.

World: 0.94008905
Bangladesh bars female swim Pressure from an Islamic group halts a women's swimming contest in Bangladesh.

SciTech: 0.8588627
Music sharing continues to thrive A steady growth in legal music downloads continues while illegal file sharing networks also flourish, analysts say.

Sports: 0.9997087
Prosecutor: Pacers Players to Be Charged (AP) AP - Indiana Pacers players will be charged for fighting with fans during the Nov. 19 brawl at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca told The Detroit News.

Business: 0.98158747
Impact of euro played down The damage to exports caused by a stronger euro has been played down by a member of the European Central Bank #39;s governing council in remarks highlighting the bank #39;s limited concern about the currency #39;s rise.

World: 0.99461234
Chercher dans toute l #39;actualit Italy ground to a halt as millions of workers observed a general strike in protest against the economic policies of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi #39;s centre-right government.

Business: 0.9973579
Oragenics Shares Up on FDA Clearance Shares of Oragenics Inc. jumped after the biotechnology company reported Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration allowed it to proceed with safety trials on a lifelong tooth decay protection rinse that

Sports: 0.9969008
Australia give their neighbours no mercy Australia wrapped up a 2-0 win in the series after beating New Zealand by 213 runs on the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test on Tuesday.

Business: 0.99862754
Oil Prices Slip, Winter Supplies Seen Up Oil prices fell on Tuesday as an expected increase in US heating fuel supplies eased concerns over an inventory crunch should this winter #39;s weather prove colder than normal.

Business: 0.99718034
Clayton Dubilier, Merrill team in \$3.4B buyout In what would be the largest European leveraged buyout of the year, Clayton Dubilier amp; Rice has teamed with Merrill Lynch amp; Co.

World: 0.99604213
Ex-Guard Speaks Out About Di Tapes (CBS) Newly-surfaced videotapes of the late Princess Diana address her sometimes bizarre relationship with Prince Charles. The tapes were recorded by Diana #39;s voice coach, Peter Settelen.

Sports: 0.99969375
Waugh: Shoaib will test Australians Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh says he thinks Shoaib Akhtar will test the home side when it tackles Pakistan at the WACA. Having recently watched Australia end a 35-year hoodoo in India with a 2-1 series

SciTech: 0.7611716
Poison Toads Leap Across Australia Small, warty, and poisonous enough to kill crocodiles, the cane toad has wreaked havoc in parts of Australia. Experts say climate change is benefiting the invasive species.

Business: 0.99836105
Merrill, Wachovia, others fined for late reporting NEW YORK: The NASD yesterday said it censured and fined 29 securities firms a total of \$US9.22 (\$NZ13.04) million for failing to properly disclose required information about their brokers more than 8300 times.

SciTech: 0.9965005
Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow Six 4 Announced As expected, Ubisoft today announced its plans to launch a new Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow Six title on PS2, Xbox and PC. Rainbow Six 4 will introduce a new single player experience with a personal darker storyline

SciTech: 0.99643254
Lycos Europe Pushes Limits in Anti-Spam Fight A new application from Lycos Europe aims to fight back against spammers, but some experts say the company may be enabling illegal activities.

Business: 0.99764544
Click Here for a Free Credit Report Really. We mean it. Finally, a legit way to peek into your personal financial file.

Sports: 0.9996884
Gough new Livi boss FORMER Rangers, Everton and Scotland captain Richard Gough has been appointed as the new manager of troubled Scottish Premier League outfit Livingston.

Sports: 0.99846125
Cardinals to Play Broncos Boise State accepts a bid Tuesday to play Louisville in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31, in a matchup of the nation's top two offenses.

Business: 0.9985184
Pinault-Printemps Redoute to sell holding in Rexel LONDON, November 30 (newratings.com) - Pinault-Printemps Redoute SA (PPX.FSE) plans to sell its controlling stake in the electrical parts distributor, Rexel (RXL), to a group of private firms for 1.92 billion (\$2.55 billion).

World: 0.9987362
Shifting signs in North Korea Kim Jong Il dials back his personality cult as protest activities pick up.

SciTech: 0.9980293
New strain of Skulls Trojan hits smart phones Mobile phones running Symbian's Series 60 operating system are the target of a new strain of the Skulls Trojan horse program. The new Trojan comes with the Cabir.B worm, which, unlike the first version of the virus, can spread to other phones within reach of Bluetooth broadcasting range.

Business: 0.99853444
Grinstein: Delta Pilots #39; Retirement Exodus Likely On Wednesday At least 100 Delta Air Lines (nyse: DAL - news - people ) pilots are expected to retire effective Wednesday. That #39;s the starting date for the 32.5 pay cut agreed upon under Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein #39;s master plan.

Sports: 0.99766386
Pedro Waits to Learn of Yankees' Interest (AP) AP - With an offer in hand from the New York Mets, Pedro Martinez will wait to see what the New York Yankees do before deciding where he'll play next year.

Business: 0.97406095
The Kremlins Leviathan In Putins Russia Gazprom is by no means a mere natural monopoly, nor a newly established ministry for oil and gas. Gazprom is an instrument of public administration just like the pro-Kremlin United Russia

Sports: 0.9991756
Ferguson stirs the pot ahead of Arsenal visit Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has raised the stakes before the Carling Cup clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford, by claiming that Chelsea are now the team to beat.

SciTech: 0.99720865
US-European mission explores Saturn #39;s moon mysteries This Nasa image shows Saturn #39;s lonely moon Mimas (R) seen against the blue-streaked backdrop of Saturn #39;s northern hemisphere.

SciTech: 0.98981464
New Rainbow Six Franchise for Spring 2005 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 30, 2004 -Ubisoft, one of the world #39;s largest video game publishers, today announced its plans to launch the next installment in the Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow SixR franchise for the Sony PlayStationR2 computer entertainment system

Sports: 0.99338645
With Ban Pending, Hamilton Loses Ride Tyler Hamilton, who won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in Athens, was fired last Thursday by Phonak, his Swiss cycling team, two months after testing positive for illegal blood transfusions.

Sports: 0.99965453
Browns coach Davis resigns; Robiskie named interim coach BEREA, Ohio (Ticker) - One day after admitting that his shaky job status was a quot;distraction quot; to his players, Butch Davis resigned as coach of the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.

World: 0.99940264
Son Is Gone but Fervor Remains After Fallujah After his son's life was ended by an American bullet, an Iraqi insurgent undertook a harrowing escape to a lonely exile in Baghdad, where he waits to fight another day.

Business: 0.9909406
SEC Delays Reviews for Some Firms Securities regulators gave more than 2,000 public companies a brief reprieve from new rules requiring them to assess the strength of their financial safeguards.

Business: 0.998607
U.S. Increases Growth Estimate For 3rd Quarter Consumers and businesses boosted their spending a bit more quickly in late summer than previously thought, fueling faster overall economic growth, the government reported Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9995789
Spurs 107, Mavericks 89 Devin Brown sparked a fourth-quarter spurt with two three-point plays and two dunks, helping the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 Monday night to spoil the pseudo-coaching debut of Avery Johnson.

Business: 0.9984622
FDA Warns Cyberonics on Manufacturing CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned Cyberonics Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CYBX.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">CYBX.O</A> of manufacturing deficiencies at the Houston plant that makes its sole product, an implantable device to treat epilepsy, the company said on Monday.

Business: 0.99109685
Bush shields shrimp industry The Bush administration yesterday said Chinese and Vietnamese shrimp are sold at unfairly low prices in the United States, siding with US fishermen as they try to fend off overseas competition.

Business: 0.9983102
Oil Prices Edge Below #36;49 a Barrel (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices edged below #36;49 a barrel\on Wednesday as traders looked ahead to an expected build in\weekly U.S. inventory data that would help bolster the thin\supply cushion ahead of peak northern winter demand.

Sports: 0.9995572
Knicks: Crawford hits the one that counts The old axiom is that it doesn #39;t matter how many shots you miss; if you #39;re a shooter, you have to keep shooting. Jamal Crawford missed 21 shots against the Atlanta Hawks last

World: 0.9987112
Australia embraced by Malaysia at ASEAN summit TONY EASTLEY: For years Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir blocked Australia #39;s closer involvement with the ASEAN group of nations.

World: 0.99933547
Cause of Indonesian Plane Crash Probed (AP) AP - Investigators picked through the wreckage of an Indonesian passenger plane that crashed in stormy weather, killing at least 32 people in the county's worst air accident in six years.

World: 0.9994036
Landslides, floods kill nearly 340 in Philippines MARAGUNDON, Philippines -- A powerful rainstorm triggered landslides and flash floods that killed nearly 340 people in the eastern Philippines, officials said yesterday, and rescuers raced to save those stranded in three coastal towns before a typhoon strikes the hard-hit region.

SciTech: 0.99631506
#39;Throttle #39; viruses with software Early next year, the computer maker will begin selling software designed to slow the spread of viruses from its ProLiant servers and ProCurve networking equipment, an HP executive said on Tuesday.

Business: 0.9985373
Eurostocks Nudge Up on Ericsson PARIS (Reuters) - European shares nosed up on Wednesday as Ericsson gained on news it had won part of \$4-billion Cingular deal and with Glaxo buoyed after Pfizer affirmed its outlook.

Sports: 0.99969995
Bettman stands firm in dispute NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has again dismissed proposals by the players #39; union for a luxury tax as the sport #39;s lockout continues.

World: 0.99935836
Pentagon #39;s death toll in Iraq rising WASHINGTON - November was the bloodiest month for US troops in Iraq since April, with at least 135 losing their lives and more than 50 falling in the two-week battle to evict insurgents from Fallujah.

Business: 0.9362237
EU to Pursue Legal Action Against Greece BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union #39;s executive commission said Wednesday it would open legal proceedings against Greece for its sloppy bookkeeping and underreporting its budget deficit by billions of euros between 1997 and 2003.

SciTech: 0.99810493
Unprotected PCs Fall To Hacker Bots In Just Four Minutes The lifespan of a poorly protected PC connected to the Internet is a mere four minutes, research released Tuesday claimed. After that, it #39;s owned by a hacker.

Business: 0.99851316
Stocks to Watch on Dec. 1 NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks to watch on Wednesday: IBM CORP. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=IBM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">IBM.N</A>: The computer maker said it sealed deals worth more than \$1 billion in new work with two European companies from which the information technology company just acquired two Danish services providers.

SciTech: 0.9975319
After the X Prize Just weeks before the historic second flight of SpaceShipOne -- a trip that won him the \$10 million X Prize -- Burt Rutan, the ship's designer and builder, sat down for a chat with Wired magazine. Here's what he said.

Sports: 0.9995809
Co-stars nearly steal show IT was a match that didn #39;t run to the script but this is the land where life often imitates the silver screen. And for 64 minutes yesterday the USA Tomahawks were pure Hollywood

World: 0.9952933
Murdoch novel reveals Alzheimer's The last novel by the author Iris Murdoch reveals the first signs of Alzheimer's disease, experts say.

Business: 0.9821249
Cingular to upgrade wireless data network DECEMBER 01, 2004 (REUTERS) - Cingular Wireless LLC, the largest US wireless telephone company, said yesterday that it would upgrade its network next year to handle high-speed data transmissions.

Business: 0.998585
Consumer Spending Up, Manufacturing Gains Consumers spent briskly in October and the nation #39;s manufacturers saw robust activity in November, encouraging signs that the last quarter of this year is shaping up nicely.

SciTech: 0.99760133
NASA Cassini Image: Gazing Down at Saturn #39;s Rings Cassini pierced the ring plane and rounded Saturn on Oct. 27, 2004, capturing this view of the dark portion of the rings. A portion of the planet #39;s atmosphere is visible here, as is its shadow on the surface of the rings.

World: 0.9988564
UN panel proposes sweeping changes UNITED NATIONS, New York The United Nations has proposed the most sweeping changes in its history, recommending the overhaul of its top decision-making group, the Security Council, and holding out the possibility that it could grant legitimacy to pre

World: 0.99929965
Florida Election Supervisors Back Reforms (AP) AP - Florida's 67 county elections supervisors proposed dramatic reforms, including replacing Election Day with 11 days of voting and doing away with voting precincts.

SciTech: 0.9968458
Fly Higher, Fly Lighter: 'Ballute' Technology Aimed at Moon Missions (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - BOULDER, Colo. -- Moviegoers may recall it as that nifty bit of high-speed technology used in 2010: The Year We Make Contact -- the space age equivalent of playing air bag bumper car with Jupiter.

SciTech: 0.844784
iTunes now selling Band Aid song IPod owners can download the Band Aid single after Apple reaches agreement with the charity.

SciTech: 0.73676
Microsoft sues over fake labels Microsoft has sued eight US computer resellers who it says bought or sold counterfeit Certificate of Authenticity labels or genuine labels that had been separated from their related software, all in breach of copyright and trade mark laws.

Business: 0.89310575
Bush Backs US Tariffs on Shrimp Foreign shrimp producers have denied they are selling shrimp at artificially low prices as a way to win a larger share of the US market.

Sports: 0.9997029
India #39;s Nehra to miss Bangladesh series Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra has been left out of India #39;s squad for this month #39;s two-test series against Bangladesh due to an abdominal strain.

Business: 0.9985837
Ford Sales Fall, Chrysler Posts Gain 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 Wednesday reported its sixth straight month of weaker vehicle sales, prompting the second-largest U.S. automaker to further cut production of cars and trucks, while Chrysler posted another sales gain.

Business: 0.99861586
Stocks Rise as Crude Falls More Than \$2 NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as crude oil futures fell more than \$2 a barrel on a big jump in U.S. petroleum supply, easing worries about the impact of energy costs on corporate profits and economic growth.

Business: 0.9981713
Nektar Shares Continues Rise on Upgrades Shares of Nektar Therapeutics remained active Wednesday following upgrades from two investment firms after drug giant Pfizer Inc. cited its inhalable insulin product in a recent pipeline report.

Sports: 0.9985008
Palace Bans Two Fans The Palace in Auburn Hills bans two men from events for their involvement in last month's brawl between the Pistons and Indian Pacers.

Business: 0.9963966
Cingular Sees Merger Savings Above Plan Cingular Wireless, the nation #39;s largest wireless carrier following the company #39;s merger with AT amp;T Wireless, said Wednesday that it has completed integration activities ahead of schedule and now expects merger-related cost savings to exceed prior estimates

Business: 0.9589738
Pound soars amid wider currency fears Sterling rose to its highest level against the dollar since Black Wednesday, the day in September 1992 when the pound was forced out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the forerunner of the euro.

SciTech: 0.9974317
HP Throttles Viruses Hewlett-Packard has developed a software program that could slow the spread of computer viruses and worms by acting as a quot;throttle quot; on unauthroized network activity.

SciTech: 0.9372005
AOL Upgrades Multimedia Search Site com. America Online Inc. on Wednesday launched new features in its Singingfish search site for audio and video on the Web. AOL, a division of Time Warner Inc.

Sports: 0.99970573
Crowton Steps Down As BYU Football Coach BYU coach Gary Crowton walks off the field after BYU #39;s 28-27 loss to Boise State, in Boise, Idaho, in this Sept. 24, 2004 photo.

World: 0.99927765
Mozambicans Vote for New President Mozambique #39;s poor, many carrying small children, trudged along narrow dirt roads in oppressive heat Wednesday to pick a replacement for the president who has ruled

Sports: 0.9996915
Crowton Steps Down as BYU Football Coach PROVO, Utah (Sports Network) - Gary Crowton has resigned from his position as the head football coach at Brigham Young.

Sports: 0.99971133
Moya says he #39;ll beat Roddick on Friday Spains top singles player said he expects to beat American Andy Roddick in the Davis Cup final, which begins Friday at the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja.

Business: 0.9986033
Ford, GM report slow November sales The nation #39;s two largest automakers on Wednesday reported weak November sales, but both expressed confidence that new products would help them pick up momentum.

World: 0.99931026
Cheney Campaigns for House Candidates (AP) AP - With two Louisiana congressional seats still up for grabs, Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned in the state Wednesday on behalf of Republicans who hope to sweep Saturday's runoff elections.

Business: 0.96618015
Cingular Planning Major 3G Wireless Rollout Just as the AT amp;T buy helped Cingular move ahead of Verizon Wireless to the top of the industry in terms of size, the new network would likely give it an overall faster network, a distinction most say Verizon can now boast.

Sports: 0.99971634
Bellion strike gives Reds 1-0 victory over Gunners David Bellion scored 19 seconds after the opening kickoff as Manchester United #39;s backup team edged Arsenal #39;s youngsters 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the semifinal of the English League Cup.

Sports: 0.9996885
Expectations too lofty for unlucky Willingham Three seasons after hiring Tyrone Willingham as head coach of the football program, the powers that be in South Bend, Ind., fired the 28-year coaching veteran Tuesday, one month prior to the Fighting Irish #39;s scheduled matchup with UCLA in the Insight Bowl

Business: 0.99761045
Wet Seal Third-Quarter Net Loss Widens (Reuters) Reuters - Struggling clothing retailer Wet\Seal Inc. on Wednesday posted a wider quarterly loss\as lackluster demand for its teen-oriented fashions forced the\company to make bigger markdowns.

World: 0.99933475
Gunfire Erupts During Powell Visit to Haiti PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Shooting erupted on Wednesday outside Haiti's presidential palace while Secretary of State Colin Powell was inside talking with the interim leaders of the violence-plagued country.

World: 0.9993849
Poland opens Katyn probe Polish war crimes prosecutors examine the 1940 deaths of members of the Polish elite in Russia's Katyn Forest.

World: 0.9993759
Britain: Body Isn't Kidnapped Aid Worker (AP) AP - A mutilated body found in Iraq is not that of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan, the British government said Wednesday. But the Foreign Office said it continued to believe Hassan had been murdered, although the evidence was not conclusive.

Sports: 0.9974624
Judge Declines to Dismiss Steroid Case (AP) AP - A judge declined to dismiss charges against four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes amid accusations that prosecutors illegally searched a nutritional supplement lab and the house and car of Barry Bonds' trainer.

Sports: 0.9966223
Judge declines to dismiss BALCO case A federal judge said Wednesday that she would not immediately dismiss charges against four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes.

Sports: 0.99958986
Cavs to Go Bowling in Boise The University of Virginia football team has accepted an invitation to the MPC Computers Bowl at 2 pm (EST) on Dec. 27 in Boise, Idaho.

SciTech: 0.59225553
Mutant book wins Guardian prize A book about the evolution of mutants and the science of abnormality has won the Guardian First Book Award 2004.

SciTech: 0.99749905
MSN Enters Blogging Fray with quot;Spaces quot; Microsoft #39;s MSN has introduced a beta version of its new blogging tool, MSN Spaces, which it expects will eventually be supported by advertising.

SciTech: 0.7841559
Sun And Microsoft Call A Truce The longtime rivals claim that they #39;ll work harder to make their software work together. By Aaron Ricadela. Longtime rivals Microsoft and Sun Microsystems have made a quot;180-degree U-turn quot; in their relationship

Sports: 0.99888164
UConn Avoids Loss in Overtime The eighth-ranked Connecticut Huskies narrowly avoided their first two-game losing streak in 12 seasons, beating South Florida, 75-65, last night with Barbara Turner getting 8 of her 23 points in overtime.

SciTech: 0.8232552
Indian State Eyes Faster Internet Project (AP) AP - In a bid to give a big push to e-governance, an Indian state on Monday cleared a plan that will help its officials move Internet data thousand times faster than now.

World: 0.9814263
Internet pioneer closes Manitoba pharmacy; blames dollar, uncertain climate (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - Just one year ago, Mark Rzepka was opening a #36;1-million Internet pharmacy in the small Manitoba town of Niverville believing he would be able to quadruple his staff within 12 months.

SciTech: 0.91042364
Steal SpongeBob, buy a PC museum We've got two more entries this week in the category of "What weird, useless stuff is for sale on eBay that I just have to have?"

SciTech: 0.99552286
Radeon X850 Released VisionTek announced today the official launch of its XTASY RADEON X850 XT PCI Express Graphics Accelerator card. quot;We #39;ve been overwhelmed by customer requests for a top of the line VisionTek 16X PCI Express

SciTech: 0.99809176
Oracle expected to push on content management at OpenWorld Oracle is expected to unveil updates to its software's content management and business intelligence functions, as well as other enhancements at next week's Oracle OpenWorld user event.

SciTech: 0.96936226
Panera Hopes 'Chilling Out' Brews Sales (AP) AP - Bakery cafe chain Panera Bread Co. hopes its customers will stick around a little longer #151; grab a bite to eat, buy another cup of coffee, try the Wi-Fi. In other words, just chill out.

SciTech: 0.9954686
Japanese Researchers 'Tap' Mushrooms for Rubber (Reuters) Reuters - Japanese researchers say they have\produced rubber from a natural substance extracted from an\edible, wild mushroom commonly found in the country.

SciTech: 0.9934181
U.S. Rules Out Dam Removal for Salmon Recovery (Reuters) Reuters - A Bush administration decision to\eliminate the possibility of removing dams to save endangered\U.S. Pacific Northwest salmon species is a huge blow to\protection efforts, an environmental group said on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99677366
Ancient Skull Fragment Hints at Surgery (AP) AP - A skull fragment found in a 400-year-old trash pit at Jamestown contains evidence of the earliest known surgery #151; and autopsy #151; in the English colonies in America, researchers say.

SciTech: 0.85261977
Internet Pharmacies: Good or Bad? An investigation into the practice of Internet Pharmacies and how they are changing the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.

SciTech: 0.9976184
AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish\\Rumors are floating that market leaders Google along with Yahoo! and Microsoft (MSN) are working on an improved multimedia searching capabilities. AOL entered into the field with their acquisition of Singingfish Inc. around a year ago.\\Singingfish Inc. would be today announcing their updated services to...

World: 0.8664914
India's low-cost airline eyes business travel (AFP) AFP - India's pioneer low-cost carrier Air Deccan plans to raise 50 million dollars in private equity by shedding a 26 percent stake and also aims to enter the corporate business jet segment, its chairman said.

Business: 0.998589
Giuliani expands his Wall St. firm NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is making a foray into investment banking. Free! Sign up here to receive our Weekly Roundup e-Newsletter!

SciTech: 0.9761302
Japan #39;s NTT DoCoMo sees Europe embracing hi-tech mobile phones TOKYO : Japan #39;s top mobile operator NTT DoCoMo believes Europe will embrace hi-tech telephones and expects a major boost in subscribers on the continent of its i-mode Internet service.

Sports: 0.9996395
NBA Wrap: Curry, Chandler Lead Bulls Over Lakers NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eddy Curry registered 18 points and 10 rebounds and Tyson Chandler added 18 rebounds and 10 points as the Chicago Bulls stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 92-84 Wednesday.

World: 0.99932754
Ukrainian opposition makes gains KIEV -- The Ukrainian parliament voted yesterday to dismiss the government headed by the declared winner of a disputed presidential vote, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, handing the opposition a victory in its campaign to overturn national election results.

World: 0.9992397
England's Lawyers Try to Get Photos Thrown Out Lawyers for Pfc. Lynndie R. England sought Wednesday to throw out evidence at the heart of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal -- the now-infamous photos showing her smiling and pointing at naked Iraqi detainees.

SciTech: 0.99092495
Spammers strike back at Lycos In launching Make Love Not Spam Lycos this week started a controversial bid to battle unsolicited messages through a custom-designed website.

SciTech: 0.984194
Singingfish Floats New Multimedia Search With broadband and desktop media fueling consumer interest in digital media content, video and audio search provider Singingfish has launched an improved search portal to help the world find more multi-media online.

Sports: 0.99963784
Jordan returns as Wizards beat Nets The Wizards welcomed coach Eddie Jordan back last night with a 95-68 victory over the Nets, Jordan #39;s former team. Gilbert Arenas had a season-high 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists for host Washington.

World: 0.9990312
Bad weather blamed for Indon crash BAD weather was the main cause of an accident which killed 26 people aboard an airplane whose spoiler did not work well, Indonesian investigators said today.

World: 0.9993173
Mugabe Urges Party Unity Amid Succession Struggle HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe called for unity on Thursday amid rare public jostling within his ruling ZANU-PF party over who will eventually succeed the controversial 80-year-old leader.

Business: 0.9814036
Reed on track despite science outlook Reed Elsevier on Thursday reiterated that it remained on track to deliver mid to high single-digit earnings-per-share growth this year despite concerns over its science publishing unit.

SciTech: 0.97078115
Human Activity to Blame For 2003 Heatwave A previous study at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research at the Met Office, demonstrated that large-scale global warming is not a result of urban development.

