Stewart's 'America' offers textbook laughs

As Jon Stewart tells it, he and his staff of 13 writers at The Daily Show  were looking for a project."Life was too balanced," he says with a straight face. "It was too good for us."They considered a "roads project, a civic improvement," but when they looked around their offices in Manhattan, "we mostly had computers."So they wrote a book.America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction (Warner, $24.95) will be published Monday after nine months of checking a few facts and making up a lot more. (Related story: Daily Show is a no-stump zone)Just as his TV show on Comedy Central is a parody of a news show, the book is a graphic-heavy parody of a textbook. Chapters include "Congress: Quagmire of Freedom," "The Media: Democracy's Valiant Vulgarians" and "The Rest of the World: International House of Horrors."The foreword is by Thomas "TJ" Jefferson, who inquires in a postscript: "Is it true Halle Berry is once again single?"Stewart's favorite part?"I like the ending," which offers a Certificate of Completion, qualifying readers to "practice, participate in, or found a democracy."Too often, he says, "you finish a book and ask, 'What's in it for me beyond self-improvement?' Our book gives you a certificate in nation-building. ... If you just smash together the basic ideas, you're bound to wind up with something better than North Korea."Stewart wants to be known as a comedian, even though The Daily Show was voted best news show by TV critics this summer. He dismisses praise from journalists such as Eric Alterman, media critic for The Nation, who recently wrote that Daily Show offers "a truer picture than ... the Sunday-morning gabfests and cable food fights."Stewart, 41, says, "It's more a sign of frustration with the information people are receiving than a sign of our entrepreneurial spirit of journalism. ... It's a '(expletive) you' to real news, not a 'hallelujah' for our fake news."The book mocks both President Bush, "hurdling the lowered bar," and Democrat John Kerry, "monogrammed for greatness." But Stewart acknowledges that The Daily Show delivers more jokes at the expense of Republicans."They're in power," he says. "Comedians in biblical times did more Goliath jokes. The David stuff didn't fly."He says he worries less about being partisan than being boring, strident or redundant, "the death of comedy."Stewart's appearance at a booksellers' convention in June, which featured former president Bill Clinton, won rave reviews. Publishers Weekly said Stewart "out-Clintoned that other guy," prompting his publisher to boost the first printing of America from 500,000 copies to 700,000.


A dichiararlo il direttore di Rai Fiction Agostino Sacca'


EUROPA/SPAGNA - Nel 2007 in Spagna le Amministrazioni hanno ignorato ed abbandonato la famiglia Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - LÂIstituto di Politica Familiare (IPF) ha presentato ieri, 16 gennaio, la Relazione sullÂevoluzione della famiglia in Spagna nel 2007. Dalla Relazione, che include un insieme di 24 misure per lÂintroduzione di una vera politi...


IBM to commercialize Blue Gene supercomputer

Called the IBM eServer Blue Gene, the Power-based supercomputer employs a mix of cooling and clustering technologies and starts at $1.5 million.


SurfSafe vendor, Washington state settle suit for $1M

(InfoWorld) - The operator of two computer privacy services has agreed to pay up to $1 million in refunds to customers to settle charges of using deceptive marketing techniques and selling the customer's personal information. Consumer Digital Services, which sold the Privasafe and SurfSafe software and services, has agreed to pay $300,000 in fines and legal fees and offer refunds to Washington state consumers who were billed for their products, according to Katherine Tassi, assistant attorney general for Washington. Terms of the settlement were outlined in a consent decree filed Thursday in King County Superior Court in Seattle. Consumer Digital Services is controlled by Gary Salmirs, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, who is also named in the settlement. The state alleges that the company violated state consumer protection laws, but neither Salmirs nor the company admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement, Tassi said. According to her, the company lured customers with offers of free gift cards, flat-screen monitors, andÂ software, promoted through pop-up ads and e-mail. Customers handed over personal informationÂ such asÂ addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth, thinking that they were getting a free product. "What they actually were doing was signing up for a paid service," Tassi said. Thousands of consumers received unexpected $14.95-per-month charges for the company's software and services, and almost nobody got a free gift card or flat-screen monitor. "Our investigation showed that only one of the over 13,000 Washington consumers ever actually got this free item," Tassi said. Consumers didn't have to hand over credit card information in order to be billed because the charges were tacked on to regular monthly telephone bills, she added. Last year, the Florida attorney general investigated a company called Email Discount Network for engaging in similar billing practices, Tassi said. Consumer Digital Services took its Web sites offline sometime during the past month, Tassi said. But according to cached copies of these sites, the company said that its products would remove spyware, protect consumers against "unscrupulous marketers," make Internet surfers anonymous, and even boost connection speeds. In fact, the "exact opposite" occurred, Tassi said. "They actually were compiling a huge database of consumer information that could be used for marketing purposes," she said. This data was eventually sold to marketing companies, she added. Washington state residents who were billed for Privasafe or SurfSafe products since Jan. 1, 2004, can get their money refunded and will be contacted by Consumer Digital Services. The company could not be reached immediately for comment.


Toyota Aims to Be No. 1 in 2008 Vehicle Sales

Toyota said itâs aiming to sell 9.85 million vehicles worldwide in 2008, setting an ambitious target despite worries about a slowing U.S. car market.


Critical Microsoft security bulletin revised to include Office for the Mac

Blog: Microsoft revises one of its critical security bulletins from patch Tuesday, now including a fix for Microsoft Office 2004 for the Mac.


Australian girl changes blood group, immune system

An Australian teenage girl has become the world's first known transplant patient to change blood groups and take on the immune system of her organ donor, doctors said on Friday, calling her a "one-in-six-billion miracle."


Pope Benedict XVI tells pilgrims at the Vatican that his remarks on Islam last week were misunderstood.


WASHINGTON - Standing beside Iraq's interim leader, President Bush contended on Thursday that insurgents could "plot and plan attacks elsewhere, in America and other free nations," if the United States pulled its soldiers out.    After meeting with interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, Bush said he expects violence in Iraq to escalate as the country moves toward elections scheduled for January...


Television Review | 'Made in L.A.': When a Fight for More Money Is Also a Battle for Dignity

Labor protest is not dead. Nor is it futile, according to âMade in L.A.,â an excellent documentary tonight on the PBS anthology series âP.O.V.â


Christmas chaos as English town goes car park crazy

Drivers have reduced a quiet English market town to motor mayhem in the Christmas shopping rush, shamelessly cashing in while the only local traffic warden is suspended, reports said.


