Kobe Bryant practiced yesterday for the first time in four days, and could play for the Los Angeles Lakers against Cleveland today. Bryant participated in the whole practice and moved "pretty well" on his severely sprained right ankle, Lakers spokesman John Black said. Bryant injured his ankle in the first quarter of a 98-94 victory over Cleveland Jan. 13. He ...


Two Aid Workers Killed in Attack on Darfur Aid Convoy

Two employees of a British charity  were killed in Sudan's troubled Darfur region on Sunday when  their convoy came under fire, the aid agency said on Monday.


Israeli Missile Strike in Gaza Refugee Camp

Israel has launched a new air strike in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. A helicopter gunship fired two missiles early Sunday into a metal workshop in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.


Secondo la societa' la redazione e' invece 'appropriata'


Nasa scientists have been giving details of a space mission to crash a projectile into a comet, peeling away its outer skin in order to look inside.


: Some Short-Term Canadian Debt Paper Is Snagged in Credit Crisis

Holders of a once-arcane and now troubled form of short-term debt may now find it converted in to notes with maturity dates measured in years.


With the passage of one week, the effect of the "Kathmandu Valley blockade" imposed by the Nepalese anti-government guerrillas has waned with the government's move to step up security in order to foil the embargo.


Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds fell by $3.25 billion in the latest week to $822.65 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bombing Kills 10

Gunmen killed the Baghdad governor in  Iraq's highest-profile assassination in eight months and a  suicide bomber killed 10 people near the Green Zone on Tuesday  in an escalating campaign to wreck a Jan. 30 election.


EU chief says reforms must not undermine euro credibility

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Tuesday that the reforms of the Stability and Growth Pact should not undermine the euro's credibility.


Affrontati approfondimenti su temi gia' noti in inchiesta


To Pay Debt, Transit Agency Goes to Market

The M.T.A., in an effort to raise more than $1 billion, wants to sell or lease many of its 14,000 properties.


46 nations call for tougher U.N. environment role

Forty-six nations called for the creation of a more powerful U.N. environment agency on Saturday, saying the survival of humanity was at risk, but the United States, China and Russia did not sign up.


If youâre a chief executive under siege, Martin Lipton is the lawyer to call.


Ryan O'Byrne and Thomas Kostopoulos joined their Montreal teammates for practice Monday, hours after being arrested outside a Tampa nightclub.


Five people appear in court charged with possession of incendiary devices and Real IRA membership.


Acquittal of Iran nuclear programme qualified

The United Nations (UN) has said on Monday that, as far as it knows, Iran had not diverted any nuclear materials to a weapons programme - a verdict diplomats said undermined the


Chinese PM Wen Jiabao urges his country to "have faith" recent bad weather can be overcome, media reports.


The 25th anniversary of the Falkland Islands' liberation will be marked by events in the UK and south Atlantic.


Fiammata del Dow Jones (+0,52%) dopo intervento Bernanke


The measures announced to combat climate change means major changes for how Europe gets its energy


Yuan Hits Seven-Month High Against Dollar

The yuan surged to a seven-month high against the US dollar Friday in offshore forwards markets on speculation that China may be preparing to loosen tight currency controls.


Advertising: In Foray Into TV, Google Is to Track Ad Audiences

Google plans to announce a partnership with Nielsen to give advertisers a better snapshot of how many people are viewing television commercials on a second-by-second basis.


The buyout offer, which covers G.M.âs entire unionized work force, came as G.M. announced a $722 million fourth-quarter loss.


Family Shop Stays in Tune With Overseas Electronics Market

In the 1970s, it was the Iranians and their interest in all-in-one home stereo systems. In the 1980s, it was the Russians and their love of camcorders. In the 1990s, Africans were after boomboxes and cordless phones.


Dan Cleary had a goal and an assist to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night in a matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference.


US Stocks Off as Data Stir Economic Worry

Stocks fell on Monday after  disappointing U.S. employment data and a slowdown in  construction spending sparked worry about economic growth,  while a drop in crude oil prices hit energy shares.


Final Answers From the B.C.S. Once Again Raise Questions

Southern California and Oklahoma finished 1-2 in the final B.C.S. standing and will play for the national title in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4.


St. John's stuns Wolfpack, Gonzaga upset by Missouri

St. John's players jumped up and down on the Madison Square Garden court while Red Storm fans stood and cheered a stunning victory over North Carolina State.


Howard's hot bat powers Phillies past Marlins

Ryan Howard slammed a pair of home   runs to lift his major league-leading total to 56 and help the   Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 3-2 on Friday.


An Indie Company Counting on a Future Takes 3 Films to Sundance

Michael London, the producer of the indie hit âSideways,â got his feet wet with that movie. Now with three films at Sundance, heâs taken the plunge.


Long Nights, 90 Below. What More Could Astronomers Want?

The whitest place on Earth could be the coolest place on the planet for astronomy.


Former tabloid TV host Maureen O'Boyle is joining a Charlotte TV station as television anchor in September.


Sudan govt declares truce at Darfur talks

SIRTE, Libya  - The Sudanese government declared an immediate unilateral ceasefire in Darfur on Saturday at the opening session of talks aimed at ending 4-1/2 years of violence in the troubled region.


The recent problems of Dominoâs Pizza speak volumes about the challenges facing both companies and consumers in the year ahead.


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Home Depot said Tuesday it plans to sell appliances for the home online in a move to expand upon its in-store sales business for such products.


FDA Urges Limited Use of Pfizer's Celebrex, Bextra

U.S. health officials on Thursday  called on doctors to limit prescribing Pfizer Inc. painkillers  Celebrex and Bextra in light of recent evidence that they may  increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.


Calls for a change in the law on the force householders can use against burglars face their first major test in Parliament.


A key figure in the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal has been sentenced to eight years in prison. US Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick had pleaded guilty to five charges of sexually and physically abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad.


Microsoft cooks up five patches for next week

Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday plans to release five security updates targeting flaws in Windows, SharePoint, Visual Studio and Microsoft's instant messaging clients.


China Eyes U.S. to Rein in Taiwan, Avert Conflict

China faces an intractable problem in  dealing with Taiwan's independence ambitions and is almost  certainly counting on Washington to rein in the island after  legislative elections this weekend, analysts in Beijing say.


Activists attack Japanese whaling vessel

Two activists attacked a Japanese whaling ship with a bottle of acid and a smoke bomb Friday, slightly injuring two crew members after the vessel helped rescue the protesters from the icy Ross Sea off Antarctica, officials said.


Il centrocampista del Brescia era stato trovato positivo lo scorso 22 settembre. Il ds Nani: "Rescissione del contratto inevitabile". BRESCIA, 25 novembre 2004 - Nove mesi. Duecentosettanta giorni lontano dai campi di gioco.


UK businesses are set to prosper during the next few months - but this could trigger more interest rate rises, according to a report.


Barnes & Noble Inc. , the  world's largest book retailer, on Thursday posted a  first-quarter loss, citing charges stemming from the closure of  its Internet distribution center and an investigation of its  stock option granting practices.


Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday he plans to recommend that Florida lawmakers fund stem cell research, but only so long as it doesn't require the destruction of human embryos.


Pakistan to Canada: Stop griping about troop deaths

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf   bluntly told Canadians on Tuesday to stop complaining about the   number of soldiers they were losing in Afghanistan, saying   Canada's death toll was far less than Pakistan's.


Man charged as bogus U.S. agent in Pitt-Jolie scam

A Los Angeles man was arrested on   Thursday on charges of impersonating a federal agent in what   prosecutors say was a bid to get a job providing security for   film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.


Hospital bosses and cleaning firms are questioning the wisdom of the government's Â£50m deep clean programme.


Police search for missing English aristocrat

French police are investigating the disappearance of a colourful English aristocrat who spent much of his time partying on the French Riviera, say police officials.


US Judge strikes down key part of anti-terror act

NEW YORK - A federal judge struck down a key surveillance provision of the USA Patriot Act on Wednesday, ruling that it broadly violated the Constitution by giving federal authorities unchecked powers to obtain private information.


Washington state scare ends over fake flu shots

A health scare in Washington state over fake flu shots appears to be over with news that the injections were, in fact, real after all.


Ricardo Mello upset second-seeded Mardy Fish 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday and advanced to the third round of the Millennium International Tennis Championships.


In an election that was never seriously in doubt, Shinzo Abe becomes the leader of Japan's ruling party - and almost certainly its new Prime Minister. The real question, however, is what he'll do next


T-Mobile USA Sees High-Speed Network 2 Years Off

T-Mobile USA, the U.S. wireless unit  of Deutsche Telekom AG DTEGn.DE, does not expect to offer  broadband mobile data services for at least the next two years,  its chief executive said on Thursday.


Music industry betting on 'ringle' format

As the recording industry wakes up  from its summer slumber and starts thinking about what will  motivate the consumer for the holiday selling season, the major  labels are getting ready to launch the "ringle," which combines  the mostly defunct single format with ringtones.


Sen. Arlen Specter, who set off a firestorm of controversy last week among conservatives who interpreted certain remarks as a warning to President Bush not to nominate pro-life judicial candidates


A girl born after just under 22 weeks in the womb — among the shortest gestation periods known for a live birth — will remain in a hospital a few extra days as a precaution, officials said Tuesday.


The Spanish government on Friday approved a bill to legalise gay marriages. This makes it only the third country in Europe to condone same sex marriages, cabinet spokesperson Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega ...


Amazon.com sells empty Vista boxes for $200?

And that's the cheap version Amazon sells empty Vista boxes for $360?â¦


Iconic Munch Painting Stolen from Museum in Norway

Edvard Munch's paintings "The Scream" and "Madonna" were stolen from an art museum Sunday while armed men threatened the staff at gunpoint.


Billy Davies withdraws from the shortlist to be Scotland manager, leaving four candidates vying for the post.


Arrestato nel Barese un albanese di 38 anni


Unit Refused Iraq Mission, Military Says

The Army is investigating up to 19 members of a supply platoon in Iraq who refused to go on a convoy mission, the military said Friday. Relatives of the soldiers said the troops considered the mission too dangerous, in part because their vehicles were in such poor shape.


World Business Briefing | Europe: Microsoft in First Technology License Deal

Microsoft said it had signed its first agreement to license its technology, almost three years after European Union antitrust regulators ordered the software company to share data to increase competition. Microsoft said the deal, with Quest Software of California, was meant to comply with an antitrust order issued in March 2004 that demanded licensing of software that helps desktop computers communicate with servers. But the deal was met with skepticism from adversaries, who questioned how a company with a longstanding relationship with Microsoft could be considered a rival. The European Commission threatened Microsoft last week with fines as high as 3 million euros ($3.9 million) a day for failing to comply with the order.