SciTech: 0.9839071
Microsoft sues eight resellers over dodgy stickers Microsoft has announced it #39;s suing eight PC resellers over claims they have been attaching Certificates of Authenticity (COA) to non-genuine Microsoft products.

SciTech: 0.9919831
Apple officially launches iTunes Music Store in Canada Apple Computer on Thursday officially launched its iTunes Music Store in Canada, offering Canadian music fans the same features and price of \$.99 CDN per song that have lifted iTunes to the number one online music service in the world.

SciTech: 0.9430831
Va. Biotech Looks to Md. For Inspiration Business and education leaders in Northern Virginia are working hard to lure biotechnology companies. But for a daunting reminder of how far they need to go, all they have to do is look at neighboring Maryland. -The Washington Post

SciTech: 0.94532704
Citing Can-Spam, Microsoft sues alleged spammers com December 2, 2004, 7:48 AM PT. While its neighbors, software infrastructure and hardware upgrades, switched places this month, security held its spot at number three.

Business: 0.99384993
ECB Eyed Rate Hike But Left Rates Steady The European Central Bank surprised financial markets on Thursday by revealing it had considered raising interest rates even as the euro zone economy slows, saying it is worried about inflationary risks.

SciTech: 0.9881146
#39;Blog #39; Tops Online Dictionary List short for quot;Weblog quot; -- was the most-frequently requested definition at Merriam-Webster #39;s online dictionary site, the publisher says.

Sports: 0.9997079
Williams Rejects Deal, Says He Won #39;t Return in 2005 Miami Dolphins tailback Ricky Williams has no immediate plans to resume his NFL career and, at least for now, intends to stay in retirement, according to his attorney.

SciTech: 0.967335
TiVo Unveils Portable Transfer Service TiVo Inc. pioneered digital video recording as a new way of watching television - when you want it. Now it could be TV where you want it, too.

Sports: 0.9997161
Walter Smith named manager of Scottish soccer team, succeeding ... After the German #39;s failure to revive the ailing national team, the Scottish Football Association has opted for a rare Rangers-Celtic linkup at the top with former Rangers manager Smith working with assistant Tommy Burns, his old rival at Celtic.

Business: 0.998588
US panel to back oil inventories rethink A US government advisory panel is to recommend a revision to the minimum level of crude inventories required to ensure adequate supplies of crude oil to the nation #39;s refiners to produce gasoline

Business: 0.99852103
Oracle in Merger Talks with Other Firms SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ORCL.O</A> is in merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the outcome of its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival software maker PeopleSoft Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PSFT.O</A>.

Business: 0.99857163
Albertsons Profit Up;Stock Off on Outlook NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albertsons Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ABS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">ABS.N</A>, the No. 2 U.S. grocer, on Thursday posted higher quarterly profit, but warned that full-year earnings could hit the low end of its estimates due to competition and skittish consumers, sending shares down 6 percent.

World: 0.9993783
Ten Candidates in Palestinian Elections (AP) AP - Ten candidates have qualified to contest the Palestinian presidential elections, set for Jan. 9. They are:

Business: 0.9977374
US Stocks Flat;Investors Await Intel,Jobs NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on Thursday, pausing after Wednesday's sharp rally, as investors were reluctant to wade into the market before Intel's mid-quarter update after the close and Friday's jobs report.

World: 0.9993917
Explosion in Jerusalem Caused by Accident -Police (Reuters) Reuters - A blast heard in central Jerusalem on\Thursday was caused by the apparently accidental explosion of a\gas canister inside a shop, police said.

Business: 0.99681515
Setback for asbestos settlement at ABB ABB said it was aware of the ruling, but remained confident that a settlement would be reached. ABB is naturally surprised and disappointed at todays decision, but remains confident that it can resolve.

Business: 0.99754214
Barrick Acquires Stake in Celtic Resources Canada #39;s Barrick Gold Corp. said Thursday it was acquiring a 9 percent stake in London-based Celtic Resources Holding Ltd. - a deal that potentially gives the Canadian gold giant major clout ahead of next year #39;s auction of Russia #39;s biggest gold deposit.

Sports: 0.99939
Indians Strike Back South Africa were rocked by a two-wicket burst from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh just before tea on the fourth day of the second cricket test here today.

Sports: 0.99963224
Brown, Fratello and Grizzlies all come out ahead Hubie Brown, 71, got to retire as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies of own volition, drawing accolades for transforming a franchise that never won more than 23 games into a 50-victory team in less than two seasons.

SciTech: 0.943778
US Says No Plans to Sign New Climate Change Pacts (Reuters) Reuters - The United States, considered an\environmental laggard by its critics, is unlikely to sign any\new pacts on climate change at a key environmental meeting this\month, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99574727
Earth's Solar System Shaped by Brush with Star, Astronomers Say (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - The outer reaches of our solar system may have been shaped long ago by a close encounter with another star that tore up both nascent planetary systems like colliding buzz saws, astronomers said today.

Sports: 0.99972147
Notre Dame To Interview Utah #39;s Meyer University of Notre Dame officials are apparently prepared to interview Utah football coach Urban Meyer as early as tonight, only two days after the school fired coach Tyrone Willingham after three seasons.

World: 0.9958027
A perfect storm of political peril, unless... The extended train wreck that has been American-dominated Iraq is winding its way toward a decisive intersection: the national elections scheduled for Jan. 30, 2005, where voters will be asked

World: 0.9979995
Ukraine awaits election-deal details The Supreme Court is expected to rule Friday on rerunning the country's disputed presidential election.

World: 0.90300816
Eureka! Has Australia found its 'defining moment'? Friday is the 150th anniversary of Eureka Day. For some Australians, it's their Boston Tea Party.

Business: 0.9974126
US delays WTO action over Airbus subsidy The US will offer an olive branch to Peter Mandelson, the European Union #39;s new trade commissioner, next week by delaying any escalation of the dispute over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing, a US trade official said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99253875
E.T. phone eBay Sometimes, a piece of soggy cereal is just a piece of soggy cereal. Unless, of course, it bears an uncanny resemblance to history's most beloved extraterrestrial, E.T.

SciTech: 0.95801914
Microsoft files lawsuits against smut spammers Microsoft said today it has filed seven lawsuits against defendants it accuses of sending hundreds of thousands of spam e-mails with sexually explicit content.

SciTech: 0.9929085
New Version Of Google Groups Launched Shannon Bauman, Associate Product Manager of Google Groups announced the launch of a new and improved Google Groups. Whether your interests run to knitting or brain surgery, chances are good other people out there share them.

Business: 0.991559
NTL sells broadcast unit for 1.27bn to Macquarie NTL, the UKs largest cable company, has agreed to sell its radio and television broadcasting business for 1.27bn to a fund managed by Australias Macquarie Bank.

Sports: 0.99894506
Judge Says Jayson Williams Can Be Retried (AP) AP - Former NBA star Jayson Williams will be retried on a manslaughter charge in the shotgun slaying of a limousine driver at his mansion, a judge ruled Thursday.

World: 0.999421
Blame pinned on British home secretary for 'exposing' affair (AFP) AFP - The blame falls on Home Secretary David Blunkett for exposing his three-year affair with the married publisher of The Spectator, the magazine itself charges in its latest issue.

SciTech: 0.9919012
NY School Bus Driver Fired Over Stem Cell Talk (Reuters) Reuters - A school bus driver who chatted about\stem cell research with her pupils was fired for inappropriate\behavior, a local newspaper said on Thursday.

Business: 0.99809223
NTL to shed broadcasting arm Britain #39;s biggest cable company, NTL, agreed yesterday to sell its radio and television broadcasting business for 1.27bn to a consortium led by a fund managed by Australia #39;s Macquarie Bank.

SciTech: 0.99291795
IBM-Led Community to Plug Power Architecture IBM this week announced the formation of Power.org, a collaborative community of itself and 14 partner companies with the goal of promoting hardware and software development centered

World: 0.99939024
UN offers plan to calm tension along Rwanda-Congo border KINSHASA - The United Nations says it may have found a way to prevent the further escalation of tensions between Congo and Rwanda.

Business: 0.99857223
Crude Oil Ekes Out Small Bounce SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Battered oil prices struggled on Friday to shake off this week's \$6 slump, edging up from a 12-week low after a massive round of selling triggered by easing worries about winter supply.

World: 0.9993038
Philippines not relieved from nature #39;s curse With the death toll mounting to 1,000 after a deadly storm Typhoon Nanmadol that hit the nation three days before, the nature #39;s curse is still haunting Philippines when an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2 rocked the northern Philippines on

Business: 0.9985259
8 Accused of Inflating Kmart Profit The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart Corp. executives and five employees of companies that supplied the Troy, Mich., retail chain, accusing them of scheming to inflate Kmart's profit by \$24 million in 2001.

SciTech: 0.9915867
Fellowship of the Customized Ring Tone In a short time, in a public way -- while on Metro, or in line at Starbucks, or inside a movie theater -- ring tones signal who you are. Or who you want people to think you are.-The Washington Post

SciTech: 0.9064067
Four Infineon executives plead guilty Four Infineon executives pled guilty for price fixing computer memory chips and will face a prison sentence of four to six months along with \$250,000 in fines, reported the US Department of Justice on Thursday.

Sports: 0.99966955
Mets and Yanks May Lose Leiter and Make Deal The Mets could lose one veteran left-handed pitcher to a team in their own division and another to a team in their own city. As representatives for Al Leiter negotiated a one-year contract with

SciTech: 0.76752234
Health Care Technology Is a Promise Unfinanced While the Bush administration's words of support for a high-technology future for health care have been plentiful, the dollars, it seems, are scarce.

World: 0.9993899
Supreme Court Ruling Expected in Ukraine Crisis (Reuters) Reuters - Ukraine's Supreme Court is expected to\rule on Friday on whether to overturn the result of a disputed\presidential election that has plunged the country into turmoil\and generated distrust between Russia and the West.

Sports: 0.99970895
Rams' Faulk Downgraded to Questionable ST. LOUIS, Mo., (Sports Network) - St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk has been downgraded from probable to questionable for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers with a bruised left knee.

Business: 0.99469596
Nissan comes apart without parts Tokyo - Japan #39;s Nissan Motor said on Thursday that the company may have to suspend some production next March in addition to already announced suspensions, due to parts shortages, resulting in a decline of about 6 billion (R339.8 million) in annual sales

Business: 0.9699005
Danger - falling dollars The sharp fall in the dollar on the foreign exchange markets - and the consequent rise in the value of the euro - may seem like problems that are of little direct concern to the UK, which never signed up to the euro in the first place.

SciTech: 0.9573309
HD DVD will boost quality, help stores Four Hollywood studios this week embraced a new high-definition DVD format from electronics giant Toshiba - raising many questions for video lovers who have driven sales of pre-recorded DVDs to new heights.

Business: 0.99841225
Dollar Steady Ahead of Jobs Report LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held firm above this week's record low against the euro on Friday, with dealers reluctant to take positions ahead of key U.S. jobs figures.

Sports: 0.7686532
Conte goes on TV and names names As the bassist for the pop-funk band Tower of Power, Victor Conte laid down a song #39;s backbone by playing a predetermined series of notes.

SciTech: 0.8535568
Christmas clash over gift choices Children would like expensive hi-tech gifts for Christmas, but few parents are happy to buy these, research suggests.

World: 0.9973036
French seek 'anti-Semitic' TV ban The French prime minister calls for a satellite TV channel backed by Hezbollah to be taken off air.

World: 0.9993994
Iran Sees No Reason for Iraq Summit (AP) AP - There is no reason to hold a meeting of Iraq's neighbors planned for this week in Amman, an Iranian envoy said Monday in a further sign of strained relations following accusations by Jordan's King Abdullah that Tehran wanted to influence the Iraqi elections.

SciTech: 0.9309283
Report: IBM's PC business up for sale IBM Corp. has put its PC business up for sale, according to a story published on Friday on the Web site of The New York Times.

SciTech: 0.98359203
Prying Into FBI Activities The ACLU files Freedom of Information Act requests to find out why antiterrorism task forces have been monitoring activists. By Ryan Singel.

Business: 0.9459964
China plans renewed bank bailout A year after injecting \$45bn into two state banks to ready them for flotation, China is preparing a fresh bailout for two more institutions.

World: 0.99940777
Iraq Attacks Leave at Least 20 Dead Iraqi insurgents staged nearly simultaneous attacks Friday morning on police stations at opposite ends of Baghdad, killing at least 20 people, freeing dozens of prisoners and emptying a police arsenal in a demonstration of the militants' strength in the heart of the country.

SciTech: 0.9105376
iPod year #39;s hot gift One of the hottest holiday gifts this year is the Apple iPod, the digital-age equivalent of the Sony Walkman. The iPod, which stores music files downloaded from a computer

World: 0.9991811
MPs back Putin plan for regions The Russian Duma backs President Putin's plan to replace elected regional bosses with his own appointees.

SciTech: 0.98510635
Freeze on anti-spam campaign A campaign by Lycos Europe to target spam-related websites appears to have been put on hold. Earlier this week the company released a screensaver that bombarded the sites with data to try to bump up the running costs of the websites.

SciTech: 0.9948972
Lycos, spammers trade blows over screen saver DECEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Lycos Europe NV is caught in a tit-for-tat struggle with spammers just days after releasing a free screen saver program that uses computer downtime to swamp Web sites associated with spam campaigns.

SciTech: 0.8809341
Iraq's Neighbors to Get Little for Environment Loss (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq's neighbors want tens of billions\of dollars for environmental damage done in the 1990-1 Gulf\conflict, but are set to get only paltry funds from the United

SciTech: 0.8758354
Apple iTunes 'overcharging in UK' The OFT refers Apple's iTunes to the European Commission on the grounds that it over-charges UK customers.

SciTech: 0.97611564
Anti-Spyware Spending Set To Skyrocket The spyware plague will trigger a 2,500 percent increase in enterprise spending by 2008, a market-research firm reports. By Gregg Keizer.

Business: 0.97744423
ABB shares fall on court verdict Shares in Swiss engineering giant ABB plummet 13 after a US court rejects its bid to limit a multi-billion dollar asbestos claim

Business: 0.9959037
EU wants US to clear muddy waters in WTO row Brussles - EU trade chief Peter Mandelson wants clarification of the US stance in threatened WTO action over aid to Airbus, his spokeswoman said Friday after a US official indicated Washington was delaying such action.

Business: 0.72292155
IBM Quitting Computer Business 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.

Business: 0.9981711
Airbus-Boeing spat on hold The United States and the European Union called a temporary timeout yesterday in their dispute over government support for aviation rivals Boeing and Airbus.

Business: 0.98511755
Two top Nokia executives resign HELSINKI: Nokia said the respected head of its networks unit had resigned and another top networks official left in the second major departure of top management in two weeks at the world #39;s largest mobile phone maker.

Business: 0.99857616
Wal-Mart Brightens Dec. Sales Forecast NEW YORK (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 biggest retailer, on Monday brightened its outlook for December sales at U.S. stores open at least a year, seeing sales up 3 percent bolstered by post-Christmas spending.

World: 0.9993894
Ethiopia Agrees to Demarcate Most of Border ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Friday demarcation of most of the country's 600 mile border with Eritrea could begin immediately, raising hopes a long-simmering border dispute could be resolved.

World: 0.99930155
Former musician and Hells member sentenced to 15 months for threatening judge (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TROIS-RIVIERES, Que. (CP) - A former Hells Angels member who played trumpet with the Quebec City Orchestra was sentenced Friday to 15 months in jail for uttering death threats against a judge.

Business: 0.9952702
Nikkei up by midmorning; Intel update supports techs TOKYO (CBS.MW) - Japanese stock indexes rose by midmorning Friday as Intel #39;s higher-than-expected sales forecast listed the Japanese tech sector.

World: 0.99935836
EU force takes over in Bosnia A European Union force yesterday took over peacekeeping in Bosnia from Nato for an operation seen as a test of the EU #39;s military aspirations and credibility.

World: 0.9994085
ETA Seals Off Madrid with 5 Bombs, 2 Police Hurt (Reuters) Reuters - The Basque separatist group ETA set off\five bombs at petrol stations around Madrid on Friday, putting\a stranglehold on the city at the start of a long holiday\weekend.

World: 0.99938
Activist's Daughter Speaks Against Castro (AP) AP - Her political activist father is her hero and Sayli Navarro wants to follow in his footsteps #151; at any cost. The soft-spoken, articulate teenager was just 6 when her father went to prison the first time, for posting signs reading "Down with Fidel."

Sports: 0.99781126
Lewis University Put on Probation (AP) AP - Lewis University of Division II was put on four years' probation for an array of infractions that included its men's volleyball team, which won a national title last year the school has since forfeited.

Sports: 0.99959034
Conference fumbles top status ATLANTA - Tommy Tuberville isn #39;t much into computers and formulas to determine who should play for college football #39;s national championship.

Sports: 0.99753165
Bode Miller picks up fourth win of World Cup season Bode Miller won for the fourth time this season Friday and Daron Rahlves was second -- the first 1-2 finish for US men in a World Cup downhill.

Business: 0.95263064
Bedding Blip? Go Back to Sleep This is getting old. Every time Hidden Gems selection Select Comfort (Nasdaq: SCSS) gets settled in and ready for a long night #39;s rest full of dreams of two-times-in-three-years capital gains, along

Sports: 0.9997011
Miller Takes Fourth Win in Five Races BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (Reuters) - American Bode Miller won a men's World Cup Alpine skiing downhill on Friday for his phenomenal fourth victory in five races.

Business: 0.9579131
Euro Surges to New High The U.S. dollar fell to another new low against the euro Friday, pushing the European currency higher than \$1.34 after U.S. employment data came in weaker than expected.

Sports: 0.9997199
=== Houston re-signs Vizcaino to one-year contract === Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros re-signed free agent infielder Jose Vizcaino to a one-year contract on Friday. Vizcaino appeared in 138 games for the Astros in 2004, his fourth season with

SciTech: 0.99772125
Juniper Takes A Nip Out Of Cisco (BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - Had Scott G. Kriens stayed at StrataCom Inc. for a few more weeks in 1996, he would have ended up working for fast-rising networking star Cisco Systems Inc., which bought StrataCom that April. But rather than take a ride on the Cisco rocketship, Kriens left to run tiny Juniper Networks Inc. Now, Kriens and Juniper are the highfliers. Over the past year, Juniper has handed its Silicon Valley neighbor a string of defeats in the market for gear used to shuttle e-mail, videos, and Internet phone calls between cities and continents....

SciTech: 0.97886276
The space warrior, the witch and ICANN Leaders of the Internet's controversial ruling body are getting a visit this week from a witch-in-training and a space warrior from centuries in the future.

SciTech: 0.9975591
Lycos Europe Pauses Anti-spam Efforts Lycos Europe #39;s controversial anti-spam efforts had a bumpy first week, with various availability problems, some of which may have been caused by the same spammers the site targeted with distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

Business: 0.98385125
EADS Offers to Split U.S. Tanker Deal With Boeing European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., the parent of aircraft maker Airbus SAS, has proposed splitting a contested U.S. Air Force contract for refueling tankers with its rival Boeing Co., the European group's U.S. office said Friday.

Business: 0.9376622
Needham downgrades Apple on valuation NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) -- Apple Computer Inc. shares fell Friday after Needham amp; Co. downgraded the stock to hold #39; #39; from buy.

Sports: 0.99954516
Westwood up for challenge The course is a back-breaking 7,800 yards long off the tips, the rough is up, it #39;s 100F out there, the greens are fast and firm and refusing to hold, and yesterday there was a tricky wind to contend with.

Sports: 0.99971443
Titans OT Munoz has surgery Knoxville, TN (Sports Network) - Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Michael Munoz underwent successful surgery Friday on his injured right shoulder.

Sports: 0.995959
Are Gunners in crisis? Gunners have won just one of their last six Prem- iership games and could go out of the Champions League if they fail to beat Rosenborg on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.99789244
Microsoft Updates SQL Server 2005 Microsoft today announced the availability of the second Community Technology Preview (CTP) for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and the technical preview availability of SQL Server 2005 Express Manager, a new, free database management tool.

Sports: 0.9985501
UCLA, Notre Dame Win Soccer Matchups (AP) AP - UCLA soccer coach Jillian Ellis was happy to beat her best friend, Princeton counterpart Julie Shackford. After all, a spot in the NCAA championship game was on the line.

Sports: 0.9992083
Boxing: Khan shows no rust to emerge lord of the ring Amir Khan celebrated his first fight since winning the lightweight Olympic silver medal in Athens with a one-sided 35-13 points victory over American Michael Evans at Liverpool Olympia last night.

Sports: 0.99927396
No. 19 Kansas State Pummels N.H., 84-50 (AP) AP - Laurie Koehn hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points to lead No. 19 Kansas State to a 84-50 victory over New Hampshire Friday in the first round of the Wildcat Classic.

Business: 0.94014275
IBM #39;to sell PC business #39; IBM is reportedly in talks to sell its personal computer business. It would mark the end of an era for the company that brought the computer into the mainstream when it began selling its desktop PC to corporations and consumers in 1981.

Business: 0.9981458
Halifax first lender to predict house price fall Halifax yesterday became the the first major lender to predict widespread falls in house prices across Britain next year. Reporting that house prices fell again last month, Britain #39;s biggest mortgage lender

World: 0.99890625
Cali Cartel Boss Sent to U.S. on Drug Charges BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - The former boss of the Cali drug cartel, who once controlled most of the world's cocaine trade, was sent to the United States on Friday to face trafficking and money laundering charges.

World: 0.9993728
N.Korea Says Met U.S. Officials, No Nuclear Progress (Reuters) Reuters - North Korean and U.S. officials met this\week in New York but made no progress on restarting six-party\talks on the North's nuclear programs, a North Korean Foreign\Ministry spokesman said on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9996991
Bonds Could Have Unknowingly Taken Steroids OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - Barry Bonds took creams and oils that could have contained steroids, but did so unknowingly out of blind faith in his trainer and best friend, the baseball player's lawyer said on Friday.

Sports: 0.99971145
Chiefs' Green Expected to Start Sunday KANSAS CITY, Mo., (Sports Network) - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green is expected to start in Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders despite suffering from bruises to his ribs and hip.

Sports: 0.9992099
Meanwhile Bud tells DC, a deal is a deal Two days after city officials gave preliminary approval to finance a ballpark for the Nationals, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said he would not renegotiate part of the stadium agreement with the DC Council.

Sports: 0.999686
Guinn #39;s lack of fire does him in Amazing what a change of scenery will do. After moving training camps from Houston to San Antonio after a couple of lackluster performances, featherweight contender Rocky

World: 0.9993993
N. Korea and U.S. Met Twice This Week (AP) AP - North Korea on Saturday said its U.N. diplomats met U.S. officials in New York twice in the past week but concluded that Pyongyang should hold off on nuclear negotiations until the U.S. administration changes its "hostile" policy toward the country.

World: 0.9969722
Scarred Beslan offers tsunami aid The Russian town of Beslan - scene of a bloody school siege last year - pledges aid for tsunami victims.

Business: 0.9848836
IBM reported to be exiting PC business IBM #39;s possible exit from the personal-computer business would be the latest move in what amounts to a long goodbye from a field it pioneered and revolutionized.

Sports: 0.9995555
Browns' Dawson got feet wet with Vinatieri The Patriots' Adam Vinatieri and Cleveland's Phil Dawson formed a productive practice pair in 1998. Vinatieri scored a personal-high 127 points in '98, his third NFL season, while Dawson performed as a practice squad player.

Sports: 0.9820149
Hawks soar over Blue Stars The Division 4 Super Bowl last night featured two teams coming off 180-degree turnarounds.

Sports: 0.99675804
Cavanagh, Crimson roll by Union Tom Cavanagh scored two goals, leading Harvard to a 4-1 win over visiting Union last night.

World: 0.9994087
Villagers flee clashes, huddle in forests GOMA, Congo -- Thousands of civilians have fled their homes after clashes in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said yesterday, although it was unclear who was behind the violence.

Sports: 0.99971694
Auburn is likely the odd team out Auburn has put together one of the greatest years in school history, claiming a spot in today #39;s Southeastern Conference title game against No.

World: 0.99859697
Accord on restoring rail link reached: Khokhrapar-Monabao route ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: Pakistan and India have agreed to an early resumption of rail link between Khokhrapar and Monabao suspended since the 1965 war.

World: 0.9992924
Ukraine's Yanukovich to Run Again in Repeat Vote KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich said on Saturday he would stand against opposition liberal Viktor Yushchenko again in a re-run of their contested presidential election and he defiantly vowed he would win.

