Arab television reports release of two Italian hostages

The Arab television network Al-Jazeera announced that two Italian aid workers kidnapped earlier this month were released Tuesday in Iraq.


Contrary to messages from the music industry, not all file sharing rips off artists. Weed, a peer-to-peer file sharing program, provides a way for people to share music and pay artists. By Katie Dean.


Blair named Mideast envoy, Israel kills 12 in Gaza

World powers named Tony Blair as their Middle East peace envoy on Wednesday, handing the outgoing British prime minister a daunting new challenge on a day Israeli forces killed 12 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.


ABUJA, Nigeria Aug. 23, 2004 - A senior Sudanese official on Monday rejected an immediate wider role for African Union troops in the troubled Darfur region, saying security there was the responsibility of Sudanese forces.


Gang Green: Freshman guard leads Florida rout against dad

Sidney Green could only watch from the sideline as his team got picked apart -- by his own son. Freshman point guard Taurean Green sparked No.


NEW YORK -- Insurance giant American International Group Inc. said yesterday it has received subpoenas from New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and the Securities and Exchange Commission related to nontraditional insurance products and ''certain assumed reinsurance transactions."


Gen. Pace denies will urge troop cut in Iraq

The chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday denied a newspaper report that he will urge President George W. Bush to cut U.S. troop levels in Iraq next year.


For some time now, taking hormone replacement therapy has been almost synonymous with embracing the dark forces of evil. Scientific studies showing that HRT could be linked to increased risk


Mobile handset maker Nokia today announced the Nokia 9300, a new high-end smartphone. Dubbed by the company its âsmartest smartphone,â with voice and data capabilities, the Nokia 9300 is meant to be an all-in-one device for users.


Dick Jauron has no concerns that the Bills just got younger after announcing yesterday that rookie linebacker Paul Posluszny and second-year guard Brad Butler will start the regular season.


Iraq's Maliki lashes out at Hillary Clinton

Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki lashed out on Sunday at U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton who had called for him to be replaced.


Strategies: How Many Quarters in a Row Can Earnings Really Grow?

A new study has found compelling evidence that companies often tinker with their earnings to make themselves look more attractive.


Wind gusting to 50 mph knocked out power to thousands, damaged buildings and felled trees across the Northeast on Wednesday, killing at least one person.


A Christian video game has become the latest battleground in America's "culture" wars, with its maker claiming it promotes prayer while critics charge it carries a message of violent religious intolerance.


In 1996, the Marine Corps Combat Development Command determined that its expeditionary forces needed an agile and mobile weapon to fire over the enemy's front lines, a concept quickly dubbed Dragon Fire.


New service offers spam, virus filtering for small and mid-sized businesses.


Sallie Mae Battle Could Be Costly to Investors

J. C. Flowers & Company has told its investors just how much money they may lose in the private equity firmâs battle over the buyout of Sallie Mae.


In Congo's Capital, Informal Economy Is Often the Best Opportunity

KINSHASA, Congo -- On this day, the first sunny day in a while, Omer Waka decided to stake it all on bamboo wall calendars, a calculated gamble in a city of hustles.


Missing soldiers' IDs shown on insurgent Web site

A Sunni insurgent group on Monday posted video of the military identification cards of two missing American soldiers in Iraq.


Patriots Trust in Defense in a String of Close Calls

The early-season dominance that set the bar so high for the Patriots has eased and they have found themselves in more close calls in the last month.


GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca are co-operating with a probe into breaches of Iraq's oil-for-food programme.


Pakistani, Indian began secretary-level talks on Kashmir

Pakistani and Indian foreign secretaries here Monday kicked off a two-day closed-door talks on Kashmir and the peace and security in South Asia, which is part of the second


Never mind the tablets - heart disease could be cut by 76% and men could expect to live more than six years longer if they simply ate the right meal once a day, doctors said yesterday.


-- Bryan Randall threw for two touch downs and ran for a third as 15th-ranked Virginia Tech thumped Maryland, 55-6, to maintain its lead in the ACC.


Mac users seem quite excited about Microsoft's long-awaited-but-little-anticipated Vista. The new Intel Macs are great machines for running it. In Cult of Mac.


Shares in AstraZeneca fell 109p to Â£25.10 yesterday on news that its potential blockbuster drug offering stroke prevention, Exanta, might face delays in getting American approval.


Penguin Computing launches cluster in a box

Armed with a new form factor and its clustering management software, Penguin Computing on Wednesday launched an aggressively priced Linux-based blade server targeted at the lower end of the market -- a market recently entered into by Dell Computer.ADVERTISEMENTSolaris 10(TM) OS: Position your business ten moves ahead.Solaris 10 OS has arrived and provides even more reasons for the world's most demanding businesses to operate on this, the leading UNIX platform. Like the fact you can run Linux and Solaris applications side-by-side and run the same OS on SPARC(R), AMD Opteron(TM), and Intel processor-based systems. Discover more reasons and how Solaris 10 OS can move your business ahead today.


O`Neal to Heat up Kobe and Lakers at NBA Xmas party in LA

It will be a brilliant Christmas party: Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are to meet face-to-face as opponents as Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers are due to appear on the court at the Staples Center in the second of two Christmas NBA Contests.


Cuba Hospitalizes Dissident After Wife's Protest

Cuban authorities transferred a jailed dissident suffering from a herniated disc to a military hospital on Thursday after his wife staged an unprecedented protest in Havana's Revolution Square.


UN Security Council Approves Resolution on Darfur, Threatens ...

The UN Security Council has approved a resolution threatening oil sanctions against Sudan unless it halts atrocities in Darfur. The resolution also orders an investigation into charges that the terror in Darfur constitutes genocide.


British Airways reported Friday a 22.4-percent increase in net profit over the first nine months of its financial year to 623 million pounds (1.2 billion dollars, 830 million euros).


Bush Environment Record an Issue in Nev.

For environmentalists hoping to turn anger at President Bush into electoral votes for John Kerry, the biggest and perhaps only field of dreams is a nuclear waste dump site in Nevada.


Ukrainian protesters in opposition tent camp say they can taste victory

KYIV, Ukraine  - Valeriy Demyanenko sipped his morning coffee Sunday inside the sprawling opposition tent camp in the heart the Ukrainians capital, grimaced at the bitter taste - and smiled.


Utile trimestrale in crescita (+5,4%), ma meno del previsto


Google improves Maps with street views, miniapps

(InfoWorld) - Google has improved Google Maps with immersive views of streets from a handful of U.S. cities as well as with miniapplications that can be embedded on a map. The Street View feature places users at the road level, giving them the perspective of drivers and pedestrians and thus offering a deeper and more detailed experience of the location than aerial images provide. So far, Microsoft has been at the forefront of immersive online maps imagery, introducing so-called bird's-eye views in late 2005 that allowed users to tilt aerial images and view them from an angle. In November of last year, Microsoft unveiled 3D views of 15 U.S. cities, a feature that lets users zoom in and out of these urban areas and get a three-dimensional view of buildings, terrain, and the like. On Tuesday,Â Microsoft increased the number of cities availableÂ in 3D in its Live Search mapping site. Google debuted Street View on Tuesday with major roads in San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and Denver and promises to add more cities "in the near future." Meanwhile, Google also announced it is now possible to build lightweight applications so that users can mash them up with Google Maps. Called Mapplets, these gadget applications will be available in the Maps site for users to choose from and apply to their maps. Currently in preview mode, Mapplets can be found in a special version of Google Maps for users who want to try them out. Mapplets take the concept of Google Maps mashups one step further, Google said. Previously, developers could build an application on top of Maps and make it available on a specific Web site. Now, those mashups can be packaged as a Mapplet so that several can be combined on a single Maps Web site. Developers can find more information about creating these mapplets in this documentation page. To allow for the creation of Mapplets, Google merged two of its existing application programming interfaces: the Gadgets API and the Maps API.


Washington upends No. 14 Minnesota in overtime

Cameo Hicks scored 14 points to help Washington upset No. 14 Minnesota 72-67 in overtime Monday night. In the final game of the WBCA Classic, the Huskies' pressure defense forced the Gophers into 28 turnovers that led to 20 points.


Chechen warlord behind school hostage-taking, says FSB

Chechnya's notorious warlord ShamilBasayev is behind the school hostage-taking in southern Russia that has led to the deaths of over 100 people, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said.


Annan to press Jordan and Syria on truce

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan holds   talks with Jordan on Thursday in a drive to cement a   Hizbollah-Israel ceasefire before traveling to Damascus to   press Syria to help stop arms smuggling across its border.


McMann only US women's wrestling finalist

Sara McMann came through even as the rest of her supposedly strong team was stumbling, leaving her as the Americans' only chance for an Olympic women's wrestling gold medal.


Financial firms confident about pandemic plans — but telecommuting may be wishful thinking

A report about a pandemic planning exercise in the financial services industry says operations should be able to continue. But it also cites some challenges, including telecommuting limitations.


The footwear retailer looks to expand its business following a strong Q1.


The US economy performed better than initially thought in the second quarter of 2006, revised data shows.


Egypt nuclear engineer convicted of spying for Israel

A nuclear engineer at Egypt's state-run  Atomic Energy Agency was convicted by an Egyptian court of  spying for Israel on Monday and sentenced to life in prison.


Genova, 17:40 - CALCIO, SAMPDORIA: SI FERMA PAROLA, KO FALCONE

Problemi per Novellino a due giorni dalla sfida con il Siena. Oggi si è fermato Parola (dolor...


Al-Qaeda's Pakistani computer expert dreamed of jihad: friends

The Pakistani computer specialist whose arrest led to the unearthing of one of the biggest troves of information on Al-Qaeda was a quiet youth who yearned to participate in jihad, or "holy war," according to friends and former teachers.


The death toll from Thursday's ferry fire in Indonesia rises to 41 as rescuers find 21 bodies, officials say.


Federal briefing note says Ottawa, not Winnipeg, best place for health agency

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's new public health agency should have been headquartered in Ottawa to avoid the problems the United States experienced when it located its own agency away from Washington, D.C., says a Health Canada briefing note.


High-tech magic and true feeling make 'Express' a holiday classic

The Polar Express: Childrenâs fantasy. Starring Tom Hanks and Nona Gaye. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. (Rated G. 93 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.


Top diplomats from India and Pakistan will hold another round of talks this week to discuss Kashmir and other disputes between the nuclear-armed rivals, officials said Sunday.


Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell is giving evidence at the inquest into her death.