Arafat in French Hospital, Facing a Round of Tests

Yasir Arafat arrived in France as the guest of the French government and was taken to a military hospital for treatment of a mysterious ailment.


Bellinzona, 16:50 - CALCIO, SAMPDORIA: INFORTUNIO IN AMICHEVOLE PER CASSANO

Esordio sfortunato per Antonio Cassano con la maglia della Sampdoria. L'attaccante barese si &egrave...


Many U.S. public school districts are  starting a new school year with fewer teachers as less state  funding and other factors leave them with gaping budget holes  and nothing else left to cut but instructors, school and  teachers union officials say.


The Japanese economy entered a technical recession after previous Gross Domestic Product figures were revised down to show three consecutive quarters of negative growth, but an official said the government was not ready to use the word recession.


ATHENS, Greece Aug. 27, 2004 - The US men's basketball team will go home from the Olympics without a gold medal for the first time since it began using NBA players after the Americans were beaten soundly by Argentina 89-81 in the semifinals Friday.


Bush urges N Ireland leaders to accept Anglo-Irish proposal

US President George W. Bush has urged Northern Ireland's leaders to accept an Anglo-Irish proposal aimed at ending political deadlock between Protestants and Roman Catholics, the White House said.


Israel's Olmert delays Palestinian prisoner release

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert delayed a plan to release from prison scores of members of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah movement, Israeli officials said on Saturday.


Columbine High School, the site of the nation's deadliest school shooting in 1999, was evacuated Thursday after a bomb threat was called in


Sean "P. Diddy" Coombs helps Rhapsody and Sandisk launch Rhapsody 4.0 and a new MP3 player. Now you can clone your iTunes collection. In Listening Post. <img src=" http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/music/xml.gif


Friday deadline set for hostages in Afghanistan

Militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages in Afghanistan said they would give officials until Friday to meet their demands that the United Nations withdraw from the country and the US release Guantanamo Bay prisoners


Ahmadinejad popularity tested in Iran vote

Iranians voted on Friday for local councils and a powerful clerical body in elections that will give the first indication of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's popularity since he swept to office in 2005.


New British foot and mouth case confirmed

Foot and mouth disease has struck a new cattle farm in southern England, the government said on Wednesday, prompting the European Union to ban British meat, dairy and livestock exports.


The top official for consumer product safety has asked Congress in recent days to reject legislation that would strengthen the agency.


Beneath the Surface, It Works Like a Truck

Texas Truck Mama smiled as she pulled into the driveway in her little Mini Cooper. Parked in front of her was a considerably different vehicle, a 2008 Jeep Liberty Limited sport-utility vehicle. It was twice the length of her Mini Cooper, several inches taller and nearly 900 pounds heavier.


The military operation around the town of Beit Hanoun and the Jebalya refugee camp near Gaza City came amid reports that Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel.


Panama president frees Cubans; US denies role

Bush administration officials denied any role yesterday in the pardon of four Cuban exiles by the outgoing Panamanian government. Three of the exiles â-ho were convicted


A Day In The Life Of: An animal behavior consultant

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Reuters Life!) - Animal behavior   consultant Parvene Farhoody lives in a world of dogs -- and   their owners, teaching them how to get along.


'Giovane vittima di una missione di pace in Iraq'


Lo hanno definito questa mattina Marini e Bertinotti


Florida judge evades Anna Nicole paternity fight

A Florida judge on Wednesday rejected a bid by a former boyfriend of late Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith to have a Florida court decide a paternity fight over Smith's 5-month-old baby daughter, Dannielynn.


A Finnish commuter ferry captain has been suspended after crashing into a pier because he forgot to turn off the autopilot -- for the second time in three days.


KABUL, Afghanistan - A bomb killed two American soldiers and wounded three others in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Saturday, and an attack in an eastern province killed at least three children and a policeman on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan...


Fare di piu' per crescita e prezzi, Italia fanalino di coda


Plane crash in China kills more than 50 people

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is sending a team to China, where a Canadian-built commuter plane crashed in an ice-covered lake in northern China on Sunday.


A massive storm, which hit the state of Florida in the US, continued its rampage on Sunday forcing two and a half million people to flee the East Coast.


Heather Mills McCartney is told by police of a "non-specific threat" made against her.


Roberts Seeks Greater Consensus on Court

Chief Justice John Roberts said Sunday he is seeking greater consensus on the Supreme Court, arguing that more consensus among justices is likely if hot-button issues are decided on the "narrowest possible grounds."


Al Qaeda's No. 2 commander appeared on Wednesday in a new video on a Web site used by Islamist militant groups, urging unity in jihad and calling for the overthrow of "corrupt" Muslim governments in the region.


NL Wrap: 326th Victory for Clemens as Astros Win Again

Roger Clemens landed his 326th career  victory to earn the Houston Astros a franchise record-tying  12th straight win, a 5-2 decision over the Cincinnati Reds in  the National League (NL) Wednesday.


CAMP ZAMA, Japan -- With a simple salute to an Army marshal early yesterday, a frail Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins capped months of negotiations between Japan and North Korea and eased a diplomatic headache for Tokyo and Washington.


The European Union has asked Russia to reconsider its decision to close two British Council offices.


Israeli Soldier, Woman Jogger Killed in Gaza Ambushes

Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli  soldier and a woman jogger in Gaza on Thursday as the army  intensified an offensive to root out militants behind a rocket  attack that killed two Israeli children in a border town.


4 Afghan police killed in Taliban ambush

Taliban militants ambushed a truck full of Afghan police in southern Afghanistan, killing four officers and injuring three, an official said Saturday.


Groups praise FCC's inquiries on net neutrality

Two public-interest groups praised the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for opening three inquiries into network traffic management practices by broadband providers and mobile phone carriers.


McLaren's Fernando Alonso beats Ferrari's Felipe Massa to win a dramatic European Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton down in ninth.


Want to dress like Hef? Playboy launches menswear

After a lifetime of undressing   beautiful women, Playboy now has a new cause -- dressing men.


Japan Airlines to purchase 30 of Boeing's new 7E7 passenger jets

Japan Airlines' decision to replace older aircraft with Boeing Co.'s new 7E7 passenger jet represents a modest success for the US aircraft maker, but Boeing is far from declaring victory in its rivalry with Europe's Airbus to woo Asian


Elmer Bernstein, Film Composer, Dead at 82

LOS ANGELES - Film composer Elmer Bernstein, who created a brawny, big-sky theme for "The Magnificent Seven," nerve-jangling jazz for "The Man With The Golden Arm" and heart-rending grace notes for "To Kill a Mockingbird," has died.    Bernstein, whose prolific career spanned seven decades and earned him 14 Academy Award nominations, an Oscar win and an Emmy Award, died in his sleep at his Ojai home Wednesday, said his publicist, Cathy Mouton...


For Keri and Mark Seitz, it's come down to this: a new baby or a house?


There is an unacceptable level of absence through sickness in NI's civil service, Finance Minister Peter Robinson says.


More women are obtaining the morning after pill from chemists and walk-in centres than two years ago.


Two men will appear in court later charged in connection with the seizure of nearly Â£1m worth of drugs and cash.


U.S. military officials said Wednesday that a Navy ship recently fired on pirates who overtook a Danish vessel off Somalia's coast.


The deal is a dramatic sign of the ongoing transformation of the still nominally communist People's Republic of China into an increasingly outward-looking nation integrating itself into the world economy.-The Washington Post


Google Maps boosts public transportation data

Blog: Enhanced information isn't available for all cities yet, though.


A tool to manage database changes and refactorings. All changes to a database are stored in XML files that are stored in version control with other source code. A graphical IDE is also available   LiquiBase 1.2 has been released. Major features include:      * Support for H2 database     * Support for InterSystems Cache` database     * Support for  change     * Improved error messages     * tag can contain a  tag     * Change log file references can be absolute     * SQL in  tag can be ; or 'go' delimited     * New clearCheckSums command in command line migrator     * Support for version 0.5 of the LiquiBase IDE and Eclipse Plugin  Many bugs have been fixed as well, including:      * Sybase support fixes     * Handle --defaultsFile correctly     * Handle command line parameters correctly on Windows systems     * Other bug fixes  Upgrading is simply a matter of replacing the liquibase.jar file. To take advantage of newer change log features, change your XSD declaration to:    Download LiquiBase 1.2 from:  http://www.liquibase.org/download.html


The Tokyo stocks opened lower Thursday following Wall Street's overnight weakness. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.


Ravenna, 16:01 - CALCIO, RAVENNA; RITIRO A OLTRANZA E STIPENDI BLOCCATI

I vertici del Ravenna Calcio dopo la nuova sconfitta casalinga di sabato contro il Bari hanno deciso...


More than 500 patients at Atlanta's Emory University Hospital are being warned that they may have been exposed to a fatal brain disease that resembles mad cow, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported Friday.


A national survey in Australia shows worrying levels of alcohol consumption among the country's teenagers.


Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan will build a gas pipeline around the Caspian Sea, in a setback for the EU.


Police raid a manufacturing plant in Scotland after allegations of a large music filesharing network.


Police charge a 20-year-old man over the murder of north London schoolboy Martin Dinnegan.


Pueblos to Get 7,000 Acres of Forest Land

By Staci Matlock, The Santa Fe New Mexican  Jun. 27--The U.S. Forest Service plans to transfer 7,058 acres of Santa Fe National Forest land to San Ildefonso Pueblo under a 2005 land claims settlement.


EU reaffirms working towards lifting arms embargo

The European Union reaffirmed that it is working to lift its 15-year-old embargo on arms sales to China, in a statement released after an EU-China summit.


ADV: Trade Shares and Currencies Commission-Free

GCI offers commission-free online trading in shares, indices and major currencies. Register today for a free demo account - including charts, quotes and internet trading software.


Fatturato in crescita del 2,9% a 61,3 mld di euro


CBS Says It Was Misled Over Bush Military Memos

CBS News on Monday said it had been misled over the authenticity of documents it aired in a story challenging President Bush's military service and it was mounting an internal investigation.


Congressman Says Google Is Resisting Deal Inquiry

Representative Joe Barton of Texas said on Wednesday that Google had rebuffed requests by his staff for a meeting as part of an investigation into the companyâs $3.1 billion acquisition of DoubleClick.


Doctor: Iraqi May Have Been Fatally Wounded

An Iraqi who was shot by a U.S. tank company commander now charged with murder appears to have been mortally wounded before the officer fired, a doctor testified Thursday.