World: 0.9986619
Zimbabwe will not invite imperialists to observe elections ... HARARE - The Zimbabwe government will not invite imperialist countries to observe its elections due to be held in March next year, a Saturday newspaper quoted President Robert Mugabe as saying.

Sports: 0.9996947
Bonds distorts numbers and history I find myself privately hoping that Barry Bonds gets nailed. Is that bad? Is it un-American? He #39;s still innocent, you know, although less innocent than he was a few days ago.

SciTech: 0.9613648
Big Television Remember Neo #39;s dilemma in The Matrix? Morpheus offers him two views of reality, extending a blue pill in his left hand and a red one in his right.

World: 0.9993129
Paisley talks to weapons chief DUP leader Ian Paisley has had further discussions with the head of the independent decommissioning body (IICD) on the issue of putting IRA weapons beyond use.

Business: 0.9985757
Stocks up in midst of mixed signs Stocks edged higher Friday as another drop in oil prices helped Wall Street withstand the effects of a disappointing jobs creation report.

Sports: 0.9993759
Westwood closes in on first title of 2004 Briton Lee Westwood closed in on his first title of 2004 when he claimed the third-round lead in the Sun City Golf Challenge on Saturday.

World: 0.9993285
Israel Says It Would Respond Positively to Truce JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel termed as premature on Tuesday an Egyptian report that it had agreed in principle with the Palestinians on proposals to end their conflict but said it would respond positively if militants ceased attacks.

SciTech: 0.987855
Sprint To Spend #36;3 Billion on Network Upgrades (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Sprint (NYSE: FON) will spend US #36;3 billion over the next three years to upgrade its U.S. wireless network, including the development of high-speed Internet services.

SciTech: 0.9961908
Experts Push for More Computer Security Efforts WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Computer-security experts, including former government officials, urged the Bush administration on Tuesday to devote more effort to strengthening defenses against viruses, hackers and other online threats.

Business: 0.9919526
Lenovo confirms acquisition talks CHINA #39;S largest manufacturer of personal computers Lenovo Group has confirmed it is in acquisition negotiations with a major information technology company, widely believed to be IBM.

Business: 0.9485089
Vivendi, Messier Are Fined \$1.35M Each French regulators fined Vivendi Universal SA and its former boss Jean-Marie Messier nearly \$1.4 million each on Tuesday for deceiving investors with a litany of inaccurate financial communications issued over a two-year period.

Sports: 0.9986957
Oxford 18 Cambridge 11 Replacement winger Ross Lavery scored the decisive try just two minutes from time as Oxford finally justified the favourites tag they had carried into each of the last three matches.

SciTech: 0.99808997
Thunderbird email client goes gold Version 1.0 of the Mozilla Thunderbird email client is finally available for download, according to an announcement from the Mozilla Foundation.

Sports: 0.99966943
Sherman remains confident after Packers #39; flop in Philly They were, in theory, the NFC #39;s second-best team. Now they #39;re not and no one else is, either. The NFC has the Philadelphia Eagles at the top, the San Francisco 49ers at the bottom and everyone else in the middle.

SciTech: 0.99688536
Partner: Free Verisign SSL Certificate Don't miss the opportunity! Obtain a FREE SSL Trial ID today.

SciTech: 0.9972031
Shuttle to launch without repair kit? The CAIB report urged NASA to develop a way for astronauts during flight to inspect the orbiter and make emergency repairs to its insulation tiles and reinforced carbon-carbon panels.

World: 0.9993431
US sends marines to Philippines The US is sending up to 600 marines and relief supplies to flood-ravaged areas of the Philippines.

World: 0.76602894
BBC 'must keep up' BBC boss Mark Thompson says the corporation must keep up with change, after announcing nearly 3,000 job cuts.

Sports: 0.99944013
ESPN Fantasy Games OK, fantasy basketball owners who selected Jason Kidd with the 11th pick on draft day, it #39;s time for you to get a little satisfaction.

Business: 0.9982951
Colgate-Palmolive Announces Job Cuts Toothpaste maker Colgate-Palmolive said today it is cutting 4,400 jobs and closing a third of its 78 factories around the world. The group, which makes products such as Colgate

Business: 0.9933454
Allianz to fight US court ruling on WTC attacks MUNICH - German insurance concern Allianz said on Tuesday it would fight a US jury decision in New York which doubled the amount of insurance which the leaseholder of the destroyed World Trade Center towers could collect from nine insurance firms.

Sports: 0.9997173
Van Nistelrooy misses United #39;s last group game in Turkey Ruud van Nistelrooy will miss Manchester United #39;s last Champions League Group D game away to Fenerbahce on Wednesday because of a calf injury, the Premier League club said.

World: 0.95457906
Court Hears Interstate Wine Sales Case (AP) AP - The Supreme Court considered Tuesday whether state alcoholic beverage regulations put in place 70 years ago, after Prohibition was lifted, should remain the law of the land in the Internet age.

Business: 0.97972566
Pixar Delays Its Next Film #39;Cars #39; to 2006 Pixar Animation Studios will delay the release of its next film, quot;Cars, quot; until June 2006 as it switches from a holiday release schedule to releasing films during the summer when more children are at home.

Business: 0.9983742
Oil Falls to 4-Month Low on Signs of Heating-Oil Supply Rise Crude oil fell to the lowest in more than four months on speculation that warm weather and increased refinery production bolstered US heating-oil stockpiles last week.

Sports: 0.9996562
Real eager to silence doubting supporters NO SPECTATORS will be watching in the ground, but the eyes of Europe will be trained on Romes Olympic Stadium tonight as Real Madrid seek the win they probably need to avoid a humiliating, early exit from the Champions League.

Sports: 0.9996233
Cavaliers Defeat Nets 103-97 (AP) AP - LeBron James scored 27 points and assisted on Lucious Harris' clinching 3-pointer with 6 seconds left as the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight at home, 103-97 over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.

Sports: 0.99969006
Zooks gets a five-year deal CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ron Zook took over Illinois #39; struggling football program Tuesday, returning to his roots and promising to turn around a team that has sunk to the bottom of the Big Ten since winning a league title in 2001.

Business: 0.9971877
Coca-Cola will not sell low-carb C2 in UK Coca-Cola has decided not to sell its C2 brand in the UK, one of the company #39;s biggest markets, raising doubts about the future of the mid- calorie soft drink just six months after its launch in North America and Japan.

SciTech: 0.99109346
IT Heavies Launch quot;MegaGrid quot; Project SAN FRANCISCO -- Four mainstream IT companies are pooling resources to launch a standardized enterprise grid infrastructure based on their products.

Sports: 0.9596802
Red Sox Formula Is a Model for Success As the shuffling of players intensifies this off-season, some of the Boston Red Sox' pictures will come down. The champions will have to change.

Sports: 0.9994331
Arizona State 67, No. 11 Georgia 57 Kylan Loney had five 3s among her 23 points, and Arizona State used 24 turnovers by 11th-ranked Georgia to win 67-57 Tuesday night.

World: 0.99935764
Ukraine Officials Fail to Vote on Reforms (AP) AP - Lawmakers fought over and failed to pass legal reforms aimed at ensuring a fair rematch of Ukraine's fraudulent presidential runoff, accusing each other Tuesday of acting in bad faith as several thousand orange-clad protesters besieged parliament and chanted, "Parasites! Parasites!"

Sports: 0.99970704
Richardson Keeps Faith in Himself Kieran Richardson has banished any thought of leaving Manchester United - either permanently or on loan. The 20-year-old Londoner is expected to make his 20th senior appearance tonight as Sir Alex Ferguson

Sports: 0.9997111
Nowitzki, Mavericks Snap Timberwolves #39; Streak Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 of his 34 points in the second half as the Dallas Mavericks snapped the Minnesota Timberwolves #39; five-game winning streak 97-87.

Sports: 0.99517655
Cowboys Own Orange Stephen Graham scores 16 points, including two late three-point plays, and No. 5 Oklahoma State beat No. 4 Syracuse, 74-60.

Business: 0.8299061
Japan narrowly escapes recession New figures show Japan's economy is barely staying out of recession with annual growth of just 0.2 in the third quarter.

World: 0.9993154
Pakistan tests 'nuclear' missile Pakistan test-fires a short-range nuclear capable missile, the second in just over a week, officials say.

SciTech: 0.70888317
China's Lenovo to buy IBM's PC business TOKYO - China's Lenovo Group Ltd. signed a definitive agreement on Wednesday to acquire IBM Corp.'s personal computing division. Lenovo will pay US\$1.25 billion in cash for the business, which is expected to transform it into the world's number three PC maker, the companies announced.

Business: 0.89210224
IBM sells PC stake to China's Lenovo China's biggest computer maker, Lenovo Group, said today it has acquired a majority stake in International Business Machines Corp.'s personal computer business for \$1.25 billion, one of the biggest Chinese overseas acquisitions ever.

Business: 0.92385316
Automakers sue California over emissions FRESNO, Calif. -- Automobile manufacturers sued on Tuesday to block the world #39;s toughest vehicle emissions standards, adopted by California regulators in September to cut greenhouse gases.

Sports: 0.9996828
Oklahoma State #39;s seniors rope victory Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, while watching tape of Oklahoma State in preparation for their encounter at the Jimmy V Classic, said to himself, quot;we might not even be able to play with this team.

Business: 0.9744373
Panel: U.S. Must Diversify Oil Supplies WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States must diversify its global oil supplies, expand a world network of strategic petroleum reserves and raise fuel efficiency standards to ensure its energy security, a panel of experts will recommend on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99969244
Kobe talks, Malone walks There #39;s a new feud taking place in Lakerland this week, only this time the verbal war of words is between Newport Beach neighbors Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant and the exchanges are

World: 0.998417
Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile (Reuters) Reuters - Pakistan test-fired on Wednesday a\nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable\of hitting targets deep inside arch-rival India.

SciTech: 0.8586022
Millions to miss out on the net Around 40 of the UK will still be without internet access at home by 2025, warns a study by telecoms giant BT.

Sports: 0.9994979
Players Say Zook Is the Coach They Wanted (AP) AP - After Illinois fired football coach Ron Turner, some of the players he left behind started doing some research. They decided very quickly that Ron Zook would be a good fit for their team.

World: 0.99938226
Dutchman suspected of aiding Saddam in war crimes is arrested A MAN suspected of helping former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein commit war crimes and genocide by supplying him with materials for chemical weapons, has been arrested by the Netherlands authorities.

World: 0.99937314
IRA says it reopened disarmament talks BELFAST -- The Irish Republican Army has reopened negotiations with Northern Ireland's disarmament chief, the outlawed group said yesterday, signaling its readiness to put more weapons out of commission for the first time in over a year. The move came ahead of the planned unveiling by the leaders of Britain and Ireland of a joint peace package that has taken...

Business: 0.9943936
IBM announces Lenovo deal IBM Corp. is selling its personal computer business to China #39;s largest PC maker in a \$1.25 billion deal that marks the end of an era for the company that made quot;PC quot; a household word.

World: 0.9994087
Three Iraqis Killed in Bomb Attack on U.S. Troops SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Three Iraqis were killed on Wednesday when a suicide car bomber attacked a U.S. convoy in the northern city of Samarra, a local police official said.

World: 0.99938655
Allies discuss early revival of 6-way talks Washington #39;s top nuclear negotiator arrived in Seoul yesterday from China to brainstorm ways to jump-start the stalled six-nation disarmament talks on the North Korean nuclear standoff.

Business: 0.9975381
Wineries look to high court for change in shipping rules A customer asked vintner Leon Santoro this week if he could ship a case of wine to the customer #39;s home in New York. Not legally, replied Santoro, general manager of Orfila Vineyards amp; Winery in Escondido.

SciTech: 0.9116344
Hawks Evicted From New York City Perch (AP) AP - Pale Male the city hawk was evicted from his nest, and the flap has already begun.

World: 0.99940085
France rules out troop reduction in Afghanistan KABUL, Dec 8 (AFP) - NATO-led troops in Afghanistan will not scale back their presence before parliamentary elections in the war-torn country next spring, French junior foreign minister Renaud Muselier said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9869615
Sony Taps NVIDIA for Playstation 3 Graphics Sony entertainment has chosen NVIDIA as the supplier for the powerful graphics chips required for Sonys upcoming Playstation 3 video game console.

Business: 0.9985623
Mortgage Applications Rose Last Week NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home mortgages rose last week, as mortgage rates fell, an industry group said on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9996853
UPDATE 1-Australia survive NZ flurry to square series Australia withstood a late flurry of exciting strokeplay from pace bowler Kyle Mills to beat New Zealand by 17 runs in Wednesday #39;s second limited-overs international to square their best-of-three series at 1-1.

SciTech: 0.9768788
Intel Sheds Light on 2005 Desktop Strategy Intel #39;s products for the digital home and digital office in 2005 will give consumers and IT managers more capabilities than just raw performance, and the company plans to highlight those products as it did with its Centrino mobile technology, Intel

SciTech: 0.8124106
Imagining An iPod Challenger NEW YORK - If ever there was a company that could challenge Apple Computer for the dominant position in the still-young digital music space, it should be Sony.

SciTech: 0.97163117
Project Megagrid shows off business side of grid Hoping to prove that grid computing can work in the business world, Dell, EMC, Intel and Oracle have announced a joint effort designed to show business users how to use the distributed computing technology.

Business: 0.9487858
Virgin dips its toe into the Pacific SIR Richard Branson did not disappoint with his stunts yesterday, flying into Sydney to promote his international airline Virgin Atlantic.

World: 0.99891365
India, Pakistan fail to agree on Kashmir bus service India and Pakistan failed to agree Wednesday on starting a bus service between the divided parts of Kashmir. Two days of talks between officials of the two countries on the

Business: 0.9985417
Oil Prices Sink to a Four-Month Low LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices sank to a four-month low below \$41 for U.S. crude on Wednesday after leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia questioned the need for the cartel to curb supplies.

World: 0.96567655
Inquiry Faults Commanders in Assaults on Cadets The Pentagon inspector general found the root cause of sexual assault at the Air Force Academy was its commanders' failure to acknowledge the problem's severity.

Sports: 0.9997197
USC #39;s Orgeron shows interest in Ole Miss job While the list has dwindled in the search to replace David Cutcliffe as the Ole Miss football coach, one name has risen to the top.

World: 0.99932873
Putin doubts date of the elections, Allawi confirms it will be ... The Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his doubt that the Iraqi elections will be held at their due time. Putin said during his meeting with the Interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi that he

World: 0.9875464
Justices hear cases on shipping wine (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - States that block direct shipments of wine to consumers from out-of-state wineries faced skeptical comments from Supreme Court justices on Tuesday.

Business: 0.99858534
NASD Warns of Risky Home-Equity Investing WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Too many house-rich Americans are borrowing money against their homes to play the stock market, brokerages regulator NASD warned on Wednesday.

World: 0.97620994
Sudan to attract most ICRC funds in 2005, 30-percent drop in cash for Iraq (AFP) AFP - Strife-torn Sudan will become the largest focus of aid work for the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2005, while money earmarked for Iraq will fall by almost one third, the agency said.

SciTech: 0.94686985
Japan to Resume Space Rocket Launches (AP) AP - A government panel Wednesday approved plans to send a weather satellite into Earth's orbit by February 2005, in the first scheduled launch for Japan's troubled space program since late last year, an official said.

Business: 0.9963936
Farallon to Sell \$16.3 Million in Stock Canadian mining firm Farallon Resources Ltd. on Wednesday said it agreed to privately sell about \$20 million Canadian (\$16.3 million) worth of stock to accredited investors and company insiders.

Business: 0.99089277
Deficits soil safe-haven image of US Treasury debt Once a seemingly indestructible hiding hole for the frightened investor, some on Wall Street are beginning to question the super-safe status of US Treasury debt.

SciTech: 0.9964056
IT Giants Form Grid Computing Alliance Oracle, Dell, EMC and Intel have joined with other tech companies to create an industry standard for enterprise grid systems. quot;Project MegaGrid quot; will help maximize the use of computing resources, according to the group.

SciTech: 0.995706
Tech Firms, FBI to Fight 'Phishing' Scams Together (Reuters) Reuters - Internet companies and\law-enforcement agencies said on Wednesday they will work\together to track down online scam artists who pose as banks\and other legitimate businesses, a practice known as\"phishing."

Business: 0.998522
Gannett Needs Ad Pickup to Hit Target-CFO NEW YORK (Reuters) - Newspaper publisher Gannett Co Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GCI.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GCI.N</A> will need to see advertising demand pick up for its fourth-quarter earnings to meet the consensus target of Wall Street analysts, its chief financial officer said on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99751556
Chicken Genome Should Boost DNA Research A red jungle fowl is seen in this undated handout photo. Researchers have assembled the genome sequence of the Red Jungle Fowl, the ancestor of all domestic chickens.

World: 0.99936765
Police, Peddlers Clash in Venezuelan City (AP) AP - Police and National Guard troops fired tear gas and plastic bullets at crowds of angry street vendors in Venezuela's capital Wednesday as officers tried to remove merchants from zones where they are barred from selling their wares.

Sports: 0.99943393
NFL Fines Saints' Gleason #36;5,000 for Punch (AP) AP - Steve Gleason of the New Orleans Saints was fined #36;5,000 by the NFL on Wednesday after being thrown out of last week's game with Carolina for punching the Panthers' Kemp Rasmussen at the end of a kickoff return.

Sports: 0.9986022
Utah Hires Whittingham to Replace Meyer (AP) AP - Utah defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham was hired as the school's football coach to replace Urban Meyer.

Sports: 0.99945694
Champion snaps Chelsea #39;s streak Porto power RUSSIAN oil billionaire Roman Abramovich suffered two rare defeats yesterday as reigning champions FC Porto downed his Chelsea side 2-1 ensuring it avoided the ignominy of becoming the first titleholders to exit in the first round.

Business: 0.9194105
DreamWorks Moves Shrek 3 to 2007 DreamWorks announced today that it has decided to move its release of Shrek 3 from November 2006 to May, 2007. quot;We believe there are more than a half a dozen strong release windows available annually for our

Business: 0.99833965
Courses to help teach you SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio declined as much as 22 percent Wednesday following two analyst downgrades.

World: 0.9994266
UN demands Rwanda pull out military forces in DRC The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned reported military actions by Rwanda in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and demanded the country immediately withdraw any troops it may have in the DRC.

SciTech: 0.99250084
Kazaa trial #39;expert #39; changed sides p2pnet.net News:- Expert witness Melbourne professor Leon Sterling, produced by Big Music in the Kazaa civil trial currently unfolding in Australia, apparently once offered to speak for Kazaa owner Sharman Networks.

World: 0.7233035
Data revision shows Japan's economy grew slightly in July-September (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TOKYO (AP) - Japan's economy barely grew during the quarter ending Sept. 30 and in the April-June period it actually shrank instead of squeezing out slight growth, according to revised government data released Wednesday.

Business: 0.9985201
Alamosa to Buy AirGate for \$392 Million NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alamosa Holdings Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=APCS.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">APCS.O</A> will acquire AirGate PCS Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PCSA.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PCSA.O</A> for \$392 million in stock creating the largest Sprint Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=FON.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">FON.N</A> wireless affiliate, the companies said on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99794596
Leinart, Bush, White and Peterson lead final 5 Four players whose teams are bound for the Orange Bowl dominate the Heisman Trophy finalist list, which was announced Wednesday evening on SportsCenter.

Business: 0.99761766
Industrials lift stocks THE stock market opened higher today as industrials stocks mitigated the effects of a weaker resources sector. quot;Commodity prices are generally weaker on renewed speculation of weaker demand in China, quot; Wilson HTM senior client adviser Angus Bligh said.

World: 0.99816966
Snow to Stay on With Bush, Principi Exits (AP) AP - Treasury Secretary John Snow, an aggressive champion of the administration's economic policies, accepted President Bush's offer Wednesday to remain in the Cabinet.

Business: 0.8054088
Nortel to Release Delayed Financial Results Nortel Networks said today that it will begin releasing restated and delayed financial results dating back to 2001 next week after a nine-month delay.

Sports: 0.99918383
Sandy Alomar Agrees to Sign With Rangers (AP) AP - Six-time All-Star catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. agreed Wednesday to a #36;550,000, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers to be a part-time player next season.

Sports: 0.93964726
Heisman Horses Come Down to the Wire Entering the final week for Heisman Trophy voters to make their decision, the race has turned out tighter than it was believed to be last week.

Business: 0.9955082
Yukos echo in Russian telco #39;s tax bill ALARM has spread through the Russian investment community as authorities slapped a tax bill of almost \$US160 million (\$210 million) on the number two mobile operator, in what is widely seen as a government-linked campaign against the firm.

Business: 0.99639374
Wine Shipping Case Heard by Supreme Court The US Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that could have a major impact on California #39;s wine industry. At issue is whether states can bar people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers.

World: 0.9967777
Blair urged to launch Iraq death toll probe A group of former British diplomats, peers, scientists and church leaders will today urge Tony Blair to launch an inquiry into the death toll of the Iraq war.

SciTech: 0.99722207
Palm OS for Linux? \\Today was a strange day for the Palm OS community:\\"PalmSource also plans to implement Palm OS on top of Linux, bringing the\benefits of Palm OS to the Linux community, including the award winning user\interface, software frameworks based on the best of Palm OS and BeOS, a large\base of professional and consumer applications, and an enthusiastic community\of more than 25 million users and over 360,000 registered\developers. PalmSource intends to work as a partner within the Linux community\to help Linux grow rapidly in the consumer and enterprise mobile markets."\\This is a great decision! A bit to late but not much so. When Sharp released\the Zaurus into the US market there was a lot o...\\

SciTech: 0.9837515
Ellison: Censorship ain't my problem When it comes to touting his company's software, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is never one to mince words. But when it's the principle of free speech versus the almighty dollar, the bad boy of Silicon Valley is a veritable shrinking violet. Missing Links

Business: 0.9462426
Company Trademark Rights Limited by US High Court (Update1) The US Supreme Court limited the scope of federal trademark protection, saying rival companies in some cases can use proprietary terms even when customers might be confused.

SciTech: 0.9439617
Human error at EDS to blame for UK outage Electronic Data Systems has admitted that an error by one of its computer operators during a Microsoft Windows upgrade caused 40,000 PCs at the United Kingdom #39;s Department of Work and Pensions to crash last month.

SciTech: 0.9966804
Linux groups patch image flaw com December 8, 2004, 2:48 PM PT. Several flaws in common Linux code used to process graphics in the GNOME desktop environment could allow an attacker to compromise a computer that

SciTech: 0.9078447
Congress Passes Bill Allowing Space Tours (AP) AP - Outer space could become the final frontier of tourism under legislation passed Wednesday by the Senate to regulate commercial human spaceflight.

Business: 0.9827139
Dollar Extends Recovery Against Euro, Yen The dollar rebounded for a second session on Thursday as traders and investors took profits on bets against the US currency before the year draws to a close.

Sports: 0.9996325
Prosecutor brings charges against former neighbor in NBA brawl PONTIAC, Mich. The man accused of starting the brawl at a Detroit Pistons game last month is no stranger to the man who #39;s filing the charges against him.

Sports: 0.99917394
Florida Linebacker Charles Charged (AP) AP - Florida linebacker Taurean Charles was charged with aggravated battery and culpable negligence-infliction of injury Wednesday from a fight at an off-campus party in June.

Business: 0.78478956
Get Real? This time last week, first lady Laura Bush was having what she might call her Christmas Tree Day. First, she showed off the decorated executive mansion to reporters and then joined her husband

Sports: 0.99971837
Benitez praises Gerrard #39;s role Rafael Benitez praised the captain #39;s performance of Steven Gerrard after his dramatic late goal earned Liverpool a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9994229
Bulls Stomp Cavaliers Eddy Curry scores 20 points and rookie Ben Gordon adds 21 to lead Chicago to a rare 113-85 lopsided win over Cleveland on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99642295
Australian Open Exec Says Clijsters Out (AP) AP - Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters is not expected to play in the first Grand Slam of next year while she continues to recover from an injury to her left wrist.

Sports: 0.99970824
Leiter returns as Pavano prepares to go Al Leiter is returning to the Marlins, but Carl Pavano appears to be a goner. Leiter, a left-hander who threw the franchise #39;s first no-hitter in 1996 and helped the team win its first World Series in 1997, signed a one-year \$8 million contract Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99691224
Minn. Test Drives New License Technology (AP) AP - Minnesota next week will begin issuing a first-of-its-kind driver's license designed to thwart counterfeiters #151; an issue that has taken on greater urgency since the Sept. 11 attacks.

SciTech: 0.7204292
Disney takes sides in battle for next generation DVD (AFP) AFP - Hollywood movie powerhouse Walt Disney has taken sides with Japan's Sony Corp. in a bitter battle between studios to define a technical standard for next generation DVDs, it said.