Gordon Brown ducks out of table tennis showdown with the Chinese prime minister


Judge Rejects Detention Challenge of Bin Laden's Driver

A federal judge dismissed yesterday a challenge from Osama bin Laden's driver over his more than four years of detention at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, saying a new anti-terrorism law approved by Congress this fall removes the lower court's jurisdiction in the matter.


"Crocoseum" farewell for Croc Hunter Irwin

Thousands of Australians will be able to  farewell "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin at a public memorial to  be held at the "Crocoseum" in his beloved Australia Zoo, the TV  naturalist's wife said on Wednesday.


Come on over for a little Bot Roast Federal law enforcement agents targeting botnets recently recorded a grim milestone, identifying the millionth potential zombie victim, the FBI said Wednesday.â¦


BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The No. 1 rule of doctors and Ryder Cup captains is "Do no harm." It's way too early to tell if Hal Sutton is guilty of golf malpractice but he's flirting with it.


Uganda's security forces routinely torture suspects, the Human Rights Commission says in its annual report.


La Crosse More Diverse Than Ever, but Many Agree Race Relations Have a Long Way to Go

By Joe Orso, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.  Feb. 4--On one side of the stage is a cross, on the other an American flag. In front of the cross, a white woman and a black man stand together, singing about Mount Zion.


Tokyo: Japan on Thursday ended a year of disasters on a happy note with the royal family announcing that the emperor's only daughter Princess Sayako will marry, a piece of good news delayed twice by tragedy.


Drinking Tea Might Prevent Alzheimerâs Disease

If you're a tea toddler, there's good news, new research suggests green or black tea could help improve your memory and possibly protect against Alzheimerâs disease.


Shah Rukh is most wanted Indian on the net!

Shah Rukh Khan has been conferred an award for being the most searched Indian on the internet in 2004.


U.S. Curtailing Bids to Expand Medicaid Rolls

The Bush administration is restricting the ability of states to expand Medicaid in an effort to prevent them from offering coverage to families of modest incomes.


RFID World attendees were interested in flexing the uses of RFID beyond tagging pallets in the stock room, including using RFID with cell phones to read blood sugar levels or to pay for fuel.


Yahoo's pop hook: Download music without limits

The latest album from pop singer Jesse McCartney could make David Goldberg a star. Goldberg is general manager of online music sales for Internet giant Yahoo Inc. , and his Yahoo Music Service is selling McCartney's ``Right Where You Want Me" without restrictive antipiracy software. If Yahoo can sell more copies of the album than the dominant iTunes Store, run ...


Former Socialist French prime minister Lionel Jospin said on Thursday he would not be a candidate in the 2007 presidential election.Comment


HIV in Women : liberal attitudes toward having sex

The number of HIV-positive women has increased rapidly worldwide over the past two years, according to a new United Nations (UN) study, but Pakistan is among countries where prevalence is low.


JAKARTA, Indonesia Police announced the arrests yesterday of four suspects in the Sept. 9 suicide bombing at the Australian Embassy.


Since April, baseball fans attending San Francisco Giants home games at SBC Park have enjoyed wireless internet access if they bring a portable computer with them.


Last Chance for N.Ireland Peace Deal, Says Blair

Britain's Tony Blair said on Friday talks next week designed to restore a deal that shares power in Northern Ireland between the divided Protestant and Catholic communities were a final chance to salvage the accord.


Your family tree holds a key to your health

Amricans are kindly asked to trace their family medical history, as one of the best way to ensure oneâs longevity. US health officials are asking Americans this Thanksgiving to try to find out what their


A survey shows that more workers are relying on technology to do their job while on the move.


In a Sheep Population, Researchers Find a Fitness Gene

The Soay sheep of St. Kilda, a group of small Scottish islands, have been living free and unfettered for millennia. While these primitive sheep are still unmanaged, detailed records have been kept on them for the past 20 years. That makes St. Kilda a kind of natural evolutionary experiment, an island-scale Petri dish where sheep, not fruit flies, are the subjects.


Chicago bullies Wizards 100-95 despite brawl

Kirk Hinrich scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 100-95 victory over the Washington Wizards in an exhibition game delayed by a fight Monday night.


Following are a group of figures of the 12th Athens Paralympic Games which opened here on Friday: The 11-day Paralympics was covered by more than 3,000 media representatives


Inquiries at Investor-Owned Nursing Homes

Congress said it would investigate business practices at nursing homes owned by private investment groups, after staffing at many of the homes was shown to be cut severely.


Wall St. Expected to Open Slightly Lower

Wall Street was expected to open  slightly lower on Friday but United Technologies Corp. may  climb after its chief executive gave an upbeat outlook.


Warm winter to help Americans with heating bills

Forecasts for a warm winter may spell relief for households and businesses in the U.S. Northeast dealing with record high heating oil prices.


Apple introduced a range of new machines on Tuesday, as it gears up for the annual christmas shopping season. As part of the launch, it cut the price of its entry-level iBook G4 notebook computer and boosted chip speed across the line.


Letta va da Casini, il Cavaliere teme l'ipotesi del governo istitutuzionaleS'incrina anche l'asse col Colle: Prodi ha ascoltato con sospetto i richiami a favore delle riforme                                          Il premier: un invito a tradire "Fausto mi ha pugnalato alle spalle"                                                                                di CLAUDIO TITO


A Dutch priest confesses to making a hoax bomb threat to try to stop a Madonna concert in Amsterdam.


Bush more optimistic about Iraq than assessments by intelligence ...

While a new intelligence estimate offers a gloomy assessment of Iraq's future, President Bush talks instead about brighter days ahead under


A British tourist killed by a gunman in Jordan is identified as a 30-year-old man from Greater Manchester.


Plan to Rescue Bond Insurers Is Outlined

The New York State insurance superintendent, Eric R. Dinallo, has been working with banks on rescue plans for several bond insurers, which guarantee $2.4 trillion of debt.


Three killed as Myanmar troops battle protests

Seething crowds of Buddhist monks and civilians filled the streets of Myanmar's main city on Wednesday, defying warning shots, tear gas and baton charges meant to quell the biggest anti-junta protests in 20 years.


In Today's Rat Race, the Most Overworked Win

For years, economists have taught their students a simple maxim: As employers hunt for workers, they want to get the best talent at the lowest price.


Iran Agrees to Suspend Uranium Enrichment

Iran has agreed to a full suspension of uranium enrichment in an effort to avoid referral to the UN Security Council. Diplomats are waiting for a formal letter to arrive from Tehran.


One person is believed to have been killed and another injured in a suspected armed robbery at a bank.


Favre and Strahan Will Soon Face Life Without Football

Brett Favre and Michael Strahan, both headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, have struggled during recent off-seasons trying to clearly color in their years after football.


A car bomb targeting police exploded yesterday in eastern Baghdad, killing at least 10 people, police said. FALLUJAH, Iraq - US-led troops occupied most of Fallujah and aimed to take full


Webify is central to IBM's SOA Center Plans

(InfoWorld) - As any developer can tell you, creating interoperability between SOA components and existing IT environments isnât trivial. It requires a lot of effort and coding. But IBM says it has the antidote for the IT headache: composite business services in the form of wrappers around existing IT applications. Big Blueâs strategy to create reusable SOA services is largely built around technologies and tools that the company received from its August acquisition of Webify Solutions, a vendor of SOA software and services. Webify provides hundreds of industry-specific, prebuilt standards-based accelerators, tools, and frameworks. Its offerings help solve business problems that are specific to a given industry, such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance for the health care industry and ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) standards in the insurance industry. Within IBM, Webifyâs technology provides the basis for WebSphere Business Services Fabric (IBMâs SOA platform for modeling, assembly, and deployment of business services), says Brett MacIntyre, vice president for composite services development at IBM.                                                     âWebify (software) has given us the fabric, the view across the industry of common services used within the industry, and the tools and the methods with which to build these composite business services,â MacIntyre says. Webify also brought relationships with customers in the health care and insurance industries, and a portfolio of about 12 composite business services in the insurance and health care industries, MacIntyre says. Composite business services built by IBM will interoperate through the standard framework from Webify, with ontologies and data models associated with an industry added on top of the WebSphere Business Services Fabric to create a particular component, MacIntyre says. âFor example, a core data model that the insurance companies in the U.S. work with is part of the overall business fabric,â he says. Webify tools, processes and methodologies will also play a key role at SOA Solutions Centers in Beijing and Pune, India, says Jeby Cherian, the head of IBMâs Global Business Solutions Center, one of three organizations IBM set up to create reusable software assets.


Both business and labor lobbyists plan to keep up fight over Bush administration's eligibility rules for overtime pay, despite doubt that legislation can pass this year.


Kenny Rogers matched a career high with his 17th win and Eric Young hit his first homer in more than a year, a three-run tiebreaker, leading the Texas Rangers over Oakland 5-3 Wednesday night to move three games back of the Athletics.


Reazioni e commenti alle dichiarazioni del governatore di BankitaliaPer il ministro Ferrero la causa Ã¨ la precarietÃ  mentre per Brunetta la colpa Ã¨ delle relazioni sindacali                                          I sindacati rispondono a Draghi "Salari bassi la vera emergenza"


Austrian police bust international child abuse ring

2,360 suspects Austrian investigators have uncovered a child porn network involving an estimated 2,360 suspects in 77 countries.â¦


Sunday morning, a voice that could easily be considered a gift from God will resonate through the sanctuary of a local church.


One in 10 British citizens may now live overseas, according to a study of people coming in and out of the UK.


Fabio Capello will be appointed as the next England manager later on Thursday, BBC Sport understands.


Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile

Pakistan conducted another test of a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Wednesday as part of its efforts to boost defenses, an official statement said.


Another Tactic Used In Search For Miners

HUNTINGTON, Utah, Aug. 26 -- Despite three weeks of drilling and digging that have revealed no signs of six men trapped inside a collapsed coal mine, officials said Sunday that the search is continuing.


Goldman close to completing N. Rock financing: paper

Goldman Sachs is close to completing a 15 billion pound ($29.5 billion) financing package to be used by suitors for UK lender Northern Rock , the Sunday Times reported, adding details may be unveiled this week.


Foreigners Killed in Attack in Iraq's Mosul

Gunmen attacked a car in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on Friday, killing three foreigners and their Iraqi driver before cutting off the head of one of the victims in a daylight attack.