Il centrocampista del Milan non dimentica il gol di tacco dello svedese agli Europei: "Stavamo giocando bene, poi... La Juve? La conosciamo, non molla mai". MILANO, 16 dicembre 2004 - "SÃ¬, a Ibrahimovic voglio fargliela pagare".


US Ruling Drops Rights of Some Captured in Iraq

A new legal opinion by the Bush administration has concluded for the first time that some non-Iraqi prisoners captured by American forces in Iraq are not entitled to the


N.Koreans Break Into Japanese School in China

Eight people believed to be North  Korean refugees clambered over the wall of a Japanese school in  Beijing on Monday to seek asylum, a Japanese embassy official  said.


More than 200 children and adults have fallen ill with a mystery virus in central Puerto Rico, forcing officials to close down a local school, officials said Friday.


The video of a disheveled, unshaven Glenn Beck talking about a hemorrhoid operation gone wrong feels like one of those late-night, partying-with-your-friends pictures posted Â to your eternal regret Â on Facebook the next day.


BMW 7 series runs on cold, cold hydrogen

Engineers designed the tank like a giant thermos, so it keeps the hydrogen cold without resorting to any cooling systems. From Crave, CNET's gadget blog.


A slowdown in the U.S. economy will likely drag on global growth next year, economists predict, but Asia and Europe are expected to remain fairly resilient amid signs of healthy consumer demand.


Convicted killer Robert Baltovich finally in court in bid to clear his name

TORONTO (CP) - Lawyers for Robert Baltovich, convicted 12 years ago in the murder of his girlfriend, began a long-awaited legal bid to clear his name Monday in an appeal that's expected to resurrect the grim spectre of sex killer Paul Bernardo.


At least 13 Tesco stores across the country are closed by police after a series of incidents.


MOSCOW -- Russia is developing a new nuclear missile system unlike any weapon held by other countries, President Vladimir Putin announced yesterday, in a move that could serve as a message to the United States as Washington pushes forward with a missile defense system.


A Zurigo l'amichevole Italia-PortogalloAmelia in porta, probabili esperimenti in avanti                                          Materazzi out, la difesa Ã¨ nuova Donadoni: "Attenti a figuracce"


The United Nations says many lives are at risk as Tajikistan experiences its worst ever winter energy crisis.


Northern Rock share price crumbles again

Bank plunges as rumours sweep through market that it could be taken over at knockdown price.


Pakistan's Naved-ul-Hasan Rana (left) is dismissed for zero, bowled by the West Indies' Corey Collymore (right), during their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final match at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, yesterday.


Agassi's Latest Match Is With AOL Co-Founder

Less than a month after a final appearance at the U.S. Open, tennis superstar Andre Agassi is joining America Online co-founder Steve Case in developing a worldwide string of multimillion-dollar resort homes.


Ivan aiming for Cuba Dozens killed as storm rakes Jamaica, spins ...

The death toll from Hurricane Ivan's terrible fury rose to at least 56 last night as the worst of the vicious storm roared past Jamaica on its death march toward Cuba and the Cayman Islands.


Stoccolma, 15:32 - CALCIO, BRASILE: A MARZO DUE AMICHEVOLI IN SVEZIA

Il Brasile giocherà due amichevoli in Svezia nel mese di marzo: il 24 a Goteborg contro il Ci...


Oil prices ticked lower on Thursday,  holding most of the previous day's gains after two car bombs in  Saudi Arabia rekindled fears over Middle East supply security,  one of the factors behind this year's 34 percent rally.


EU offers help for parents who are confused by the wide range of software that claims to make cyberspace safer for children.


Sex assault victim can sue 'Lotto rapist'

A court gave a woman the right Wednesday to claim compensation from a man who sexually assaulted her and then went on to win a lottery jackpot whilst serving a prison sentence.


Weighing the surge: putting troops among the people

BAGHDAD - Nearly every week, American generals and politicians visit Combat Outpost Gator, nestled behind a towering blast wall in the Dora market. They arrive in convoys of armored Humvees, sometimes accompanied by helicopter gunships, to see what US commanders display as proof of the effectiveness of a seven-month-long security offensive, fueled by 30,000 US reinforcements. General David H. Petraeus, ...


Lying prone on the bobbing wooden plank, Ari Afrizal looked left and saw the fiery red sun dipping into the watery horizon. Weakly, he turned his face the other way and saw a pearly white full moon rising in the east.


Brought on by Darkness, Disorder Needs Light

More than winter blahs, seasonal depression is recognized and treatable.


An outspoken Saudi blogger is being held for âpurposes of interrogation,â the Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed.


UK Arrests Indicate Terrorist Planners Avoid U.S.

High-profile terror arrests like  those recently made in Britain are unlikely in the United  States as militants hatch their plans abroad in hopes of  evading U.S. detection, experts and former officials say.


CA Inc. reported Thursday that quarterly profit ballooned as it cut expenses and the weak dollar helped bolster revenue from overseas operations.


Ford talks to Prodrive on Aston Martin sale: paper

Ford Motor Co.  is in exclusive talks with Prodrive, a motor racing company, over the potential sale of the U.S. carmaker's Aston Martin luxury car unit, The Times said on Saturday.


Madrid, 23:08 - CALCIO, SPAGNA; COPPA DEL RE: BARCELLONA AI QUARTI

Il Barcellona si è qualificato per i quarti di finale di Coppa del Re pareggiando 0-0 nel rit...


US House passes repeal of tax law at centre of WTO sanctions case

WASHINGTON : The US House of Representatives repealed a controversial tax break for US corporations in a bid to end hefty European Union trade sanctions more than a year after the World Trade Organization ruled against the practice.


Brian Roberts scores 23 points and No. 17 Dayton withstands a furious second-half rally by No. 22 Rhode Island in a 92-83 victory Wednesday night.


Job Vacancies At DHS Said To Hurt U.S. Preparedness

The Bush administration has failed to fill roughly a quarter of the top leadership posts at the Department of Homeland Security, creating a "gaping hole" in the nation's preparedness for a terrorist attack or other threat, according to a congressional report to be released today.


U.S. blue chips were a bit higher on  Wednesday, with Intel Corp. INTC.O rising on  better-than-expected earnings, but a drop in Verizon  Communications VZ.N following a brokerage downgrade kept a  lid on gains.


Before accepting the post of Hungary's sports minister last year, Ferenc Gyurcsany held a press conference where he laid bare his finances.


Sport: Football: Referee will not officiate in top flight next weekend, after criticism over performance in Merseyside derby.


India offers unqualified talks on Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India -- India's prime minister offered yesterday to hold unconditional talks on Kashmir ''with anyone and everyone" as his country began withdrawing troops from the divided Himalayan region as a goodwill gesture to rival Pakistan.


Nicole Richie charged with driving under influence

Reality TV star Nicole Richie was charged on Monday with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs after she was seen going against traffic on a Southern California freeway, police said.


Notte tranquilla dopo la rivolta per lo sgombero di un centro socialeUn connazionale ancora in stato di fermo. Gli altri riaccompagnati in aeroporto                                            Scontri a Copenaghen, 600 arrestati Fermati e rilasciati tredici italiani


Napoli vince nel San Paolo deserto, Rimini batte Genoa


Maltempo, nubifragio su Roma: voli bloccati a Fiumicino

Forti ritardi nei voli e disagi per i passeggeri questa mattina all'aeroporto di Fiumicino a causa del maltempo. Un temporale in atto sulla Capitale, infatti, ha compromesso il calendario delle partenze e


Darfur Peace Talks Delayed as AU Prepares Troops

A transport mix-up delayed the start of a  new round of peace talks on Sudan's Darfur region on Thursday,  as the African Union prepared to deploy thousands of new troops  to monitor renewed fighting in the remote province.


After a number of groups objected, Masterfoods USA, the maker of Snickers candy bars, has pulled the plug on a controversial Super Bowl commercial that showed two men accidentally kissing.


US House passes stemcell bill in challenge to Bush

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill designed to boost federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, defying a veto threat by President George W. Bush.


Ten accused Islamic militants were convicted Thursday and sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to 10 years for their roles in a millennium plot to blow up a Christmas market in the eastern city of Strasbourg on New Year's Eve 2000.


Eventually, the board of Telstra understood that the only way it could regain the market's confidence was to let go its chief executive Ziggy Switkowski.


Last of Mercury Astronauts Remember 'Gordo' Cooper

The last of the seven Project Mercury astronauts who pioneered US space exploration in the 1960s remembered one of their own as a fearless pilot with the "right stuff" in


Astronauts will try to fix a thermal blanket that peeled back during Atlantis' launch, extending the space shuttle's mission from 11 to 13 days, NASA managers said Monday.


Rescue teams in Cambodia try to locate a passenger plane believed crashed on Monday with 22 on board.


Cessione entro mese,Franza: "Sal 1,7%, Popolare Vicenza 2%"


Tokyo's Nikkei stock average fell 0.29  percent by midday on Wednesday as investors took a breather  from the market's recent rises and sold shares of gainers such  as Sharp Corp. and other technology issues.


Turner Broadcasting Systems and Interference Inc. have agreed to pay $2 million for a Cartoon Network advertising campaign that caused a widespread bomb scare, the attorney general said Monday.


Arafat orders security services to help free kidnapped CNN ...

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept 28  - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has ordered his security services to help secure the release of a CNN producer kidnapped by Palestinian militants in Gaza, his office said Tuesday.


Up to 10,000 in Sudandie monthly, WHO says

GENEVA -- As many as 10,000 refugees from Sudan's Darfur region are dying from disease and violence every month in the teeming camps where they have taken refuge, UN health agency officials said yesterday. European Union foreign ministers called yesterday for the United Nations to ''immediately investigate" whether atrocities by the government-backed ethnic Arab militias against the region's black African ...


Iraq Sets Election Despite Fresh Violence

Iraqi authorities set Jan. 30 as the date for the nation's first election since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and pledged that voting would take place throughout the country despite rising violence and calls by Sunni clerics for a boycott.


Romanians Vote Slowly, Eyeing EU, Poverty and Graft

Romanians, angered by poverty and corruption, went to the polls on Sunday in a closely contested election to decide who will lead the Balkan country through two years of hard European Union-dictated reforms.


A star of Ireland's Gaelic soccer league was exposed Thursday as a director of an illegal dog-fighting club, an underground gambling activity that has wrecked the reputation and career of Atlanta Falcons football player Michael Vick.


Plus: iPhone price cut, Google Phone rumors, and more.