Sports: 0.9960705
Wisdom was main course WALTHAM -- He is an 87-year-old man with a cane and a cigar, and the clout of a king.

World: 0.7142904
English 'world language' forecast A third of people on the planet will be learning English in the next decade, \says a report.

World: 0.85051405
Amputation rate for US troops twice that of past wars US troops injured in Iraq have required limb amputations at twice the rate of past wars, and as many as 20 percent have suffered head and neck injuries that may require a lifetime of care, according to new data giving the clearest picture yet of the severity of battlefield wounds.

Sports: 0.9997166
Leverksuen see off Kiev Leverkusen - Bayer Leverkusen maintained their 100 home record in this season #39;s Champions League defeating Dynamo Kiev 3-0 here on Wednesday to book their place in the last sixteen of the competition.

Business: 0.99854445
Salvation Army bell ringers booted from Target stores Target stores have a simple message for eager shoppers this holiday season: quot;Get giving #39; roughly translated, buy stuff. The national retail chain also has a simple

World: 0.9993331
Barghouti won #39;t stand if Abbas meets terms Jailed Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti is expected to withdraw from the race for leadership of the Palestinian Authority in the coming days, say senior Fatah sources, if his political demands are met by his election rival, former prime minister Mahmoud

World: 0.99288875
One billion #39;denied a childhood #39; More than one billion children around the world face a brutal existence because of poverty, war and Aids, the UN children #39;s agency reports.

SciTech: 0.9960967
Top Cyber News 12/9 It #39;s a clash between the film industry and a consumer electronics company over a home theater jukebox. The legal battle is over something called the Kaleidescape System.

World: 0.9993793
IRA Willing to Disarm by Month #39;s End The Irish Republican Army abandoned its longtime opposition to disarmament on Thursday, pledging to get rid of its weapons by the end of the month.

World: 0.99935013
Wreckage of Navy helicopter found The wreckage of a Royal Navy helicopter, which disappeared with four crew members on board, has been found off the coast of Cornwall, the Ministry of Defence says.

Business: 0.99831957
Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing initial claims for jobless pay grew unexpectedly last week to 357,000, Labor Department data showed on Thursday, but an official said an increase in the week after a public holiday was typical.

SciTech: 0.9949927
Study: Return of Wolves Changes Ecosystem (AP) AP - Scientists studying the broader effects of wolf reintroduction said a growing body of evidence suggests that killing off predators such as wolves and grizzly bears in the last century started a cascade of effects that threw ecosystems out of balance.

Business: 0.9986016
Shares surge to all-time high as results exceed forecasts NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Toll Brothers reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that nearly doubled over year-earlier results as demand continued to outstrip supply in the homebuilder #39;s affluent markets.

World: 0.9994116
Six Iraqi national guards, 10 civilians wounded in Mosul attacks MOSUL, Iraq, Dec 9 (AFP) - Six Iraqi national guardsmen and 10 civilians were wounded in two bomb attacks in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday, police said.

SciTech: 0.6867164
Large Gambian Rats Worry Fla. Officials (AP) AP - The Florida Keys, already dealing with invasive exotics from melaleuca to iguanas, have added another to the list of unwanted newcomers: the African Gambian pouch rat.

World: 0.9991709
U.S. Alone Among Allies in Centralizing Spy Powers BERLIN (Reuters) - By creating a new, all-powerful director of national intelligence, the United States departs radically from the practice in most of its Western allies where spymasters shun the public gaze and work by committee.

Business: 0.9759723
Baxter Ends Flu Vaccine Trial; Cites Side Effects Baxter International Inc. on Thursday said it halted a late-stage European trial of a flu vaccine because of higher-than-expected rates of fever and other symptoms.

World: 0.9993893
Europe to send more troops to Iraq US appeals to European nations to boost NATO missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have been a success, with the alliance announcing a small expansion of its fledgling military training facility in Baghdad.

SciTech: 0.9896269
Fake Lycos Screensaver Hides a Keylogger Lycos made headlines during the past several days by distributing a screensaver designed to swamp the sites of those deemed responsible for spam with traffic, in effect giving spammers, at least the companies that bankroll them, a taste of their own

SciTech: 0.88456595
Mobile phone sales to beat fixed lines in 2004: report (AFP) AFP - Mobile phones are expected to generate more money this year than traditional fixed-line services for the first time due to surging demand in developing countries such as China, India and Russia, an annual industry report said.

World: 0.999395
Court Overturns Nigerian Woman's Stoning Sentence (Reuters) Reuters - A young Nigerian mother\sentenced to death by stoning for having sex outside marriage\was acquitted and discharged by an Islamic appeals court on\Thursday.

SciTech: 0.99418133
Ex-U.S. Cyber Security Chief Sees Curb on Phishing \ By Lisa Baertlein SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A former White House Web security\chief predicted on Wednesday that technology companies and law\enforcers could soon stamp out most Internet "phishing" scams\that aim to trick people into giving away personal and\financial information.

Business: 0.99852306
Dollar Rises on the Interest Rate Plays NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Thursday as traders, short of dollars after relentlessly selling them for weeks, looked to the growing yield advantage of U.S. assets as a reason to buy back the currency before the end of the year.

SciTech: 0.9980405
Google Founders Interviewed by Barbara Walters Google Founders Interviewed by Barbara Walters\\Google's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, were interviewed last night by Barbara Walters on ABC's 20/20 10 Most Fascinating People. Andy Beal who doesn't seem to be too fond of Barbara Wawa pointed this out on his SearchEngineLowdown blog. I was too busy eating...

World: 0.99942505
#39;Miracle in mud #39; as four pulled alive from Philippine disaster REAL, Philippines (AFP) - Philippine rescuers were frantically digging for more survivors after four people, including a toddler, were pulled alive from a building crushed by a landslide 11 days ago.

Business: 0.9986123
Treasuries Drop, Foreigners Shun 10-Year NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices extended early losses on Thursday after private and foreign investors showed little interest in a sale of reopened debt.

Business: 0.997449
General Motors Europe Axes 12,000 Jobs General Motors Europe (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will chop 12,000 jobs over two years -- around a fifth of its workforce -- to lop

SciTech: 0.99463993
Video Games Used to Relax Kids in Hospital (AP) AP - Letting children play video games on a Game Boy in the operating room before undergoing surgery can help relax them better than tranquilizers or holding Mommy's hand, researchers say.

Business: 0.99812263
America West Pulls From Race for ATA America West Holdings Corp., parent of America West Airlines Inc., on Thursday said it does not plan to submit a bid to acquire bankrupt ATA Holdings Corp.

Business: 0.9063359
Nextel and Sprint in talks on possible merger Nextel and Sprint are in talks that could lead to a merger between the two mobile phone operators, sources close to the discussions said on Thursday.

Sports: 0.99918264
Berra Says He Wouldn't Take Giambi Back (AP) AP - While manager Joe Torre repeatedly dodged questions Thursday on whether he thinks Jason Giambi will return to the New York Yankees, Hall of Famer Yogi Berra readily voiced his opinion.

SciTech: 0.99785113
PalmSource Promises Linux OS PalmSource today promised a Linux version of its operating system, together with a cut-down offering for use in budget mobiles, after buying mobile phone developer China Mobilesoft.

SciTech: 0.90694535
EC presses for safer internet The EU Telecommunications Council today today launched Safer Internet Plus, a scheme to help parents and teachers control what children view online.

Business: 0.99851054
America West: Will Not Bid for ATA CHICAGO (Reuters) - America West Holdings Corp. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AWA.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AWA.N</A> on Thursday said it would not bid for assets of bankrupt carrier ATA Airlines, saying the value does not justify the cost.

Business: 0.51353645
Amazon #39;s UK DVD Rentals Might Presage War with Netflix Analysts said Amazon #39;s launch of the DVD rental service in the UK might be to test its approach and streamline the logistically difficult process of handling DVDs through the mail.

SciTech: 0.9974515
Scientists study clues to forecasting California quakes Two researchers say they #39;ve discovered a pattern of tremors deep beneath the San Andreas Fault that someday may yield clues into unlocking the mysteries of California earthquakes.

World: 0.9994123
Envoy fears Darfur talks failure KEY talks between the government of Sudan and rebels in the troubled Darfur region tomorrow could fail because of a new surge of violence, the UN #39;s envoy to the country said.

SciTech: 0.99812466
PalmSource Embraces Linux with China MobileSoft Acquisition (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Mobile software provider PalmSource is leaping into a market with a\potentially huge upside with the acquisition of China MobileSoft (CMS),\and at the same time is giving a big boost to the open source developer\commmunity.

SciTech: 0.99538934
T-Mobile USA Sees High-Speed Network 2 Years Off NEW YORK (Reuters) - T-Mobile USA, the U.S. wireless unit of Deutsche Telekom AG <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=DTEGn.DE qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">DTEGn.DE</A>, does not expect to offer broadband mobile data services for at least the next two years, its chief executive said on Thursday.

Business: 0.9978689
Federal Report Sees Crude Oil Staying High While the recent flurry of record oil prices may be temporary, government analysts said Thursday that \$30-a-barrel oil should be expected for decades to come.

Business: 0.997629
America West Backs Away From ATA Bid America West Airlines backed away Thursday from a potential bidding war for bankrupt ATA Airlines, paving the way for AirTran to take over ATA operations.

World: 0.99940014
Blast Targets Baghdad Checkpoint Near Allawi HQ (Reuters) Reuters - A car bomb that exploded near the\headquarters of Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's party in\western Baghdad on Monday targeted a police checkpoint at the\entrance to the road leading to the building, witnesses said.

SciTech: 0.99194735
Summary Box: Breast Cancer Surgery Refined (AP) AP - NEW APPROACH: A study says that removing just one to three key lymph nodes can spare women lifelong arm problems and reliably indicate whether breast cancer has spread.

SciTech: 0.9954932
Study: Wild Monkeys Resort to Use of Tools (AP) AP - Wild South American monkeys routinely use fist-sized rocks to crack open seeds and to dig in dry Brazilian soil for grubs and edible tubers, researchers report in the journal Science.

Business: 0.99216485
Opel to cut payroll by 9,500 Opel gets by without layoffs. Readers taking in these and similar headlines earlier this week were well advised to read the fine print.

SciTech: 0.99814653
Injection Flaw Found in Browsers Danish security research firm Secunia has reported a vulnerability that occurs in most browsers that can be exploited by hackers looking to spoof the content of Web sites.

World: 0.9882785
Indian parties among most corrupt in world Washington: India is among the five countries in the world where political parties are seen by the general public as the most corrupt, according to a survey released by the Transparency International (TI).

Sports: 0.99872345
Montgomerie, Woods, Furyk Tied at Target (AP) AP - Colin Montgomerie was thrilled to get an invitation from Tiger Woods to play in his year-end tournament with 15 of the best players in golf. Even better was matching Woods' score.

World: 0.5684326
Prime minister says Australia faces tough economic year in 2005 (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister John Howard warned that Australia's strong dollar, high world oil prices and the lingering effects of prolonged drought would dampen the country's long-buoyant economy in 2005.

Sports: 0.9993864
Knee Injury Sidelines Chiefs' Holmes (AP) AP - Kansas City Chiefs star running back Priest Holmes will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

SciTech: 0.9979316
Scammers Could Hijack Pop-Ups Security researchers warned this week of a vulnerability in most Web browsers which could potentially allow scammers to launch phishing attacks from pop-up windows on trusted Web sites.

Sports: 0.9995065
Wizards' Kwame Brown Suspended One Game (AP) AP - The Washington Wizards suspended Kwame Brown for one game Thursday for his actions during the previous night's game against Denver.

Business: 0.9968399
Premier swallows Bird #39;s custard Bird #39;s custard and Angel Delight are back in British hands after a 70m deal announced yesterday. The famous brands have been bought by Premier Foods, owner of Ambrosia custard and Rowntrees jelly, from the US food group Kraft.

World: 0.9993538
Coal Mine Blast in China Kills 33 (AP) AP - A coal mine explosion in northern China killed 33 people in the latest disaster to strike the country's accident-prone mining industry, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday.

Sports: 0.9993198
NCAA Notifies Baylor Baylor received its notice of allegations Thursday from the NCAA about infractions in its men's basketball program discovered after the death of player Patrick Dennehy.

World: 0.99002457
It's Inauguration Time Again, and Access Still Has Its Price President Bush's inaugural committee, seeking to raise more than \$40 million, a record, sent out hundreds of solicitations.

Business: 0.9066568
Germany's New Reality Undercut by vastly cheaper labor in neighboring Poland and by increasing global competition, the union at Adam Opel AG acceded to a plan by General Motors Corp. to cut 12,000 jobs throughout Europe.

Business: 0.99832326
New Jobless Claims Increase; Import Prices Jump Higher In another report, import prices excluding petroleum posted the largest increase in 10 months, a possible early warning on inflation from the weaker dollar.

World: 0.9991283
Miracle in mud! REAL: Philippine rescuers were yesterday frantically digging for more survivors after four people, including a toddler, were pulled alive from a building crushed by a landslide 11 days ago.

World: 0.9994031
Pakistan on back foot in four dayer (AFP) AFP - Pakistan was still struggling at lunch on the second day of their four-day tour match against Western Australia here despite claiming two wickets in the morning session.

Sports: 0.9997086
Massachusetts 61, No. 7 Connecticut 59 Massachusetts made sure its first home game against a defending national champion was one to remember. The Minutemen stunned seventh-ranked Connecticut 61-59 on Rashaun Freeman #39;s layup with 4.3 seconds to play Thursday night.

World: 0.9993892
Mandela, Tutu and others support Annan A group of high profile South Africans, including former president Nelson Mandela, has condemned attempts to force United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan to resign.

Business: 0.99021894
Big Dig no roadblock Huge cost overruns. Tunnel leaks. Multimillion-dollar lawsuits. Big trouble for the companies managing Boston's Big Dig? Not really.

Business: 0.9600877
Report boosts Nextel, Sprint Shares of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. jumped yesterday following reports the two telephone companies were discussing a merger.

SciTech: 0.57071745
Playstation 3 to arrive spring 2006 In Japan NVIDIA HAS MADE A big noise about Playstation 3 deal but unfortunately you won #39;t see this console any time soon. Nvidia stock holders definitely know about Sony and its Playstation 3 killer business and therefore Nvidia is recovering on the stock market.

SciTech: 0.99756527
Save the Hubble The Issue: Space telescope was condemned to a lingering death. Our View: New report gives support to a manned rescue mission. The Hubble telescope may well be the most successful observatory ever built, producing

Sports: 0.9988739
Dance pair out with injury Olympic ice dancing hopefuls Loren Galler-Rabinowitz and David Mitchell of the Skating Club of Boston will be sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a shoulder injury to Mitchell that will require surgery.

World: 0.9993327
Sharon, with Party Backing, Invites Labour Into Govt JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday invited the opposition Labour Party to begin talks to form a unity government, a move that would avoid early elections and pave the way for a withdrawal from Gaza.

World: 0.99915874
Berlusconi confident of acquittal Judges in the corruption trial of Silvio Berlusconi withdrew yesterday to decide their verdict and the prime minister said he was confident he would not be convicted.

Sports: 0.999158
James May Play The man in the mask on Monday night may be Cleveland's LeBron James, who was fitted with a mask to protect his broken left cheek and might play in Charlotte.

SciTech: 0.99524444
Lonely whale #39;s song remains a mystery A lone whale with a voice unlike any other has been wandering the Pacific for the past 12 years. Marine biologist Mary Ann Daher of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, US, and her colleagues

Sports: 0.9993605
Huskies fail 1st road test This so-called rivalry might be worth saving after all. UMass finally got one Thursday night. And the Minutemen did it in exciting fashion, one that totally disgusted Jim Calhoun.

World: 0.99940217
Powell Calls for Support to Iraq in Last NATO Meeting At his last North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers meeting, US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell asked his European counterparts for support on the Iraq issue.

SciTech: 0.9940895
Russian space agency: Space station crew could be forced to return ... MOSCOW Space officials in Russia are joining American officials in talking about the potential consequences of the food shortage aboard the international space station.

SciTech: 0.99770606
Chicken Genome Sheds New Light on Human DNA A new study states that 60 of the genes in chicken have close relations to human DNA. This may not comfort those who frequently eat the creature, but may ponder this the next time they order a batch of chicken wings.

Sports: 0.99912304
Fan v Fan: Manchester City-Tottenham Hotspur This weekend Manchester City entertain Spurs, and with last seasons seven-goal FA Cup epic between the two teams still fresh in the memory, entertain could be the operative word.

Sports: 0.9952377
Officials to be quizzed in Aragones row Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar will appear before the National Anti-Violence Commission tomorrow to explain why he has defended Spain coach Luis Aragones.

SciTech: 0.9698122
Thomson to enter HD DVD market Thomson announced Friday it that it will enter the HD DVD market with a line of players and that it will also manufacture HD DVD and Blu-ray discs.

SciTech: 0.9409115
Desktop Search Avalanche Set to Hit Yahoo, Ask Jeeves, and Microsoft all plan to follow Google to the desktop.

Business: 0.9985459
Southwest In, AWA Out Of Midway Bidding DECEMBER 10, 2004 -- Southwest Airlines this morning said it will submit a bid to the federal bankruptcy court in Indianapolis today for certain assets of bankrupt ATA Airlines.

World: 0.99901474
Pacifist Japan boosts #39;self-defence #39; measures After almost 60 years of pacifism, Japan today overhauled its defence policy; easing an arms exports ban and singling out North Korea and China as security threats.

Business: 0.94484425
Ford to Recall 474,000 SUVs Worldwide (Reuters) Reuters - Ford Motor Co said on Friday it\was recalling about 474,000 Escape and Mazda Tribute sport\utility vehicles globally because the accelerator cable may\prevent the engine from returning to the idle position, which\could increase stopping distance and result in a crash.

World: 0.9994178
Sudanese rebels, AU meet Darfur #39;s rebel leaders held preliminary talks with African Union mediators in Abuja on Friday ahead of the latest round of peace negotiations on the crisis in the western Sudanese region.

SciTech: 0.9767288
MSN Search Engine - Searching for ways to make Redmond rise again What would you do if you were tasked with designing a new search engine? You have all the resources the world can offer and the certain knowledge that your project is so important to your employer that mountains

Business: 0.9967878
Airbus will move forward on 7E7 competitor Airbus has been given the go-ahead to develop a new jet designed to compete with The Boeing Co. #39;s new 7E7, according to reports by The Associated Press Friday.

Business: 0.99853575
Southwest makes strong bid for Midway gates Southwest Airlines has offered more than \$100 million for part of ATA #39;s operations at Chicago #39;s Midway Airport. If successful, it could torpedo AirTran Airway #39;s efforts to create a hub there.

Sports: 0.9996306
Irish eyes turn to Clements ; Notre Dame interested in Bills ... Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Tom Clements has emerged on a short list of candidates whom Notre Dame has targeted for its head coaching vacancy.

Business: 0.99496436
GE to Buy Back \$15 Bln in Stock, Raises Dividend (Update1) General Electric Co., the biggest company by market value, said it will buy back as much as \$15 billion in stock over three years and raised its quarterly dividend 10 percent, more than some analysts had estimated.

Sports: 0.9997149
Finley to Remain in Southern Calif., with Angels ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Angels have reportedly agreed to a contract with veteran free-agent outfielder Steve Finley.

Business: 0.96616304
Cardinal Picks a Lilly Cardinal Health's deal with Lilly suggests the new fee-for-service model is gaining traction.

Business: 0.99693525
GE OKs #36;15 Billion Buyback, Ups Dividend (Reuters) Reuters - Diversified manufacturer General\Electric Co. said on Friday it boosted its quarterly\dividend by 10 percent and earmarked up to #36;15 billion for\share repurchases over the next three years.

World: 0.99913293
Fired Ecuador justices are barred from offices QUITO, Ecuador -- Ecuadorean police barred Supreme Court judges from returning to their offices yesterday after the judges tried to defy a decision by Congress to fire them for bias against President Lucio Gutierrez.

SciTech: 0.9972977
Space Station crew become quot;Weightless-Watchers quot; with low food ... With food supplies becoming critically low onboard the International Space Station, the astronauts have been told to cut back on their food consumption.

SciTech: 0.6504358
Ericsson Selected by MTN South Africa to Supply 3G/WCDMA Network STOCKHOLM, Sweden --(Business Wire)-- Dec. 10, 2004 -- Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) has been selected by MTN South Africa to supply 3G/WCDMA network.

Sports: 0.99950266
UEFA bans Lazio stadium for fan misbehavior UEFA on Friday ordered Italian side Lazio to play its next European match behind closed doors as punishment for unruly fan behavior during a game last month against Partizan Belgrade, including racial taunts directed at Partizan #39;s

Business: 0.9984138
OPEC Agrees to Cut Oil Output in Bid to Firm Up Prices OPEC oil ministers agreed today to cut oil production by one million barrels a day to stem a 24 percent price slide in the past six weeks, and they called for an emergency meeting

Business: 0.5024989
DreamWorks, Pixar rule digital animation DreamWorks and Pixar both make cutting-edge digital animated films. But behind the scenes, the two studios are about as different as Shrek and Mr.

Business: 0.99854726
American Airlines Raises Ticket Prices FORT WORTH, Texas -- The high cost of jet fuel is prompting American Airlines to raise its domestic ticket prices. It is going to charge an extra \$5 for one-way flights, and \$10 per roundtrip.

Business: 0.99856704
General Electric Raises Dividend General Electric Co., a maker of jet engines, plastics and appliances as well as owner of the NBC television network, said Friday that its board raised the company #39;s quarterly dividend by 10 percent to 22 cents per share, and authorized the repurchase of

World: 0.99939835
Inaction #39;s Consequence LAST MONTH the United States and its allies signaled a change in Sudan policy. Rather than pressuring Sudan #39;s government to halt its genocidal attacks against civilians in the western province of Darfur, they

Business: 0.99844944
Auto Parts Sector Falls on Delphi News Investors sold off shares of auto parts makers Friday after Delphi Corp. issued a profit warning and said it would cut nearly 5 percent of its work force next year.

SciTech: 0.9914882
Yahoo Taps X1 For Desktop Search Search engine giant Yahoo has tapped Pasadena-based X1 Technologies to add the ability to search desktop files and folders on Microsoft Windows platforms.

Business: 0.80928695
Shares of Video Game Makers Rise Sharply Shares of video game makers rose sharply Friday after analysts reported industry sales increased 11 percent last month due mainly to the strength of two blockbuster titles that have proven to be the holiday season #39;s biggest sellers.

SciTech: 0.52267325
US Supreme Court to Decide Grokster Case The US Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether Internet file-trading networks should be held responsible when their users copy music, movies and other protected works without permission.

Sports: 0.999273
Mind more free now Calcutta: Anil Kumble began the year looking to quickly reach 435. He got there (and went one better) in Dhaka on Friday afternoon, the opening day of the second last Test of 2004.

Business: 0.986053
Report: Sprint/Nextel reach tentative \$36B deal A Wall Street Journal report Friday afternoon citing sources on both sides indicated No. 3 Sprint Corp. and No. 5 Nextel Communications Inc.

SciTech: 0.9957645
UK browser claims Phishing victory UK browser business Deepnet Explorer today trumped global competitors Microsofts Internet Explorer, Netscape and Firefox, with the claims that its new Phishing Alarm and enhanced pop-up killer made Deepnet Explorer the first known browser to pass

SciTech: 0.99377984
Napster Mobile December 10, 2004 - Remember Napster? Oh, the heady days of swapping MP3s with blatant disregard to Hilary Rosen and the RIAA. Well, Napster is back -- as a legit music service and now the provider of ringtones through the new application Napster Mobile.

Sports: 0.99934024
Rockets' McGrady Puts on Memorable Finish (AP) AP - Tracy McGrady needed only 35 seconds to turn a sure loss into an improbable win and a listless 20-point night into one of the league's most memorable clutch performances.

Sports: 0.99961156
Rockets 89 Hornets 81 HOUSTON Yao Ming #39;s 21 points and nine rebounds led the Houston Rockets to an 89-to-81 victory over the hapless New Orleans Hornets.

SciTech: 0.9685214
PayPal and Apple iTunes link-up Online auction house eBay #39;s payment system PayPal can now be used for purchases by US customers of Apple #39;s iTunes music store.

Business: 0.99852306
Southwest To Bid For ATA Chicago Assets Southwest Airlines said on Friday it will bid at least USD\$100 million for assets of bankrupt ATA Airlines, including taking over six of ATA #39;s 14 gates at Chicago #39;s Midway Airport and selling tickets on some of each other #39;s flights.