Coaches Will Have Extra Time on Their Hands

Halftime of Sundayâs Super Bowl XLII will last 28 minutes. It will feature a 12-minute concert by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and probably some pyrotechnics and commercials to fill the gaps.


Since when does the White House care about puppets? Ever since the guys from "South Park" started pulling the strings. Trey Parker and Matt Stone's movie "Team America: World Police" features


FBI aims for world's largest biometrics database

The FBI is embarking on a $1 billion  project to build the world's largest computer database of  biometrics to give the U.S. government more ways to identify  people at home and abroad, the Washington Post reported on  Friday.


Earlier '08 primary nets few gains for California - so far

A Feb. 5 vote brings candidates to the state, as intended. But fundraising still trumps issues.


The flaw exploited by the most recent versions of the worm such as Santy.C or Santy.E is more general than the original, and can occur anywhere a site designer has left the door open for the inclusion of arbitrary files into PHP scripts, reports IDG News


Unless you're HP The worldâs insatiable appetite for storing compliance data, viral emails and jpegs of Britney helped the external storage market boost revenues another 7 per cent in the third quarter.â¦


Unbeaten Cavaliers a big test for 'Noles

TALLAHASSEE - Since Florida State joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1992, rarely have the Seminoles lined up without a decided advantage in talent over their conference opponent â-t least until Miami showed up this year.


Turk Who Tried to Kill Pope Sends Wishes

The Turkish man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 released a cryptic statement Thursday wishing the hospitalized pontiff a speedy recovery and urging him to tell the world that its end was near.


Madrid, 12:25 - CALCIO, SARAGOZZA: RISCATTATI D'ALESSANDRO E DIOGO

Il Saragozza, prossimo avversario del Real Madrid nella Liga spagnola, ora al quinto posto e gi&agra...


Lebanon's Jumblatt downplays army action at camp

A senior member of Lebanon's governing coalition said on Sunday military action was not on the table for ending a standoff between the Lebanese army and militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp.


More than 100 people have died in a remote part of Congo, including all those who attended the funerals of two village chiefs, in what health officials fear is an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever.


An Army lieutenant who refused to deploy to Iraq because he considers the war illegal abandoned his soldiers and disgraced himself and the service, prosecutors said Tuesday at his court-martial.


Tabulati e filmati al setaccio Ricerche nelle campagne di Mazara

TRAPANI, 11 SETTEMBRE 2004 - Nessuna traccia finora di Denise, la bimba di quattro anni scomparsa il primo settembre scorso. Le ricerche si allargano anche nelle campagne attorno a Mazara del Vallo: polizia


Bangladesh Shuts for Another Strike Over Attack

Offices, schools, shops and businesses across Bangladesh shut down Saturday for the second strike in less than a week called by the main opposition party to protest against a grenade attack that nearly killed its leader.


The United States is favored to win the Ryder Cup

Once again, it appears the United States is the favorite -- at least on paper -- to win the 35th Ryder Cup matches, which unfold this weekend at Oakland Hills in suburban Detroit.


Giants Forged Their Identity With Clutch Victories

The Giantsâ comeback victory against the Washington Redskins in Week 3 was just the first of several games, most of them away from home, that sprung up as tests to the teamâs resolve.


Mesic Seen Retaining Presidency as Croats Vote

Croatians voted in a presidential  election on Sunday, and liberal incumbent Stjepan Mesic was  expected to win a second term and help take the former Yugoslav  republic into the European Union in 2009.


Belgian bank Fortis warns that its losses connected to the sub-prime sector could be as much as 1bn euros.


Su richiesta pm Torino, molesto' anche figlia prime nozze


Madrid, 14:13 - CALCIO, SPAGNA; AMICHEVOLE CON ARGENTINA L'11 OTTOBRE

La Federcalcio spagnola (RFEF) ha organizzato per l'11 ottobre una amichevole tra le furie rosse e l...


Newest iPod From Apple Holds Photos and Music

Apple Computer introduced on Tuesday its next generation iPod music player, which has the ability to display digital images as well as play songs.


Italy 'Will Not Give in to Demands of Women's Kidnappers'

Italy will not bow to the kidnappers of two Italian aid workers in Iraq who are demanding that it withdraw its forces from Iraq, an Italian envoy said today.


A service is held in Budapest to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the ghetto in Budapest.


For two decades, the PBS documentary series "P.O.V." has been resolute about living up to its title — presenting films with a fiercely strong point of view. In turn, it receives its share of viewer feedback.


Scott Sterling wins South Australian Open

American Scott Sterling won the South Australian Open at Kooyonga on Sunday by a shot from local player David Lutterus.


Views you can use to get clues on tomorrow's news.


A terror suspect accused of a bomb plot tells a jury he is stopping giving evidence over fears for this family.


Zimbabwe begin their reply to England's 188-9 in their World Twenty20 match in Cape Town.


The drugstore chain gradually increases sales, and catches up to the big boys in one way.


Tornadoes in South kill at least 54 people

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  - Tornadoes and thunderstorms flattened the land and shattered lives across the U.S. South on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 54 people and injuring more than 150 in the deadliest such storms in nine years.


Nearly seven out of 10 Britons want to see smoking banned in restaurants, pubs and offices, according to a poll published on Tuesday.


Utah State University has secured a $40 million contract with NASA to build an orbiting telescope that will examine galaxies and try to find new stars.


The father of a newly-wed bride found shot at her home in Nottinghamshire is charged with her murder.


Austrians Sweep Podium in Val Gardena Super G

Val Gardena, Italy (Friday, December 17, 2004) - Michael Walchhofer led Austrians to fill the podium in today's World Cup Super G in the Italian ski resort of Val Gardena.


The defendants include former and current employees at major Wall Street firms such as Morgan Stanley and Oppenheimer.


Warner Music Group Corp. said on  Tuesday it decided against bidding for rival EMI Group Plc, two  days before a deadline to submit an offer.


Barclays ripped off by impostor chairman

A scheming conman walked off with a bagful of cash from Barclays, by posing as its chairman, the bank admitted Thursday.


Palermo, 17:17 - CALCIO, PALERMO; MICCOLI: CON IL SIENA NON SARA' FACILE

Dopo aver messo in fila due sconfitte e un pareggio nelle ultime tre partite, il Palermo cerca il ri...


When Algeria's Islamic militants dubbed themselves Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa this year, it was more than just a name change: Fresh recruits also have been deployed in suicide bombings, a new tactic in the 15-year insurgency.


Each of the 32 victims gunned down in the Virginia Tech massacre will be honored with a $100,000 endowment fund and their families will decide how the money will be used, the university said Wednesday.


Braves Beat Astros 4-2 to Even National League Playoff Series

Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros 4-2 to even their first-round National League playoff series at one game apiece.


Mount St. Helens belched more steam Monday following several days of tremors and low-level earthquakes that have raised fears that the mountain might blow at any moment.


American actor Christopher Reeve, star of the Superman films, has died aged 52.


NATO pressed its allies at a summit Tuesday to deploy more troops to Afghanistan's volatile south, but Germany resisted any permanently expanded presence and Canada complained of bearing the brunt of an increasingly bloody mission.


McLaren to appeal as Raikkonen takes title

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was confirmed as Formula One champion, pending an appeal, on Sunday after Brazilian Grand Prix stewards cleared BMW Sauber and Williams of alleged fuel irregularities.


La Nuova Sardegna il nuovo sito è online

Il quotidiano online si rinnova e dà spazio ai cittadini per leggere e commentare cronaca, sport, spettacolo e attualità, con foto e video


Gunmen assassinated Baghdad's deputy governor on Monday, and voter registration for vital January elections began as fresh American soldiers arrived in the capital - reinforcements


In Study of Human Patterns, Scientists Look to Bird Brains

Bird sleep is so mysterious that scientists are considering several answers, all intriguing.


The eastern Pacific gray whale may not have recovered to its pre-hunting population as has ben believed.


John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels clinch their third AL West title in four years, with Lackey pitching them to an easy win over Seattle.


Arts, Briefly : A Yippie Role for Sacha Baron Cohen?

Having bade farewell to his creation Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen, is turning to Vietnam War politics to portray Abbie Hoffman, a co-founder of the quintessential 1960s protest group the Yippies, in a Steven Spielberg film âThe Trial of the Chicago Seven.â


Steven Gerrard scores to hand Liverpool a Carling Cup semi-final first leg-lead over Watford.


Attaccate posizioni della forza di sicurezza di Abu Mazen


NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 3: Former US President Bill Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital on Friday for heart bypass surgery, a statement from his office said.


NFL: Roethlisberger Leads Steelers to 12th Straight Win

Super rookie Ben Roethlisberger threw for a touchdown and Jeff Reed kicked four field goals to help the Pittsburgh Steelers slip past the New York Giants 33-30 and collect a team record 12th consecutive win.


L'intervista sconfessata: "Di Palazzo Chigi ne ho abbastanza, so giÃ chi mi sostituirÃ  ma non lo dico. E non andrÃ² mai al Quirinale"                                            Berlusconi a Libero: "Me ne vado" Ma poi il Cavaliere smentisce Feltri                                                                                "Mai detto certe cose, non vengo meno ai miei impegni con gli elettori"Ma il quotidiano conferma: "Una cena dalla SantanchÃ©, hanno sentito in tanti"


U.S. manufacturers benefit greatly from a cheaper dollar, one major reason why the Bush administration has taken a relaxed attitude toward the slide in the U.S. currency.


Barcellona, 17:04 - CALCIO, BARCELLONA; RONALDINHO: SOGNAVO GOL COSI'

''Da quando ero bambino sognavo un gol cosÃ¬''. Ronaldinho racconta con queste parole lo stupendo gol...


Colombian hostage mission awaits rebel go-ahead

VILLAVICENCIO, Colombia  - A Venezuelan helicopter mission to rescue three hostages held for years by Colombian rebels in jungle camps was delayed again on Saturday because guerrilla leaders have not given the final go-ahead.


Doha, 15:44 - CALCIO, BLATTER: IN ASIA IL MONDIALE 2018

Potrebbe essere un paese dell'Asia ad ospitare la rassegna iridata nel 2018. Lo ha detto il presiden...


Defunct spy satellite falling from orbit

A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and propulsion and could hit the Earth in late February or March, government officials said Saturday.


New Worm Attacks MSN Messenger As Service Falters

Another candidate in the growing list of exploits on instant messaging clients and servers arrived in the wild. Called W32.Funner, the worm on Monday circulated to attack on the Windows Messenger platform.