Dell to add 500 product development engineers

Computer maker Dell Inc. DELL.O on   Monday said it would hire an additional 500 engineers for its   product development operations in central Texas.


'X-Men' sequel performs box office heroics

The "X-Men" mutants overpowered the  human competition at the U.S. Memorial Day holiday box office  in North America, while "The Da Vinci Code" remained the top  choice overseas, according to studio estimates issued on  Monday.


Per il Cdm ci sono evidenti aspetti di illegittimitÃ  costituzionalePecoraro Scanio: "Siamo al salva-cantiere, quello di Berlusconi"                                                  Il governo contro la Sardegna impugnata la legge 'salvacoste'


E.P.A. Seeks New Life for Old Cellphones

The E.P.A.  is launching a public education campaign aimed at getting consumers to recycle their old phones.


CHICAGO - An Amtrak passenger traveling with her ailing father waited nearly 23 hours and about 1,000 miles to tell authorities he had died so she could avoid the cost of shipping the body home, police said.


WASHINGTON -- Outgoing Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said yesterday he doesn't regret being the public face for the Bush administration's international call to war in Iraq. He also believes diplomacy is making headway in containing nuclear threats in Iran and North Korea, he said in an interview.


Toys 'R' Us Ponders a Season to End All Seasons

In the face of dwindling toy sales and intense competition from low-price rivals, Toys 'R' Us may be getting out of the game.


Israel Plans to Rezone Settlements to Build 533 New Units

Israel plans to rezone land within existing settlements to allow for the construction of another 533 housing units, most of them close to Jerusalem, Israeli officials said today.


Cianci denied job at Boston luxury hotel

Former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci began work at an upscale condominium complex in the city he once led Friday after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied his request to work at a Boston luxury hotel, his lawyer said.


New York, 10:54 - BASEBALL, MAJOR LEAGUE: RISULTATI

Risultati delle gare della regular season del campionato americano di baseball MLB.


SANYO Electric Announces Statement Regarding Battery Pack Recall By Lenovo

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO)(TOKYO:6764)(NASDAQ:SANYY) is the world's  largest producer of rechargeable batteries, and is a battery pack  supplier to Lenovo for its notebook PCs. Lenovo, in conjunction with the  U.S.


On the Road: Orbitzâs New Challenge: Serving the Maverick Flier

What can an online booking site do for a notorious travel cheapskate that heâs already doing for himself?


IBM and Advanced Micro Devices have tacked a three-year extension onto their December 2002 collaboration agreement that could see the two companies work on chip-making technologies based on a 32-nanometer process.


By Hiawatha Bray, The Boston Globe  Dec. 16--The wireless controller for the new Nintendo Wii video game  console is light, compact, and dangerous -- at least to TV sets.


DENVER The Denver Nuggets have picked up their three million dollar option for next NBA season for forward Nene (nuh-NAY') but not for Nikoloz Tskitishvili (NIH-koh-lohs skee-tish-VEE'-lee).


iVillage is now a TV star thanks to NBC Universal.


U.S. "guest" worker program exploitative: report

Workers who come to the United States on short term, seasonal contracts are routinely exploited and have few legal safeguards, according to a report issued on Monday by the Southern Poverty Law Center.


Fresh US troops arrive in Iraq; deputy governor of Baghdad killed

BAGHDAD Fresh US troops arrive in Iraq on eve of expected showdown in Fallujah Eds: LEDES and RECASTS throughout with troop arrivals, Marine killed, deputy governor assassinated; CHANGES byline, overline AP Photos ANS102;MAC109 By JIM KRANE Associated


Torres, Page, Gurwin, Hocking and More Cast in 'Most Wanted' Musical at La Jolla

Playbill - Daniel Torres, Ken Page, Danny Gurwin, Leah Hocking and Arthur AcuÃ±a will be among the stars of the upcoming musical Most Wanted, which undergoes a workshop production at La Jolla Playhouse in October.


The two biggest shareholders in Martha Stewart's company have been quietly cashing out - raising speculation that a surprise deal could be brewing while she's sitting in prison.


Google's Lower Price Fails to Lure Some Investors: Taking Stock

Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- James Huguet shunned Google Inc.'s initial public offering when the company sought as much as $135 a share. The money manager was no more inclined to own the stock yesterday, when Google sold shares at $85.


Shivnarine Chanderpaul becomes the third man to hit half-centuries in seven consecutive Test innings as West Indies take control against South Africa.


Technocrat Recasts Yemen's Presidential Race, Political Future

SANAA, Yemen, Sept. 19 -- When Faisal bin Shamlan was approached several months ago by a coalition of opposition groups to run in this week's presidential election, he turned down the offer. The 72-year-old economist, who had resigned as oil minister to protest corruption, was enjoying his days...


For most 20-year-olds a night on the town ends with a long wait for the last bus home. Not so Prince Harry. His latest fracas concluded with him being bundled into a limousine by royal protection officers


After six months of deadlock, the country's factions finally formed an emergency coalition government. But with security being stepped up, the hard work has already begun


Rossi via, Figc nel caos stasera in campo la B

Via anche Gamberale, Nicoletti e Albertini. Di' la tua. Oggi gioca la B, con la Juve che scende in campo a Crotone. Domani, per la serie A, il big match Roma-Inter. Le dirette su Kataweb


Merck Shares Plummet on News of Vioxx Denials

Merck pulled Vioxx from the market on September 30th, saying it was acting in the best interest of patients. But internal documents reportedly show the company knew as far back as 2000 that


Travelers to Pay $6 Million, Ending Inquiry on Brokersâ Fees

The commercial insurer reached an agreement with several states to pay $6 million to resolve an investigation into fees it paid to brokers.


(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of Thomson CenterWatch:


Air around indoor pools may harm lung cells

BEIJING, Dec. 16 -- Children who spend long periods of time at indoor swimming pools may damage lung cells that help prevent airway inflammation.


A Girl in a Man's World, Driven and Unafraid

Michelle Wie returns to the PGA's Sony Open this week, with fans curious to see if a developing 15-year-old with game and charisma can top last year's performance.


The parents of abducted Madeleine McCann fly to Spain to publicise her disappearance.


Family of Kidnapped Aid Worker in Iraq Mourns After New Video

The family of Margaret Hassan, the 59-year-old aid worker kidnapped in Iraq last month, said today they believed she was dead.


Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian-born steel magnate, yesterday staked a claim to overtake Roman Abramovich as Britain's richest man with a Â£10bn deal to create the world's largest steelmaker.