Business: 0.9959708
Financier Frankel Gets Nearly 17 Years for Fraud Greed and sexual desire drove Martin Frankel to mastermind one of the largest insurance frauds in US history, a federal judge heard on Friday as she sentenced him to nearly 17 years in prison.

World: 0.8724803
Plant a tree at Easter urges Nobel laureate world to plant trees at Easter as a symbol of renewal and to protect the planet. planted, quot; Maathai told Reuters Television in Oslo, where she received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

World: 0.99877137
Japan beefs up its defense stance With an eye to North Korea and China, Prime Minister Koizumi #39;s Cabinet is set to pass new guidelines Friday. By Bennett Richardson Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor.

Business: 0.98236483
Crunch Time for Biotech Companies Washington area biotech companies will face pivotal moments this year, finding out whether key products work before money dries up, fending off competition from bigger companies, and, perhaps filing to go public.

Business: 0.9986168
The relief of shedding a big ball and chain: HHG sale of its ... which owns fund manager Henderson, - yesterday escaped a ball and chain that has dragged at it ever since it came to the stock market a year ago.

SciTech: 0.99634945
Scientists Study Deep Tremors Under San Andreas Fault Seismologists are studying mysterious tremors deep under the San Andreas Fault that may signal future earthquakes. The continuous tremors are quot;a kind of chatter quot; emanating from a depth far below the surface

World: 0.99933356
Mexico's Fox Presents Human Rights Plan (AP) AP - President Vicente Fox presented a plan Friday to improve Mexico's checkered human rights record, pledging to eradicate torture and to hold corrupt and abusive authorities accountable for wrongful arrests and shoddy police work.

Sports: 0.985671
Steelers Look Super The Steelers have all the ingredients to make a run for their fifth Super Bowl title while the NFC trots out its weakest set of challengers in memory.

SciTech: 0.9972722
NASA Space Station Status Report 10 December 2004 International Space Station crewmembers this week continued research and maintenance activities and prepared for arrival of the next Progress cargo craft.

World: 0.999393
Fear Hamstrings Quest for Intelligence in N. Iraq Intelligence-gathering by the front-line forces that need to know the most is proving difficult in a region increasingly gripped by fear.

Sports: 0.9962966
Anti-Doping Agency Is Boosted By Ban of Sprinter in Balco Case The United States Anti-Doping Agency received an important validation yesterday in its attempt to punish athletes who were suspected of doping in the Balco steroids scandal but who had not failed a drug test.

Sports: 0.9888517
NHL Must Determine if It Is Certain About Cost Certainty After Gary Bettman was introduced as the commissioner of the National Hockey League 12 years ago, he was handed a fax from Bob Goodenow, the executive director of the players association.

Sports: 0.99950266
Athletics: Eight-year ban given to Collins for #39;pattern of doping #39; Michelle Collins, who won the world athletics indoor 200 metres for the United States last year, was yesterday suspended for eight years despite the fact that she has never tested positive or admitted doping violations.

World: 0.97536
Kerik Pulls Out as Bush Nominee for Homeland Security Job Bernard B. Kerik said in a statement that he had come to learn that a former housekeeper may not have been in the U.S. legally.

World: 0.99894565
China 'Deeply Concerned' at Japan's Defense Move SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China voiced deep concern on Saturday over Japan's sweeping overhaul of defense policy that eased a decades-old ban on arms exports and suggested a shift from a defensive posture in place since its World War II defeat.

Business: 0.5289901
HP targets China with low-cost PC SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Personal computer stocks were relatively quiet Friday as the sector focused more attention on China where Hewlett-Packard introduced a new, low-priced PC.

SciTech: 0.92483044
Internet access is free on ferries during tests Tests of high-speed wireless Internet service on one of the region #39;s busiest ferry runs have been canceled, but the service, referred to as Wi-Fi, might still become available on that run, between Seattle and Bremerton, the ferry service said.

Sports: 0.9990736
Not exactly an idiotic idea This should give pause to anyone who thought the Red Sox might be interested in toning down their image as idiots: They've made a serious contract offer to David Wells.

Sports: 0.9996939
Finley finds a home with Angels CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Steve Finley will remain on the West Coast, but he #39;s decided to return to the American League after 14 seasons.

Sports: 0.9995197
Finley is new Angel in outfield The Angels rounded out their starting outfield yesterday, signing center fielder Steve Finley to a \$14 million, two-year contract as baseball's winter meetings in Anaheim, Calif., began to percolate.

Sports: 0.9982237
Iowa Bests Iowa St. Former Cyclone Adam Haluska does in his former team as he scores 20 points to lead the Hawkeyes past Iowa State, 70-63, on Friday.

Sports: 0.9997085
Dissecting the NHLPA #39;s proposal for a new CBA A closer look at the new offer from the NHL Players #39; Association: Rollback: The whopping 24 pay cut on all existing player contracts is a monstrous concession.

SciTech: 0.9954537
Go save Hubble NASA should use the space shuttle and spacewalking astronauts to mount one last repair flight to the Hubble Space Telescope, and extend the life of one of the greatest scientific instruments ever made.

Sports: 0.9997063
Strachan targeted by Portsmouth LONDON, England -- Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric has reportedly put former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan at the top of a list of possible targets for the English Premier League club #39;s vacant managerial position.

Sports: 0.9996939
Franz takes first in Val d #39;Isere Werner Franz claimed his maiden World Cup downhill victory with a time of one minute 57.51 seconds at Val d #39;Isere. The Austrian #39;s victory means he becomes the first man to beat American Bode Miller, who finished fourth, in the discipline this season.

SciTech: 0.87083244
Launcher eyes shuttle succession Boeing's huge Delta 4-Heavy rocket, set for lift-off on Saturday, may play a role in life after the space shuttle.

Business: 0.998312
Wal-Mart Dec. Sales Seen Up 1-3 Pct (Reuters) Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 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.

World: 0.99939847
Acquittal Boosts Berlusconi Ahead of Vote (AP) AP - Premier Silvio Berlusconi, an important ally for President Bush in Iraq, was acquitted of corruption charges that have dogged his government from the start. The verdict was a boost to the conservative leader ahead of 2006 elections. Berlusconi, 68, has long insisted he was the victim of left-wing prosecutors.

Sports: 0.9996984
Wenger to decide in build-up to Sunday #39;s Premiership showdown As Arsenal are preparing to play Chelsea in the big game of the weekend, Gunners #39; manager Frenchman Arsene Wenger is still deciding in the build-up to Sunday #39;s Premier League showdown.

Sports: 0.99916565
Bayern rallies to draw with Stuttgart, keep Bundesliga lead Paolo Guerrero scored the equalizer and set up another goal to allow Bayern Munich to spend the winter break in first place in the Bundesliga with a 2-2 draw against Stuttgart on Saturday.

Sports: 0.9995369
Everton goes second with derby win Liverpool, England (Sports Network) - Everton moved up to second place in the Premiership Saturday with a 1-0 win over arch-rival Liverpool at Goodison Park.

World: 0.9763405
German court rules out Barbie monopoly (AFP) AFP - Germany's federal court of justice ruled against giving Barbie a monopoly in the themed doll market, saying that a German rival called Steffi Love had every right to compete with her.

Sports: 0.9037682
Cuts offered, issue remains tax or cap The union #39;s proposal to end the lockout, made Thursday at the league #39;s Canadian headquarters, calls for a tax that would penalize -- and perhaps deter -- high-end payrolls.

Sports: 0.9993686
Indians Trade Lawton A small-markets swap takes place on Saturday as the Indians send outfielder Matt Lawton to the Pirates for left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes, sources say.

Sports: 0.9996929
Barca wins again Barcelona has moved 12 points clear at the top of Spain #39;s Primera Liga thanks to a 2-1 win at Albacete. Andres Iniesta put Barca ahead after just two minutes, but when Mark Gonzalez made it 1-1 with 17 minutes

World: 0.99940884
Arafat #39;s Health Record Submitted to Palestinian Authority The health records of Yasser Arafat, who died at Percy Military hospital near Paris last month, have been submitted to Palestinian authorities.

Sports: 0.9981785
Braves' Smoltz May Rejoin Team's Rotation (AP) AP - John Smoltz might rejoin the Braves' rotation if Atlanta finds another closer.

Sports: 0.9996716
Smoltz could return to rotation ANAHEIM, Calif. There #39;s a chance John Smoltz could return to the Atlanta Braves #39; rotation if the team finds another closer.

World: 0.99939644
Israeli Labour party could clinch coalition deal with Sharon #39;in ... Israel #39;s opposition Labour party began talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud party yesterday about joining its coalition - a partnership aimed at promoting a military withdrawal from Gaza.

World: 0.9976808
Powell for Arab democracy but Middle East no ready convert IT WAS first unveiled to the world as the American dream for spreading democracy right across the Middle East. But by the time US secretary of state Colin Powell came to launch the administrations quot;big

World: 0.9992861
Australian man killed by shark on Great Barrier Reef (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - CAIRNS, Australia (AP) - A 38-year-old Australian man bled to death Saturday after he was rescued from the jaws of a shark while spearfishing on the Great Barrier Reef, authorities said.

Business: 0.9938089
ST Tele-TM Intl to buy 47.7 in Idea Mumbai: Singapore Technologies Telemedia and TM International have announced that their consortium has signed definitive agreements for the acquisition of 47.7 per cent stake in Idea Cellular.

Sports: 0.9996941
Arsenal boss: Flamini, Cesc will do job on Chelsea Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has dismissed claims today #39;s clash with Chelsea will decide the title race. He said: quot;The season is not finished but you can say Chelsea are already better than they were last year.

Sports: 0.9997105
Golf: Englishman Neil Cheetham leads by one in Mpumalanga England #39;s Neil Cheetham leads by one shot going into the final round of the Dunhill Classic at Leopard Creek after a solid 69 on Saturday.

World: 0.9993899
Israeli Labour amp; Sharon in coalition talks Coalition peace talks have begun between Israel #39;s opposition Labour party and the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon. Labour leader Shimon Peres said that his party want a guarantee that the government fulfils its

SciTech: 0.9934402
Gamers hit stores for release of quot;PlayStation Portable quot; Computer-game enthusiasts flocked to software retailers across the country to buy quot;PlayStation Portable quot; (PSP) that hit store shelves Sunday.

World: 0.99941003
Qassam rockets hit western Negev community Two Qassam rockets landed in the western Negev on Saturday morning, causing damage to a home. No casualties were reported. The rocket fire originated from the northern Gaza Strip.

World: 0.99929225
No Peace Until S.Korea Explains Atomic Tests-North SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will not dismantle its nuclear programs or improve ties with South Korea until questions about the South's nuclear experiments are clearly answered, Pyongyang said on Sunday.

World: 0.99937516
Parliament passes no-confidence bid NAIROBI, Kenya -- Somalia's parliament passed a motion of no-confidence against the new prime minister and his Cabinet yesterday, an official said, effectively sacking a government that had been expected to restore order to the country after 13 years of anarchy and war. The deputy speaker of the 275-member transitional parliament, Dalhar Omar, said 153 members voted against Prime Minister...

Business: 0.9783658
Rapidly expanding Vietnam Airlines ready to take on America HANOI : Yesterday Vietnam, today Asia, tomorrow the United States: Vietnam Airlines has expanded to the point where it is even eyeing the huge American market, a move which would have been unthinkable not long ago.

Sports: 0.99964345
Big Green slip by Wildcats Mike Lang had a career-high 25 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 1:16 remaining, to lift Dartmouth to a 69-67 nonconference victory over New Hampshire last night in Hanover, N.H. Lang's basket broke a 66-66 tie. Dartmouth (3-3) then fouled the Wildcats' Jermaine Anderson, who hit one of two free throws to make it 68-67 with 54 seconds left. A...

Sports: 0.9997141
Klitschko wins in 8th LAS VEGAS -- If Vitali Klitschko made one thing clear last night about the heavyweight division, it's how finished Mike Tyson really is.

Sports: 0.99965477
Klitschko too good for Williams Vitali Klitschko proved too strong for Danny Williams as he retained his world championship crown in Las Vegas last night. Williams vowed to continue boxing despite being outclassed by Klitschko.

Sports: 0.9821812
Miller Wins Giant Slalom After Maier Falters Bode Miller won his fifth victory of the World Cup season in a giant slalom on Sunday after the three men ahead of him all faltered.

Sports: 0.99830496
Red Sox aim for jugular While the Yankees were quietly celebrating their free agency victory over the Red Sox, snaring New Englander Carl Pavano with a four-year deal in excess of \$38 million, no one gloated too long.

World: 0.999411
Myanmar Releases Hundreds of Prisoners Two prominent pro-democracy leaders were among hundreds of prisoners released from a Myanmar prison on Sunday as part of a broad amnesty granted by the country #39;s ruling junta, the prisoners and family members said.

Sports: 0.99971074
Delaney keen to quot;put things right quot; Mark Delaney wants Aston Villa to quot;stamp their authority on midlands football quot; by finally overcoming Birmingham in Sunday #39;s derby.

Business: 0.997227
Technology ; STT, Telekom Malaysia buy 48 pct of Idea Singapore government-owned STT and TM International, the international investment arm of Telekom Malaysia, said in a statement on Saturday they had signed quot;definitive agreements quot; to buy the entire stake of Cingular Wireless in Idea.

Sports: 0.99522924
Everton beats Liverpool 1-0 in Merseyside Derby Lee Carsley scored the winner in the 68th minute, giving Everton a 1-0 victory Saturday over Liverpool in the 200th Merseyside Derby.

Sports: 0.9997008
Feyenoord cuts PSV #39;s lead to three Feyenoord cut PSV Eindhoven #39;s lead atop the Dutch Premiership to three points on Sunday as Bart Goor equalized two minutes into injury time for a 3-3 draw with the leaders.

Sports: 0.9996805
Poutiainen Wins But Plays Down Cup Hopes Finland #39;s Tanja Poutiainen snatched back the women #39;s World Cup lead with her third victory of the Alpine ski season on Sunday but played down her chances of winning the overall title.

Sports: 0.9996635
George sits for first time in career Irving, TX (Sports Network) - Dallas Cowboys running back Eddie George was inactive for Sunday #39;s game against New Orleans as a healthy scratch and missed a game for the first time in his NFL career.

SciTech: 0.84015095
Sony takes on Nintendo in portable game console market with PSP (AFP) AFP - Sony launched a frontal assault on Nintendo's domination of the portable game console market by kicking off Japan sales of its new PlayStation Portable (PSP), drawing huge lines in Tokyo.

World: 0.99775416
Romanians vote for a new President BUCHAREST: Romanians voted for a new president on Sunday with fighting corruption and joining the EU the main themes in a run-off round pitting Prime Minister Adrian Nastase against Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu.

Sports: 0.9997236
Magnificent Manning Sets Another Record HOUSTON (Sports Network) - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium to set an NFL record for most consecutive games with multiple TD throws.

World: 0.9994054
Four Israeli soldiers killed, Barghuti pulls out of presidential ... RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AFP) - Four Israeli soldiers were killed when Palestinian militants blew up a tunnel under an army post in Gaza, as jailed intifada leader Marwan Barghuti pulled out of the Palestinian elections.

World: 0.99940646
New Report Links Reputed Kingpin to Murder Fifteen years ago, American journalist Todd Smith was brutally beaten and executed after he ventured into Peru's jungle to investigate links between Shining Path guerrillas and the cocaine trade.

Sports: 0.99950826
No. 21 Purdue Beats W. Michigan, 74-42 (AP) AP - Erin Lawless scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds and No. 21 Purdue beat Western Michigan 74-42 on Sunday.

World: 0.9994117
Palestinians do not need another tyrant YASSER Arafat is dead. A so-called moderate is now chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Elections to choose a Palestinian Authority president are scheduled in the West Bank and Gaza for early January.

Sports: 0.99578506
Orioles Target Sexson Free agent first baseman Richie Sexson appears to be at the top of the Orioles' wish list after a meeting at the team's suite on Saturday.

SciTech: 0.90836793
Disney takes sides in battle for next generation DVD Hollywood movie powerhouse Walt Disney has taken sides with Japans Sony Corp in a bitter battle between studios to define a technical standard for next generation DVDs, it said.

World: 0.999027
Iran to cease negotiations with EU in case of dead end A top Iranian official said Sunday that Iran would withdraw from the negotiations with the European Union (EU) if the upcoming talks in Brussels turned into a dead-end, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Business: 0.99793977
Australia Babcock amp; Brown To Pursue Listed Investment Co SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Babcock amp; Brown Ltd. (BNB.AU) said Monday it plans to raise as much as A\$1 billion for an externally managed investment company to target long-term investments.

SciTech: 0.99597883
Airborne Cell-Phone Ban Likely to Remain for Now (Reuters) Reuters - Hopes -- and worries -- that U.S.\regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones\during U.S. commercial flights are likely at least a year or\two early, government officials and analysts say.

SciTech: 0.99707294
NASA Chief Applies for Job at LSU (AP) AP - NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe will resign this week, a government official said Sunday, and a spokesman for Louisiana State University said O'Keefe is a leading candidate to become a chancellor there.

SciTech: 0.97815645
Sony #39;s game war advances to next level Rival Sony began its worldwide assault yesterday by launching a new handheld console, PlayStation Portable, in game-crazy Japan. Sony aims to seek and destroy GameBoy and its maker Nintendo #39;s \$5billion hold

World: 0.9994072
US mounts fresh attack on Taliban The US-led militarycoalition in Afghanistan has beguna big offensive against militants loyal to the ousted Taliban regime in an attempt to quash any attempt to disrupt parliamentary elections next spring.

Business: 0.68036264
Important Rules for Phone Market Face F.C.C. Vote Next week, the FCC will likely change the rules on unbundled networks largely in ways favorable to the Regional bells.

Sports: 0.9995161
Diamondbacks, Clayton Reach Agreement (AP) AP - Royce Clayton and the Arizona Diamondbacks reached a preliminary agreement Sunday on a #36;1.3 million, one-year contract.

Sports: 0.99927753
Krzyzewski Wins No. 700 Shelden Williams collects 18 points and 15 rebounds to give Duke an 82-54 triumph over Toledo and Coach Mike Krzyzewski his 700th career win on Sunday.

Sports: 0.99971193
Arsenal only manage draw LONDON - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised Thierry Henry #39;s speed of thought after the striker stroked home a quick free-kick that helped champions Arsenal to a 2-2 draw against Premiership leaders Chelsea at Highbury last night.

Business: 0.9702866
Bank of England Says Dollar Decline Increases Risk to Banks The possibility of a further slide in the dollar and a decline in demand for US assets has become one of the potential risks to financial stability, the Bank of England said in its semi-annual Financial Stability Review.

Business: 0.9982759
SCHUMER #39;RETURNS #39; FIRE AT RETAILERS Sen. Charles Schumer yesterday criticized retail grinches who are stealing Christmas by blacklisting customers who return too many gifts.

Business: 0.9971017
Report: Construction boom ahead A report released on Monday by the Washington-based Brookings Institution says that half of the residential, commercial and industrial buildings that will be up in 2030 in the largest metropolitan areas don #39;t yet exist.

Sports: 0.99748105
Seahawks Take NFC West The Seahawks deny a Falcons' two-point try for the tie with no time remaining to wrap up the NFC West, 28-26, on Sunday.

World: 0.41559905
Poes condition worsens--doctors (2nd UPDATE) MOVIE actor Fernando Poe Jr. #39;s condition has deteriorated, according to a bulletin his doctors issued on Monday. He is still in a coma and has multiple organ system involvement.

World: 0.9982516
Homeless families total 100,000 The figure for homeless families in England has topped 100,000 for the first time.

Sports: 0.99971336
After layoff, Poole eases back into action FOXBOROUGH -- Tyrone Poole said he probably could count the number of plays he got in on with one hand, but after missing seven games because of knee surgery, the Patriots' starting cornerback was just pleased to get back on the field.

Sports: 0.9978502
O's Still Fishing With big fish like Richie Sexson still looking for work and prizes like Tim Hudson being dangled in the market, the Orioles remain hopeful that they can bag a big catch.

Business: 0.9797719
Update 1: London Exchange Rejects German Proposal The London Stock Exchange PLC has received and rejected a bid proposal from Germany #39;s main stock exchange, Deutsche Boerse AG, the exchanges said Monday.

World: 0.99636996
Former Philippine presidential candidate in deteriorating ... The former presidential candidate and movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. #39;s condition has deteriorated after he suffered a stroke, doctors said Monday.

World: 0.9993113
Shah Rukh Khan apologises to Buddhist monks COLOMBO: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has apologised to Sri Lanka #39;s protesting Buddhist monks for the timing of his mega concert here, which coincides with the death anniversary of a popular priest, but said the show will go on.

World: 0.9992625
Chen Under Pressure to Work with Taiwan Opposition TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is under pressure to find ways to work with an opposition-dominated parliament after his party suffered a surprise setback in weekend legislative elections.

Business: 0.99778676
Econ Edge: The Economic Week President Bush #39;s White House conference on the economy is sure to attract some of the nation #39;s political and economic superstars to Washington this week.

World: 0.99926764
China wary at Taiwan poll result China's media responds cautiously to the election setback suffered by Taiwan's pro-independence DPP.

Business: 0.95780057
Fiat and General Motors to square up in Switzerland MILAN (AFP) - Sharp differences between the Fiat Group and General Motors over an option by Fiat to sell its loss-making auto operations to GM will be the focus of a meeting between the two companies in Zurich on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9221756
Oracle to Acquire PeopleSoft Oracle Corp. announced today it has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire PeopleSoft Inc. for approximately \$10.3 billion. -AP

Sports: 0.99953413
Poll: I was right to let Henry score Referee Graham Poll has insisted that he acted within the laws of the game when he allowed Thierry Henry to take a quick free-kick yesterday.

Business: 0.99373204
LSE says no to German exchange for a second time LONDON (CBS.MW) - Failed efforts to merge stock exchanges have littered the trading landscape in recent years, but the German stock exchange isn #39;t giving up on creating a pan-European and British market for trading stocks and derivatives.

Sports: 0.9993917
Rams Beat Jets in OT, Clinch Playoff Berth (AP) AP - The St. Louis Rams won a finale that, in the end, they needed much more than the New York Jets. Marc Bulger threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns and Jeff Wilkins hit a 31-yard field goal with 3:03 left in overtime Sunday to give the Rams a 32-29 win over the New York Jets, clinching their fourth playoff berth in five seasons under coach Mike Martz.

Sports: 0.99963546
NBA Wrap: O'Neal and Wade Help Heat Beat Raptors NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade each scored 20 points and added nine rebounds as the Miami Heat notched their fourth consecutive win dumping the struggling Toronto Raptors 106-98 Sunday.

Business: 0.9984484
Paul Tellier leaving immediately as chief executive of Bombardier MONTREAL (CP) - Paul Tellier has disembarked as president and chief executive officer of Bombardier Inc. The bombshell announcement Monday morning came as the Montreal-headquartered multinational transportation

World: 0.9994204
Two Aid Workers Killed in Attack on Darfur Aid Convoy KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Two employees of a British charity were killed in Sudan's troubled Darfur region on Sunday when their convoy came under fire, the aid agency said on Monday.

World: 0.993697
Bangladesh boss slams detractors Bangladesh's coach says they still deserve Test status after their 30th defeat, to India.

Business: 0.97560215
DaimlerChrysler, GM to team up on hybrid engines General Motors and DaimlerChrysler say they #39;re teaming up to develop hybrid technology for use in their vehicles. The two giant automakers say they have signed a memorandum of understanding.

Business: 0.9275188
Software revenue pushes up Oracle #39;s Q2 earnings Oracle Corp. reported second-quarter 2005 earnings that beat analyst expectations on Monday, thanks to new software revenue and continued gains from license updates and product support.

Business: 0.9940925
Oracle strikes friendly deal for PeopleSoft at US\$26.50 a share After 18 months of conflict, a friendly merger deal has been struck between Oracle Corp. and PeopleSoft Inc. after the former raised its quot;final quot; offer by 10 per cent.

Sports: 0.9987612
Notre Dame situation has columnist shaking his head Puzzling is the best word to describe Notre Dames attempt to find a new head football coach after dumping Tyrone Willingham unceremoniously two weeks ago.

World: 0.99939585
Saddam #39;s jailed top aides hold food protest Eight of 11 detainees briefly refuse food over prisoner rights including family visits, access to media. BAGHDAD - The US army said eight of toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein #39;s jailed lieutenants had briefly

World: 0.9993819
Spanish Leader Denies Gain From Bombings (AP) AP - Spain's prime minister, heckled Monday by opposition lawmakers, angrily denied his Socialist party instigated anti-government rallies on the eve of a general election to reap political benefit from the Madrid train bombings.