Israeli Minister Retracts Threat to Quit

Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday took back his threat to withdraw from the governing Likud Party, but a minority religious party quit Prime


Two rockets ripped through Baghdad Sheraton hotel, which houses foreign contractors and journalists late Thursday. Outside Baghdad, roadside bomb exploded killing two American soldiers.


Palestinian presidential candidate Mustapha Barghouti say has been beaten up by Israeli soldiers.


Charges Likely Against Ex-Riggs Executive

The U.S. attorney for the District halted efforts to seize money and land owned by former Riggs Bank vice president Simon P. Kareri, an indication the government is preparing criminal charges against him.


Campaigns are spending more on ads in Iowa in hopes of swaying undecided voters.


No matter how much prosperity they enjoyed, no matter how many championships they won, did anyone really think that Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant could co-exist forever?


Jes Overmaat, a mother of five,  thought she had bought a sweet old-fashioned Teddy bear for a  present, when it suddenly started talking.


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.


British Soldier's Postcard 92 Years Late

LONDON - A British soldier's postcard to his sweetheart has finally arrived - 92 years after he sent it from the trenches of World War I.  Pvt.


Technology Shakeout after 3GSM as Intel, Nokia Abandon HSDPA Plans

With the 3GSM World Congress winding down, and with global broadband technology leaders Vodafone, Sierra Wireless, and Novatel Wireless all having demonstrated HSDPA and complementary HSUPA (for uplinks) cards and adapters apparently to very receptive audiences, Nokia decided this morning that its investment in a technology alliance with Intel to develop HSDPA chips for future Centrino Duo notebook computers may not pay off after all.


Bolton boss Sam Allardyce wants the FA to greater use of video technology.


Egypt to Host Military Funeral for Arafat

Egypt, where Yasser Arafat began his  political life and where biographers say he was born, will host  a military funeral for the Palestinian president on Friday  before he is buried in the West Bank, officials said.


OfficeMax Inc.  Chief Executive Christopher Milliken resigned on Monday after less than four months on the job, the second top official to leave the office products retailer amid a billing scandal.


Summary Box: Delphi Corp. prepares for tough start to 2005

THE SITUATION: Squeezed by rising materials and health care costs and lower vehicle production, No. 1 auto supplier Delphi Corp. plans to cut 8,500 jobs worldwide next year after eliminating more than 9,000 in 2004.


BASF hopes for green light from EU on GM potato this year

German chemicals giant BASF is hoping to receive the green light from the European regulatory authorities for a genetically modified potato this year, a top executive said in a newspaper interview published Monday.


Romney, McCain, Huckabee Shift to Economy in Michigan

Bloomberg - Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Michigan's hard-hit economy occupies center stage as two favorite sons, Mitt Romney and John McCain, square off in a potentially decisive contest for the Republican presidential nomination, with an outsider, Mike Huckabee, gaining ground.


The second powerful earthquake in as many days shook western Indonesia Thursday, collapsing buildings in a coastal city and triggering tsunami alerts around the region. The latest quake was also felt in Malaysia and in Singapore where tall buildings swayed. It triggered at least one strong aftershock.


Thailand to keep generic drugs scheme: minister

Thailand's new health minister said Friday he would keep the country's controversial generic drugs programme but stopped short of saying whether the new government would expand the scheme.


XM says resolves lawsuit with Universal Music

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc said on Monday it has settled a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Universal Music Group and hopes to reach deals with the other music companies.


OPEC Debates Need for Oil Supply Cutbacks

OPEC oil producers on Thursday weighed up  whether heavy recent price falls were severe enough to warrant  cutting back excess supply at Friday's ministerial meeting.


UK driver details lost somewhere in America

Transport secretary says data drive unparked Personal details of three million British driving test candidates are currently enjoying an extended fly drive holiday in the US, the transport secretary Ruth Kelly was forced to admit this evening.â¦


Decisione dopo incontro con presidente Regione, Vendola


Napoli, 14:45 - BASKET DONNE, PHARD NAPOLI PRENDE ADIA BARNES

La Phard Napoli (serie A femminile) ha ingaggiato la guardia/ala californiana Adia Barnes, 30 anni, ...


HOUSTON -- Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed suit against two distributors of the scarce flu vaccine for allegedly charging exorbitant prices to hospitals in Houston, Dallas and Sherman, in violation of state law.


American Airlines Defers Aircraft Delivery

American Airlines reported Monday that it will defer the delivery of 54 aircraft in order to postpone capital spending and allow the airline more flexibility in its restructuring.


Support for new Australian PM grows: survey

The popularity of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has grown since the Labor leader's election late last year, according to a new poll published Tuesday.


Hormel Foods Corp  posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday, helped by lower pork costs and strong sales of Spam processed meats, while maintaining its fiscal-year outlook amid soaring grain costs.


WASHINGTON -- Hours before it once again became legal to sell military-style assault weapons, Democratic Sen. John Kerry sharply criticized President Bush on Monday for supporting an extension of the 10-year gun ban while doing little to make it happen.


Falluja Battle Erupts, Unrest Spreads Elsewhere

A battle erupted near a mosque in  northwest Falluja Friday just hours after U.S. Marines said  insurgents were now trapped in the south of the city.


Greek Duo Doping Probe Staggers Toward Farce

A doping probe which has dogged the host  country's Olympic Games staggered toward farce on Monday when a  hearing involving Greece's two top sprinters was postponed  again.


I, Robot: When Creativity Meets the Machines

NEW YORK The sci-fi thriller Minority Report has aged well. At five years old, its depiction of a world saturated with super-targeted ads has proved prescient as real-world digital technology has begun to deliver on its promise. One thing not addressed in the Hollywood flick: Who would create all these customized ads?


Cortina d'Ampezzo, 11:56 - Sci, Cdm donne; SuperG: incidente alla tedesca Riesch

Incidente in gara oggi durante il Superg femminile di Cortina per la tedesca Maria Riesch, che dopo ...


A 21-year-old man freed from custody for a murder he committed at age 11 has apologized to the victim's family, with help from Oprah Winfrey.


New York, 11:38 - FOOTBALL, NFL: FERITO DA AGENTE, NIENTE INGAGGIO PER FOLEY

Steve Foley non riceverà l'ingaggio annuale da parte dei San Diego Chargers. La franchigia ca...


'Space Weather' Forecasting Gets a Cosmic Boost

Weather forecasting just isn't what it used to be. With thousands of satellites orbiting Earth, with astronauts living in the international space station and perhaps venturing later to the moon and Mars, and with nations utterly dependent on space-based assets for their communications, navigation and spying, those responsible for the safety of all these moving parts need to know about a whole new world of weather conditions. ...


Hurricane Frances is expected to be  less costly for insurers than feared, though high winds and  flooding generated billions of dollars in damage in Florida and  brought the state to a virtual standstill during a three-day  holiday weekend.


Denmark Charges 5 Soldiers with Iraqi Prisoner Abuse

A Danish intelligence officer and four military police sergeants will stand trial for abuse of Iraqi prisoners at a Danish camp in southern Iraq, the Danish army said on Friday.


The Scottish Executive vows to protect Scotland's salmon farming industry from foreign imports.


ESPN to Launch Mobile Phone Service in Sprint Deal

Walt Disney Co.'s DIS.N ESPN  sports television network is launching its own brand of mobile  telephone service in a deal with Sprint Corp. FON.N catering  to sports fans with news and game highlights on a  next-generation network, the companies said on Wednesday.


SAN ANTONIO -- A genetic profiling test already on the market accurately predicts which breast cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy and which won't, giving women a powerful tool to help decide whether to undergo the ordeal, scientists report.


Serbia's government proclaimed Thursday that any unilateral act by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership to declare independence would be invalid and illegal.


White named Scotland rugby captain      (AFP/File)

AFP/File - Jason White was named Scotland captain for the forthcoming Six Nations Championship by coach Frank Hadden on Tuesday.


Associated Press Television News footage showed large flatbed trucks carrying armored British vehicles up a road through Iraq's southern desert.


The Minnesota Timberwolves put forward Mark Madsen on the injured list with a broken left thumb Monday and signed John Thomas to a 10-day contract.


China is drafting laws governing outer space, state media on Monday quoted the country's first astronaut as saying at a time when Beijing's space drive is drawing growing international concern.


Hakia launching new spin on social searching

Find other people searching for the same weird crap you are.


SOUTHFIELD, Michigan  - Mitt Romney scored a breakthrough win over rival John McCain in Michigan on Tuesday, reviving his struggling campaign and scrambling a chaotic Republican presidential race with no clear front-runner.


Vecchia cripta angusta, va fatta 'una valutazione serena'


The Terrorist Statesman Took Peace Nowhere

Yasser Arafat's last days on earth, a subject of intense interest throughout much of the world, have evoked mixed emotions in the country that was his life's obsession: Israel.


Dignitaries, survivors remember the Shoah

The last time Trudy Spira was in Auschwitz, she was 12 years old. The day of liberation is my second birthday - I was reborn on that day, said Spira, who came from Venezuela with her son Ernesto, 48, to show ...


Prince Charles Hits Back at 'Out of Touch' Jibe

Prince Charles will hit back on Monday at government accusations that he is old-fashioned and out of touch in his views on ordinary people's aspirations.


By Laura Elston, Deputy Court Correspondent, PA News in Istanbul. The British Consulate General in Istanbul reopened today almost a year after it was devastated by a deadly suicide bomb attack.


Mohammad Ashraful felt no joy despite scoring a Bangladesh record of 158 not out in the second test against India on Sunday after his team collapsed to be on the verge of another big defeat.


Historic effort by relay team as they stun USA

Great Britain pulled off a huge surprise as they took the men's 4x100 metres relay for only the second time in Olympic history and first since 1912.


NEW YORK  - Ovarian cancer is much more curable if detected early, but the disease doesn't usually produce symptoms until it is advanced and current blood tests are not very sensitive in picking it up.


A National Kidney Foundation panel will assess whether hundreds of thousands of patients with kidney disease are being dangerously overtreated with anemia drugs.


'Resident Evil' Comes Alive at Box Office

LOS ANGELES - The undead came alive once more over the weekend as "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" debuted at No. 1 at the box office, bringing in $23.7 million...


Task Force to Study Role of Women at Harvard

Harvard University has launched a drive  to recruit more female faculty and promote the careers of women  already at the school after its president sparked controversy  with negative remarks about women in the sciences.


Western retailers such as H&M have been contacting suppliers in  areas affected by the tsunami to gauge its effects on supply chains.