Serbia's President Rejects Independence For Kosova

Serbian President Boris Tadic told RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages Service in Belgrade on 21 January that independence for Kosova is "unacceptable." This view puts him at odds with a growing body ...


Wherever humans go, microorganisms follow--and that includes space. Bacteria and other microbes living onboard spaceships may not only cause health problems for the crew, but also cause the spaceship itself to malfunction.


ECB, BoE turn on funding taps to ease crunch

The European Central Bank and Bank of England flooded money markets with funds on Tuesday as the UK central bank chief warned of a possible "self-reinforcing" downward spiral in credit.


CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts  - About 200 Harvard University students waited more than an hour in bone-chilling rain on Wednesday for a speaker better known for hard partying than Ivy League appearances -- socialite Paris Hilton.


New Magazines for Black Men Proudly Redefine the Pinup

A growing market of magazines that is tapping into an underserved market is also presenting an alternative image of beauty.


The board overseeing MFS Institutional Emerging Equities Fund and MFS Institutional Mid Cap Growth Fund has voted to terminate the funds about Oct. 28, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. It did not say why. Mid Cap Growth had about $17.8 million in net assets June 30; Emerging Equities had $56 million. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. is the ...


Iran Negotiates Deal to Curtail Nuclear Work

A series of secret weekend meetings in Vienna between Iranian and European diplomats led to a promise from Tehran yesterday to suspend some nuclear activities in exchange for improved trade


Nevada voters on Tuesday backed President Bush in the U.S. presidential election, giving the Republican a key state victory in his contest with Democrat John Kerry, television networks projected.


'Passion' DVD Release Gets Off to Brisk Start

DVD copies of Mel Gibson's unlikely blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" went on sale on Tuesday as distributor Fox Home Entertainment reported initial shipments


Catania, 14:52 - CALCIO, CATANIA; BALDINI: EVITARE SECONDA GOLEADA A ROMA

Approdato ai quarti di Coppa Italia con la grande soddisfazione di aver eliminato il Milan, il Catan...


Ukraine Rivals OK Vote Reforms for Rematch

Ukraine's political rivals agreed at European-brokered talks Tuesday on legislation to ensure a fair vote in the Dec. 26 presidential rematch but failed to agree on constitutional


The chip that will power the PlayStation 3 is said to be up to 10 times faster than current processors.


TackleÃÂ Jared Gaither, who left Maryland after being ruled academically ineligible, visits withÃÂ the Ravens on Wednesday,ÃÂ a day before the supplemental draft.


EAST LANSING, Mich. (Sports Network) - Jason Teague, who ran for 112 yards and a score on 17 carries, caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter to snap a tie and help Michigan State post a 49-14 win over


U.S.-Microsoft antitrust deal to get temporary extension

Procedural move would give judge more time to decide whether it's necessary to impose on Redmond a lengthier watchdog period, as recently advocated by a number of state prosecutors.


Three sets of independent pathologists confirm that Pakistan coach Woolmer died of natural causes. But disquiet over his death looks set to persist


Milano, 15:38 - CALCIO, JUVE: UNICEF, ALL'ASTA SU E-BAY LA MAGLIA DI BUFFON

In occasione della festa del papà, il 19 marzo 2008 e per una settimana, nella sezione benefi...


LONDON, Sep 29  (IPS) - The Russian move to ratify the Kyoto Protocol is  set to bring a major change to industrial economies across the  developed world.


A filmmaker is shot and stabbed to death in broad daylight on the edge of a city park. Streets fill with tens of thousands of angry protesters.


Phil Mickelson scorches round in  59 shots to win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii.


Plus, an optimistic outlook at Lowe's, and Yahoo! doesn't get it.


Stora Enso begins testing FSC forest certification in Finland

Stora Enso Wood Supply will test FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) forest certification in Finland.


NEW YORK - President Bush thanked Pakistan's leader Wednesday for conducting aggressive military strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida strongholds, but the Pakistani warned that global terrorism can't be defeated by force alone.


Italian president reviews new Prodi coalition pact

Italy's president began a new round of  talks on Friday to see whether Romano Prodi can stay on as  prime minister and guarantee a stable center-left government to  end the country's political crisis.


VAL D'ISERE, France  - Bode Miller won the final super-combined event of the season on Sunday and took the discipline's World Cup title.


Group is selling source code to Napster and Cisco's firewall software.


CBS Names Panel to Probe Bush Guard Story

NEW YORK - CBS News appointed former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and former Associated Press chief executive Louis Boccardi to investigate what went wrong with its story on President Bush's service in the National Guard...


Dodd and Biden drop out of White House race

Veteran U.S. Sens. Joe Biden  and Chris Dodd dropped out of the race for the 2008 Democratic  presidential nomination on Thursday after placing a distant  fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Iowa caucuses.


In this photo released by NASA Langley Research Center, the 12-foot X-43A hypersonic jet is shown attached to a modified B-52 bomber in an image from NASA television.


Key senator urges rejection of XM-Sirius deal

The chairman of the U.S. Senate's  antitrust subcommittee on Wednesday urged regulators to block  Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s proposed acquisition of XM  Satellite Radio Holdings Inc..


Justine Henin-Hardenne played in every Grand Slam championship match this year. Now she's in the Fed Cup final, although hardly in the bloom of health.


Costituiti comitati organizzativi, presto comitati promotori


Newsday's Alan Hahn breaks down the NHL labor war:

The NHL owners have shut down the league by opting to lock out its players. This stoppage is not the result of the players striking.


Switching on lightbulbs from a distance Researchers in the US have demonstrated an experimental wireless energy transfer system that could pave the way for truly wireless computing. The team has already successfully made a 60W light bulb light up from a distance of 2 metres.â¦


The story begins with one of my buddies who survived basic going on to kill interesting people in interesting places. Most of my group managed to go from Texas to Korea to work on flight lines and for more training. Somewhere along the way, someone managed to wander far off the beaten path. He ended up in Morocco and found himself a beautiful woman to marry for a few years and spent most of his time being chased by the MPs. Take one part Indiana Jones, add a heaping spoonful of boring and a pinch of action, and you have military life abroad. The smell of shisha begins there, and it doesn't smell like the Air Force...


Winter Sports Roundup: Austriaâs Morgenstern Continues to Dominate Ski Jump

Thomas Morgenstern of Austria turned in the best overall performance Sunday to win the first stop of the prestigious Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Oberstdorf, Germany.