SciTech: 0.99317247
HP shifts focus for HP-UX Hewlett-Packard has dropped plans to beef up its HP-UX operating system with new high availability and clustering technology it obtained in its 2002 acquisition of Compaq. The company will instead shift its development focus to new areas, as it attempts to convince customers that there is still life in its venerable Unix operating system.

SciTech: 0.9976744
NASA Chief Is Taking Off Named to head NASA by President Bush in December 2001, Sean O #39;Keefe acknowledged he had no experience in astronautics. His management style aimed at practical economy.

World: 0.9994147
Israel to Renovate Crumbling Entrance to Disputed Holy Site in Jerusalem's Old City (AP) AP - Israel will renovate the crumbling entrance to a disputed holy site in Jerusalem's Old City that is revered by Jews and Muslims, officials said Monday.

Business: 0.99635124
Bombardier shares slump as CEO leaves Bombardier, the troubled Canadian maker of aircraft and trains, saw its shares fall by around 20 per cent in Toronto, after it announced that Paul Tellier was stepping down early as president and chief executive officer.

Business: 0.9984414
US retail sales climb 0.1 percent in November WASHINGTON : US retail sales rose 0.1 percent in November, a better than expected start to the crucial holiday shopping season, seasonally adjusted government figures showed.

Business: 0.9965501
UK #39;s Jaguar Workers Vote Against Strike Workers at Ford Motor Co. #39;s luxury British car unit, Jaguar, voted against a strike over plans to cut jobs and scale back production, unions said on Monday.

World: 0.9993944
Pakistan denies report of CIA bases in Pakistan for Osama hunt ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Are there secret CIA bases in Pakistan to hunt for Osama bin Laden? Pakistan says no. It is denying a New York Times report, which says the spy agency has concluded bin Laden is being sheltered

World: 0.99942255
Congo Army Factions Clash in East - Army Officer Army reinforcements sent to bolster the Democratic Republic of Congo #39;s fragile border region with Rwanda have clashed with former rebel units within the army, a local military commander said on Sunday.

Sports: 0.99961084
Poll cost us victory - Cech Referee Graham Poll came under renewed fire today as goalkeeper Petr Cech blamed him for costing Chelsea victory at Highbury by allegedly reneging on a promise to blow his whistle before Thierry Henrys free-kick.

SciTech: 0.68774843
Mazu scores VC lifeblood from Symantec, others Mazu Networks, the Cambridge, Massachusetts, network intrusion prevention system (IPS) technology company, has secured another round of venture capital funding, including a stake from security software giant Symantec.

World: 0.99895084
Turkey cautiously optimistic of EU bid ahead of crunch summit ANKARA, Dec 13 (AFP) - Turkey was cautiously optimistic Monday that it would obtain a favorable result from this week #39;s crunch summit of European Union leaders who will decide on Ankara #39;s membership bid, but warned the 25-nation bloc not to cross Ankara #39;s

World: 0.9993687
Moves toward moderation in Mideast One month after Yasser Arafat #39;s death, realignments on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli divide are raising fragile hopes for a mutual retreat from four years of fighting.

Business: 0.88298965
Do-not-call bill could be introduced today The federal government hopes to introduce legislation today to establish a do-not-call registry for consumers who want to stop endless telemarketing pitches.

Business: 0.9983754
GM, Daimler Go Green Oil prices have fallen in recent weeks from record highs, relieving the anxieties of consumers and economists alike. However, OPEC recently signaled that it #39;s not ready for the price of black

SciTech: 0.99218386
Sun Unveils Next Generation Client Technology SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) today unveiled its next generation Sun Ray(TM) Server Software 3.0 an interoperable, platform that enables instant

Sports: 0.99970216
Poll: I was right to let Henry #39;s Arsenal goal stand Ref Graham Poll insists he didn #39;t get it wrong when allowing Arsenal #39;s Thierry Henry to take his free-kick early against Chelsea yesterday.

SciTech: 0.7182881
Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.

Business: 0.94128335
GM, Daimler Go Green Team-up will help the companies compete and fill gaps in both firms' portfolios.

World: 0.9993894
At Least 10 Iraqis Killed in Insurgent Attack Officials in Iraq say at least 10 Iraqis have been killed and several others wounded in separate insurgent attacks across the country.

Business: 0.9969723
UnitedHealthcare pays \$3.5M to settle Medicare fraud claim UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co., a branch of UnitedHealth Group, will pay \$3.5 million to settle charges that it defrauded the Medicare program, the US Department of Justice announced Monday.

Business: 0.9526251
GM, DaimlerChrysler plan hybrid cars SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN: General Motors Corp and DaimlerChrysler AG will jointly develop a petroleum-electric power system to catch up with Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co in so-called hybrid vehicles that save fuel and cut tailpipe emissions.

World: 0.9993728
North Korea to review its role in nuclear talks SEOUL North Korea is seriously reconsidering its role in talks on its nuclear programs because of what it sees as a concerted campaign to topple the government in Pyongyang, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said Monday.

SciTech: 0.99589336
Lockheed to Launch Rocket; Boeing Gets New Date (Reuters) Reuters - Lockheed Martin Corp. on Monday\announced that it will launch its Atlas V rocket on Dec. 17 as\planned, while Boeing Co. waited to reschedule a launch of its\Delta IV heavy-lift rocket that it was forced to abandon on\Sunday.

Sports: 0.9997073
Bengals' Palmer Questionable for Sunday CINCINNATI (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is questionable for Sunday's game against Buffalo after an MRI exam Monday revealed no serious damage to his left knee.

SciTech: 0.9789732
Intuit gets deeper into IT, revamps Quicken The software maker adds a network management application. It also updates its Quicken personal-finance software.

SciTech: 0.9534264
Navy awash in new IBM supercomputers Defense Dept. to buy second supercomputer for Naval Oceanographic Office.

SciTech: 0.9934749
Atheros reaches into electronics devices Chipmaker announces new chipset and reference design for consumer devices and PCs.

SciTech: 0.9948778
Skybox updates risk management wares BOSTON - New software from Skybox Security will help companies monitor their networks and comply with U.S. federal and state data security regulations, and even help them prepare networks for dangerous new Internet worms, according to the company.

SciTech: 0.9973158
NASA administrator to resign WASHINGTON: Sean O #39;Keefe, is resigning after three tumultuous years heading the US space program, the White House said Monday.

SciTech: 0.99499655
Microsoft Unveils Software to Find Files (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. on Monday joined the battle for supremacy in so-called desktop search, introducing software for quickly locating files on personal computers that challenges Google's two-month-old rival product.

Sports: 0.88134325
McCain Optimistic About Steroid Test Deal (AP) AP - Sen. John McCain is "guardedly optimistic" that major league baseball and its players could reach an agreement on tougher testing for steroids.

World: 0.99936825
Pinochet is ordered to stand trial for murder Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, was ordered under house arrest yesterday, charged with kidnapping and murder dating back to his 17-year rule.

Sports: 0.9083071
Report Says N.H.L. Will Reject Proposal The N.H.L. appears poised to reject a proposal made by the players union, which included a 24 percent reduction in pay and other concessions but not a hard salary cap.

Sports: 0.9990196
Woman drops sexual assault suit vs. Colorado One of the three women suing the University of Colorado for what they said was the school #39;s failure to protect them against sexual assault by football players has dropped her federal lawsuit.

World: 0.99924254
Car Bomb Kills 11 Near Green Zone A car bomb exploded in a line of vehicles waiting to enter the Green Zone early Monday, killing at least 11 Iraqis at an

Sports: 0.99968636
Pedro picks Mets, Lee dealt to Brewers Pedro Martinez picked the New York Mets over the Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox dealt Carlos Lee to Milwaukee for Scott Podsednik and a reliever on Monday as baseball #39;s annual winter meetings finished with many top stars still searching for

Business: 0.9912718
China move on textile exports gets cautious response The US and the European Union responded cautiously yesterday to China #39;s surprise undertaking to impose duties on some textile exports, a step it said was designed to ensure a quot;smooth

Sports: 0.99809533
Red Sox say goodbye to Pedro Martinez Pedro Martinez closed in on a four-year deal with the New York Mets, and the Boston Red Sox resigned themselves Monday to losing the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

World: 0.9993994
Afghanistan Official Bashardost Resigns (AP) AP - An Afghan Cabinet minister resigned Monday after President Hamid Karzai rejected his drive to shut down relief groups he accused of wasting money on expensive cars and houses.

World: 0.96671516
Bush Selects E.P.A. Head to Be Secretary of Health With the selection of Michael O. Leavitt, a former governor of Utah, the shape of the cabinet in President Bush's second term has become clear.

Business: 0.9980698
Family takes helm at Bombardier Canada #39;s Bombardier family has taken back management control of the troubled transport equipment maker that bears its name following the sudden departure of Paul Tellier, chief executive.

Sports: 0.9997187
Coleman Enjoys Fulhams Battling Display Fulham manager Chris Coleman was delighted with his side #39;s second-half performance, which brought them a hard-earned point in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Craven Cottage.

Sports: 0.9996873
Gray, Demon Deacons Swing Back In Action, Seek To Shoot Down ... Justin Gray has had an ample amount of time to get his shooting stroke ready. Gray and No. 6 Wake Forest are back in action after an eight-day break when they visit Temple on Monday.

Sports: 0.99968386
Cavaliers activate Wagner again CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Cleveland Cavaliers activated Dajuan Wagner off the injured list Monday for a second time this season. Wagner missed five games with an inflamed right arch after earlier sitting out seven games because of a sprained right ankle.

Business: 0.6279678
Symantec Said to Be in Talks for Veritas Symantec, which produces the Norton line of computer products, is in talks to acquire Veritas Software, a maker of data backup programs.

SciTech: 0.83976537
In U.S. Market, Cellphone Users Are Often All Talk Users in the United States continue to think of a cellphone as a device for talking, not text messaging. Marketers, however, hope to change that as soon as possible.

World: 0.99897504
Pakistan questions Indian arms shopping spree ISLAMABAD: As the second round of expert-level talks on nuclear confidence building measures (CBMs) between Pakistan and India starts today, the government says that the recent statements coming from New Delhi are quot;disturbing quot; and sound quot;paranoid quot;.

SciTech: 0.9955048
Yahoo! Hires Chief Data Officer In a move that has implications for ad targeting and reporting, Yahoo! has hired Usama Fayyad, a co-founder of the company now known as Revenue Science, to the newly-created position of Chief Data Officer.

Business: 0.5627516
PeopleSoft gives in to Oracle, takes bid PeopleSoft Inc. capitulated to Oracle Corp., accepting a sweetened \$10.3 billion takeover offer to end an 18-month battle that pitted PeopleSoft against its investors and led to the ouster of its chief executive.

World: 0.9994067
US admits more Afghan jail deaths The US army says more people than previously acknowledged have died in its custody in Afghanistan.

SciTech: 0.9912179
Firefox crosses 10m mark US web browser developer Mozillas open-source browser Firefox has recorded over 10m downloads since it was launched in November.

SciTech: 0.99731284
Firefox Turns Up The Browser War Heat Firefox, the Mozilla-based open-source browser has grown by more than a third over the past month, according to WebSideStory, an independent Web metrics firm.

Sports: 0.9995647
He picked right time to start making shots Insecurity is a great motivator. Facing increasing criticism about his shot selection and the prospect of losing his starting job because of the return of two-time All-Star Allan Houston, young

World: 0.9993986
Suicide Car Bomber Hits Baghdad Checkpoint Again (Reuters) Reuters - A suicide car bomber struck an entrance\to Baghdad's Green Zone government compound Tuesday, 24 hours\after an almost identical attack at the same checkpoint on the\first anniversary of Saddam Hussein's arrest.

Business: 0.9940638
Fashionably late What do women want? Luciano Manganella, the owner of the trendy Boston women's boutique JasmineSola, has a pretty good idea. And now after 34 years in business, he's plotting a major expansion.

Business: 0.98921025
CEO quits at world's top maker of trains Paul Tellier stepped down as president and chief executive of Bombardier Inc. yesterday, surprising investors and sending the train and plane maker's shares down as much as 26 percent to a 10-year low.

SciTech: 0.99799925
NASA chief Sean O #39;Keefe quits Washington: NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe has resigned, spending three turbulent years at the helm of the US space agency which saw the crash of Columbia space shuttle, a painful probe into the disaster and severe austerity measures.

Business: 0.81463486
Big merger could box Qwest in Qwest Communications may not be immediately affected by a Sprint-Nextel merger, but its options could become more limited. At one time, Qwest and Sprint were viewed as possible merger partners.

SciTech: 0.99139845
ICANN Gives Preliminary OK to 2 Domains NEW YORK Dec 13, 2004 - The Internet #39;s key oversight agency gave a preliminary nod Monday to new domain names targeting mobile services and the jobs market.

SciTech: 0.6764732
US Supreme Court To Hear File-Sharing Case WASHINGTON -- The US Supreme Court will take up one of the key arguments about the use of file-sharing services. The justices will consider whether peer-to-peer Internet file-sharing services can be held responsible

Sports: 0.9996512
White Sox trade Lee to Brewers The Chicago White Sox traded outfield slugger Carlos Lee to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Scott Podsednik, reliever Luis Vizcaino, and a player to be named in a deal announced yesterday at baseball's winter meetings in Anaheim, Calif.

Business: 0.9972293
Vodafone Drops on Report It Supports Bid for Sprint (Update2) Shares in Vodafone Group Plc, the world #39;s largest mobile-phone operator, dropped after The Wall Street Journal said the company is considering bidding with US partner Verizon Communications Inc.

Sports: 0.99970967
Former coach hits out at Bob Woolmer Javed Miandad has come out strongly against Bob Woolmer #39;s coaching methods and is extremely sceptical about Pakistan #39;s chances in the Test series against Australia.

SciTech: 0.79539865
Music file-sharing case heads to high court eeding the pleas of the entertainment industry, the US Supreme Court has agreed to consider calling a halt to Internet file-sharing that allows millions of computer users to obtain free copies of movies and music.

World: 0.9993575
Boycott Rethink After Ahern Apology The DUP was last night reconsidering its boycott of talks with the Irish government after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern apologised to party leader Ian Paisley.

World: 0.9993807
U.S. Army Deserter Welcomed in Japan (AP) AP - Villagers on the remote Japanese isle of Sado have warmly welcomed U.S. Army deserter Charles Jenkins since he arrived with his Japanese wife and their two North Korea-born daughters a week ago, his wife said Tuesday.

World: 0.8787895
World's Tallest Bridge Soars Above French Valley A bridge officially designated the tallest in the world was inaugurated by President Jacques Chirac in southern France Tuesday.

Sports: 0.9996947
McGrath identifies his targets Perth - Australia #39;s premier paceman Glenn McGrath - renowned for his pre-Test plans to target specific batsmen - said on Tuesday that captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and one-day run machine Yousuf Youhana were the keys to Pakistan #39;s batting lineup.

Sports: 0.9986619
Hanover Striker Mathis to Return to US Hanover 96 striker Clint Mathis is to return to the United States after only a year in the Bundesliga, the German club said Tuesday.

Sports: 0.999721
Green Tosses 3 Touchdown Passes, Chiefs Down Titans NEW YORK (Reuters) - Trent Green hit Eddie Kennison with a nine-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds left to give the Kansas City Chiefs a wild 49-38 win over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville Monday.

Business: 0.99838734
Manpower survey forecasts slow hiring in early 2005 Those planning to look for a job in the Kalamazoo area during the first quarter of 2005 might find the going slow. The pace of hiring among area employers is expected to be slow during the first quarter of

World: 0.9994042
Iraq Trials of Hussein #39;s Aides May Start Next Week, Allawi Says Iraq may begin war crimes trials for senior members of Saddam Hussein #39;s former regime as soon as next week, Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said.

Business: 0.99844235
Trade Gap Swells More Than Expected The US trade deficit widened nearly 9 percent in October to a record \$55.5 billion as sky-high oil prices helped propel imports into uncharted territory, the government said on Tuesday.

SciTech: 0.9967024
Intel confirms dual-core desktop 'Smithfield' But is it two Prescotts in one package or a single-die part?

SciTech: 0.94827324
Bond game fails to shake or stir GoldenEye: Rogue Action fails to deliver on the promise of its name and struggles to generate the original's massive sense of fun.

SciTech: 0.7424694
Worldwide PC Market Seen Doubling by 2010 NEW YORK (Reuters) - The number of personal computers worldwide is expected to double to about 1.3 billion by 2010, driven by explosive growth in emerging markets such as China, Russia and India, according to a report released on Tuesday by Forrester Research Inc.

World: 0.9988907
Egypt and Israel sign US trade accord 25 years after peace treaty (AFP) AFP - In a partnership hailed as a major boost to often chilly ties, Egypt and Israel signed a first joint trade accord with the United States since their historic peace treaty 25 years ago.

Business: 0.99859303
Merck plans 5,100 job cuts by year-end Merck amp; Co. plans to cut its workforce by 5,100 jobs by the end of the year--about 700 more than originally planned. Whitehouse Station, NJ-based Merck said in materials filed with the Securities and Exchange

Business: 0.9938334
Sprint Center Of Attention For Nextel And Verizon Wireless Sprint Corp. #39;s enterprise operation, including its nationwide fiber-optic network, suddenly is looking like a swan and not a lame duck, as Verizon Wireless assesses the possibility of making a bid for Sprint in the boiling cell-phone merger scene.

Business: 0.9983576
Fed Raises Interest Rate to 2.25 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - The Federal Reserve raised U.S.\interest rates on Tuesday by a quarter-percentage point for the\fifth time this year and said it will keep gradually lifting\them from rock-bottom levels to forestall inflation.

World: 0.99920076
Islamic Scholar, Visa Withheld, Gives Up U.S. Post GENEVA (Reuters) - A prominent Swiss-based Islamic scholar on Tuesday gave up plans to teach at a leading U.S. university after waiting in vain for a visa and accused the Bush administration of trying to silence him.

SciTech: 0.6868275
Sony, Samsung Swap Patents Sony Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. said Tuesday that the two companies have signed a patent cross-licensing agreement, which excludes certain key technologies.

Business: 0.99772567
Dollar's Gains Cut as Fed Raises Rates NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar's gains were clipped on Tuesday as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the fifth time this year, as expected, but quashed hopes for more aggressive rate tightening.

Business: 0.996831
Five Times for the Fed Plus, Intel's still straining, revenge of the nerds, and a \$13 billion Christmas present?

SciTech: 0.9971928
Toshiba to use perpendicular recording in new HDDs Toshiba is close to commercializing a new data storage technology that could significantly increase the capacity of hard-disk drives, it said Tuesday.

World: 0.9994104
Saddam #39;s aides set to go on trial Trials of some of Saddam Hussein #39;s aides will begin next week, Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said. Speaking to Iraq #39;s National Council, he did not name the lieutenants that would go on trial or say when Saddam himself would appear in court.

Business: 0.99864405
Fed lifts rates a further quarter point By Andrew Balls in Washington and Jennifer Hughes in New York. The US Federal Reserve on Tuesday raised interest rates by a quarter point to 2.25 per cent and signalled there had been no change in its assessment of economic conditions.

SciTech: 0.81790876
Hollywood to sue server operators in bid to stymie online piracy LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of US- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.

Business: 0.96100163
Oil price rise adds to airlines woes as losses continue The global airline industry is forecast to have made net losses of \$4.8bn this year, as the rise in the oil price has overwhelmed efforts by carriers to cut costs.

SciTech: 0.98872244
Hollywood Sues Computer Server Operators (AP) AP - Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of U.S.- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.

World: 0.99931586
In Chile, pace of justice quickens A judge has ruled that Gen. Augusto Pinochet stand trial for his alleged involvement in state-sponsored torture.

Sports: 0.9995933
Memphis indefinitely suspends Sean Banks Memphis forward Sean Banks was suspended indefinitely Tuesday for violating team rules. Coach John Calipari did not provide further information about the violation.

Sports: 0.9837875
A Deal That's Creating Plenty of Buzz About the Mets The prospect of Pedro Martnez going to Queens is potentially the best news in years for the Mets. They have now won a public relations battle with the Yankees.

Sports: 0.999711
McLeish upset by Novo punishment Rangers manager Alex McLeish has criticised the punishment handed out to Nacho Novo by the Scottish Football Association. Novo and Celtic striker Henri Camara were both given one-match bans

SciTech: 0.99780864
Samsung MMCmicro Cards Samsung MMCmicro It seems that mobile phones will soon be getting yet another new memory storage format, joining a growing field of ever-smaller memory cards.

Sports: 0.99970883
Hockey Labor Talks Broken Off TORONTO -- National Hockey League labor talks came to a halt Tuesday after each side rejected the other #39;s proposal. The talks lasted more than three hours, with the league making a one-hour presentation on

SciTech: 0.99683005
Astronomers ready for comet-smashing mission NASA and university astronomers are eagerly awaiting the launch of a space probe bound to collide with a comet and give researchers a glimpse inside the solar systems icy wanderers.

Business: 0.9864194
Dollar #39;s Fall Is a Wake Up Call #39; for Nations, IMF #39;s Rajan Says The decline of the US dollar is a signal that policy makers need to do more to ensure the currency #39;s depreciation won #39;t hurt global growth, International Monetary Fund chief economist Raghuram Rajan said.

Sports: 0.99899656
Racing: Jockey Club abandons inquiry into Fallon Kieren Fallon can now look forward to a Christmas of giggling children, mince pies and roaring log fires following the announcement that the Jockey Club have abandoned their inquiry into

Business: 0.9984425
Fed Panel Lifts Rates and Says More Increases Are Probable The Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates on Tuesday for the fifth time this year and suggested that more rate increases are in order in the months ahead.

Sports: 0.99958426
Knee surgery for Falcons #39; Duckett CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Atlanta Falcons running back TJ Duckett is expected to undergo minor arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, so will miss this Saturday #39;s contest versus Carolina.

World: 0.9992206
Mexico Police Present Before Mob Killing (AP) AP - An amateur video released Tuesday shows that Mexico City police were present late last month before a street mob beat three plainclothes federal agents and set two of them on fire, killing both men.

Sports: 0.99971765
No. 13 Louisville Beats NC A T, 85-51 LOUISVILLE, Ky., (Sports Network) - Larry O'Bannon netted 25 points to lead No. 13 Louisville over North Carolina A T, 85-51, at Freedom Hall.

Sports: 0.99952734
76ers rally from 18 down to stun Nuggets Allen Iverson couldn #39;t resist when he saw the burgundy and yellow shirt Willie Green put on after the game. quot;That #39;s an ugly shirt, Willie, quot; Iverson shouted over a crowd of reporters.

World: 0.9994041
Afghan Forces Arrest 2 Taliban Leaders KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 14 -- Afghan forces have captured two top figures of the deposed Taliban government, including the personal security chief of leader Mohammad Omar, provincial officials said Tuesday.

World: 0.9993849
Mesic Set to Recapture Croat Presidency (Reuters) Reuters - Croatia's liberal President Stjepan\Mesic looked set to win a second term in elections on Sunday,\exit polls released by state television showed.

SciTech: 0.99104404
Mindawn offers DRM-free music downloads (MacCentral) MacCentral - Mindawn is a new online music download service that differs from Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes Music Store and other services in a few ways: It's not only compatible with Macs and PCs but with Linux computers too, its music is available in a lossless format, and there are no Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions. Mindawn launched in September and is picking up steam, according to its founder.

Sports: 0.999691
NHL Players, Owners Reject Plans to End Lockout TORONTO (Reuters) - Hopes of saving the National Hockey League season all but vanished Tuesday when players and team owners rejected proposals to end the labor dispute.

SciTech: 0.81687224
Google partners with libraries Google #39;s plan to digitally scan books so that users can access them from its Internet search engine is being greeted with delight at the tiny library in my hometown of Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Business: 0.9799917
Business ; Fiat Talks Tough Ahead of Key GM Meeting quot;There is a very good argument to say that the Italian car plants could benefit from the relocation of other GM businesses in Europe, quot; Marchionne was quoted as saying.

World: 0.9662897
World #39;s tallest bridge opens in France A bridge officially designated the tallest in the world was inaugurated by President Jacques Chirac in southern France on Tuesday - a stunning feat of engineering that will carry motorists at 270m above the valley of the river Tarn.

World: 0.99938
Mullah Omar and Bin Laden on the run as Afghan and American forces ... More than 18,000 US troops and innumerable Afghan forces are in the process of searching every inch of Afhganistan and Afghan-Pak border.