Pakistan win toss and bat against West Indies

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat in their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against West Indies at the Rose Bowl here.


Threat to imperial measures to be lifted after European commission climbdown.


Out-of-hours GP services are suffering because of a lack of funding from regional health bosses, doctors say.


BEIJING -- In the fall, U.S. authorities announced a massive raid against underground suppliers of steroids, human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs. Investigators had cast their net wide, arresting 124 people in 27 states.


Ciara, Eminem set to lead U.S. pop album charts

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - R&B singer Ciara's second release is expected to top the U.S. pop album charts when sales data are issued Wednesday.


The UK needs to plan well ahead for the 2012 Olympics to ensure a lasting legacy, two leading think-tanks warn.


COLUMBUS -- Troy Smith predicted earlier this season something severe would happen and he'd finally get his shot to quarterback the Ohio State Buckeyes.


Mexico City -- The cop, surrounded by an enraged mob, shouted into his cell phone: "Look, we need help! ... We're in Tlahuac, and the people are beating us up.


Almost half of nurses feel their sex lives are being damaged by the emotional stress of their job, a poll suggests.


(New York- WABC, October 31, 2004 ) - Controversial singer R. Kelly spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News about his pepper spray ordeal during Friday night's 'Best Of Both Worlds' tour.


Does Social Security cheat black Americans? Yes, President Bush insisted last week. But some Social Security experts say the answer is clearly "no."


Reuters FX matching system suffers outage

The currency matching system of news and  information provider Reuters Group Plc suffered a temporary  outage on Monday, forcing some traders to switch to alternative  venues or trade over the phone.


Mascate, 18:20 - CALCIO, QUALIFICAZIONI MONDIALI 2010: BAHRAIN-OMAN 1-0

Il Bahrain ha battuto l'Oman per 1-0 in un match valido per le qualificazioni ai Mondiali del 2010 i...


including Sean âP. Diddyâ Combs, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mary J. Blige â-ill come to Detroit to urge more young voters to hit the polls on Election Day, Nov. 2.


Steve McClaren's England coaching debut was a success, with Peter Crouch scoring twice in a 4-0 win over European champion Greece on Wednesday.


Secondo alcune fonti le vittime sono 25. Altre dicono 12. Tra loro donne e bambiniL'attacco aereo nella notte tra giovedÃ¬ e venerdÃ¬ nel distretto di Girishk                                            Afghanistan, strage di civili in raid americano contro i talebani


Samsung exec pleads guilty in DRAM price fixing case

(InfoWorld) - An executive at Samsung Electronics, the world's largest manufacturer of DRAM (dynamic RAM), has agreed to plead guilty and serve jail time for participating in a global price-fixing conspiracy, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday. The DOJ said Thomas Quinn participated in a price-fixing conspiracy in his position as vice president of marketing for memory products at Samsung Semiconductor Inc., Samsung's U.S. subsidiary. The DOJ charged Quinn with violating the U.S. Sherman Act, which lays out antimonopoly regulations. The DOJ alleged that he helped engineer an agreement to fix DRAM prices and to coordinate bids in a Dec. 5, 2001 Sun Microsystems Inc. auction. Under the plea agreement, which must be approved by the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Quinn has agreed to serve an eight-month prison sentence and pay a US$250,000 fine. In addition, Quinn has agreed to assist the DOJ in its ongoing investigation, which it is pursuing in conjunction with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). "We are still very actively investigating antitrust violations in the DRAM industry," the DOJ's Antitrust Division director of criminal enforcement, Scott Hammond, said in a statement. DRAM is the most commonly used semiconductor memory product. The alleged price fixing harmed computer makers, by making manufacturers such as Apple Computer Inc., Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. pay more for DRAM than they otherwise would have, the DOJ said. The costs were then passed on to consumers, it pointed out. In March,Â three other Samsung executives agreed to a similar plea deal. Sun Woo Lee, Samsung's senior manager of DRAM sales, agreed to a sentence of eight months in U.S. prison. Yeongho Kang, associate director of DRAM Marketing for Samsung's U.S. subsidiary, and Young Woo Lee, sales director for Samsung's German subsidiary, both agreed to serve seven months. The three also agreed to each pay a $250,000 fine. With Thursday's plea agreement, four companies and 13 individuals have been charged and fines totaling more than $731 million have resulted from the DOJ's investigation. Among other related plea deals and charges, Samsung was ordered in November 2005 to pay a $300 million fine. Hynix was ordered in May 2005 to pay $185 million. Elpida Memory agreed in January to pay $84 million. And Infineon agreed in October 2004 to pay $160 million. In addition to the DOJ case, similar investigations and charges are being pursued on the state level. Samsung faces charges in a price-fixing lawsuit filed in Manhattan by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, working with other states. And in July,Â 34 states filed a joint antitrust lawsuit against seven DRAM makersÂ over price fixing. That lawsuit did not include Samsung, but did include Micron Technology Inc.; Infineon Technologies AG; Hynix Semiconductor Inc.; Elpida Memory Inc.; NEC Electronics America Inc.; Mosel Vitelic Inc. and Nanya Technology Corp.


Macerich Co. MAC.N on Thursday said  it will pay $1.45 billion to expand its East Coast portfolio  with the acquisition of the owner of such well-known shopping  malls as Tysons Corner Center in the Washington area.


US investor raises stakes in shift of News Corp power

The Murdoch family's long-term control of its media empire is less certain this week after News Corporation's largest investor moved to almost double his voting stake.


Chinese divers recover flight recorders from air crash

BEIJING - Chinese divers have recovered two flight recorders from a Canadian-built commuter jet that crashed on Sunday, killing 54 people.


HOW 'BUDDIES' ANDREA & BILL ENTERED THEIR TAILSPIN ZONE

When Andrea Mackris was dumped by her fiancÃ© in early 2002, her boss, cable-TV host Bill O'Reilly, took her out to dinner. No longer supported by her lawyer partner


Pakistan-India peace talks planned despite bombings

Pakistan's foreign minister will arrive in India on Tuesday for peace talks, in a sign the bombing of an India-Pakistan train that killed at least 66 people had failed to aggravate ties between the nuclear rivals.


Success breeds Olympic confidence for U.S. women

STUTTGART, Germany  - American gymnasts dominated the women's events at the world championships this week to give China a clear message that they have plenty of work to do if they want to win Olympic golds on home soil next year.


Finally, it was Europe's turn to take a giant leap into an unexplored world. After decades of running third in space headlines behind the U.S. and Soviet-Russian programs, the 15-country ESA last week captured center stage with the successful landing of the Huygens probe on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, after a seven-year voyage.


Al Dvorin, 81, was killed in a car crash on the way home from an Elvis convention in California, according to the BBC. He was in a car driven by longtime Elvis photographer Ed Bonja.


A hug today commemorated the first meeting of a female commander of the space shuttle and the International Space Station.


Stocks appeared set for opening gains Thursday, with the Dow Jones industrial average starting the day less than 34 points from its record closing high


Often dismissed as a quirky pipe dream, it took a thrill-seeking mogul to energize one of mankind's oldest desires. By James Lee from Wired magazine.


Unexpected Loss of Jobs Raises Risk of Recession

A Labor Department report showed that the economy lost 4,000 jobs in August, the first drop in 4 years, suggesting that turmoil in the financial markets could be spreading.


The 15th Asian Games was officially opened by Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani at the Khalifa Stadium here following a spectacular three-hour ceremony.


A former Northern Colorado punter accused of stabbing the starter testified Tuesday that he felt bullied while being interrogated by detectives and that he implied he wanted a lawyer, only to be ignored.


Protests off as Kenya death toll nears 500

The official death toll from Kenya's post-election violence rose to nearly 500 on Monday as the opposition called off nationwide protests to give mediation a chance.


The Thailand Openâs top three seeds all moved into the quarter-finals yesterday, but none of them did so with any degree of comfort at the Impact Arena.


Government minister Peter Hain describes the phone-in activities at ITV as 'almost daylight robbery'.


Filmmaker Marc Forster to direct next James Bond

Filmmaker Marc Forster, the man behind such acclaimed movies as racial drama "Monster's Ball" and Peter Pan story "Finding Neverland," was named on Tuesday as director of the next James Bond adventure.


A Holy Grail for Developers Old Churches Cleared for New Hotels and Flats

By Simon Neville  IT is a site that has always entertained an audience of some sort, although the performers these days are very different from those in the late 1800s.


A car bomb exploded outside a restaurant in a busy commercial area of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 11 people and wounding 40, police and hospital officials said.


Tel Aviv, 09:30 - CALCIO, ISRAELE: INCENDIO DOLOSO IN UFFICI IFA A TEL AVIV

Un incendio, di natura quasi sicuramente dolosa, è divampato negli uffici della federcalcio i...


Padilla Gets 17-Year Term for Role in Conspiracy

Jose Padillaâs detention became the centerpiece of a debate over the Bush administrationâs prosecution of terrorism.


Roma, 16:23 - F1, MONTEZEMOLO: RAIKKONEN HA FATTO 5 GIRI DA SCHUMACHER

''Raikkonen ha fatto vedere cinque giri eccezionali, degni del miglior Michael Schumacher. Ho visto ...


IBM Report Indicates Hundreds of Billions Up for Grabs in Media and Entertainment Industry

IBM (NYSE: IBM) Global Business Services unveiled its new report, "Navigating the Media Divide: Innovating and Enabling New Business Models," which offers a list of actions that companies can take to navigate the conflict threatening traditional content owners and media distributors.


WASHINGTON - Congress has passed and President Bush will sign a historic piece of legislation that will revamp the nation's intelligence system.


India Hunts for Rail Officers After Crash Kills 38

Indian police were looking for two  railway stationmasters blamed for a head-on collision between  two passenger trains which killed at least 38 people and  injured dozens, officials said on Wednesday.


Nobel Laureate Says Protecting Environment Contributes to Peace

Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai has been formally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Ms. Maathai urged her audience at Oslo's City Hall to recognize that protecting


Theatre Community Turns Out to Salute Special Tony Honorees

Playbill - The cream of the New York theatre community convened at Tavern on the Green Oct. 26 to honor a group of professionals they have known long and well. The occasion was the presentation of the  2004 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre.


John Bogle offers insight into his investment portfolio.


Movie Review | 'Sicko': Open Wide and Say âShameâ

Michael Moore has never before made a film that stated his bedrock ideological principles as clearly and accessibly as âSicko.â


Supporters of Pakistan ex-PM Nawaz Sharif vow to pursue his campaign against military rule despite his expulsion.