Cerberus says GMAC may face difficulty: report

GMAC LLC, the auto and mortgage lender  controlled by Cerberus Capital Management LP , may face  "substantial difficulty" if credit markets do not improve,  Cerberus founder Stephen Feinberg wrote in a January letter to  investors, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.


Clough, former Nottingham Forest coach, dies aged 69

Brian Clough, the outspoken soccer manager who led Nottingham Forest to European Cup success in 1979 and 1980, died at Derby City General Hospital in central England.


Kerry fights off attacks in swing states

John Kerry has so far succeeded in fending off attacks on his Vietnam war record to stay level with George Bush in national popularity ratings - and ahead in most of the 20 swing states where the election will ultimately be decided, according to a poll


Scientists have discovered that dogs can sniff out cancer and even detect unconfirmed cases, resolving several years of anecdote and speculation by doctors on the question.


US 'deeply concerned' about Yushchenko poisoning

The United States is "deeply concerned" by a doctor's finding that Ukrainian opposition leader and presidential hopeful Viktor Yushchenko was the victim of dioxin poisoning, a State Department spokeswoman said.


Australia's deputy PM demands apology over bribe allegation

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has called for an apology from an independent MP who had accused him of bribery.


More people are online and more people are using cutting-edge technologies but the talk around the devices


Edvard Munch's iconic painting The Scream, which was stolen from an Oslo gallery on Sunday, was not insured against theft, it has been revealed.


Sheffield United hopeful after first day of hearing

Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe emerged from the first day of a two-day hearing still hopeful the club could rejoin the Premiership.


Two Belgian tourists are killed and four others are injured in a gun attack in eastern Yemen, officials say.


Japanese shares end the year at their highest level since July amidst much optimism about an economic recovery during 2005.


Behind Enemy Lines With a Suburban Counterterrorist

Counterterrorist Shannen Rossmiller monitors jihadist chatter online -- from the comfort of her Montana home -- hoping to join any conversations discussing actual terrorist plots.


Russian prosecutor says Beslan school attackers were drug addicts

Forensic tests have shown that some of the militants who took more than 1,000 people hostage in a school in the southern Russian town of Beslan last month were drug addicts, a senior prosecutor was quoted as saying Sunday.


Craigslist posting offers political fist-fight

Wanted: One Bush supporter--but not for long walks on the beach, candle-lit dinners or spooning on winter mornings. [Missing Links]


Iraq: giornale, dirigente gruppo Zarqawi ucciso in raid Usa

AMMAN - Un responsabile del gruppo di Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, Abu Anas al-Shami, Ã¨ stato ucciso in un recente raid aereo americano a Abu Ghraib, a ovest di Baghdad. Lo hanno detto membri della famiglia di Shami citati oggi dal quotidiano giordano al-Ghad.


Jimmy Carter has been accustomed to fierce public scrutiny for decades. Being the star of his own movie threw him a bit, though.


A pensioner has criticised a hospital for discharging her in her nightgown in the early hours.


AMD's SSE5 ends the old RISC vs. CISC debate

Prompted by AMD's announcement of the SSE5 instruction-set extensions, Glaskowsky analyzes the ultimate outcome to this old controversy.


By all rights, Milan Lucic should have been spending today preparing for a Western Hockey League tilt against Tri-City. Or at least relaxing in his Charlestown apartment with roommate Mark Stuart , while Zdeno Chara , Marc Savard , and Tim Thomas traveled to Atlanta for the All-Star Game.


Beattie on his way out of relegation-haunted Saints

Southampton manager Harry Redknapp revealed that striker James Beattie has played his last match for the club after leaving him out of the side that lost 1-0 to Liverpool here.


Bulgarian authorities have released from custody three Turkish nationals, who have been briefly arrested for illegally entering Bulgaria, and are reportedly wanted on gross embezzlement charges in their ...


Way back on September 11 we reported on rumors that Sony would be releasing a $400 40GB PS3/'Spider-Man 3' Blu-ray bundle for the holidays and the not-so-secret new system has now been officially announced by Sony, with a November 2nd launch date in the N


Lightning struck a diver's oxygen tank as he surfaced off Florida's Atlantic coast, killing him, authorities said.


Da quest'anno evento col fregio del calendario OICA


Hugging couple excavated but still together

A hugging couple buried more than 5,000 years ago remained inseparable when they were lifted from the ground on Tuesday, the day before Valentine's Day.


Seeing the digital divide and building bridges across

In this digital age, the pressures of streamlining and efficiency lead to more daily functions that can only be performed online.  This leaves behind those who don't have computer access, equipment, or skills.


French Muslims Alienated Over Head Scarves

SAINT-OUEN, France Sept. 3, 2004 - For some French Muslims, two worlds collided as the ban on wearing Islamic head scarves in public schools took effect.


Codebreaker scores success in search for the Holy Grail

For 250 years, the cryptic inscription has exercised the minds of Britain's finest theologians, historians and scientists, including Charles Darwin, Josiah Wedgwood


Third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero suffered a  shock defeat at the hands of fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in  the second round of the Lyon Grand Prix Thursday.


New data showing overlap in patterns of water and methane in Mars' atmosphere may have implications for the idea that life exists there.


Bachchan is envoy for Mandelaâs anti-AIDS campaign

Panaji: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was on Wednesday appointed special ambassador for an anti-AIDS campaign headed by former South African President Nelson Mandela.


North Korea Resists Talks on Nuclear Arms

North Korea said Monday that it will not resume talks on its nuclear weapons program until the Bush administration ends its "hostile policy" against Pyongyang and South Korea publishes complete details of its secret efforts to produce nuclear-weapons-grade fuel.


Assignment Zero looks at "crowdsourced" media sites, which love to equate social editing with democracy. It's as raucous, messy and enthralling as the electoral process, and for proof look no further than the much-debated DVD hack posted at Digg.com.


German business confidence slips to four-month low in June

Business confidence in Germany fell to the lowest level for four months in June, as companies in the eurozone's biggest economy became less optimistic about the six-month outlook and their current business, a key survey showed on Friday.


Portion of Patriot Act Ruled Unconstitutional

(Sept. 30) -- The portion of the controversial Patriot Act that allows for searches of Internet and phone records has been declared unconstitutional.


A UK biotechnology firm is developing a robot to grow hair follicle cells for use in treating baldness.


Judge Demands Comment Cease on Iraqi Abuse Trial

The judge in the court martial of three British soldiers accused of abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi detainees urged public figures on Thursday to avoid commenting on the case.