World: 0.99938786
Poland to Cut One-Third of Its Troops in Iraq Poland #39;s defense minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski has announced plans to cut his country #39;s forces in Iraq by almost one third next year.

SciTech: 0.5608321
King Pong Draws Fans Spike TV's Video Game Awards Show attracts big-name celebrities and bands but gives the fans the votes.

SciTech: 0.92900646
Judge Rejects Md. Anti-Spam Statute A Montgomery County judge has ruled that Maryland's anti-spam law is unconstitutional because it seeks to regulate business transactions beyond the state's borders.

Sports: 0.99960476
Kidd #39;s lack of playing time hurting Nets Having Jason Kidd available for roughly 20 minutes a night is costing the New Jersey Nets. The New York Knicks took advantage of Kidd #39;s rationed minutes to get back in the game early and then capitalized on

World: 0.9993962
Kidnapped Turk Killed in Afghanistan -- Witness A Turkish engineer abducted by a militant gang in eastern Afghanistan was found dead on Wednesday, a witness who saw the body being carried down from a mountainside told Reuters.

Business: 0.85846823
China succeeds in cooling economy, but 2005 likely to prove just as tough (AFP) AFP - China can claim some success in the battle to cool its roaring economy in 2004 with a series of macro policies helping prevent another boom-bust cycle, but much remains to be done if Beijing is to avoid increasing wrangles with trade partners.

Business: 0.90541536
Fiat seeks pact in row with GM Fiat and General Motors are to hold more talks to solve their differences over the future of the Italian firm's loss-making auto group, Fiat says.

World: 0.999411
Dead Iraqi #39;s Family Wins Demand for UK Abuse Probe In a test case over British troops #39; alleged abuse of Iraqi civilians, a London court on Tuesday backed demands for an independent inquiry into claims a Basra hotel worker was beaten to death by UK soldiers.

SciTech: 0.94018584
Call it one for the pages Google #39;s project to archive millions of books from top libraries, experts said, is the first major step toward the company #39;s goal of indexing massive amounts of printed material, music and video.

Sports: 0.99964464
USC right move for Majerus especially since he was so anxious to simply return to the sidelines. Remember, Majerus didn #39;t exactly leave Utah on his terms in 2004.

SciTech: 0.93347085
MPAA widens piracy net Hollywood studios launched legal attacks Tuesday on the computer server operators they claim are the technological middlemen making online film theft possible.

World: 0.9993917
Abducted Turkish engineer killed in Afghanistan The kidnapped Turkish engineer was found dead in Kunar province in east Afghanistan on Wednesday, one day after he was abducted by unknown gunmen, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.

Business: 0.9823099
Yukos seeks US bankruptcy refuge Embattled Russian oil giant Yukos has filed for bankruptcy protection in a US court in an attempt to prevent the forced sale of its main production arm.

Business: 0.9980854
UPDATE: Air China Shares Up 8 On Hong Kong Debut HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Air China Ltd. #39;s (0753.HK) stock gained 8 on its debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange Wednesday, and analysts said there is scope for slight further

SciTech: 0.98377985
Globus inventors go commercial The creators of Globus open source grid software have set up a software and services company, Univa, to capitalise on their work on grid computing.

Sports: 0.99952745
Thomas still struggling Time slips away in a hurry as Tim Thomas runs around looking to make something happen in short order. The slumping forward #39;s on a short leash at the moment and wound up watching most of last

Sports: 0.999647
No. 1 LSU overcomes stubborn host Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS - Top-ranked teams aren #39;t solo shows, and star Seimone Augustus sure has plenty of help around her with the LSU Lady Tigers.

Sports: 0.99965656
Lady Tigers run past Gophers MINNEAPOLIS -- One is a 6-foot-1 National Player of the Year candidate, looking to lead her top-ranked team back to the Final Four.

World: 0.99772555
NKorea warns Japan against economic sanctions North Korea has warned Japan that it will treat economic sanctions as a quot;declaration of war quot; and threatens to try to exclude Tokyo from six-party talks on Pyongyang #39;s nuclear arms programs.

Sports: 0.9997191
City to ponder Anelka future MANCHESTER, Dec 15 (SW) - Manchester City chairman John Wardle has not ruled out a winter break move of French in-form striker Nicolas Anelka.

Sports: 0.9996605
49ERS NOTEBOOK Fumbling holiday-party plans If you think you are having trouble with your holiday party, check out the 49ers. The 49ers planned to have theirs Friday at a hotel near where the team stays the night before games, but coaches and their

World: 0.999376
U.S. Defends Afghan Human Rights Record (AP) AP - The U.S. military defended its human-rights record in Afghanistan on Wednesday, claiming that a May inspection by an American general found no evidence of abuse at the 22 detainee facilities in the country, while admitting that his still-unreleased report will not include any earlier incidents.

Business: 0.993602
Blockbuster revamps its policy for late returns NEW YORK -- Faced with growing competition in the home video market, Blockbuster addressed its No. 1 consumer complaint Tuesday, saying it will end late fees on rented videos and games in January.

Business: 0.9710306
Time warner in \$600m setttlement Time Warner is to announce today that it will pay between \$500 and \$600 million to settle federal investigations into irregularities at America Online, according to reports in the American press.

SciTech: 0.99362624
Foxfire Browser Adoption Accelerating as IE Wains Usage of Microsoft Internet Explorer continues to fall in the United States, dropping 1.09 percentage points to 91.80 percent of the browser market last month, more than triple the rate

SciTech: 0.84418225
Report: Amount of fine-particle pollution drops significantly LOS ANGELES - Concentrations of one of the most dangerous air pollutants have declined in most of the country in the last five years, especially in Southern California and the Southeast, according to a report released by the US Environmental Protection

World: 0.997869
Armed Athens Bus Hijackers Release Five Hostages (Update2) Hijackers who took as many as 26 people hostage on a commuter bus on the outskirts of Athens released five of the captives. Police are in negotiations to free the remaining hostages, a spokeswoman said.

Business: 0.99214727
Oracle chairman says can close gap with SAP - report Oracle Corp can close the gap with SAP, the world #39;s biggest software company, after buying US rival PeopleSoft, Oracle #39;s Chairman Jeff Henley said in an interview published on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.99261886
Hologram labels in Nokia batteries New Delhi: To help customers identify original Nokia batteries from the counterfeit ones, Nokia has introduced hologram labels with authentication codes in all its new batteries.

SciTech: 0.99718684
Toshiba claims hard drive storage record Toshiba has developed what it claims are the world #39;s first hard disk drives based on perpendicular recording, a technology that can boost data density on a single 1.8in hard-disk platter to 40GB.

Sports: 0.9997216
Eck: A court would have cleared Novo Rangers manager Alex McLeish claims Nacho Novo would have been vindicated had his case been dealt with as a civil hearing. The striker was banned for one game and had 12 penalty points added to his record

Sports: 0.99968314
Nothing doing Well, that didn #39;t go very well, did it? Everybody knew the NHL planned on turning down the NHLPA #39;s latest offer yesterday, but the hockey world still held its breath when the two adversaries met face to face

World: 0.99940574
Turkey confirms death of engineer in Afghanistan ANKARA, Dec 15 (AFP) - The Turkish ambassador in Afghanistan has confirmed the death of a Turkish engineer kidnapped Tuesday in Afghanistan #39;s eastern Kunar province, the Anatolia news agency reported Wednesday.

Sports: 0.9997179
England may have lost initiative I appreciated Michael Vaughan #39;s honesty when he said England were complacent after their seven-wicket defeat to South Africa A last week.

SciTech: 0.9563303
Nokia stamps out bad batteries Helsinki - Nokia, the world #39;s largest handset maker plans to mark its original batteries with a hologram as part of the fight against unsafe, counterfeit mobile phone batteries - some of which have exploded in users #39; hands.

World: 0.99911207
Madrid Bomb Victims Criticize 'Schoolyard Politics' MADRID (Reuters) - Victims of the Madrid train bombings issued a stinging rebuke to politicians for seeking to gain from the tragedy that killed 191 people, injecting humility into a previously raucous parliamentary investigation.

Business: 0.9966556
Sprint, Nextel to Combine Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. on Wednesday announced plans to merge, creating a more formidable rival to the two largest US mobile operators, and a large wireline communications company supporting

SciTech: 0.99471325
Apple Blocks Use of RealNetworks #39; Music on iPod Photo Apple has updated software on its iPod Photo digital music player to prevent users from playing music bought from RealNetworks #39; online music store.

Sports: 0.9997211
Valencia accept Angulo ban Valencia say they do not plan to appeal against the seven-match ban given to midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo by UEFA for his behaviour during last week #39;s Champions League match against Werder Bremen.

Sports: 0.99971277
Newcastle #39;s Boumsong bid rejected by Rangers Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness has made an offer to Rangers for French international centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong but the Scottish club have rejected his initial offer.

Business: 0.9905868
\$210M Fine In AOL Probe WASHINGTON (CBS) America Online has agreed to pay a \$210 million fine to settle a Justice Department investigation of securities fraud, a department official tells CBS News.

Business: 0.9946173
Yukos files for US bankruptcy protection Russian oil giant Yukos Wednesday filed for US bankruptcy protection in attempt to stop the forthcoming auction of its major asset Yuganskeneftegaz, accordingto the Interfax news agency.

SciTech: 0.9977316
Studios Attack BitTorrent The Motion Picture Association of America is retargeting its legal battle against file swappers by launching attacks against the server operators behind the BitTorrent and eDonkey services.

World: 0.9994241
Peacekeepers fire on troops at river-border Bukavu/Nairobi - United Nations peacekeepers have fired on troops trying to enter the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from Rwanda, the UN-funded radio station Radio Okapi reported on Wednesday.

World: 0.99677664
Indonesia May Prosecute Newmont Mining (AP) AP - Indonesia is proceeding with plans to prosecute U.S.-based Newmont Mining for allegedly polluting a bay in central Indonesia, accusing the company Wednesday of giving investigators incomplete information about its waste disposal method.

SciTech: 0.9980959
Sun Brews Java Tools Updates The Java Studio Enterprise 7 platform, available now, offers a collaboration feature called Code-Aware that allows distributed teams of developers in different buildings and different continents work together on projects, according to Sun.

SciTech: 0.6558498
Google takes the competition to school While rivals scramble to catch up on the desktop, Google plans to digitize famous libraries. Its official. Google is the most dangerous media company on the planet.

SciTech: 0.9973718
Mars is more Earth-like SAN FRANCISCO: Pictures of Earth-like clouds were captured by Nasa #39;s Mars rover on Wednesday. Reports also indicate that there #39;s a rock that doesn #39;t look like anything scientists have ever seen.

SciTech: 0.99486524
Last minute name change for Nvidia #39;s new GeForce 6200 with ... PCI Express allows Nvidia to tap into system memory to save expensive on-board graphics memory and achieve high performance at the same time.

Sports: 0.9888045
Weis Sues Doctors Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis files suit against the doctors who performed weight-loss surgery on him in 2002 that almost killed him.

Business: 0.9969644
Google Wins Trademark Victory Over GEICO ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday handed online search engine Google Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GOOG.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GOOG.O</A> a victory in a trademark infringement case on Wednesday, ruling that when users searched for insurer GEICO, Google could display rivals as well.

SciTech: 0.98135746
2004 Signals More Global Warming, Extreme Weather: UN (Reuters) Reuters - Global warming is set to continue, and\bring with it an increase in extreme weather such as hurricanes\and droughts, scientists from the United Nations' World\Meteorological Organization warned on Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.8681034
'Nano-needle' operates on cell Scientists have performed a delicate surgical operation on a single living cell, using a needle that is just a few billionths of a metre wide.

SciTech: 0.9208969
MicroStrategy Turnover Draws Analyst Scrutiny MicroStrategy Inc. said yesterday that president and chief financial officer Eric F. Brown had resigned and that founder Michael J. Saylor would again hold the company's top three jobs, prompting some analysts to raise concerns about the company's stock.

World: 0.9994161
Italian taken hostage in Iraq: report (AFP) AFP - An Italian national working for a British non-governmental organisation has been taken hostage in Iraq, the Italian news agency ANSA reported, quoting Italian intelligence sources.

Business: 0.998486
Montie Brewer appointed CEO of Air Canada MONTREAL - Montie Brewer has been appointed president and CEO of Air Canada, the airline announced Wednesday. Robert Milton remains CEO of Air Canada #39;s parent company, ACE Aviation Holdings.

SciTech: 0.96308345
HP Shifting Last of Itanium Engineers Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday ended their 10-year partnership to co-develop the Itanium chip

Business: 0.94916165
Gateway Updates 4Q, Year Guidance Gateway Inc. on Wednesday raised fourth-quarter earnings expectations as the personal computer maker freed up cash by selling preferred stock and outsourcing its warranty service plans.

Sports: 0.99965584
Veterans Pronger and McKenzie don #39;t think hockey will return until ... NHL veterans Chris Pronger and Jim McKenzie think this lockout is far worse than the one that wiped out half a season 10 years ago.

Sports: 0.999676
Memphis activates guard Williams Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - The Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday activated point guard Jason Williams from the injured list, while placing guard Antonio Burks on the IL.

Business: 0.99629563
Air China Main Board Debut Up 6 At HK\$3.15 -2- HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Shares of Air China Ltd. (0753.HK), the country #39;s largest airline, opened 6 higher at their debut Wednesday on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange #39;s main board.

SciTech: 0.9787154
R.I.P. Gary Webb -- Unembedded Reporter The finest journalist ever to get fired for telling the truth is dead at age 49. The official cause of death on the death certificate will be suicide. But, as we shall see, he had much help getting to that point. The story of the life and death of Gary Webb says much about the state of American politics and what passes as "journalism" in today's America.

SciTech: 0.9975848
NEC develops CD, DVD, HD-DVD drive prototype KAWASAKI, JAPAN - Engineers at NEChave developed a prototype optical disc drive that supports the new HD-DVD format and is also compatible with CD and DVD formats, they said Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99884087
Pitt to Interview at Least Three Coaches (AP) AP - Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long plans to interview at least three candidates to replace football coach Walt Harris.

SciTech: 0.9962365
Nokia To Use Holograms To Thwart Battery Counterfeiters Hologram labels will help customers identify original Nokia batteries, thus ensuring the safe use of handsets, says Nokia. All new batteries will come with a holographic image and an authentication code hidden under it.

Business: 0.99327093
Fannie Mae Didn't Comply With Accounting Rules, S.E.C. Says Fannie Mae, the biggest source of money for U.S. home mortgages, broke accounting rules for financial contracts designed to protect against swings in interests rates.

Business: 0.9961534
Eurozone central bank gives clean bill of health to hedge funds The European Central Bank has given hedge funds a generally clean bill of health, saying the possible dangers to financial markets are quot;much less worrisome quot; than even a few years ago.

Sports: 0.9996307
Cavaliers Trip Trail Blazers 112-88 (AP) AP - LeBron James scored 12 of his 25 points in less than three minutes of the third quarter and Ira Newble added a season-high 18 as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their ninth straight at home, 112-88 over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Sports: 0.9997106
No. 3 Georgia Tech Rolls Over James Madison, 72-47 ATLANTA (Sports Network) - Isma #39;il Muhammad scored a team-high 14 points, Jarrett Jack added 13 and third-ranked Georgia Tech rolled over James Madison, 72-47, in a non-league tilt at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

Sports: 0.8589611
Baseball's Homeless Franchise Bud Selig, the Major League Baseball commissioner, didn't realize he was gambling when he awarded the Expos to Washington.

Sports: 0.99868065
Spain coach faces racism inquiry THE Spanish football federation yesterday opened a disciplinary file against national coach Luis Aragones - but anti-racism campaigners expect him to be let off with a warning.

World: 0.99939895
Sudan to Stop Fighting if Rebels Withdraw (AP) AP - Sudan is prepared to halt military operations in the Darfur region if rebels withdraw from some positions they captured earlier this year, government negotiators said Wednesday.

SciTech: 0.9966537
Scientist Uses Whey to Protect Food (AP) AP - Oxygen, water, seeping oils #151; they're all out to get your food, turning sweet nuts sour and tasty confections rancid. Food scientist John Krochta is fighting back with an unlikely weapon, edible food coatings derived from whey, the dairy byproduct favored by protein-conscious athletes and Miss Muffet.

Business: 0.9979412
Brokerage Settles Charges Over Mutual Fund Fees A Fort Worth brokerage that sold high-fee mutual funds to military families agreed yesterday to pay \$12 million to settle allegations that it used misleading marketing literature and scripts.

SciTech: 0.9980819
Elements of Web Hosting Elements of Web Hosting\\When you first start out trying to get a site on the Internet everything seems so confusing. Obtuse acronyms flow freely through the 'Beginner Friendly' information sites and definitions can be hard to come across. The main reason for this is that the Internet and the process...

Business: 0.99794394
Russian oil giant tries US court MOSCOW - Embattled Russian oil giant Yukos filed for bankruptcy protection in a US court in a last-ditch bid to avert auction of its core production unit.

Sports: 0.99965847
Quickies put Pakistan on top in Perth Pakistan pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami tore through Australia #39;s top order as the home side struggled to 72 for four at lunch on the opening day of the first test in Perth on Thursday.

World: 0.9993912
Suicide Bomber Kills 21 Iraqi Troops BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb hit a bus carrying Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 22 people in the deadliest attack of its kind in nearly four months on Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.

Business: 0.9951917
Sprint to Buy Nextel in \$36 Billion Deal NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sprint Corp. said Wednesday it would buy mobile telephone company Nextel Communications Inc. for about \$36 billion, creating a U.S. wireless carrier with nearly 40 million subscribers.

Sports: 0.9994611
Outlook gloomy for DC baseball WASHINGTON - The president of Major League Baseball called Washington DC #39;s legislation for a new stadium quot;wholly unacceptable quot; on Wednesday night and halted all business and promotional activities for the Washington Nationals until further notice.

Sports: 0.9995627
Wade drives Heat over Wizards The Washington Wizards are finished with the Miami Heat for the season. That #39;s the good news. Dwyane Wade had 29 points and nine assists Wednesday to lead the Heat to a 98-93 win for their

Business: 0.9962082
Time Warner settles with DOJ, SEC for \$510 mil Time Warner Inc. on Wednesday settled criminal securities fraud charges the government leveled on its America Online unit, agreeing to pay \$210 million to end the Justice Department #39;s probe.

Business: 0.9400929
UTC buys Kidde for 1.4bn UK fire equipment manufacturer Kidde agrees a 1.4bn takeover by US manufacturer United Technologies.

Business: 0.9985958
Mass. auto rates to stay fairly steady next year The state insurance commissioner yesterday held auto insurance premiums fairly steady for next year while approving measures that could sharply increase the rates paid by inexperienced teenage drivers.

Business: 0.992025
Bush vows to cut deficit President Bush pledged yesterday to work with Congress to reduce the government #39;s huge budget deficit as a key step in assuring the world that his administration supports a strong dollar.

Business: 0.91419274
Time Warner settles AOL investigations for \$510 million Time Warner will pay \$210 million to defer a Justice Department investigation into accounting irregularities at its Dulles-based America Online unit.

SciTech: 0.9897103
Intel to take over HP #39;s Itanium chip team SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Intel will take over a team of 300 Hewlett-Packard chip designers working on Intel #39;s Itanium server processors.

Sports: 0.9988991
Donato has Harvard on the move, in groove Three games into the 2004-05 season, the first-year coach with the Harvard degree and NHL pedigree was staring at a 0-2-1 record, an offense that was averaging a goal a game, and a locker room full of long faces.

SciTech: 0.95573694
Apple #39;s iPod in short supply Apple Computer Inc. #39;s iPod digital music players are in short supply at US retailers including Amazon.com Inc. and Best Buy Co.

Sports: 0.99970067
Living legends left their marks PASADENA, Calif. -- The first football meeting between Michigan and Texas in yesterday's Rose Bowl brought together two coaching legends -- Bo Schembechler and Darrell Royal.

World: 0.9988714
N. Korea Economic Sanctions 'One Option'--Japan TOKYO (Reuters) - Economic sanctions against North Korea are "one option," but care is needed in deciding whether to take that step, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said on Thursday, a day after Pyongyang warned Japan that imposing sanctions would be tantamount to war.

World: 0.99907124
Fresh bid to dismiss Jackson case Lawyers for Michael Jackson say the singer's child molestation case should be dropped.

World: 0.99929905
UK #39;s highest court rules against holding terror suspects without ... Britain #39;s highest court ruled Thursday that the government cannot detain terror suspects indefinitely without trial. Nine Law Lords ruled in favor of a group of men jailed without charge for

SciTech: 0.99449736
Clarke takes charge of Blunkett's Fear Agenda Analysis Horizontal drinkers rejoice

Business: 0.98267007
EU to Lift U.S. Sanctions Jan. 1 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is sticking with its plan to lift sanctions on \$4 billion worth of U.S. goods on Jan. 1 following Washington's repeal of export tax subsidies in October, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Business: 0.8779766
National Business Briefs ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Google Inc. won a major legal victory yesterday when a federal judge ruled that its advertising policy does not violate federal trademark laws.

Business: 0.9976145
Wall Street Looks Set for a Mixed Start (Reuters) Reuters - Wall Street looked set for a mixed start\on Thursday as oil prices remained near two-week highs and\investors braced for a clutch of economic data and earnings\from high-profile firms like Goldman Sachs and Nike\.

Business: 0.9981012
Shopping surges ahead of Christmas Retail sales have risen sharply in the run-up to the key Christmas season, adding to data which suggests the economy is gathering pace and interest rates may rise next year.

SciTech: 0.96513015
Yahoo! To Provide Traffic Updates As part of an effort to expand local content, Internet portal company Yahoo! Wednesday night began offering Web surfers information about current traffic conditions for the largest US metro areas.

World: 0.998511
Daily Mail hits back at Blunkett The Daily Mail today dismissed David Blunkett #39;s claim that the media played a role in his downfall, saying he only had himself to blame.

Business: 0.98057884
Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion NEW YORK (Reuters) - Security software maker Symantec Corp. has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for \$13.5 billion, expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the companies said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.90084225
Environment check from crab urine Crabs' urine and changes in snails' sex hormones are helping UK scientists to monitor the environment.

World: 0.9965467
Iceland Offers Shelter to Fugitive Chess Player Fugitive chess master Bobby Fischer has been offered a new home in Iceland, where he won a classic victory in 1972, but it is unclear whether he will be able to make the move from his detention in Japan.

SciTech: 0.9960129
No Safe Place for Satellites (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - SAN FRANCISCO -- A pocket of near-Earth space tucked between radiation belts gets flooded with charged particles during massive solar storms, shattering the illusion it was a safe place for satellites.

World: 0.99858606
Austrian warning on Turkey #39;s EU hopes MEISE, Belgium, Dec 16 (AFP) - The EU must be sure it has the quot;capacity to absorb quot; Turkey before it gives a green light to the vast Muslim country #39;s hopes of joining the bloc, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel warned Thursday.

World: 0.9962388
Relations with India not at Pakistans expense: China BEIJING: Chinas improving relations with India will not come at the expense of Pakistan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in his meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here on Wednesday.

Sports: 0.99909973
Efficient Germany Sweep Past Japan Two goals from Miroslav Klose helped Jrgen Klinsmann #39;s experimental Germany side breeze to a 3-0 win over Japan in Yokohama this afternoon.

World: 0.99865603
Britons still prefer fish n'chips (AFP) AFP - Traditional fish-and-chips along with cherished pub grub remain the dishes of choice for Britons outstripping Chinese or Indian take-aways.

World: 0.9992576
UK cannot hold suspects indefinitely (OfficialWire) -- 12/16/04 -- Britain #39;s highest court ruled Thursday against holding terror suspects without trial, saying the government cannot detain terror suspects indefinitely without trial.

SciTech: 0.89971143
Music lovers can download entire track on their Mobile Phone Here is good news for music lovers! Now you can download the entire track on your mobile phone. This is made possible as two giants US-based Melodeo and Warner Music Group has signed an agreement whereby consumers

Sports: 0.9997131
Langer leads the Australian charge Justin Langer #39;s coruscating unbeaten 181 shone through on an enthralling day of Test cricket when Australia demonstrated, once again, why they are by far the best side in the world.

Business: 0.9985825
Rite Aid Swings to Loss Rite Aid (RAD:NYSE - news - research) swung into the red for its third quarter and lowered expectations for fiscal 2005. The drugstore chain said Thursday it posted a loss of \$7.7 million, or 1 cent a share

SciTech: 0.9972356
NASA Leader Cites Finances and Submits His Resignation Sean O #39;Keefe resigned as NASA administrator on Monday, saying he is leaving the position he has held for three years to pursue better economic opportunity for his family.