Mibtel termina contrattazioni in flessione, -0,08%


Republicans Make Gains in Voting Disputes

Republicans have won a string of legal victories over recent days in cases involving important election disputes in battleground states such as Ohio, Florida and Michigan.


Soon, you wonât be able to tell the network newscasts without a scorecard or recognize the anchors unless theyâre wearing name tags.


SEOUL, South Korea Oct. 3, 2004 - The UN nuclear chief, acknowledging that South Korea's nuclear experiments appear to have been small, said Sunday that his agency nonetheless needs to ensure they are not repeated.


Scottish driver David Coulthard signs for Red Bull for 2005 season

Scottish driver David Coulthard signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Racing for the 2005 Formula One season, the Austria Press Agency reported on Friday.


Xilinx Named a 'Loyalty Leader' in Walker Loyalty Report for Semiconductor Industry

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 14  /PRNewswire/ -- Xilinx, Inc. , the world's leading provider of programmable chips, has been named a "loyalty leader" in Walker Information's first-ever customer loyalty benchmark study for the semiconductor industry.


Toyota City, 13:52 - CALCIO, MONDIALE CLUB: INTERNACIONAL IN FINALE

Primo verdetto al campionato mondiale per club in corso di svolgimento in Giappone: l'Internacional ...


Orange gets first shout at Samsung GPS business phone

i780 makes its first carrier appearance Samsung only launched its new i780 Qwerty handset a week ago at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but the phone's already appeared on Orange's website.â¦


Calif. sues carmakers over global warming

California on Wednesday sued six   of the world's largest automakers, including General Motors   Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., over global warming, charging   that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions   of dollars in damages.


African countries will pay 49% more for imported cereals this year, causing  "major global concern", the UN says.


The Race to Read Genomes on a Shoestring, Relatively Speaking

If the cost of sequencing a human genome can drop to $1,000 or below, experts say it would start to become feasible to tell what diseases people might be at risk for.


New voters are flooding local election offices with paperwork, registering in significantly higher numbers than four years ago as attention to the presidential election runs high and an array of activist groups recruit would-be voters who could prove critical come Nov. 2...


The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash., John McGrath Column: Grover Advice: Keep Standing

By John McGrath, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.  Feb. 16--Mike Hargrove keeps a steadfast rule with the press: Give him a specific question. Don't ask him to "talk about" a generic topic, say, the bullpen.


Eirik Hoem's Blog: Why Delphi for PHP should have used Prado instead of VCL

Eirik Hoem has posted some of his thoughts on why the CodeGear software package Delphi for PHP should have gone with the Prado framework instead of their current choice, VCL4PHP.   This kind of tool is something that ASP.net has had for a long time (ie Visual Studio.net). Not only does it make the development process easier when it comes to building applications, but it also handles setup of applications, default configs etc. [...] My impression is that most PHP developers (at least above hobby level) works on Linux based workstations, so I imagine getting a strong user base could prove to be difficult.   That said, he has his reasons for why Prado should have been the framework of choice including the exception handling gap between the two (Prado on top), validation controls, how they use global variables and the rendering of HTML/XHTML by each.


Gunmen attacked an oil rig Wednesday in Nigeria's restive southern oil heartland and seized five expatriate workers, officials said.


Putin's bound for India, to talk trade, defence

NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to fly to New Delhi on Friday, as the two Cold War-era allies look at expanding trade and cooperation in defence, energy and space.


Russia's top oil exporter, YUKOS, slid closer to collapse after a mystery buyer bought its main production unit in a forced auction and its crude oil shipments started to slow.


Israel strikes car in Gaza, casualties reported

An Israeli missile struck a car in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, causing at least two injuries, the Israel army and Palestinian medical officials said.


Teenager survives rabies without vaccine

CHICAGO: A teenage girl has become the first known rabies victim to survive the disease without the benefit of a rabies vaccination, doctors said.


France awards Legion of Honour to Spielberg

Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg picked up another feather for his cap Sunday: France's Legion of Honour medal. French President Jacques Chirac bestowed the prestigious award on Spielberg


The G24 group of developing nations demands a bigger say at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.


Italian recluse taken from apartment after 26 years

When Italian health officials came to  remove a woman from the apartment she has not left in more than  two decades they had to don respirators against the stench,  newspapers reported Sunday.


Sprint to lay off several thousand workers: report

Wireless carrier Sprint Nextel Corp  plans to lay off several thousand employees to prove to investors it is serious about keeping down costs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.


Strong Earthquake Jolts West Japan,Tsunami Warning

A strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the open-ended Richter scale shook western Japan on Sunday and officials issued tsunami warnings, broadcaster NHK reported.


Electronic Voting 1.0, and No Time to Upgrade

The more you know about the operations of today's widely trusted commercial computer networks, the more concerned you become about most electronic-voting systems.


First suspect in court over Britain car bomb plot

An Iraqi-trained doctor appeared in a London court on Saturday in connection with failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.


Is Microsoft using 'Halo 2' to thwart Xbox hackers?

Hundreds of Xbox owners with modified consoles say they've been banned from the Xbox Live service in the past few days.


A coalition of small leftist political groups has sued President Bush and other U.S. government officials for the abuses against prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.


The United States has reassured the European Union that it will continue to apply safeguards on the use of air passenger data until the two sides conclude a new agreement, an EU spokesman said on Wednesday.


The European Computer Telecoms Group (Ect) Is Deemed One Of The 50...

The European Computer Telecoms Group (ECT), Europe's leading supplier of intelligent value-added services, is one of the most rapidly expanding technology companies in Germany.


Wesley Snipes Cleared of Serious Tax Charges

The actor was convicted on three lesser charges and must pay up to $17 million of back taxes, penalties and interest.


Hamas storms major Fatah compound in Gaza

Hamas fighters on Thursday raised the green flags of the Islamist movement over one of the last Gaza City bastions of forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, witnesses said.


How complacency is stunting the industry Industry Comment The power of television is undeniable. When gorillas were first introduced to Longleat Zoo's Gorilla Island and had to be quarantined and initially segregated from each other, the wardens came up with the rather smart idea of building TVs in their enclosures to keep them occupied. The gorillas loved it so much that when they came to take it away, they protested and sulked so violently that they were forced to put them back in. Now their living quarters come with Sky Digital satellite dishes fixed to the roof. According to the zoo officials, they are particularly fond of Spongebob Squarepants and other children's programmes.â¦


EU Approves GMO Seed for Planting Across Bloc

The European Union approved on Wednesday the first biotech seeds for planting and sale across EU territory, flying in the face of widespread consumer resistance to genetically modified (GMO) crops and foods.


Yesterday morning, it went Mark to Mark. The Celtics' Mark Blount and his agent, Mark Bartlestein , chatted and the topic wasn't places to dine in Atlanta or the line in the AFC Championship game.


After a week of swimming, gymnastics, synchronized diving, and beach volleyball, the Olympic menu will offer a steady diet of its bread-and-butter sport beginning this morning.


Monaco, 14:25 - CICLISMO, ZABEL: HO PERSO I MONDIALI, MA CONTINUO A CORRERE

Peredere un mondiale per pochi centimetri potrebbe abbattere il morale di qualsiasi ciclista, soprat...


Nevermind the civil war debate -- the real question is why didn't the U.S. make a war declaration in the first place? That could bring an end to something that never should have been started


Two men are arrested in connection with the murder of special constable Nisha Patel-Nasri outside her home.


There is no unified voice speaking for Muslims, most experts on Islam claim, often regretfully.


Koizumi to Bush: Strong Dollar Important

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told President Bush at a bilateral meeting in Chile on Saturday that a strong U.S. dollar is important for the global economy.


At least 66 killed in India-Pakistan train blast

DEEWANA, India  - Two bombs exploded aboard a train bound from India to Pakistan, sparking a fire that killed at least 66 passengers on Monday, an apparent attempt to derail a peace process between the nuclear-armed rivals.


A Soyuz spacecraft with a replacement crew for the International Space Station docked with the orbiting complex early on Saturday, becoming its fresh lifeboat.


A passenger bus careened off a mountain road in Peru and plunged into a jungle river, killing 49 people and injuring 15 others, police said Monday.


Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards criticized rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday for leaving South Carolina in the run-up to the state's primary, saying residents should question whether the New York senator would return if she became president.


Dawn Blasts and Gunfire Rock Heart of Baghdad

More than a dozen explosions shook central Baghdad at dawn on Sunday and heavy gunfire erupted in a street at the heart of the city, leaving a US armored vehicle on fire, witnesses said.


Players force return to old leather ball

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is bringing back its old leather ball after complaints from players about the new model, the NBA said on Monday.


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Su posizione di Banca d'Italia su regole mercato interno


Floods Kill 55 in China, No Let-Up in Sight

Floods and landslides have killed 55 people in southwest China in the past four days, washing away homes and roads, knocking down power lines and leaving at least one city cut off, state media said on Monday.


Bone-Boosting Drug Helps Very Elderly Women

NEW YORK  - A drug used to restore the  strength of brittle bones by reducing the process of bone  resorption has been shown to benefit women 80 years of age or  older.


The idea that comets brought the chemical "seeds" for life to the early Earth is given a big boost by new research.


Real men like romantic movies too: study

NEW YORK, Jan 31 (Reuters Life!) - Men might protest when they're dragged along to the latest "chick flick" but really they enjoy romantic movies almost as much as women, according to a new U.S. study.


DaimlerChrysler to slash 13,000 jobs at US Chrysler unit

German-US auto giant DaimlerChrysler said it would axe 13,000 jobs at US unit Chrysler as part of a restructuring aimed at restoring its profitability by 2008.


Rain raises prospect of Wimbledon third week

Heavy rain, topped by thunder and lightning, returned to plague Wimbledon on Tuesday as the 2007 championships were declared the wettest for 25 years.


Like many discriminating shoppers, Sharon Burzan and her husband Vern want to find the best price for their prescription drugs - even if it means ordering them from Winnipeg, Canada.


UK Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives in Israel on a visit aimed at gauging the mood after the recent conflict.


Off-the-shelf software and NPfIT fuel growth New Kable research shows that national initiatives will underpin a steady growth in ICT spending by healthcare organisations around the UK.â¦


The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates at 5.25%, but another rise remains a possibility.