U.N. to have independent probe of Algiers attack

The United Nations is setting up an independent panel to investigate a bombing that killed 17 U.N. employees in Algiers on December 11, the world body announced on Monday.


U.S.: Coalition soldier killed, 2 missing

A soldier in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq was killed and two others were missing after an attack on a checkpoint southwest of Baghdad on Friday, the U.S. military said.


Report details ways it says Black, Radler took Hollinger Int'l ...

A new report alleges a handful of top executives at Hollinger International -- which owns the Chicago Sun-Times -- took $400 million of the company's money.


LONDON, England -- Newcastle achieved their first European success in France as a 4-0 win over Sochaux took the Premier League team to the top of UEFA Group D. A first half goal from Lee Bowyer and strikes


Amy Winehouse and Dizzee Rascal lead the nominations for this year's Music of Black Origin Awards.


Residents in northern New York state brace for more heavy snowfalls as they try to clear up to six feet of snow.


Alle 18 di oggi dati immatricolazioni Ministero Trasporti


Salvage crews are trying to recover a stricken ferry and trawler that ran aground off the UK in severe weather.


Car Bombings Kill 50, Leave 145 Hurt In Iraq

Baghdad, Sept. 30 (NNN): At least 50 people, including 35 children, were killed and 145 others injured in a series of car bombings in Iraq on Thursday, reports reaching here said.


If LA's Shawn Green waives a no-trade clause and agrees to land in Arizona and Johnson gives his OK to work in The Bronx, the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Yankees will have put together a blockbuster


Enraged crowds rioted across Pakistan and hopes for democracy hung by a thread after Benazir Bhutto was gunned down as she waved to supporters from the sunroof of her armored vehicle. The death of President Pervez Musharraf's most powerful opponent threw the nation into chaos just 12 days before elections, and threatened its already unsteady role as a key fighter against Islamic terror.


Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said he was under house arrest on Tuesday after heavily armed troops surrounded his residence in the capital Suva, and accused the military of staging a coup.


Salesforce.com launches on-demand support

CEO says demand for automated support and service drives addition to customer resource management products.


Spacewalking Astronauts Replace Equipment

Leaving their orbiting outpost unmanned, the international space station's two astronauts floated outside on a spacewalk Friday and plugged in new antennas and replaced a worn-out piece of cooling equipment.


Possibile interesse per la canadese Western Oil Sands


Bush and Kerry sprint toward the finish line

MILWAUKEE - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry reached for the finish line Tuesday in a campaign for the ages, each claiming to be the strong, steady leader needed in a time of terrorism.


Â· Moscow 'space flight' to simulate mission to Mars Â· Britons seek places in cramped static cabin


Softbank protests Japan's 3G cell phone market policy

Softbank Corp., Japan's largest Internet provider, complained that its plan to offer a new mobile phone service could be thwarted by the government's refusal to provide the necessary bandwidth.


Dutch police have arrested a U.S. passport holder in Amsterdam who was found with a haul of guns, grenades and other weapons and is suspected of being part of a violent criminal organization, prosecutors said on Friday.


How Many FBI Agents Does It Take to Plant a Bug?

The bureau needs 11 agents, some engineers and three days to get the job done.  And the intrepid information gatherers say they need a hefty budget increase to keep up with terrorists.


Our spirits were lifted last week by NASA's announcement that it intends to establish a permanent moon base starting in about 2020.


Pentagon turns to Linux for high-end battlefield simulations

As part of its technology update program, the Defense Department has turned to two 256-processor Linux Networx Evolocity cluster supercomputers to improve complex computerized battlefield simulations.


Panhandle helicopter ambulance crashes into bay; 3 believed dead

Two bodies have been recovered and searchers were looking for a third possible victim after an air ambulance helicopter owned by a Shreveport company crashed early today in Florida.


China censors "Pirates" for "vilifying Chinese"

China has censored part of the latest  installment of hit Hollywood movie "Pirates of the Caribbean"  for "vilifying and defacing the Chinese," the official Xinhua  news agency said on Friday.


There's Google. Then There's Google Desktop

The logic behind Google (GOOG ) Desktop Search is simple enough: Why shouldn't the best tool for finding things on the Web do equally well at helping people search their own computers?


SunTrust (STI:NYSE - news - research) fired three executives in its credit division in the wake of an accounting snafu, vowing that a conservative credit culture should never "interfere with the application of generally accepted accounting principles.


Polls Show Nov. 2 Race Even as Bush Bounce Fades

Two national polls on Thursday showed the race between President Bush and Democrat John Kerry deadlocked again as Bush's convention bounce faded, although the president has made headway in key swing states.


Along a narrow country road in Aceh province, the wood frames and peaked roofs of five barracks  are beginning to rise from a marshy field. The Indonesian government plans to evict the few cows and goats grazing beside an  army camp within two weeks and welcome into the new structures about 500 Acehnese uprooted by the tsunami late last month.


Strike shuts Nigeria, but oil keeps flowing

A general strike in Africa's top oil producer began on Wednesday after unions rejected government concessions on fuel prices as too little too late.


By Anonymous  LAN control  LANShield 3.0 gives enterprises the ability to control who is allowed onto the LAN, restrict what users can do and prevent threats from disrupting network services or compromising data.


President Putin warns Georgia not to use "blackmail" against Russia amid a bitter spying row.


Tiger closes in on victory at Target World Challenge

THOUSAND OAKS, California  - Tournament host Tiger Woods was on track for his 11th title of the year after cruising three shots clear midway through the Target World Challenge final round on Sunday.


Mutant Flu Virus Is Found That Resists Popular Drug

The World Health Organization said that a small but significant percentage of the main influenza virus causing illness this winter is resistant to the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu.


In G.M. Strike, Both Sides See Defining Moment

The length of the walkout may hinge on the answers to two crucial questions: How long can the U.A.W. afford to stay out? And how long can G.M. endure a strike?


Judge dismisses Calif. sex offender law challenge

A U.S. federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Thursday challenging a California voter initiative that increases monitoring of sex offenders and limits where they can live.


Life & style: A day-by-day wardrobe planner for a fashionable festive season - and not a party hat in sight


Sprint, Nextel Stocks Up on Merger Reports

Wall Street was abuzz Friday over a potential merger between Sprint and Nextel, though the companies declined to comment on a slew of news reports that they are negotiating to combine to create a celluar provider that would almost rival Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless in size.


Sharp differences over Fallujah attack deepen religious and ethnic ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq Raids on mosques and the arrests of hardline clerics are raising fears that the US siege on Fallujah will further alienate Iraq's Sunni minority.


One of the most famous American band leaders of the swing era, clarinettist Artie Shaw, dies aged 94.


U.S. study tips scale in favor of Atkins diet

A study of four popular diets found that women put on the one with the least carbohydrates -- the Atkins plan -- lost at least twice as much weight as those on the others, researchers said on Tuesday.


At least seven civilians, including four children, were killed during a military operation against al-Qaida-linked militants on a southern Philippine island, officials said Tuesday.


The death sentence of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV has been commuted to life in prison, a top Libyan official said Tuesday.


Over time, dividend payments represent a large fraction of investors' total returns.


ZARIT, Israel  - Israel's army left all of south Lebanon except for one small border village on Sunday, as part of a handover to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers under the truce that ended a war with Hizbollah fighters.


F.D.A. Issues Strictest Warning on Diabetes Drugs

The agency has called for the toughest safety warning on Avandia and Actos, whose health risks have become a focus of concern.


Atlantic 10âs Resurgence Starts With Scheduling

With four teams in the top 25 in simulations of college basketballâs ratings percentage index, Atlantic 10 athletic directors and coaches do not have to fight so hard for respect this season.


U.S.-Led Drive for U.N. Stem Cell Ban Crumbles

A U.S.-led campaign to ban  cloning of human embryos, including for stem cell research,  crumbled on Friday as a divided United Nations prepared to  abandon the initiative.


Palermo, 18:34 - CALCIO, PALERMO; GUIDOLIN: LA LAZIO NON HA RUBATO NULLA

"La Lazio non ha rubato il risultato, abbiamo sbagliato noi credendo di aver già vinto". Ã ne...


Want to live like Cameron Diaz? Then swap homes

LOS ANGELES, Dec 8 (Reuters Life!) - He can't guarantee a date with Cameron Diaz or Jude Law but Ed Kushins can promise you will live like they do -- in the movies, anyway.


A lawsuit by the owner of Pearl Oyster Bar in Manhattan may be the most aggressive use of intellectual property concepts by the owner of a small restaurant.


An "increasing pool" of people in the UK are living with HIV and Aids, official statistics show.


German business software vendor SAP AG issued a warning to customers not to provide confidential information on the phone to people claiming to be company support staff.


Yahoo chief executive and co-founder plans to expand the  Internet stalwart to make it âa starting pointâ for consumers.


Scores of Iraqi civilians and police officers were killed in Baghdad Friday in separate attacks on police stations and a mosque. Senior government officials say the attacks are intended to weaken security and ignite a civil war.


Disturbed by WMD questions, former Bush backer leans toward Kerry

Once a staunch supporter of President Bush, Wilma Tabisz says revelations about the absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq caused her to reconsider.


The bombing at the Taba Hilton hotel in Egypt caused slight injuries to two American employees of the US embassy in Israel and their families, the State Department said Friday.


Crude-oil futures rose Friday on fears of a possible terrorist attack before Tuesday's US election, but the market's recent downturn may continue next week.


Nikkei scende a 18.119,92 punti dopo un'apertura a-0,06%


Prostitutes testify in Ca. bribery trial

A prostitute whom prosecutors say a defense contractor provided to former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham testified Wednesday that the congressman fed her grapes as she sat naked in a hot tub before they headed to a bedroom at a Hawaiian resort.


US continues airstrikes, ground assaults against insurgent targets ...

US Marines clashed with insurgents on the outskirts of the rebel bastion of Fallujah and launched airstrikes at militant targets, the US command said Friday.


U.S. Air Strike Kills Six Afghan Civilians -Police

A U.S. bombing raid killed at least six civilians and wounded nine others on Tuesday in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan official said.


Eduardo off the mark as Arsenal cruise through

Eduardo got off the mark for Arsenal as Arsene Wenger's side cruised through to the Champions League group stages with a 3-0 win over Sparta Prague on Wednesday.


PALO ALTO, California  - Hewlett-Packard Co. said   on Friday that Chairman Patricia Dunn has resigned effective   immediately, as pressure mounts on the computer maker over the   methods it used to investigate boardroom leaks.