Is army boy Harry ready for the spartan life?

Prince Harry will receive no royal treatment when he joins the British Army next year, the commander of his military college said on Thursday.


The ritual of organised bullying in the Russian army is getting worse, an international rights group warns.


Russia's Putin urges West to pressure Georgia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin on  Friday urged the West to persuade Georgia's leadership to  change its "irresponsible" policies, the Kremlin press service  said in a statement.


Journalists Testify That Libby Never Mentioned CIA Officer

Six journalists testified yesterday that Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, never mentioned an undercover CIA officer to them -- and some said they learned about her identity from other administration sources.


Spain's top fashion show kicked off on  Monday after causing a storm with its ban on skinny models and  one well-known designer said he had to replace all the girls in  his catwalk line-up.


New orders for long-lasting  U.S.-made goods rose 0.6 percent last month despite a sharp  plunge in demand for new aircraft, according to a government  report that reflected underlying economic strength.


Wind-stoked wildfires rage in southern California

A dozen wildfires stoked by gusting winds burned out of control in southern California on Sunday, killing one person in San Diego and forcing thousands to evacuate homes from the celebrity enclave of Malibu down to the Mexican border.


The Italian press complains after one of the country's films fails to take any awards at  Venice.


After Microsoft announced a flaw (nicknamed the JPEG of Death) in Windows' handling of JPEG images, a Trojan horse that exploits this flaw, has been found looming around pornographic sites.


Prima visita del presidente Usa, ricevuto da re Abdullah


Hull reach their first Super League Grand Final and end Bradford's defence of their title in the process.


PENSACOLA, Fla. - A teenager who sued the city after claiming a police officer forced her to do jumping jacks while topless has reached a $35,000 settlement, officials said. The City Council unanimously approved the settlement Thursday, City Manager Tom Bonfield said.


Coach Tom O'Brien knew what to expect as soon as Boston College accepted an invitation to play North Carolina in the Continental Tire Bowl.


Stocks tumbled Monday as crude futures set a new record at nearly $50 a barrel and bearish broker calls on chip and communications equipment shares added to pressure on technology issues.


Intel to update gaming CPU sooner than thought?

Mid-year speed bump Intel will update its four-core Core 2 Extreme line-up sooner than expected, it the latest roadmap reports coming out of Asia are to be believed. They claim the successor to the 2.66GHz QX6700 will ship in Q3.â¦


A federal judge sentenced a member of an ecoterrorism cell to more than 12 years in prison, rejecting arguments that he played a minor role in arsons aimed at saving animals and protecting the earth


Seven police die in Mexico after gunmen attack a police convoy carrying three alleged kidnappers.


Envoys from the United States, European Union, Russia and the U.N. will meet Tuesday in Jerusalem for the first time since Hamas militants seized control of the Gaza Strip, an Israeli government spokeswoman said Friday.


International Community to Aid Nations Hit By Quake, Tsunami

Governments around the world, as well as non-profit organizations, are pledging support for victims of Sunday's massive earthquake and resulting tsunamis that have affected more than a million


Gunmen in Iraq kill at least seven Iraqi soldiers in an attack north of Baghdad.


A sorpresa Calderoli cambia il suo testo, e' no a D'Alema


'Scarface': Carrying Some Excess Baggage

"Nothing exceeds like excess." Perhaps Universal Home Entertainment should pay attention to this odd bit of dialogue, spoken by Michelle Pfeiffer's coked-up character in the movie "Scarface." When it comes to DVD releases of that rags-to-gangster-riches epic starring Al Pacino as drug dealer Tony...


Andrew Golota has been in his fair share of wars in the ring, and whether he has it in him to endure another remains to be seen. Not that I expect his bout with John Ruiz to be one.


Glaxo Seeks Entry Into US Flu Vaccine Market

GlaxoSmithKline Plc is exploring ways to sell its Fluarix flu vaccine in the United States, where supplies have run short this season after Chiron Corp lost a year's production to contamination.


A Paris court rejected Friday a bid by President Nicolas Sarkozy's ex-wife, Cecilia, to block publication of a book that says she called her former husband "ridiculous" and a womanizer.


US-based Stanley Works buying two security companies

Stanley Works has agreed to buy Security Group Inc., a maker of locks and access systems, and said it completed the acquisition of Cal-Dor Specialties Inc.


WR Grace & Co. and several of its senior-level employees are the targets of a federal grand jury investigation relating to possible violations of environmental laws in Montana, the company announced Friday.


Ridge Hails U.S.-European Anti-Terror Work

The United States and Europe work well together in the fight against terrorism despite having big differences on other issues such as Iraq, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in remarks published Tuesday.


Zend Developer Zone: PHP in Action - Chapter 7, Design Patterns. Part - I

On the Zend Developer Zone, Cal Evans has posted a quick look at one of the new offerings from the Manning Publishing group - "PHP in Action".   My buddy Olivia over at Manning Publications sent us a present recently. They are working on the title PHP in Action and they sent us a chapter to share with you. PHP in Action is scheduled to release in April of this year but it's available now in "Manning Early Release Program", or MEAP. MEAP is a cool program that allows you to buy the book long before it is released and have access to the chapters as they are released. Then, when the final dead-tree edition ships, they will send you one. The great thing is, there is no additional cost for MEAP.   He links to the book's description on the Manning site and gives some credit to the authors, Dagfinn Reiersol with Marcus Baker and Chris Shiflett. And, of course, the link to the sample chapter from the book - a look at Design Patterns.


British hostage beheaded by Iraqi captors after botched escape: U.S. official

BAGHDAD  - Kidnappers beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley after twice releasing videos in which he wept and pleaded with Prime Minister Tony Blair for his life.


General Motors Corp , which has struggled to reinvigorate its passenger car lineup in recent years, on Sunday took car-of-the-year honors at the Detroit auto show for the second straight year.


At 5- foot-9, 194 pounds (generous numbers to say the least), Michael Hart has no trouble finding anonymity among the other students in Michigan's freshman class.


Outdoor clothing retailer Blacks says demand for waterproofs, spurred by a wet summer, has buoyed sales.


Mondonico esonerato Ora Buso in attesa di Prandelli

FIRENZE, 25 OTTOBRE 2004 - Emiliano Mondonico e la Fiorentina divorziano. E' arrivato questo pomeriggio l'esonero del tecnico che ieri, aveva manifestato la sua amarezza per alcune contestazioni nei suoi confronti da parte della tifoseria viola.