Inside Apple Stores, a Certain Aura Enchants the Faithful

Appleâs stock skyrocketed 135 percent in 2007, and its sleek retail gadget emporiums are a large part of that success.


Activists attack China ruling on Hong Kong democracy

China said Saturday it may allow Hong Kong's leader to be directly elected by 2017 but activists seeking quicker democratic reform in the former British colony criticised the decision.


NEW YORK - Coca-Cola cut its long-term growth targets Thursday in a bid to create more realistic goals, but the company also expressed a firm belief that it can find ways to recharge its global business.


Canada Not Trying to Kill Web Drugstores, PM Says

Prime Minister Paul Martin denied on Friday that Canada was trying to drive Internet pharmacies out of business, despite Ottawa's recent complaints over drug sales to the United States.


Milano, 16:31 - CALCIO, PRIMAVERA: CAMPIONATO IN MEMORIA FACCHETTI

La Lega Calcio ha ufficializzato la decisione di cambiare nome al campionato italiano di calcio Prim...


'Concept might breach impartiality guidelines' The BBC has decided to can a planned Planet Relief TV special on climate change following senior executives concerns that it "might breach impartiality guidelines".â¦


UK Gen David Richards is to hand over the control of the Nato force in Afghanistan to US Gen Dan McNeil.


Mars Drill Will Seek Knowledge and Resources

Johnson Space Center -- It will be drilling for information first, then for resources, though oil is not likely to be among exploration targets.     The futuristic drilling rig, under development at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, is designed for use on the moon or on Mars...


Martinez's Series Win Has Boston Buzzing

He has been loved and revered, maligned and smeared.


Money managers are betting on what has often been a riskier segment of the market: growth stocks.


Considering a career change? Take this simple test to find your true talent and matching colleges. Start your future today.


Digital gear: Biometrics ease password security

Fingerprints may soon replace passwords to log on to computers and Web sites, thanks to gadgets like Microsoft's Fingerprint Reader and Lexar Media's JumpDrive TouchGuard Pro. For those with cash on hand, Rollei's throwback MiniDigi digital camera could be a collector's delight, but Sony Electronics' Cyber-shot L1 is a better investment for performance and features. And CD labeling just became easy with Primera Technology's Signature Z1 CD/DVD.


Police have a suspect in the bold, daylight robbery of two Edvard Munch masterpieces, but declined Thursday to say how close they are to finding the priceless missing paintings.


Japan is expected to report fewer babies  born in 2007, a government report said on Tuesday, kicking off  the new year with a bleak reminder of the long-term risks the  economy faces as its population ages at an unprecedented pace.


Entrepreneur Unveils New Tourist Spacecraft

The creator of the first privately financed craft to carry a human into space showed models of a new, bigger version.


Commissario Figc, adesso non si puo' cedere ai teppisti


Ucciso imprenditore in Friuli, ritrovata l'arma

CODROIPO (UDINE) - Lâarma con la quale ieri sera Ã¨ stato ucciso lâimprenditore edile di Codroipo (Udine), Giovanni Mariotti, di 69 anni, e ferita la moglie Luisa Vallan, di 62 anni, Ã¨ stata trovata questa mattina nellâabitazione della figlia


The Problem With CNet: No One Wants to Buy It

A hedge fund group is pressuring CNet for changes. Usually that means the investors think the company is undervalued and want to push management to sell.


Durable Goods Fall, Aircraft Orders Slump

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.


Survey: oil less popular than nuclear power in U.S.

Blog: who ever thought nuclear would only be the second least popular fuel?


Senators Back Plan to Send Guard to Border

The Senate, eager to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants, signaled overwhelming support Monday for President Bush's plan to dispatch National Guard troops to states along the Mexican border.


Zimbra, acquired by Yahoo last year, updated its communication and collaboration suite.


Miserable conditions, another happy ending

FOXBOROUGH -- Does everyone in these here parts truly appreciate what's going on here? I mean, if football is your game, do you understand that you have hit the lottery? Stop worrying about whether the Patriots will win a third Super Bowl on the evening of Feb. 6, 2005. There are too many variables involved to start worrying about that. ...


Bergamo, 16:18 - CALCIO, ATALANTA; RUGGERI: COLANTUONO VERSO IL RINNOVO

Ivan Ruggeri, presidente dell'Atalanta, parla dell'esito dell'intervento subito da Bobo Vieri: "Tutt...


L'1-2% in piu' di interessi rispetto alla media Ue


Japan's first female defense minister eyes close U.S. ties

Japan's first female defense minister vowed on Wednesday to strengthen ties with Tokyo's close security ally, the United States, and improve working conditions for women in the nation's military.


Jerry Rice believes he could be traded by the Oakland Raiders before the Oct. 19 deadline.


Respect in a Box: Giving John Ford the Major American Artist Treatment

âFord at Foxâ is a gargantuan boxed set that assembles 24 of the 50-some films John Ford made for the studio that was his most consistent home.


afrol News, 20 September - The government of Sudan, while condemning the sanctions' threat, has accepted this weekend's UN Security Council's resolution obliging it to protect civilians in Darfur.


By Greeley Tribune, Colo.  Feb. 28--Betsy Markey, north central regional director and Zane Kessler, north central regional representative for U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., will conduct office hours in Greeley today.   The event, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.


Brawled-out yet? I guess we all are. We've all seen Ron Artest bolt off that table even more than we've seen Flutie roll to his right. But the fallout from L'Affaire Auburn Hills is enormous, and I don't just mean the South Carolina-Clemson dust-up that has resulted in each institution punishing itself by eschewing bowl bids.


George Strait Still Tops on U.S. Albums Chart

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Country veteran George Strait's  "50 Number Ones" hits package ruled the U.S. pop albums chart  for a second consecutive week, as new releases from Celine  Dion, rapper Mos Def and pop-punk band Sum 41 debuted in the  top 10, according to sales data issued Wednesday.


Athletics: Greek celebration is not meant to be

ATHENS As the sprinters walked out for the final of the men's 200 meters, the crowd in the packed Olympic Stadium began to boo.


A vehicle blows up at a police post in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, reports say.


Report: Airline to Sign Order for Planes

China Southern Airlines will sign an order for five Airbus A380 "superjumbos" on Friday, a Chinese newspaper reported on its Web site.


Jennifer Love Hewitt doesn't really talk to the dead. Nor does she give spirits snagged in the physical realm a tender send-off to the great beyond.


`Sopranos' can film in North Jersey town

Tony Soprano is welcome in the North Jersey town of Bloomfield.


The Wallabies have gained a massive boost with skipper George Gregan making himself available for the coming European rugby tour. The halfback, however, has left the door open to quit the tour should his son's


Soccer: Stuttgart crush Leverkusen, Wolfsburg stay top

BERLIN : VfB Stuttgart continued their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium.


The pace of sales of pre-owned U.S homes fell slightly in July but the inventory of unsold properties soared to the highest level in over 15 years as troubles in the subprime mortgage market continued to wreak havoc on the housing sector.


In shift of tone, White House says high energy prices are now dragging on US economy. CRAWFORD, Texas  - President Bush's economic advisers are warning that high energy prices have become a drag on


Austrian doctors dismiss claims by Ukraine's main opposition leader that he was poisoned by his opponents.


Full length films - coming to a handset near you

The choice between a bracing bank holiday walk or an afternoon in front of the television will soon be a thing of the past. Mobile phone owners are being targeted by a company that has developed technology


A new UN draft resolution on Sudan calls for agreement on peace accords, and offers promises of aid.


The Patriots concluded mandatory minicamp yesterday at Gillette Stadium, capping off a three-week stretch of various team-building workouts, and coach Bill Belichick was pleased with the progress.


KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka -- Members of the Tamil Tigers, separatist rebels who control large swaths of Sri Lanka's north and east, are appealing to international organizations to bypass the central government and send aid directly to the tsunami-devastated regions within their territories, saying they have received little help in the 10 days since the disaster.


Vikki Jones says she has no regrets about losing both of her breasts to prevent cancer.


For many Harry Potter fans, the release of the final installment is a great excuse for a big shindig, from London to Los Angeles.


Major powers fail to settle Iran differences

Major powers failed on Saturday to settle all their differences over a second U.N. sanctions resolution against Iran for its nuclear work but remain committed to passing one soon, the United States said.


Apple says iPhone to access YouTube content

Apple Inc.'s widely anticipated music  and video playing iPhone will allow subscribers to wirelessly  stream material from Google Inc.'s popular video sharing site  YouTube, Apple said on Wednesday.


Fans of Anna Nicole Smith aren't making pilgrimages to the place where she spent her final days. They're not leaving flowers. They're not gathering in crowds to express their grief.


Figlio di diplomatica, ancora disperso il padre italiano


Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was   expected to present a national reconciliation plan to   parliament on Sunday to curb Iraq's sectarian killing and the   Sunni insurgency that has crippled post-war reconstruction.


Rock singer and campaigner Bono is to be honoured in the US to mark his work to relieve suffering in Africa.


Oil prices took time out on Friday  from this week's succession of record highs but anxiety over  outages in the U.S. Gulf, Nigeria and Norway in the run-up to  winter left little hope of relief for consumers.


GREEN BAY, Wis. Â· Brett Favre threw three touchdown passes in his 200th consecutive start, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 45-17 win over the St.


A senior civil servant goes on trial accused of raping a woman in a government office.


'Fatigued' Iraq PM heads to London for check-up

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki left Baghdad on Saturday for a medical check-up in London after suffering exhaustion, a government statement said.


Movie Review | 'Maxed Out': Big Wishes, Easy Credit, Tough Times

âMaxed Outâ examines why the most vulnerable segment of society is victimized by the lending industry and finds a simple answer: Itâs obscenely profitable.


Man With Rare TB Flown to Denver for More Treatment

An Atlanta man with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis who sparked an international health alarm by flying to Europe and back for his wedding was discharged from an Atlanta hospital early today and flown to Denver for more specialized treatment, authorities said.


EU Raids Offices of Intel, Computer Retailers

European Commission investigators have raided the offices of Intel Germany in Munich as part of a wide-ranging probe into alleged antitrust violations by the world's largest chipmaker. A European Union spokesperson said the raid is ongoing but refused to divulge the reasons.


Two US firms pay $2m after staging a "guerrilla" advertising stunt that sparked bomb scares in Boston.