World: 0.999403
More African troops go to Darfur Germany sends three planes to Sudan's troubled Darfur region to help deploy more African Union troops.

World: 0.99927324
FEC Elects Chairman, Vice Chairman (AP) AP - The Federal Election Commission on Thursday elected a new chairman and vice chairman, choosing as its leaders two members who pushed unsuccessfully for tougher limits on partisan political groups.

Sports: 0.9996419
Connors rallying cry for British tennis quot;Do you have it in your heart? How much guts do you have? How much do you hate to lose? quot;. These are the questions Jimmy Connors will be asking of Britain #39;s brightest tennis hopes in the months, and possibly years, to come.

SciTech: 0.99716526
SAP Launches Security Service SAP has launched SAP Security Optimization, a service that evaluates a customer #39;s SAP system to identify and eliminate potential vulnerabilities and minimize the risk of intrusions.

Sports: 0.9996842
Braves, Smoltz agree to new deal Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday that the team has come to terms with longtime pitcher John Smoltz to a new two-year contract with a club option for the 2007 season.

Sports: 0.9995442
UPDATE 1-BMW, Honda drop challenge to F1 rules Carmakers BMW and Honda have dropped plans to challenge Formula One #39;s governing body over engine rules for 2006 after deciding that legal action would be bad for motor racing.

Business: 0.98962116
Fannie Mae Pays the Price of Cutting Corners to Look Safe Two regulatory agencies have concluded that Fannie Mae cut corners when it came to its accounting, and that has severely damaged its image.

Sports: 0.9996588
Point-counterpoint: Nets stifle Knicks Jason Kidd had the pass of the night, an off-the-backboard, alley-oop feed that Vince Carter dunked, and the New Jersey Nets defeated the New York Knicks and their self-proclaimed "best point guard in the NBA," 93-87, last night at Madison Square Garden. Kidd didn't outplay point guard counterpart Stephon Marbury, who made that bold declaration the previous day at practice.

World: 0.9992549
Blast kills at least three in crowded market in southern ... MANILA, Philippines At least three people have been killed and several injured in a powerful explosion at a crowded public market in the southern Philippines.

SciTech: 0.99745625
Water and robots on Mars chosen as tops in 2004 Science It #39;s the discovery by two Mars rovers that the Red Planet once had water and possibly could have supported life. That recognition comes today from the journal Science.

SciTech: 0.9968741
New Grand Theft Auto Video Game Heads to Xbox (Reuters) Reuters - Video game hit "Grand Theft Auto:\San Andreas" is coming to the Xbox and personal computer\platforms next June, publisher Take-Two Interactive Software\Inc. said on Thursday.

SciTech: 0.9673122
Samsung looks to top 100m unit sales next year (FT.com) FT.com - Samsung Electronics, the world's second-largest mobile phone maker, expects its handset sales to rise 16 per cent next year to more than 100m units.

World: 0.99807537
Africa fights AIDS with girl power A bill is currently in Uganda's parliament that would strengthen women's rights.

Business: 0.99844605
Guidant merges with Johnson and Johnson Indianapolis, Dec. 16 - An announcement Thursday morning ends weeks of speculation and means that if Guidant shareholders sign off, Indiana will lose one of its few Fortune 500 companies.

SciTech: 0.99666935
HP drops Itanium development Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) is getting out of the chip-making business. The Palo Alto, California, company on Thursday announced that it reached an agreement with Intel Corp.

SciTech: 0.9915643
Ants Follow Forks in Their Roads to Find Home Forget GPS, forget road signs. Researchers in England say foraging Pharaoh's ants employ a simpler means to find their way home: geometry.

SciTech: 0.9628934
Mars mission hailed as top 2004 breakthrough The discovery that Mars could have supported life billions of years ago has been ranked by the editors of international journal Science as the most important scientific achievement of 2004.

Sports: 0.99879706
Hudson Traded to Braves (Reuters) Reuters - The Atlanta Braves have acquired\standout righthander Tim Hudson from the Oakland Athletics in\exchange for outfielder Charles Thomas, right-handed pitcher\Juan Cruz and left-handed pitcher Dan Meyer.

Business: 0.99826163
J amp;J acquiring device maker Johnson amp; Johnson, the pharmaceutical and health care giant, has announced an agreement to buy Guidant, one of the largest US makers of devices to treat heart and circulatory illnesses, for \$25.4 billion.

World: 0.99942076
Sharon Predicts 'Breakthrough' in Ties With Palestinians Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that his government would implement his proposal to dismantle all the Israeli settlements in Gaza and four small ones in the West Bank on schedule.

Business: 0.9903728
US rules on share options finalised The US on Thursday finalised a new accounting standard that will force companies to subtract the cost of share options from their earnings, a move bitterly opposed by Silicon

SciTech: 0.9612213
HP Leaves the Chip-Making Business Hewlett-Packard is getting out of the chip-making business. The Palo Alto, California, company on Thursday announced that it reached an agreement with Intel that would see HP #39;s Itanium processor design team move to Intel in January.

World: 0.9292958
Boys 'cured' with gene therapy Gene therapy can cure children born with a condition that knocks out their natural defences against infection, mounting evidence shows.

Sports: 0.99967396
Smith says Harmison is the weakest link The South Africa captain Graeme Smith has stirred things up before today #39;s first Test against England by claiming that Steve Harmison, the world #39;s leading bowler, is mentally vulnerable and can be disarmed for the rest of the five-Test series if the

Business: 0.99841976
Crude Oil Rises on Speculation Cold Weather May Increase Demand Crude oil futures are headed for their biggest weekly gain in 21 months on speculation cold weather may boost demand in the US Northeast, where 80 percent of the country #39;s heating oil is used.

Business: 0.9918434
Parmalat Sues 45 Banks to Recover \$4 Billion Parmalat, the bankrupt Italian dairy and food company, sued 45 banks on Thursday seeking to recover money it paid to them in the year before the company #39;s collapse.

World: 0.99780697
EU Sets Date for Turkey Talks, Demands Concession on Cyprus European Union leaders offered to start membership talks with Turkey next Oct. 3, as long as the Turkish government ends its diplomatic standoff with historic rival Cyprus.

World: 0.99921834
GOP to Sue Over 573 Found Wash. Ballots (AP) AP - Republicans prepared a lawsuit Thursday to try to prevent King County from including 573 newly discovered ballots in a hand recount that could erase their gubernatorial candidate's razor-thin margin of victory.

Business: 0.99860305
White House May Pick Bernanke The White House, seeking a strong economic team to craft and sell key features of its second-term agenda, is considering tapping Federal Reserve Board member Ben S. Bernanke to serve as chairman

World: 0.9994105
Israel withdraws from Gaza camp Israel withdraws from Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, after a four-day operation that left 11 dead.

SciTech: 0.99478334
Stocky Monkey in Himalayas Is a Shy Rarity: A New Species Scientists from India working in the Himalayas have discovered a new species of monkey, a stocky, short-tailed, brown-haired creature they have named the Macaca munzala, or Arunachal macaque.

SciTech: 0.9979888
Experts Optimistic About Shuttle Flight A group of experts convened by NASA said yesterday that the space shuttle would likely be ready to fly by the currently planned launch date in May or June, but it cautioned that efforts to

Business: 0.838922
Judge Orders Halt to YUKOS Unit Auction (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. bankruptcy court on Thursday\stepped into the battle between YUKOS and the Russian\government, issuing an order to block Sunday's auction of the\company's main oil-producing arm for 10 days.

World: 0.9993616
Colombia Says Irish Fugitives Have Fled Country BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Three Irish fugitives convicted of teaching leftist Colombian guerrillas how to make bombs have escaped the Andean country and are at large outside its borders, Colombia's attorney general said late on Thursday.

Sports: 0.99960977
Steelers #39; Burress won #39;t return against Giants Thursday, he took himself out of consideration during a conversation with Pittsburgh Steelers trainer John Norwig. quot;When I #39;m running full speed and make a little move, I still feel it a little bit, quot; Burress said of his hamstring.

SciTech: 0.9963988
Cassini photos leaves some mysteries Cassini #39;s latest sweep past Saturn #39;s moon Titan revealed more intriguing pictures of the surface but left many mysteries intact.

World: 0.99931645
Saddam meets lawyer, aides due in Court Saddam Hussein met with a defense lawyer Thursday for the first time since his capture a year ago, days before several of his top aides are due to appear in court for hearings on alleged war crimes.

SciTech: 0.9977191
Yahoo Unveils Animated Shorts, Sees New Ad Space (Reuters) Reuters - Yahoo Inc. said on\Thursday that JibJab Media will create two animated short films\as the Internet company looks for ways to expand advertising by\adding new content.

SciTech: 0.99814785
Holes Found in Cisco, Veritas, Samba Products (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Security sources announce four mostly unrelated enterprise vulnerabilities in Cisco Unity, Cisco Guard, Veritas' Backup Exec, and Samba, the Windows file-sharing utility for Linux.

SciTech: 0.94521445
Panasonic Races to Meet Plasma Demand Company is expanding production to deliver more flat-panel TVs.

Business: 0.9982905
For Guidant, J amp;J #39;s resources sealed the deal After lengthy talks and stiff negotiations over price, the decision by Guidant executives to sell the company for \$25.4 billion came down to the attractiveness of Johnson amp; Johnson #39;s deep resources.

Business: 0.99852765
Update 14: Future of Fannie Mae Executives Unclear Speculation swirled Thursday over the futures of Fannie Mae #39;s top executives after regulators #39; cited the mortgage giant for accounting violations going back to 2001.

Sports: 0.9996792
Parma keeps Italian hopes alive Parma rallied from an early deficit to beat Besiktas 3-2 yesterday and maintain Italy #39;s hopes of winning a UEFA Cup championship it used to dominate.

World: 0.99933726
Sharon decides Israel to attend London Mideast peace conference Report: Official announcement due next week during British PM Blair #39;s Israel visit. Conference to be confined to PA reforms, will not deal with borders, refugees, settlers and future of Jerusalem.

SciTech: 0.92928857
Governor #39;s proposal: New game, same strategy If Gov. Rod Blagojevich #39;s proposal to crack down on violent video game sales sounds familiar, look no further than the man he beat to become Illinois #39; chief executive.

Sports: 0.9989498
Pakistan collapses at the WACA Opener Justin Langer was last out after a glorious innings of 191 as Australia totaled 381 on the second morning of the first test against Pakistan in Perth on Friday.

World: 0.99941313
Five Killed in Al Qaeda Jailbreak in Kabul KABUL (Reuters) - Three Afghan prison guards and two prisoners were killed in a jail break attempt by al Qaeda inmates Friday and a shoot-out was going on between police and another two, the chief of Kabul's Pul-i-Charki prison told Reuters.

Business: 0.9806809
Nikkei Rises to Highest Close in 4 Weeks TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose to its highest close in four weeks on Friday as hopes grew for a seasonal year-end rally, spurring buying in a wide-range of issues.

Sports: 0.9984669
Mets Introduce New Prize Pitcher Pedro (AP) AP - Pedro Martinez formalized a #36;53 million, four-year contract with the New York Mets on Thursday and embraced the idea of helping rebuild a team that has fallen on hard times.

Sports: 0.9930392
Pedro, GM welcome challenge that awaits The Boston Red Sox could offer Pedro Martinez the still-dizzying celebration of a city that he helped to a historic World Series championship.

World: 0.9993655
Israel won #39;t attend London Mideast conference Israel will not attend a Middle East conference in London early next year but backs its stated aim of fostering Palestinian reform in pursuit of peace after Yasser Arafat #39;s death, a senior official says.

World: 0.99941134
UN shrugs off US demands to boost Iraq presence BAGHDAD (AFP) - The United States failed win a promise from the United Nations to increase its staff in Iraq ahead of elections as Washington stepped up its charges that Damascus was sheltering insurgent leaders.

Business: 0.99015874
Court Seen Lifting YUKOS Block -- Lawyers LONDON (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy court is likely to revoke its temporary ban on the sale of Russian oil group YUKOS's main production unit, lawyers said on Friday.

World: 0.9739188
Fidel Castro Back On His Feet The Cuban President this week, according to wire reports, stood unassisted for several minutes at a time while greeting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who paid a visit to the island earlier this week.

Business: 0.99861896
Consumer Prices Rise 0.2 in November Consumer prices rose by a mild 0.2 percent in November as costs for gasoline and food products calmed down after posting sharp increases the month before.

World: 0.9379857
EU Move on Cyprus Eases Way for Turkey Deal BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Turkey inched toward a historic agreement on starting membership talks on Friday as EU leaders softened their demands on the crucial sticking point of Cyprus.

World: 0.9988275
Indonesia Furious Over Australia #39;s New Maritime Surveillance Zone Australia #39;s plan to establish a maritime surveillance zone that would cover much of Indonesia has provoked a furious response from Jakarta, which says the policy contravenes both national sovereignty and international law.

SciTech: 0.9973648
IBM BladeCenter specification picks up speed IBM on Friday announced it has signed up 115 companies since early September to develop for its eServer BladeCenter open specification it co-authored with Intel.

Business: 0.99535865
Cancer drug blow for AstraZeneca DRUGS group AstraZeneca today suffered a massive setback after tests showed its blockbuster Iressa cancer treatment did not allow patients to live longer.

World: 0.999408
Rebels in Battered Congo Town Declare Victory (Reuters) Reuters - Rebel soldiers confronting\army loyalists near this deserted Congolese farming town\declared victory on Friday after clashes that stirred fears of\fresh violence in turbulent central Africa.

World: 0.99451137
India hospital injections fears India's health minister tells parliament that nearly 70 of injections at government hospitals are unsafe.

SciTech: 0.9978569
Yahoo Maps To Add Traffic Updates and Reports Yahoo Maps To Add Traffic Updates and Reports\\Yahoo is not only becoming the goto place for multimedia search and online entertainment, it's also now offering a new service for monitoring traffic conditions online. Yahoo's offering of traffic updates lets users plan their daily travel routes around slowdowns like constructon or...

Business: 0.99855465
Pfizer News Sends Blue Chips Down NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average fell on Friday after Pfizer Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PFE.N</A> shares opened nearly 19 percent down on trial data for its popular arthritis drug Celebrex that showed increased risk of heart attack.

Business: 0.9985353
Bad Day for Drug Companies - and Patients LONDON (Reuters) - Investors in pharmaceuticals were dealt a triple whammy on Friday as Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and Eli Lilly and Co all shocked the market with bad news about key products.

Business: 0.99772114
Goldcorp Says It Will Review Glamis Bid Gold miner Goldcorp Inc. on Friday said its board is willing to review and evaluate a takeover offer from Glamis Gold Ltd. that would break up its friendly merger agreement with Wheaton River Minerals Ltd.

Sports: 0.99933076
Robinho #39;s mother releaased by kidnappers The mother of Santos striker Robinho was released unharmed on Friday, 40 days after she was kidnapped at a family gathering. Marina da Silva de Souza, 44, appeared healthy but thinner than when she was abducted

Sports: 0.9991868
Coulthard secures Red Bull seat Coulthard, whose McLaren contract expires at the end of this year, tested with the Austrian-owned team in Spain recently, easily outpacing Red Bull hopefuls Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi.

World: 0.9993924
Bosnian Serb PM resigns after war crimes criticism (AFP) AFP - Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic resigned, a day after the international community imposed fresh sanctions against Serb police and officials for allegedly protecting war crimes fugitives.

Business: 0.998615
November Consumer Prices Rise Moderately US consumer prices rose modestly in November as a surge in energy costs a month earlier moderated, the Labor Department said on Friday.

Business: 0.9799826
United Pilots Cut Deal on Pensions United Airlines pilots would drop their opposition to the carrier's much-decried plan to eliminate traditional pensions under a tentative contract agreement approved by union leaders.

Business: 0.9986039
Circuit City Cautious on Outlook Circuit City Stores Inc. (CC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday posted a narrower quarterly loss from continuing operations but said its outlook was cautious for the

Business: 0.99839133
US Stocks Drop, Led By Drug Shares; Pfizer, Eli Lilly Tumble US stocks fell as setbacks for drugmakers, including a study showing Pfizer Inc. #39;s Celebrex painkiller increased the risk of heart attacks, sent health-care shares tumbling.

Business: 0.95639133
GM announces global economic development forums General Motors Corp. said Friday it would host a series of economic development forums around the globe in an effort to share the expertise it has acquired through various local projects.

Business: 0.9981146
CarMax Earnings Fall, Stock Up on Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - CarMax Inc. on Friday posted\lower quarterly profit, but the used-car retailer said its\sales have been steadily improving, sending its shares up as\much as 14 percent.

SciTech: 0.9957652
Exploring Andromeda (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Although winter officially begins on Dec. 21 at 7:40 a.m. EST, \ one of the landmarks of the autumn sky is still readily visible, high toward \ the south around 7 p.m. local time.

World: 0.9993618
Israel's Labour to Join Sharon Coalition-Israeli Media JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's opposition Labour party has clinched a deal with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud party to join his coalition, a move that could push forward his Gaza pullout plan, Israeli media reported on Friday.

Business: 0.90668726
Whitman: EBay To Buy Rent.com; Compliments Craigslist Stake Without reserve. EBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) on Friday said it is buying Rent.com. The latter, which is privately held, provides online listings of apartment and house rentals.

Sports: 0.999642
Broncos DT Elliss Out for the Season ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (Sports Network) - Veteran defensive tackle Luther Elliss of the Denver Broncos will miss the remainder of the season because of a herniated disk in his lower back.

Sports: 0.9886983
Indiana Hires Hoeppner Miami of Ohio's Terry Hoeppner is hired as Indiana's football coach and vows to take the Hoosiers to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1968.

Business: 0.9960543
Russia shrugs off US court freeze on oil giant Yukos auction MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia forged ahead with the weekend auction of the core asset of crippled oil giant Yukos despite a disputed US court order barring the sale, with state-controlled gas giant Gazprom entering the bidding.

SciTech: 0.9979633
NASA #39;s Departing Chief Defends Hubble Decision NASA #39;s departing chief, Sean O #39;Keefe, on Friday defended his decision to pursue a robotic repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, days after a panel of scientists said a shuttle mission would be better.

SciTech: 0.9480889
This week in merger news This week saw three merger deals worth about \$60 billion--including one that ranks as the largest software merger in history.

World: 0.99932075
Democrat Seeks to End Iowa, N.H. Power (AP) AP - If Simon Rosenberg decides to run for Democratic Party chairman, he won't be able to count on much support from Iowa and New Hampshire.

SciTech: 0.9960318
Apple Sues Over Web Leak of Advance Products (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. is\suing anonymous people who leaked details about new products by\posting information on the Internet, court documents showed on\Friday.

World: 0.99938476
AU Issues Deadline to Khartoum and Darfur Rebels ABUJA (Reuters) - The African Union issued a 24-hour deadline to the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels on Friday to end fighting after a massive military build-up in the region over the last two weeks.

Sports: 0.96205544
Skier Tests Positive Olympic silver medalist Hans Knauss tests positive for the steroid nandrolone after a World Cup race last month.

Sports: 0.9993223
Wenger vows no repeat of frailties against Bayern ARSNE WENGER was raised in Alsace, near the German border, with an affinity for the Bayern Munich football machines of the Seventies.

SciTech: 0.8971651
Microsoft buy comes with strings attached A software company that Microsoft acquired this week to help beef up computer security may come with a bug of its own--a company claiming ownership of the programs.

SciTech: 0.9708628
U.S. Army aims to halt paperwork with IBM system The U.S. Army has struck a deal with IBM and other companies to create an automated record-keeping system that ends the need for electronic forms to be printed out, signed and delivered up the military service's chain of command.

Sports: 0.99971324
Barcelona return for Mourinho Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, last night talked about how quot;emotional quot; it will be returning to Barcelona in the last 16, knockout stage of the Champions League.

Sports: 0.99952745
2005 American Bowl teams announced New York, NY (Sports Network) - Indianapolis will take on Atlanta in the 2005 American Bowl in Japan, the league announced Friday.

Sports: 0.9996176
Carter could prove real plus for Nets The Nets reported deal for Vince Carter very much surprises me given New Jersey #39;s cost-slashing moves in the offseason that saw the exits of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles.

World: 0.999413
Sudan govt unleashes offensive in South Darfur: SLA rebels CAIRO, Dec 17 (AFP) -- One of the two main rebel groups in Sudan #39;s war-torn Darfur region said that the government had launched an offensive on rebel-held towns in southern Darfur, denouncing it as a truce violation.

Business: 0.997843
Airbus chief wins fight to take controls at Eads The head of plane maker Airbus yesterday won a bitter battle to oust his boss from the helm of parent aerospace group Eads after winning the support of a key shareholder.

Sports: 0.99968374
England labour but find their second wind This was not an easy day on which to play cricket. The sun shone brilliantly enough but for all of the opening day of the series a buffeting westerly crosswind flapped the trouser legs of the players, put

Business: 0.9814679
EBay #39;s Buy Of Rent.com May Lack Strategic Sense Standard amp; Poor #39;s Equity Research said the purchase of Rent.com by eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) could be a bit of a miscalculation.

SciTech: 0.9932904
Analysis: PeopleSoft users speak out about Oracle takeover (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - The great debate over the impact of Oracle's hostile takeover of PeopleSoft has all the big industry analyst organizations weighing in. However, in most of the analysis one group's opinion seems to have been overlooked: that of PeopleSoft users.

Sports: 0.9985442
Right-hander must pass physical Right-hander Matt Clement and the Boston Red Sox agreed Friday to a three-year deal in the \$25 million range, according to a report on MLB.

Sports: 0.9996605
Pacers 89, Raptors 86 Jamaal Tinsley scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Indiana Pacers to an 89-86 victory over the Toronto Raptors, who traded All Star Vince Carter to New Jersey earlier Friday.

Sports: 0.9996735
NBA Game Summary - Denver at Miami Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Shaquille O #39;Neal had 20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks and Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 25 points, as the Miami Heat downed the Denver Nuggets, 107-100.

SciTech: 0.78841704
Hobbit-finding Boffins in science top 10 AP - Australian scientists who helped discover a species of tiny humans nicknamed Hobbits have been hailed for making the second most important scientific achievement of 2004.

SciTech: 0.85646456
Search providers seek video, find challenges Internet search providers are reacting to users #39; rising interest in finding video content on the Web, while acknowledging that there are steep challenges that need to be overcome.

Sports: 0.99836963
The Newest Hope ; Marriage of Necessity Just Might Work Out NEW YORK - The TV lights were on, the cameras rolled and the symphony of cameras flashing in his face blinded Pedro Martinez - but not for long.

Sports: 0.9996369
Saban hiring on hold DAVIE - The Dolphins want Nick Saban, and the LSU coach could be on his way. Although LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman said Friday that quot;an offer is very imminent, quot; the Dolphins are committed to adhering

World: 0.9993432
Bosnian-Serb prime minister resigns in protest against U.S. sanctions (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - The prime minister of the Serbian half of Bosnia resigned Friday, a day after the U.S. government and Bosnia's top international administrator sanctioned Bosnian Serbs for failing to arrest and hand over war crimes suspects to the UN tribunal.

World: 0.9703936
Historic Turkey-EU deal welcomed The European Union's decision to hold entry talks with Turkey receives a widespread welcome.

Sports: 0.99970335
Mortaza strikes to lead superb Bangladesh rally Paceman Mashrafe Mortaza claimed two prize scalps, including Sachin Tendulkar with the day #39;s first ball, to lead a Bangladesh fightback in the second and final test against India on Saturday.

World: 0.9993369
Powell pushes diplomacy for N. Korea WASHINGTON -- Outgoing Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said yesterday he doesn't regret being the public face for the Bush administration's international call to war in Iraq. He also believes diplomacy is making headway in containing nuclear threats in Iran and North Korea, he said in an interview.

World: 0.9310829
Around the world Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with the most harmful known dioxin, which is contained in Agent Orange, a scientist who analyzed his blood said Friday.

Sports: 0.99967563
Void is filled with Clement With the supply of attractive pitching options dwindling daily -- they lost Pedro Martinez to the Mets, missed on Tim Hudson, and are resigned to Randy Johnson becoming a Yankee -- the Red Sox struck again last night, coming to terms with free agent Matt Clement on a three-year deal that will pay the righthander in the neighborhood of \$25...

Sports: 0.99847263
Martinez leaves bitter Like Roger Clemens did almost exactly eight years earlier, Pedro Martinez has left the Red Sox apparently bitter about the way he was treated by management.

Business: 0.9798364
5 of arthritis patients in Singapore take Bextra or Celebrex ... SINGAPORE : Doctors in the United States have warned that painkillers Bextra and Celebrex may be linked to major cardiovascular problems and should not be prescribed.