Analyzing cells from milk ducts doesn't reliably detect breast cancer, researchers reported Tuesday — dashing hopes that the experimental technique could diagnose high-risk women sooner.


Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will urge the United States to take concrete action to crack down on Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq, newspapers said on Sunday, as a unilateral rebel ceasefire went into effect.


Iraq Will Not Give in to Terrorists, Minister Says

Iraq is doing all it can to secure the  release of a British and two U.S. hostages but will not give in  to demands or negotiate with terrorists, Foreign Minister  Hoshiyar Zebari said on Sunday.


Physicists fire up strontium atomic clock

+/- one second per 200 million years US physicists are rather pleased with themselves having perfected a clock "so accurate it will neither gain nor lose even a second in more than 200 million years", Reuters reports.â¦


ATLANTA - PepsiCo Inc. , the world's second-largest soft-drink maker, will add lower-calorie Gatorade sports drinks and a caffeinated version of Propel water in a bid to overcome a slump in North American soda sales.


Eighteen former Enron directors agree  $168m settlement deal in a shareholder lawsuit over the firm's collapse.


Pfizer arthritis drug not safe for kids-US panel

Current data do not show  Pfizer Inc.'s pain reliever Celebrex is safe for treating  rheumatoid arthritis in children, a U.S. advisory panel  narrowly ruled on Wednesday.


Iraq to review security firms after shooting

Iraq will review the status of all security companies working in the country after a shooting incident involving guards from the U.S. firm Blackwater, the government said on Tuesday.


France's foreign minister offers to apologise to Iraq for seeming to meddle in its internal affairs.


Mexico limits cold remedies in narcotics war

Some everyday cold medicines in Mexico will be modified or require a prescription starting in September to stop drug gangs from using them to make illegal drugs.


Stocks fell on Thursday after disappointing results from Comcast  and engine maker Cummins  fed worries about corporate profits, while fears of more credit losses hit financial shares.


Pakistan's president is to stay on as head of the army, despite an earlier pledge to stand down by January.


Sarkozy says won't be blackmailed by strikers

SAINT-DENIS, France  - French President Nicolas Sarkozy told railway workers on Friday he would not be blackmailed into withdrawing a reform of their pensions privileges by strikes and street protests.


Eight people arrested over failed car bombings in Glasgow and London all have links with the NHS.


More than 120,000 hours of wiretapped conversations between terrorist suspects and sympathisers since the September 11 attacks have not been translated because of the FBI's lack of linguists, according to an official report.


NCAA Finds a Small Increase in Division I Graduation Rates

The University of Maryland graduated just 18 percent of its men's basketball players, last in the ACC, according NCAA results released Wednesday.


The husband of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto was released Monday after nearly eight years in jail. Police said Asif Ali Zardari, jailed in 1996 on corruption


A summit of African leaders ends with a series of moves aimed at helping secure a peace deal in Ivory Coast.


After a year in development, The Mozilla Foundation has finally released the full 'official' version of its already popular open-source Web browser, Firefox.


Roma, 10:38 - TENNIS, RANKING ATP: SALGONO NALBANDIAN E BERDYCH

Poche novità nella classifica Atp. Ai primi tre posti restano Roger Federer davanti a Rafael ...


Nokia to buy mobile advertising firm Enpocket

Nokia (NOK1V.HE) said on Monday it is  buying U.S. cellphone screen advertising firm Enpocket as the  world's top handset maker pushes into a market which is seen  ballooning in coming years.


Gatlin's the best by the blink of an eye

If you live for the menâs 100 meters and figure that once itâs over, the rest of the Olympic track meet is just a lot of people from places you couldnât find on a map


Oracle must wait for poison pill decision

Oracle's proposed takeover of Peoplesoft has hit another barrier. A Delaware judge has delayed his final ruling over Peoplesoft's poison pill defence, saying that he needs to hear more evidence.


Intel Offers Ultra-High-End P4 Extreme Edition

Intel unveiled its latest ultra-high-end processor platform, the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, with a higher-speed frontside bus and more cache and memory.


Doggedly Persistent, Untying Medicare Knots for the Elderly

Frederic Riccardi is an attack dog disguised as a health insurance counselor.


The designers of the first privately manned rocket to burst into space were handed a $10 million check Saturday, a prize designed to encourage technology that will open the heavens to tourists.


At the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore, there's no need to turn off your cell phone at the door.  This interactive art show dials you into the beauty of the handheld. Plus: Images from the exhibit.  By Asami Novak.


La bambina Ã¨ rimasta dodici giorni in coma dopo l'interventoIndagati due medici dell'ospedale bolognese Rizzoli                                          Operata per una grave scoliosi ragazzina muore a tredici anni                                                                                Si chiama Sofia Castagnaro ed era arrivata dalla provincia di CosenzaChirurgo e anestesista indagati per omicidio colposo. Il pm ha disposto l'autopsia di LUIGI SPEZIA


Update 1: Tokyo Stocks Surge in Morning; Dollar Up

Tokyo stocks surged Monday morning, fueled by Wall Street's gains last week. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.


Provinces and Ottawa in final stages of negotiating $18-billion health deal

OTTAWA (CP) - First ministers were expected Wednesday to complete an agreement that would pump an additional $18 billion into medicare over six years.


Paper Cuts Blog: An Eliot Fremont-Smith Reader

Eliot Fremont-Smith, in a photo from The Timesâs archive, with markings by editors. Eliot Fremont-Smith, who died last week at 78, was a book critic at the Times from 1961-1968, stormy and important years in American writing. Iâm not old enough to remember his work here (or anywhere, really), but Fremont-Smithâs name has long been [...].


Sabre Holdings Corp. TSG.N, owner of  the Travelocity Web site, on Thursday said it agreed to buy  privately held SynXis Corp., a provider of reservation  management services to hotels, for $40 million.


Oracle said Thursday that it had acquired performance management software provider Hyperion in a transaction valued at $3.3 billion. The transaction will close next month, the company said in a statement.


Federer squeaks by 1,078th ranked Suzuki

World number one Roger Federer survived an almighty scare from 1,078th-ranked Takao Suzuki before edging into the Japan Open semi-finals on Friday.


As a home-care provider, she helps those who can't help themselves, such as a mother of three whose brain was damaged during childbirth.


Bunty Pandey, a seemingly new don in town, has demanded Rs 2 crore from the superstar.