HP chairwoman to step down after spying scandal

Hewlett-Packard says its chairwoman Patricia Dunn is stepping down after the computer and printer maker was threatened with prosecutions over an espionage scandal.


Britain, other US allies defend legal basis for invasion of Iraq

Leading allies of the United States defended the legal basis for the US-led invasion of Iraq and their involvement there after UN chief Kofi Annan reignited the debate over its legitimacy.


Serbia's election body bars US and British observers from monitoring the 20 January presidential polls.


Second-seeded Andy Roddick has predicted a thrilling contest when he takes on Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-final of the Masters Cup in Houston.


Zimbabwe's veteran President Robert Mugabe announced on Friday that the crisis-hit southern African country will stage a general election on March 29 when he will seek a sixth term in office.


It's a girl! Maybe. Zoo officials in Nuremberg announced Wednesday that Germany's new polar bear cub is probably a female. The cub's eyes are not yet open and its sexual organs not completely developed, so there's still a chance she could be a he, the Nuremberg zoo's deputy director Helmut Maegdefrau told reporters.


Primo via libera del Governo agli accordi di Kyoto

ROMA. Via libera definitivo al decreto con il quale il governo Berlusconi dÃ  una prima attuazione agli accordi di Kyoto per la limitazione dei gas che producono l'effetto serra. L'assemblea di Palazzo Madama


RIFORME: BERLUSCONI, IO PER PROPORZIONALE CON PREMIO GOVERNABILITA ...

Roma, 9 dic. (Adnkronos) - Silvio Berlusconi ribadisce che la sua proposta di riforma del sistema elettorale in senso proporzionale non ha trovato d'accordo gli alleati della maggioranza. E lo fa in occasione


Web generation preserves memories online

John Shin refuses to buy a copy of his high school yearbook. Instead, he's turning to the Internet to preserve and share memories of his sophomore year.


Sun Micro, UT Austin, Team Up on Supercomputer

Sun Microsystems Inc. SUNW.O  and the University of Texas at Austin are set to flip the  switch on Friday on a unique supercomputer that will vastly  speed up massive data analysis and visualization to tackle  time-critical problems such as weather prediction.


The Boston Red Sox now know what it feels to be the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees don't know what it feels like to be the Red Sox.


Britain's Paddy Ashdown says he has withdrawn his name from the list of possible UN envoys to Afghanistan.


Analyzing 500-year-old bricks, engineers in California are searching for a lost Leonardo da Vinci fresco that some researchers believe is behind a wall in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio.


WORLEY Group became a true global player in mining services yesterday with the acquisition of an American partner. The $US245 million ($A350 million) purchase of US-based Parsons E&C will turn Worley into a near billion-dollar business.


New York files final bid for 2012 Olympics

New York City submitted its formal plan Monday to host the 2012 Olympics, as the centerpiece of the bid, a West Side stadium, continues to spark heated exchanges.


A legal row over comments left on a football chat site have re-started debate about free speech.


Billy Tibbetts, who has been a bad guy at times in life, wants to be a Bruin. Beginning next week, he'll get that chance.


To listen to and read all the palaver yesterday, you would have thought the Celtics were the victims of the commissioner's wrath or some sort of league conspiracy Tuesday night. The teams that were suspected of tanking games to improve their odds -- the Bucks, Grizzlies, and Celtics -- were the teams that suffered the most in the NBA draft ...


Departing U.S. Envoy to Zimbabwe: 'Keep the Faith'

HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 15 -- Outgoing U.S. Ambassador Christopher W. Dell ended his three-year term in Zimbabwe with a message for the citizens of the troubled southern African country: "Keep the faith. Things will change soon."


VATICAN CITY -- A German man jumped a security barrier and grabbed the back of Pope Benedict XVI's open popemobile before being swarmed by security guards yesterday -- reviving a debate over whether the pontiff needs stronger protection during his public audiences.


Firefox variant lets users surf without a trace

A new Web browser based on Firefox changes a computer's IP address every few minutes to make Web surfing more anonymous.


Don't expect privacy law overhaul in the wake of HMRC

Politicos just blowing smoke Opinion Data protection, privacy and information law have never been so high profile as in recent months. Following the loss of 25 million people's personal details by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), there has been what seems like a tide of gaffe after slip-up, all resulting in private personal details spilling out into the public domain.â¦


World Kicks Off AIDS Day, China Gets Tough

The world marked AIDS Day on Wednesday,  promising to eradicate ignorance and prejudice about a disease  that was at first dismissed by many as a Western evil confined  to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.


Strong Quake, Aftershocks Hit Japan; 4 Dead

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 and several powerful aftershocks rocked northern Japan on Saturday, killing at least four people and injuring more than 400 while knocking out power and phone services, media said.


Alitalia management to unveil rescue plan

The management of troubled Italian carrier Alitalia was due to unveil a rescue plan to stave off bankruptcy, which the Italian media says will involve shedding a quarter of the workforce.


Wally Backman was supposed to return to Birmingham last summer, for a third straight season as manager of the Double-A Barons. Instead, he took a huge gamble - jumping organizations and moving down to Single


When Robert Gates testifies before a Senate panel in two weeks, Democrats will voice their opposition to administration war policies and gauge Gates' willingness to change them. But they probably won't stand in his way to becoming the next defense secretary.


Somalia's interim government increases security around its base after an attempt to kill President Yusuf.


NEW YORK - These days, technology providers take nothing for granted, especially their customers: There are plenty of stories of providers going to extraordinary lengths to win and keep customers.


German company challenges the search giant's AdWords program.


Early-bird Els sets pace at Dunhill Championship

South Africa's Ernie Els set the early pace during the first round of the Dunhill Championship on Thursday. The 35-year-old carded a bogey-free five-under


Dec. 3, 2004 -- In his first interview since announcing his resignation as US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth forcefully denied that he stepped down because of disappointment that he was not


Trade gap widens on oil, jobless claims fall

The U.S. trade gap widened in May as  higher oil prices and a rising tide of Chinese goods pushed  imports to a record, overshadowing a strong export performance,  a government report showed on Thursday.


China faces Olympic Games crisis over Darfur

China was facing a major international crisis linked to the Olympics Thursday amid mounting pressure over its role in Darfur after US filmmaker Steven Spielberg severed his links to the Games.


The album "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" is the work that introduced Lucinda Williams to most of her fans. It won a Grammy. Rolling Stone and Spin called it one of the top discs of the 1990s. It has sold twice as much as anything else she's done.


BRUCE Wasserstein, the chief executive of Lazard, will be expected to leave if he fails to get a near-$3bn (Â£1.64bn) float of the investment bank away by next June.


The Hollywood writer's strike has ended, but that leaves the question of when favorite shows will return to television


UPDATE 1-Own goal gives Panathinaikos 1-1 draw at Arsenal

Arsenal missed a chance to virtually guarantee themselves a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League when they were held 1-1 by Panathinaikos at Highbury on Tuesday.


Gates Foundation Head to Leave Longtime Post

Patty Stonesifer, who helped start and develop the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is stepping down, marking a major turning point for the philanthropic foundation.


Huge underground lake could end Darfur conflict: US scientist

The recent discovery of a huge underground lake in Sudan could spell an end to four years of conflict in the drought-stricken region of Darfur, a US geologist said Wednesday.


An advisory panel recommends approval of a new HIV drug that blocks one key element.


By Douglas Durden, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.  Dec. 15--Five things to consider during TV's seasonal lull, also known as  "All I Want for Christmas Is (insert the name of your favorite regularly  scheduled TV show here)." 1.


The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.    July measurements from Nielsen/NetRatings placed the broadband audience at 51 percent of the U.S...


Ribaltata una prima sentenza favorevole all'ex presidente


Penthouse Says Considers Appeal of Reorganization

Penthouse International on Monday said it expects to appeal a court-approved reorganization plan for the unit that publishes its racy adult magazine.


Microsoft finally bows to EU antitrust measures

Microsoft Corp  ended three  years of resistance on Monday and finally agreed to comply with  a landmark 2004 antitrust decision by the European Commission.


The European Union's head office opened a meeting Wednesday at which it was likely to recommend that Turkey begin EU membership talks with one key proviso: that negotiations be halted if Ankara backtracks on sweeping democratic and human rights reforms.


World health officials warn of threat of global flu pandemic

SINGAPORE Health officials are warning today that the world is close to its next pandemic -- a powerful and highly contagious mix of avian influenza and flu virus that would likely be centered in Asia.


George Michael, who has pleaded guilty to driving while unfit, had several drugs in his system when he was arrested, a court heard Wednesday.


Gianni Amelio's quietly unassuming tear-jerker works its way into your heart despite the occasional cries of protest emanating from your head.


Afghanistan's 'Lost' Heritage Found in Musty Boxes

More than 22,000 ancient cultural  treasures from Afghanistan, feared lost or destroyed after  decades of war and Taliban rule, have been taken out of dusty  crates and safes in Kabul and inventoried for safekeeping, said  a U.S. archeologist on Wednesday.


Hokies' backup quarterback Ike Whitaker, 19, a redshirt freshman and former All-Met from Northwest High School, is entering an alcohol rehab program and will miss the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 30.


Shhh...My Child Is Sleeping (in My Bed, Um, With Me)

For âcloset co-sleepers,â revealing the truth isnât worth the criticism.


The designers of the first privately manned rocket to burst into space have received a $US10 million ($A13 million) cheque, a prize designed to encourage technology that will open the heavens to tourists.


BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell looks at the EU policies that protect the Iberian lynx, but also help destroy its habitat.


Dutch politician threatened in letter pinned with knife to filmmaker's body

THE HAGUE, Netherlands  - The killers of an outspoken Dutch filmmaker threatened his scriptwriter - a politician who renounced Islam and has criticized its customs - in a letter that was pinned to the victim's body with a knife.


John McCain got here by keeping it real. A bus to drive him. A microphone when he arrived. Coffee and doughnuts to keep him going.


Case wraps up as HP investigators finish sentences

A former Hewlett-Packard Co. ethics director and two investigators employed by the company won dismissal of the last remaining state charges stemming from a boardroom spying scandal at the computer maker.


Pakistan find their pace to beat Australia

A jubilant Pakistan finally found the form which had deserted them throughout their tour of Australia, defeating the host nation by three wickets in their tri-series limited overs match at the Western Australian Cricket Association Ground.


Contrary to original reports, Michael Jordan says he has no intentions of joining the Miami Heat or any other NBA team as a player.


Empoli, 19:07 - CALCIO, EMPOLI: NON SI E' ALLENATO RAGGI

Doppio allenamento per l'Empoli in vista della gara contro il Napoli. In mattinata lavoro in palestr...