* Seismic wave generated by biggest earthquake in 40 years

COLOMBO: Over 23,000 people were killed and some 5,200 injured after a tsunami slammed into coasts from India to Indonesia... NEW DELHI: Huge waves that battered the Indian coastline after an earthquake in


Microsoft sends shivers through antivirus market

The stocks of major antivirus software vendors were trading lower Thursday, after MicrosoftÂ announced the release of beta antispyware technology it bought in December and said it would begin giving away an improved tool to remove worms and viruses from its customers' computers.


Official: Saudis OK with price band hike

Saudi Arabia does not object to OPEC raising the current price band when oil-producing nations meet Sept. 15 and is negotiating the level with other oil-rich Gulf countries, a Saudi oil official said Sunday.


Polls Open in Tunisia Elections, Opposition Boycott

Polling stations opened in Tunisia on Sunday in presidential and parliamentary elections boycotted by several opposition parties and seen as test to the U.S. administration's drive to boost democracy in the Middle East.


Speaking to the American Legion national convention Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said that despite an earlier statement by President Bush, the United States can and will win the war against terrorism


Cleveland pitcher Kyle Denney shot in calf while riding on team ...

Cleveland Indians pitcher Kyle Denney on Thursday shrugged off being hit in the right calf by a stray bullet, and said he was grateful he may have been protected by a cheerleader's


Europe's main stock markets were mixed on Thursday, with Frankfurt lifted by news of a possible takeover bid for German truckmaker MAN, analysts said.


Shocked Australians were on Wednesday  mourning the death of actor Heath Ledger in a New York  apartment possibly from a drug overdose, but his family said  the death was a tragic accident.


IRAN: Washington keeps pushing WMD scare

The 35-member board of governors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began meeting in Vienna on November 25 to review Iran's compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).


BACHOK: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has collected RM7 million in fines from foreign vessels found encroaching on the country's waters off the Tok Bali beaches this year.


PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk anointed his son with holy water yesterday to open a day of pageantry for the new king's coronation.


U.S. Air Strike Targets Militants in Falluja

FALLUJA, Iraq  - U.S. aircraft launched a new air  strike in the rebel-held city of Falluja on Saturday aimed at  killing supporters of a Jordanian militant who has led a  campaign of suicide bombings and kidnappings in Iraq.


Bagri's granddaughters, nicknamed the Baguette babies, grow up in court

VANCOUVER (CP) - High-pitched giggles and the clattering of plastic toys wielded by the granddaughters of an accused bomber eventually shushed as they learned how to play quietly behind the bullet-proof glass of the $7-million courtroom.


Credit Suisse Selling Warburg Pincus Stake

Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland's second-largest bank, said Friday it was selling its 19.9 percent stake in the operations of Warburg Pincus back to the U.S. private equity firm.


Online journals and camera phones are a "paedophile's dream", MSPs are warned.


French PM Casts Doubt On New Conditions In Hostage Drama

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin on Monday expressed skepticism over the alleged new demands of the militants holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq, saying they had yet to be authenticated.


Brit cuffed for German towel-torching raid

Coach driver liberates Italian Riviera sun loungers A Brit coach driver successfully liberated Italian Riviera sun loungers from foreign occupation by setting fire to the towels traditionally used to denote German territorial sovereignty.â¦


Alcan shares surge after it rejects Alcoa bid

Alcan Inc.  shares rose 6  percent on Wednesday on speculation a counter offer could  emerge to Alcoa Inc.'s  $28.4 billion hostile bid for the  big Canadian aluminum maker.


China says breast cancer on rise in Beijing, Shanghai

Breast cancer has risen sharply in  China's capital and its top financial centre during the last  decade due to unhealthy diets, a poor environment and increased  stress at work, state media reported on Tuesday.


Kerry Espouses Multitasking in a President

Democrat John Kerry has taken to summarizing the presidential fight with a line that's both a dig at his opponent and an appeal to undecided voters.


House Passes $146 Billion Economic Aid Package

The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economyâs slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package that would speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most taxpayers.


Fund raising and spending in the 2003-04 election cycle by President Bush, Democratic rival John Kerry and national party committees:


Fannie Mae in Deal to Increase Its Capital

Embattled mortgage finance company Fannie Mae agreed to keep billions of dollars more in cash on hand while it corrects accounting problems, its government regulator said today.


NY Times Journalist R.W. Apple Dies at 71

R.W. Apple Jr., 71 , a New York Times war correspondent who distinguished himself in Vietnam and became an influential political writer and roving epicure, died Oct. 4 at his home in Washington. He had thoracic cancer.


Pink Slips at Yahoo -- How Long Before Jerry Yang Gets One?

Up against a slew of challenges -- including deteriorating market share, a slumping share price and an impending recession -- it may be a matter of time before Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang hands over the reins to company President Susan Decker.


The pound eased back after the week's steep gains as rate hike expectations receded into the background slightly as the flow of data slowed today.


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's RealPlayer Music Store can be downloaded for 49 cents, with most albums available for $4.99.


Eiffel Tower ex-employees avoid jail after stealing hundreds of thousands of euros from ticket sales.


Radiation, Drugs Help With Prostate Cancer

Men with prostate cancer that doesn't appear to have spread have better survival chances when they get short-term hormone treatment along with standard radiation, rather than radiation alone, a small study found.


Operation to free Colombian hostages may take days

Venezuela scrambled on Thursday to organize an air convoy for the handover of three hostages held in Colombia by Marxist rebels, but the Red Cross said logistical difficulties mean it could take days to complete.


Il cantautore presentera' l'ultimo album 'Elegia'


"It's about seeking to prosecute Mr Zuma - how can a potential accused not have an interest"  African National Congress Deputy President Jacob Zuma does not have the right to look over the shoulders of investigators all along the way, lawyers for the state argued in the Pretoria High Court today. via Sunday Times


Rumblings far beneath Earthâs crust may predict quakes

Deep rumblings many kilometers (miles) below the San Andreas fault in California could offer a way to predict earthquakes, according to US scientists.


China to Shift $20 Billion as Capital for Policy Bank

The move by the countryâs $200 billion wealth fund comes as the government nears the end of a decade-long reorganization of the banking industry.


England captain Collingwood wary of New Zealand

England one-day captain Paul Collingwood was happy to hear New Zealand would be without star bowler Shane Bond but insisted Monday the home side would still be formidable in the coming series.


The Education and Skills Bill - which proposes a school leaving age of 18 - is to have it Commons second reading.


LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS  - Microsoft Corp. lost a  European Union court appeal on Wednesday to delay sanctions  that will force it to change business practices and immediately  market a stripped-down version of Windows.


A Quiet Day at the Philippines' Baby Factory

It's late morning at Manila's Jose  Fabella hospital and Maria Poud looks remarkably fresh  considering she has just delivered her sixth baby of the day.


President Bush and Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry square off Wednesday night in Tempe, Arizona, for the last in their series of what have been bare-knuckle debates.


Monday night, 20-year-old Jeremy Wariner and 21-year-old Otis Harris led an American contingent up the center of the track to claim gold and silver in the 400.


DirecTV Reorganizes L. America Operations

Satellite television broadcast company DirecTV Group Inc. said Monday that it plans to purchase stakes in Sky Brasil, Sky Mexico and Sky Multi-Country Partners from News Corp., Liberty Media Corp. and others for $579 million in cash, as part of a reorganization of the company's Latin American operations.


Vijay Singh is delighted at becoming the new world number one after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship.


Raul Castro stirs hopes for Cuba farmers

JARUCO, Cuba  - Down on the ranch, the talk among the cattle hands is that help is on its way.


Sara' realizzato entro il 2010, tratto lungo 104 km


Sharon Humiliated In Historic Knesset Rebuff

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this week resumed efforts to change the make-up of his ruling coalition in the wake of an embarrassing 53-44 defeat in a largely symbolic Knesset vote Monday.


Mizuho Securities, Japanese farmers' bank to boost ties

TOKYO : The brokerage arm of Japan's biggest lender, the Mizuho Financial Group, and Norinchukin Bank, the umbrella bank for farmers' cooperatives, are considering expanding their ties, an official said.


Excerpts from Democratic presidential contender Hillary Rodham Clinton's interview Tuesday with reporters from The Associated Press:


Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc. (FCS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of chips used to manage power in electronics, on Wednesday said quarterly sales would reach the higher


CMS to apply business rules engines to claims processing

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has requested information on how to integrate business rules engines and business process management software to modernize Medicareâs fee-for-service claims processing system.


Microsoft: New Live Search 'as good as Google'

'And better than Yahoo!' Microsoft yesterday used its Silicon Valley outpost, just down the road from Google, to unveil a "major update" to the web's third most popular search engine. And, yes, it's only been a year since the last major update. Bill and the gang plan on re-launching Live Search every 12 months.â¦


UK's Charles to Marry Camilla Parker Bowles

Britain's heir-to-the throne Prince  Charles is to marry his longtime lover Camilla Parker Bowles,  his office announced on Thursday.


Empoli, 19:20 - CALCIO, EMPOLI: 11-0 NEL TEST CON IL MONTELUPO

Test infrasettimanale per l'Empoli, che ha affrontato i dilettanti del Montelupo. La squadra di Cagn...


The government's abandoned police  force merger plans cost taxpayers millions, the BBC learns.


Twenty-seven people are injured in blasts in Thailand's insurgency-hit south, ahead of the New Year holiday.


US troops and the interim Iraqi government faced an onslaught of car bombings, mortar attacks and gun battles yesterday during a series of insurgent attacks that began in the


Rival Nigerian politicians are arming militias in advance of April elections, in hopes of rigging the outcome and gaining control of millions in oil revenue at stake.


Cabinet Gives Approval to Kyoto Protocol

The Cabinet endorsed the Kyoto Protocol on Thursday, making international implementation of one of the most far-reaching and controversial environmental initiatives a near certainty.


Malki: Abu Mazen should oversee transition

If Marwan Barghouti really wants to be chairman of the Palestinian Authority, he should withhold his candidature at this time and allow Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to take responsibility for the transition into the post-Arafat era.


US leading economic indicators continue to decline

The Conference Board said Thursday that the US leading economic index fell for the fourth straight month. The Conference Board, a New York-based research group, reportedthat


They see themselves as patriots who shed blood for their freedom in a rebellion that foreshadowed the demise of the Soviet Union.


Former Sen. Fred Thompson took aim at Democrat Hillary Clinton on Thursday as he made a long-delayed entry into the Republican presidential race and immediately took good-natured jabs from rivals.


Just in time for its 25th anniversary, Warren Beatty's political epic "Reds" will debut on DVD on October