Afghan Leader Faces Huge Task After Inauguration

Hamid Karzai will be sworn in as his country's first elected president Tuesday, facing a huge amount of more work to rebuild a land still traumatized by more than a quarter century of war.


An estimated 1.6 million deaths a year are attributed to toxic indoor air. A new clean-burning wood stove could help decrease that number.


A closer look at the privacy issue It has recently been reported that Attorneys Generals from about a dozen US States, including Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Maryland, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania have demanded that News Corporation's social networking site MySpace voluntarily deliver a list of all sex offenders who have registered for or used the MySpace social networking service.â¦


Dell joins C.Europe battle with new Polish factory

LODZ, Poland  - U.S. computer maker Dell Inc.   DELL.O said on Monday it would invest 200 million euros   ($254.5 million) in Poland, including a new factory that will   help it battle for market share in fast-growing central Europe.


Patriots Lead Colts in NFL Season Opener

FOXBORO, Mass. - The New England Patriots opened defense of their second Super Bowl title in three years by taking a 3-0 lead over the Indianapolis Colts after the first quarter Thursday night...


Several dozen people protested outside a theater Saturday where a 104-year-old singer who once performed for Adolf Hitler took the stage in the Netherlands for the first time in four decades.


Lakers start training camp without coach Jackson

The Los Angeles Lakers began official training for the 2006-07 season on Tuesday without the full impact of two familiar faces in head coach Phil Jackson and top player Kobe Bryant.


BY THE TIME you read this, I will be in London, taking part in a global conference called "Countdown 2015." The conference is being held 10 years after the International Conference on


Get the thumbs up with your solar hybrid car

Blog: Solar Electrical Vehicles claims to be the first company with commercially available solar panels offered as an after-market option for the Toyota Prius.


Nine Japanese die in Internet-triggered group suicides

TOKYO : Nine people were found dead on Tuesday from carbon monoxide poisoning in rented vehicles near Tokyo in a record toll from the growing number of suicides in Japan set up through the Internet.


Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych resigns but refuses to admit defeat in the presidential election.


Oil Falls on Weather,Supply Fears Support

Oil prices fell on Tuesday as milder  weather in the immediate term quelled concerns about thin fuel  stocks, though the market remained nervous about possible  supply disruption in the Middle East and Russia.


Look up the Wright Brothers' airplane drawings or investigate Tesla's electrical innovation proposals and Tom Edison's incandescent patents. Send us results of your favorite searches. In Gear Factor.


Lift media ban or tour is off, says England cricket chief

England will call off its controversial tour of Zimbabwe unless the ban on journalists covering the match is lifted, England and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan said this morning.


Top CIA agent issues bleak assessment on Iraq

The US Central Intelligence Agency's station chief in Baghdad has warned in a classified cable that the situation in Iraq is deteriorating and would not improve any time soon.


Boeing Changes Management in Key Division

Boeing Co. changed management of its commercial aircraft division yesterday, replacing the head of the sales team after losing several competitions to its European rival Airbus SAS.


Private Rocket Ship Lands in California After Flight

MOJAVE, Calif.  - SpaceShipOne completed the first  leg of its bid for a $10-million civilian space prize with a  wild corkscrew-like ascent into space above the California  desert on Wednesday.


Fallout From Racial Bias Case Forces L.A. Fire Chief to Quit

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 -- The Los Angeles fire chief was forced to resign yesterday amid a political firestorm sparked when the City Council offered a huge legal settlement to a black firefighter whose colleagues served him dog food.


Interview Professor Wendy Hall talks to The Reg


Sudan asks African force to leave Darfur

Sudan on Sunday asked African Union   forces monitoring a shaky truce in its violent Darfur region to   leave the country by September 30, as Khartoum launched a new   offensive threatening a return to full-blown war.


Roma, 20:00 - CALCIO, LAZIO; ROSSI: ODDO? NESSUNO E' INCEDIBILE

Massimo Oddo e la Lazio, strade che sembrano destinate a separarsi. ''Se c'è una contropartit...


Community News: Latest PEAR Releases for 02.11.2008

Latest PEAR Releases:Image_GraphViz 1.3.0RC3Services_SharedBook 0.2.4HTTP_Session2 0.7.0Net_UserAgent_Mobile 0.31.0Log 1.10.0FSM 1.3.0


In Bill Belichick's first year as Patriots coach, the team kept four quarterbacks on its roster. Barring an unexpected change this year, it looks as if the Patriots will keep just two for the first time in Belichick's tenure.


Anglican Leaders Seek to Heal Gay Bishops Rift

Anglican leaders, buffeted by a bitter  row over gay bishops, put the finishing touches on Monday to a  crucial report seeking to heal deep divisions in the church.


Wyeth launches a generic version of its own drug.


China hemophiliacs face dangerous shortage of drug

China's efforts to clean up an unsafe blood supply chain, blamed for many HIV infections, has led to a severe shortage of an effective hemophilia drug and put tens of thousands of patients in danger.


When Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, it was widely hailed as a revolution. Now, 10 years later, it is looking more and more like a coup dâetat that only changed the leadership while leaving everything else unchanged.


Diminished Ernesto weakens further over Florida

Tropical Storm Ernesto weakened over   Florida on Wednesday, coming ashore as a rainstorm instead of a   dreaded hurricane and bringing relief of Americans who remember   the fury of Hurricane Katrina a year ago.


Tourist guides warn visitors that personal space is not highly valued in China, where bumping, barging and queue-jumping is an acceptable facet of daily life.


Podcast: Will a judicial left hook floor TorrentSpy for good?

Judge rules against BitTorrent indexing service; harnessing power from the ocean, and Sprint Nextel names CEO.


Barack Obama: I'm fired up and running for president

Senator Barack Obama has declared he will run for the presidency next year. Obama stood on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, and said he wanted to follow Abraham Lincoln from the Illinois Legislature to the White House. "It's time to turn a page, right here and right now," he told a cheering and chanting crowd. "Let's get to work."


Does the apparel and body care company's reorganization highlight a new direction?


Studio,ogni anno P.A. costa a aziende 1 punto di Pil


Strip club says Zeta-Jones should be flattered

A strip club has hit back at Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones - by declaring she should be flattered her image was used for advertising promotion on its website.


59 left dead after attack on Iraqi police

Iraqi police suffered two massive blows in attacks that left at least 59 people dead and more than 120 injured. The major attack - a car bomb blast near a Baghdad police station - was claimed by an al Qaida-linked terror group.