The woman who claims she is the oldest daughter of James Brown said she will be in court Monday to pursue a piece of the late soul singer's estate.


Milano, 16:45 - CALCIO, LEGA; RUGGERI: GRANDI ARRABBIATE? MI DISPIACE

Il presidente dell'Atalanta Ivan Ruggeri non condivide le proteste delle grandi per la mancata nomin...


UN Chopper Crash-Lands in Afghanistan, Crew Stranded

A U.N. helicopter flying to retrieve ballot boxes after Afghanistan's landmark election was forced to crash-land in a remote snow-covered corner of the country on Tuesday, officials said.


Microsoft browser market share slips slightly

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp.'s share of the browser market slipped slightly in recent months but still dominated with 92.9 per cent, an internet analytics firm said.


Here's some help for those between a rock and a hard place.


Playing indoors will make for a different game in West Final, says ...

VANCOUVER (CP) - Wally Buono expects a different game when the Saskatchewan Roughriders come in from the cold to face the BC Lions in Sunday's CFL West Final.


British minister and Blair ally Blunkett resigns

LONDON - A Cabinet minister embroiled in the messy fallout of an affair with a married woman resigned on Wednesday, his department said.


The Supreme Court agreed yesterday to hear the entertainment industry's case against two Internet-based file-sharing services through which millions of people swap music and movies online, a


Abu Ghraib was failure at highest levels

Former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, in releasing his independent report this week on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, called the night shift at the prison "a kind of 'Animal House.


APEC eco-tech cooperation projects on track

A total of 121 projects in economic and technical cooperation were undertaken over the past year among the 21 members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Juan Carlos


Older age increases risk of obesity surgery

NEW YORK  - People 65 years of age or older may think twice about having weight loss surgery, according to a surgeon who performs this operation and has studied the outcome.


Mayor's home searched for a 25-year-old bomb

Ireland DUBLIN -- The mayor evacuated his official residence overnight and army specialists were called to the building yesterday to search for a bomb that a Protestant paramilitary group said it had planted 25 years ago. The Ulster Volunteer Force leaders said they had targeted the leadership of the Irish Republican Army's political ally Sinn Fein with a bomb hidden ...


Michael Jackson Gives DNA To Authorities

LOS OLIVOS, Calif. -- Michael Jackson voluntarily gave a DNA sample to authorities on Saturday, driving back to his ranch for that purpose after having left during a search there, a source said Sunday.


Conway's head was on PeopleSoft block for weeks

Testimony from a PeopleSoft board member has indicated that the company had been thinking about removing deposed CEO Craig Conway for some time.


UK police want to find campus extremists

British police have offered to train university staff to spot extremists operating on campus despite complaints from Muslim students that they could be unfairly targeted, a government document said Tuesday.


Smentita ogni altra ipotesi, 'rafforzamento strategico'


ATHENS -- The countdown clock for 2008 will be installed in Tiananmen Square next month. Not that Beijing has been lollygagging since the Lords of the Rings awarded the Summer Games to the city three years ago. Beijing is bristling with cranes and steamshovels and jackhammers providing a staccato beat, with 30 sports venues in various stages of construction, including ...


The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain Saturday for their parties' presidential nomination.


Compagnia chiedera' inchiesta su persistenti rumors


Trimestrale, i ricavi sono aumentati del 5,9% a 6,1 mld dlr


Screening: Co-Pays Seen as a Deterrent to Getting Mammograms

Twelve dollars may not seem like a high medical cost, but it is enough to deter many women from getting a mammogram, a new study finds.


Cold water poured on Intel's Symbian deal

Chipmaker Texas Instruments (TI) has played down the importance to the smartphone market of Symbian's new alliance with Intel.


Talks to resolve the conflict in Darfur are halted again, as the UN issues an urgent new appeal for aid.


The Borders Group said Tuesday that it widened its net loss in the second quarter on heavy charges despite an increase in revenue from sales of the seventh book in the Harry Potter series.


Secretary of State-Designate Rice Resting After Surgery

US Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice is resting, after successful, minimally invasive surgery. A senior administration official told VOA Dr.


Three Italians are  kidnapped by masked gunmen in speedboats in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta.


2 nations opt out of UN force for Darfur

Sweden and Norway have dropped plans to send about 400 troops to the U.N. peacekeeping force in Darfur because of opposition from Sudan's government, a Swedish Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday.


Three days after the voting ended, the race for Democratic delegates in Super Tuesday's contests was still too close to call. With nearly 1,600 delegates from Tuesday contests awarded, Sen. Barack Obama led by two delegates Friday night, with 91 delegates still to be awarded. Obama won 796 delegates in Tuesday's contests, to 794 for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to an analysis of voting results by The Associated Press.


WASHINGTON - An antibiotic that shuts down the power source of the tuberculosis bacteria may become the first new drug enlisted in 40 years to fight the disease.


LOS ANGELES  - Walt Disney Studios is  actively proceeding with a second sequel to Pixar Animation's  "Toy Story" franchise, a move that could make it more difficult  for the two companies to extend their rocky relationship.


Why China's about to give India a run for its money.


Parliament faces dissolution if no coalition, Ukraine leader warns

President Viktor Yushchenko warned that he could dissolve parliament and call new elections if Ukrainian political parties fail to form a governing coalition by the end of next week, three months after a legislative ballot.


350,000 Asked to Evacuate As Jeanne Nears

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hurricane Jeanne trekked westward Friday on a path that could lead to Florida's east coast by Sunday, setting off another round of storm preparations in a state still reeling from three earlier strikes...


Sun hopes Project Indiana will help OpenSolaris

Company wants to create an OpenSolaris-based OS familiar to Linux and Solaris users in a long-term attempt to propagate the software.


Thousands of people are expected to turn out to celebrate the official opening of Scotland's new parliament.


Jason Estrada had the perfect opponent last night. An inexperienced one. The Pan Am Games gold medalist had not fought in two months because of a thumb injury and a case of plantar fasciitis that curtailed both his training and his aerobic workouts, and that layoff had his coaches concerned. Unable to run until recently, the Providence, R.I., ...


Margaret Scobey lascia la sede diplomatica sirianaper "consultazioni urgenti" dopo l'attentato di Beirut                                                  Gelo tra Washington e Damasco Bush richiama l'ambasciatore


Iran today received the qualified backing of the UN's nuclear watchdog just 10 days short of a deadline to address US and European concerns over its programmes.


Investors Still Seek Right N.C. Deal: $30 Million is on Hold As Years Pass

By David Ranii, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.  Feb. 10--More than 2 1/2 years after the nonprofit Golden LEAF Foundation agreed to invest $30 million in a venture capital fund with local ties, that fund has yet to invest any money in a North Carolina business.


You won't find her name in the starting lineup, nor will she be introduced before Game 1 of the 2004 World Series tonight at Fenway Park.


Procter & Gamble Co. this week filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Coca-Cola Co. that claims the beverage company infringed on three P&G patents.


Obama's comparison of student deaths in one city and soldier deaths in another is bad math -- but maybe good politics


Anonymous sources feed the rumor mill with tales of an upgraded input device. In Gear Factor.


Weather forecasters help fight climate change

The European Union has found new partners in its campaign against global warming: weather forecasters.


Stilista: sfilare a New York? Non ci penso nemmeno


VoIP unplugged, as Wi-Fi meets Net phoning

Announcements by Vonage, Net2Phone, Boingo underscore collision course of Internet telephony and wireless broadband.


In its pursuit to constantly introduce innovations in entertainment, Pritish Nandy Communications, in association with MTV, has launched the 'Item Girl Hunt'.


Mayor Richard M. Daley will be on course to eclipse his legendary father and become the city's longest-serving mayor if voters Tuesday give him a sixth term despite a City Hall corruption scandal.


ASE, NXP sign China chip joint venture pact

(InfoWorld) - One of Europe's largest chip makers is teaming up with Taiwan's biggest chip packaging and testing company on a joint venture in China, despiteÂ strict regulations regarding chip-related investmentsÂ on the part of Taiwan. NXP Semiconductors, the former chip division of Koninklijke Philips Electronics, and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) on Friday said they signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint chip packaging and testing venture in Suzhou, China. ASE will take a 60 percent stake in the venture, while NXP will hold the remaining 40 percent. The companies said the deal will only go through if it meets regulatory approval, but they indicated that the Chinese and Taiwanese governments have been cooperative. "We're pleased to be able to strengthen our relationship with ASE through the formation of this JV and appreciate the willingness of governments to help in this regard," said Ajit Manocha, chief manufacturing officer at NXP, in a statement. Taiwan and China remain enemies after splitting in 1949 amid civil war. The islandÂ heavily regulates China-bound chip investmentÂ over fears China could use the technology to bolster its military. Chip makers on the island find the rules a hindrance. But despite the strained relationship, China remains the favored destination for Taiwanese investment due to their shared language and culture, as well as China's lower costs and incentives for building factories. Â


ASIA/FILIPPINE - I Vescovi chiedono al governo maggiore impegno per metter fine alla stagione degli omicidi politici e per garantire elezioni regolari e trasparenti Manila (Agenzia Fides) - Maggiore impegno nel porre fine alla dolorosa stagione degli omicidi extragiudiziali, compiuti in assoluta impunitÃ ; garanzie perchÃ© le elezioni generali, previste a maggio 2007, siano regolari e trasparenti, evitando gli sca...


The Genesis space capsule carrying solar wind particles will be plucked from nearly a mile above the Utah desert by stunt helicopter pilots whoâve replicated the retrieval, without fumbles, in nearly a dozen practice runs.


Radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada loses his appeal against a Home Office move to deport him.


Rebels Attack Governor's Office in Iraqi City

Rebels attacked the provincial governor's office in Iraq's third city of Mosul on Thursday, killing one of his bodyguards and wounding four more, the US military said.


N.Korea says U.S. to remove it from terrorism list

North Korea said on Monday the United States had agreed to remove it from its list of countries that support terrorism, a move long sought by Pyongyang to better its status with the outside world.


Sacred bull in TB row to be slaughtered: Welsh officials

A sacred bullock that tested positive for bovine tuberculosis looks set to be slaughtered, the Welsh government said Tuesday, despite strong calls from Hindu monks for its life to be saved.


Searching For Closure: Family continues quest for missing airman's remains

Almost 10 years ago, members of the Lubojacky family stood by a marker bearing the name of Sgt.


Merkel 'grande successo', Barroso 'ottimo risultato'


The International Olympic Committee's decision to send their evaluation team to London in mid-February could turn out to be a huge advantage for the capital's bid for the 2012 Games.


Arts & entertainment: Mick Hucknall announces his band will disband in 2009. Don't worry though - his solo career will continue indefinitely.


ASIA/CINA - ÂMane Nobiscum Domine (Lc 24,29)Â Ã¨ stato il tema dellÂIncontro di fede degli universitari della diocesi di Shang Hai Shang Hai (Agenzia Fides) - ÂMane Nobiscum Domine (Lc 24,29)Â Ã¨ stato il tema dellÂIncontro di fede che ha visto riuniti un centinaio di universitari cattolici e non cattolici, provenuti da tutte le parrocchie della diocesi di Shang Hai. Oltre 100 gi...


With Dead Rising and Test Drive Unlimited the Xbox 360  is now delivering on its promise of high definition gaming.


MOJAVE, CALIF. -- A stubby private rocket plane blasted through Earth's atmosphere for a second time in a week yesterday, capturing a $10-million US prize meant to encourage space tourism.


With 3:04 remaining in the third quarter of last night's game, and the Celtics in the process of getting annihilated on the glass and possibly losing yet another home game to yet another ho-hum team, Doc Rivers finally remembered his 12th man and summoned him for help. If that sounds like desperation, well, it was pretty close to that. This ...


Ostacolerebbe concorrenza di Trenitalia nel trasporto merci


Blog: The big three tech companies all have their own mashup editors.  Who comes out on top?


BAGHDAD -- Authorities in Iraq have arrested three close associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, officials said yesterday, claiming to be close to capturing the Al Qaeda-linked terrorist mastermind himself two days ahead of historic elections that extremists have vowed to subvert.


AMR Pilot's Rudder Moves `Too Aggressive,' Board Told

An American Airlines pilot made rudder movements that were ``unnecessary and too aggressive'' in the November 2001 crash of an Airbus SAS plane in New York that killed 265 people, a US safety board investigator said.


A 33-year-old Collingswood woman was one of three people indicted Friday in an identity theft ring that stole personal information from dozens of donors at American Red Cross blood drives in Philadelphia.


"Sopranos" grab big piece of Emmy action

Mob saga "The Sopranos" led the field of Emmy Award contenders for best television series on Thursday in its much-ballyhooed last season on HBO, claiming a total of 15 nominations, including a bid for best drama.


InterSearch Group to Participate in T.R.A.F.F.I.C. West 2007 Conference in Las Vegas

InterSearch Group, Inc. (AMEX:IGO), a leading provider of Internet  search services and operator of industry specific destination portals,  announced today its participation in the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. West 2007  Domain Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.


Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert will resign soon rather than complete his term 15 months from now, ending a 21-year career in Congress, Republican aides said Thursday.


OTTAWA -- Day one of a national summit intended to fix medicare for a generation degenerated into a numbers war, with premiers shooting holes into what Prime Minister Paul Martin claimed was a federal cash offer of $58.


IRAQ, BERLUSCONI IPOTIZZABILE IL RITIRO TRUPPE A SCAGLIONI

REITANO (MESSINA), 21 DIC - ''Il ritiro delle truppe della coalizione dall'Iraq a scaglioni e' certamente ipotizzabile''. lo dice Silvio Berlusconi specificando che il ritiro ''e' forse addirittura individuabile con precisione nelle date.


What you learn about people â and yourself â when you need them to donate an organ.


The toll in Sunday's earthquake-induced tsunamis continued to mount on Tuesday with latest figures indicating nearly 7,400 deaths in India and over 20,000 in six countries across South and South East Asia.


OPEC will increase oil production by 500,000 barrels a day to meet an expected surge in winter consumption.


U.S. Targets Zarqawi Network in Dawn Strike in Iraq

U.S. forces destroyed a building in the  rebel-held city of Falluja on Thursday that they said was being  used by fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose group is  threatening to behead a British hostage.


Broncos running back Damien Nash collapses and dies after a charity basketball game Saturday, less than two months after Denver teammate Darrent Williams was slain.


As much as Acton-Boxboro's players and coaches insist on focusing on anything other than their 39-game winning streak, their opponent today has no such qualms.


MENTION Spanish cinema and names like Pedro Almodovar, Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz immediately come to mind.


Dow Jones perde lo 0,06%, il Nasdaq lo 0,46%, euro in calo


WHO: Another Flu Pandemic May Be Imminent

The World Health Organization previously had warned that bird flu mixed with a human flu virus could spread rapidly and cause as many as 7 million deaths.


FDA warning on Depo-Provera could hit Teva sales

Yesterday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that about contraceptive Depo-Provera that could affect sales by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.


Actor Robert Blake's murder trial was delayed by two weeks on Monday to allow his lawyer more time to prepare his case after a computer containing vital defense documents was stolen from the attorney's home.


RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Yasser Arafat, the father of the Palestinian national movement who died today at the age of 75 in France, was one of the most durable figures on the international scene.


Guerrillas shot dead 17 Iraqis working  for U.S. forces north of Baghdad Sunday and killed six other  people, including three Iraqi National Guards, taking the toll  from three days of violence to more than 70.


Oscar-nominee Deepa Mehta to make film with Big B

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta will explore racism in her new film "Exclusion", inspired by a real-life incident in which a shipload of Indians was turned back from Canada in 1914.


Iridium plans next-generation satellites

(InfoWorld) - Iridium Satellite LLC, the company that raised Motorola Inc.'s expensive space-based network from the ashes of bankruptcy, is now planning a new generation of satellites that may be able to continuously monitor the environment and take pictures of Earth. Iridium was launched in 1998 as a go-anywhere phone service aimed at executives, with outdoor coverage almost everywhere on the planet, including the north and south poles. But its high price and bulky handsets doomed the network to financial failure. The craft stayed aloft and the current company, which took over in 2000, has had more success selling data communications to government and industries such as shipping and aviation along with voice, according to Matt Desch, Iridium's chairman and CEO. Next week at the Satellite 2007 conference in Washington, D.C., the company will unveil an initiative called Iridium Next to build a next-generation network, or "constellation," of satellites. Over the next two years, Iridium will consider technologies and seek partners and financing for the system, which is expected to cost more than US$2 billion to build and deploy, becoming fully operational by 2016. Future services could include environmental monitoring, photography and a geographic positioning system to complement the current GPS (Global Positioning System), Desch said. The current system, consisting of 66 satellites that form a mesh network, provides a baseline speed of only 2.4K bps (bits per second) but supports voice calls, e-mail and exchange of some data such as a ship's position, Desch said. The next generation may have speeds up to 10M bps and provide a broadband data experience, he said. The new satellites may be able to constantly monitor environmental factors such as temperature and the level of the oceans around the world, according to Desch. They could constantly take pictures so enterprises or consumers could monitor facilities or homes anywhere in the world. And working with GPS, they could provide location accuracy down to feet or inches, he said. The next-generation system will be totally based on IP (Internet Protocol), making it easier for Iridium to take advantage of new technology advances and for enterprises to integrate services into their existing applications, according to the company. Iridium sells more data modems than handsets today, and with the next generation it hopes to bring those modems down to a single chip that can be built into more devices, Desch said. Iridium Next will gradually replace the current generation of satellites, which are expected to reach the end of their useful lives starting around 2014, Desch said. Iridium sells wholesale access to the network that is then resold by partners, Desch said. Voice calls cost end customers about US$0.80 to $1.50 per minute and data services are typically priced per packet, he said. Modems cost about $300 and handsets start at about $1,200.


Swimmer Killed By Rip Current: 2 Others Rescued By Lifeguards Off Delray Beach

By Chrystian Tejedor, South Florida Sun-Sentinel  Jun. 2--DELRAY BEACH -- One swimmer died Friday after lifeguards pulled him and two other men from rip currents at the Public Beach off Atlantic Avenue, officials said.


ImageWell adds Flickr, SmugMug, ImageShack Support

ImageWell, the lightweight image editing software for bloggers, now supports Flickr, SmugMug and ImageShack.


Somali Islamists vow not to strike government

Somalia's top Islamist leader said on Friday his fighters did not plan to attack the Horn of Africa nation's interim government but only its "invading" Ethiopian allies.


Putin Says Russia Will Remain On Democratic Path

24 September 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia will remain on the path of democracy and a market economy.


South African Richard Sterne carded a brilliant closing round of 65 to win the Madrid Open and a place on the European Tour for the next two years.


Ma dopo la liberazione di Shalit, secondo vicepremier Peres


In vista della possibile quotazione della societa'


A Portuguese detective brings an official voice to conflicting reports over the hunt for Madeleine McCann.


Nigerian Strike Over Fuel Rates to Go On

Security forces released the head of Nigeria's main labor organization on Sunday after a brief detention, but a nationwide strike will go ahead as planned, a spokesman for the labor group said.


Zoellick Optimistic About Future of Fund for Africa

World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick said yesterday that he is optimistic that a push to raise money for a fund that grants billions of dollars to Africa will be successful because of early feedback from donor countries.


Chili Peppers, Jeff Beck Honor Brian Wilson in L.A.

Mike Love and the rest of the surviving Beach Boys stayed away, but luminaries such as Neil Young and Jeff Beck showed up in Hollywood on Friday as the music industry honored Brian Wilson at a black-tie bash.


AN Iranian opposition group alleged today that Iran was hiding a uranium enrichment facility in Tehran and aims at getting the atomic bomb next year.


Going into Wimbledon, Lindsay Davenport was talking about calling it a career. The losses no longer hurt as much and the victories weren't as sweet.


Torino, 21:43 - CALCIO, TORINO: VENDUTI 16.400 ABBONAMENTI

Si è chiusa a quota 16.400 tessere la campagna abbonamenti del Torino. ''Un numero importante...


Un canadese riceve a casa 150 copie del Service Pack 2

Clicca nel sito di Microsoft 150 volte sul link per richiedere a domicilio una copia del Service Pack 2, e riceve un pacco con 150 cd. E' la strana storia accaduta ad un ragazzo canadese, che si Ã¨ visto recapitare


On the Friday when the late Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat was buried in the courtyard of the Muqata, the media reported that because of the fear of riots, the Israeli government had decided to close the Temple Mount mosques to residents of


The secretary of defense is under increasing fire over his curt response to a soldier's question. BY DREW BROWN. WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has always been a lightning rod for controversy


Writers' strike deal could come within week: report

Hollywood's striking writers have  made a key breakthrough in contract talks with film and  television producers, leading to what could be a deal between  the two parties by the end of next week, The New York Times  reported on Saturday.


Real Madrid narrowly beat Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu thanks to two goals from Raul.


A bill to regulate South Africa's 200,000 traditional healers is adopted by parliament.


WASHINGTON - The company that owns the famed Commodore computer brand has been sold to Yeahronimo Media Ventures Inc., a Beverly Hills, California, digital music distributor.


Iraq, British Governments Won't Give in to Kidnappers

The British and Iraqi governments said  Thursday they would not bow to the demands of militants  threatening to kill a British hostage, despite a video message  from the captive pleading for his life.


The dollar stayed in striking distance of record lows against the euro and a 12-year low versus sterling on Monday in the wake of disappointing U.S. jobs data.


Tottenham midfielder Edgar Davids rejoins Dutch club Ajax on an 18-month contract.


Britain, Spain settle a dispute over Gibraltar

Britain and Spain have settled a  long-running dispute over Gibraltar that blocked the European  Union from ratifying some international conventions, including  treaties on aviation and on children, Britain said on Tuesday.


Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that government should help working mothers and lower-paid workers by giving them more time off with pay.


Shock, awe and obscenity of snouts in a trough of greed

REVELATIONS of the "self-righteous and aggressive looting" of Hollinger International by its former chief executive Conrad Black and his associates are so jaw-droppingly obscene it is tempting to conclude that, given the extremity of the behaviour Black


By Ian Hoffman, STAFF WRITER  SACRAMENTO -- Scientists say bits of air pollution as small as a thousandth of a hair's width appear to be reducing rain and snowfall in the Sierra, Cascades and Rockies, potentially adding to threats of water shortages tied to global warming.


According to a new Pew Internet & American Life Project study, one-third of Internet users have used a wireless connection around the house, at their workplace, or some place else. Analysts expect that group to grow in Corporate America in the coming years as Wi-Fi security gets stronger and coverage range improves.


Minister says three British soldiers killed in Iraq

LONDON - Three British soldiers in the Black Watch regiment, the forces moved closer to the Iraqi capital to back up American troops, have been killed in an attack, the government said Thursday.


Shares in Home Depot Inc. HD.N rose  before the opening bell on Tuesday after the world's largest  home improvement retailer reported a 19 percent rise in  second-quarter profit.


Take-Two loss shrinks, but forecast falls short

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc   said on Tuesday it cut its quarterly net loss in half,  but the videogame publisher's outlook fell short of Wall Street  expectations, and its shares fell 4 percent.


Britain Offering to Pay Off 10% of Third World Debt

Britain is planning a new effort to help poor countries reduce their huge debts by offering to pay off 10 percent of the total owed to international agencies and challenging


Five European tourists who went missing last week in northeastern Ethiopia are being held by kidnappers in a remote tribal region, Ethiopia's foreign minister said Friday.


Safin Survives First-Round Scare in Moscow

Top seed Marat Safin survived a  first-round scare before prevailing over his doubles partner  Max Mirnyi 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in the Kremlin Cup Monday.


Ahmadinejad, 'rinunciamo a tutto salvo a questo'


CORRECTED: Tough Questions on U.S. Prisoner Abuse Still to Come

(Corrects spelling of Gonzales in fourth paragraph and  throughout also corrects fourth paragraph to make clear he was  part of the process that created the memos. In 10th paragraph,  makes clear administration officials deny such an executive  order exists.)


Billionaire Perelman appeals Morgan Stanley decision

U.S. billionaire Ronald Perelman has gone to Florida's highest state court to overturn an appeals court ruling that stripped him of a $1.58 billion jury award against Morgan Stanley .


A baby believed to have been cut from her murdered mother's womb is found alive in the US.


Air Force Officer Sues Over Anthrax Reprimand

WILMINGTON, Del.  - An Air Force flight engineer  charged in a lawsuit on Thursday that the U.S. military  violated his civil rights when it punished him for complaining  about the dangers of the anthrax vaccine.


Some of the glitter was missing: No top-five national rankings, no Heisman Trophy front-runners, no one talking seriously about a national championship.


COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Ethan Flatt found Bill Flowers in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:05 left to give Mississippi a 31-28 victory over No. 25 South Carolina yesterday.


An oil slick adds to flood problems for thousands of people in the US states of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.


Three Dhaka university professors accused of inciting violence in August are sentenced to three years in jail.


Two-thirds of local authorities in Wales are not spending enough on education, according to a teachers' union.


New tape from al-Zarqawi urges Iraqi resistance

Terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appears to be behind a new audio tape, praising resistance across Iraq, and urging rebels in Fallujah to keep fighting US forces.


ThyssenKrupp sells off 48,000 workers' houses

ThyssenKrupp, the German engineering group buoyed by soaring steel prices, sold off a core element of its philanthropic past yesterday by disposing of its entire stock of company homes for employees for â¬2.1bn (Â£1.45bn).


Loan Changes in Brazil Motivate New Buyers and Home Building

Brazilâs newfound economic stability and changes in lending laws are for the first time making it possible for the countryâs working poor to buy their own homes.


The doughnut maker confesses to a bad quarter but pledges to make a comeback.


EU says runs out of cash for Darfur peacekeepers

European Union funding for an African  peacekeeping force in Darfur has run out, and the United States  and Arab League should help cover the costs until a replacement  force arrives, the EU's aid chief said on Friday.


Springsteen returns to No. 1 in slow week

In a slow week for album sales,  Bruce Springsteen returned to the top of the U.S. pop charts  Wednesday, a week after he lost the crown to Kid Rock.


Futures fluctuated as investors digested reports showing a rebound in worker productivity, fewer jobless claims and robust August retail sales.


Peter Reid departs Highfield Road after only eight months in charge of the Sky Blues.


Fearlessly Foul, and on the Verge of Respectability

Lisa Lampanelli found stand-up late. Now, despite an aggressively offensive style, a Grammy nomination has found her.


Two networks bar church ad welcoming gays

Two broadcast networks are refusing to air an ad from the United Church of Christ because the spot, intended to make the point that the Protestant denomination


President Bush on Wednesday reiterated his threat to veto Senate legislation that would substantially increase funds for children's health insurance by levying a 61-cent-a-pack increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes.


FDA Whistleblower Seeks Legal Help From Public-Interest Group

Dr. David J. Graham, the FDA drug safety reviewer who sounded warnings over five drugs he felt could become the next Vioxx has turned to a Whistleblower protection group for legal help.


After a gap of two years, he is making films with stars like Puneet Raj Kumar and Ganesh. Up first is Binddas with Puneet Rajkumar, which is releasing on February 8.


Japanese princess has baby boy: official

Japan's Princess Kiko gave birth to the royal family's first boy in more than 40 years, the palace said, easing a long-running succession crisis.


Sheryl Crow says she thinks her infant son, Wyatt, will be the first in a "whole troop" of children in her life.


It's on track to meet sales targets, but profits might not keep pace.


The United States yesterday vetoed an Arab-backed United Nations resolution demanding an end to military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.


Oracle (ORCL:Nasdaq - news - research) delivered on its promise that it would produce a slate of directors for nomination at PeopleSoft's (PSFT:Nasdaq - news - research) annual shareholder meeting next spring, but PeopleSoft repeated its mantra that the


Movie Review | 'The Namesake': Modernity and Tradition at a Cultural Crossroads

Mira Nairâs âThe Namesakeâ conveys a palpable sense of people as living, breathing creatures who are far more complex than their words might indicate.


The projection of a ÃÂ¿relativeÃÂ¿ Olympic medals table released Feb. 20 by the British Olympic Association says China will win 11 more gold medals than the United States in the Summer Olympics.


Militant Chechen Rebel Leader to Go on Trial for Masterminding ...

Chechnya's rebel leader says militant Shamil Basayev will go on trial for masterminding the hostage siege in Beslan after fighting in the breakaway Russian republic comes to an end.


It was a sensational case that seemed wrapped up when guilty verdicts and life sentences were announced earlier this year against two former police detectives accused of being hit men for the mob.


Russia on Monday said it supported Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's move to form an emergency government, but it urged him and Islamic Hamas to seek a "wide-ranging dialogue" and avert the deepening crisis.


Toys, dolls, insects, monsters and fish were nothing. Now, with "The Incredibles," Pixar is gambling for the first time on a film anchored by animated humans.


Annullata la proposta del governo di introdurla nel 2012


The second season for high school track and field stars began yesterday at the Reggie Lewis Center as more than 600 students looked to kick off the final stretch of the 2006-07 indoor track season in victorious fashion at the Mass. State Track Coaches Association's Elite Meet.


Some are comparing the Sarkozy family to the Kennedys, while others are saying that their untraditional ways are shameful to the French.


IPOs of Venture-Funded Cos. Raise $5 Bln

The initial public offerings of  67 venture capital-funded U.S. companies raised $4.98 billion  in 2004, more than tripling from the $1.41 billion raised in 22  deals during 2003, VentureOne said on Saturday.


This year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition will feature singer and "Dreamgirls" star BeyoncÃ© Knowles -- the first time that a non-model and non-athlete graces the cover. Ten years prior, the now retired supermodel Tyra Banks also set a mile...


Arrestato Cruciani, terrorista latitante

La Digos della capitale e il Ros dei Carabinieri hanno arrestato Jerome Cruciani, ex militante dei Nuclei comunisti combattenti. Cruciani Ã¨ accusato di associazione eversiva, banda armata e rapina con finalitÃ  di terrorismo.


'Charlotte's Web' Snares Roberts, Winfrey

LOS ANGELES  - Julia Roberts, Oprah  Winfrey and John Cleese have joined the voice cast for  "Charlotte's Web," a feature film adaptation of E.B. White's  classic children's book.


With just over six weeks remaining until Election Day, CQPolitics.com is excited to announce several new features that will give our readers a better idea of how the battle for control of Congress is shaping up, as well as who will be coming to Washington after the votes have been counted.


Skype says to launch its first ever mobile phone

EBay  division Skype and mobile  phone group 3 said on Monday they have launched a mobile  handset that allows users to access internet calls provider  Skype while on the move.


The $58-million merger between JP Morgan Chase and Bank One Corp. is costing the region more jobs. Chase is eliminating 400 positions at its card services division, which is located at its


Fresh Bid to Dismiss Michael Jackson Case

Michael Jackson's attorneys are pushing for his child molestation case to be dropped on the grounds that his Neverland Ranch was "unnecessarily searched.


PADANG, Indonesia  - A strong earthquake and a powerful aftershock hit Indonesia's Sumatra island on Tuesday, killing about 70 people and forcing hundreds to camp out in tents or open fields after their homes were flattened.