European equity markets made a muted start to trading on Tuesday, struggling for direction after a flat finish overnight on Wall Street and a mixed performance in Asia.


The flu vaccine shortage that's stirred worries here and abroad could look mild compared to another public health crisis that might be waiting in the wings.


Despite Long Wait, Kidney Transplant Better Than Dialysis

A wait of even three years for a kidney transplant is worth it, according to a Canadian study presented the American Society of Nephrology in St.


A gas explosion has torn through a coal mine in northern China, trapping at least 177 miners in what could be the worst disaster to hit the world's most dangerous mining industry in years.


Antimissile Plan by U.S. Strains Ties With Russia

MOSCOW, Feb. 20 -- An increasingly angry dispute over U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in Central Europe is adding strain to already fragile U.S.-Russian relations.


LOS ANGELES - An estimated 14 million viewers watched the triumphs of HBO's "The Sopranos" and "Angels in America" on the Emmy Awards Sunday night on ABC - an alarmingly low number for what is supposed to be television's big night.    If those preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers hold up, that would represent the smallest audience for the Emmys since 12.3 million saw it in 1990 on Fox - at the time a new network that many people weren't used to seeking out...


Bank of America Corp.'s investment arm, Columbia Management , named Christopher Wilson head of mutual funds, replacing Kevin Connaughton, who will continue to work for the company. Connaughton held the position in an interim capacity, a spokeswoman said. He moved over from FleetBoston Financial Corp. , where he was head of mutual funds, in the companies' April 1 merger. The ...


Gordon Brown denies his "citizens' juries" are simply a photo opportunity, as the first one meets to discuss children's issues.


No apologies from Chile and Mexico after dreary draw

PUERTO LA CRUZ, Venezuela  - Chile and Mexico were jeered off the pitch after a dismal 0-0 draw at the Copa America on Wednesday but made no apologies for their performances.


Justice Dept. Approves Cingular-AT&T Deal

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday  said it approved Cingular Wireless' $41 billion plan to buy  AT&T Wireless Services Inc. AWE.N, creating the country's  biggest mobile provider, but it must sell assets to protect  competition.


New York, 11:20 - HOCKEY SU GHIACCIO, NHL: RISULTATI

Questi i risultati delle partite della National Hockey League giocate la scorsa notte:


Samuelson: It's Time to Rebalance the Economy

Most economists don't think the real-estate bust will lead to a recession.


KATHMANDU - At least 66 Maoist rebels and 10 government troops have been killed in a clash in a village in far-west Nepal. The clash was reported to have taken place on Saturday night, in the Kail-ali district.


Girl becomes Thailand's 12th victim of bird flu

She is the 12th person to fall victim to the virus in the country this year. Thai health authorities say test results have confirmed that the girl, from the northern province of Sukhotai, had the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.


PeopleSoft CEO quits as Oracle takes control

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK: Oracle said on Wednesday it has taken control of PeopleSoft, now that about 75% of shareholders of the rival software maker have tendered their shares.


The UN-sponsored 'Match against Poverty' featured Real Madrid stars Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane -- which made the amateur F1-driving German, although proficient, a bit 'self conscious.


Reggio Calabria, 18:05 - CALCIO, SAMPDORIA: SOSPETTA FRATTURA AL POLSO PER BERTI

Gianluca Berti, portiere della Sampdoria, è stato portato in ospedale per esami dopo l'infort...


Chicago airport virtually shut down as snowstorm blasts middle US

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was in virtual lockdown after the first snowstorm of the US winter blanketed the plains and midwest states, knocking out power to thousands and snarling traffic.


Australian opposition leader to leave hospital

SYDNEY: Mark Latham, leader of Australia's opposition Labor party, will leave hospital today and plans to be back at work next week after suffering an inflammation of the pancreas just months out from a general election.


Welsh students are outperforming the rest of the UK as they receive their A-level results.


With two of their three spacewalks completed, the astronauts aboard the linked shuttle-station complex focused Thursday on getting the new Columbus lab up and running.


Egypt wants permanent seat on UN Security Council

CAIRO - Egypt's regional and international clout qualify it for a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Saturday.


Net imbalance stem from tech constraints

For years, the Internet's technical constraints went hand-in-hand with the realities of Internet usage. At first, most people viewed Web pages but did little to create or change them. Web journals, photo sites and video sharing didn't come until later. Even when users had a need to send information — an e-mail here, a shopping transaction there — the amount of data was small.


Police renew their appeal for information following the rape of a 16-year-old girl in broad daylight.


Four executives at Infineon Technologies AG, one of the world's largest makers of memory chips, have agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges of price fixing in federal court, authorities said Thursday.


Lockstep suburban conformism enforced with fascist severity is the ugly (but admittedly sometimes funny) joke driving Joe Roth's family comedy.


Fordâs August Sales Off 14% in U.S.; G.M. Up 5%

Ford said it was hurt by a decline in showroom sales. G.M., meanwhile, said its domestic sales rose more than 5 percent and Nissan posted a 6.3 percent increase in U.S. sales.


KARACHI, Pakistan, Dec. 18 -- Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, declared late Friday that he will not step down as army chief of staff by the end of the year, breaking a public pledge but asserting that to give up his uniform now would jeopardize the country's political and economic stability.


The first drug to treat fibromyalgia has been approved, but some dispute the very existence of the condition.


EU in new assault on 'rip-off' mobile phone charges

The European Union set mobile phone companies a July deadline on Monday to cut their roaming charges for text messages and Internet use or face regulation.


Windows users download 1 million copies of Safari

Blog: Apple's Web browser was downloaded 1 million times from the company's Web site in the 48 hours since Steve Jobs unveiled it.


Orioles 9, Yankees 4: In a Parade of Pitchers, Karstens Is the Bright Spot

In a game where starter Cory Lidle failed to finish two innings, reliever Jeff Karstens stood out in an otherwise dreary loss to the Baltimore Orioles.


Wendy's executives lay out plan to fuel turnaround

Wendy's International Inc.'s  management on Friday laid out plans to improve sales and profits by expanding beverage choices and boosting business during late-night and morning hours,


Reclamo della Honda contro Rossi per un sorpasso in regime dibandiere gialle. Valentino: "Chi fa la spia non Ã¨ figlio di Maria..."                                                  Gp d'Australia, Melandri domina Terzo Rossi, quinto Hayden                                                                                In 125 vince Bautista ed Ã¨ campione del mondo. In 250 trionfa Lorenzodi VINCENZO BORGOMEO


Rare double feature for cinematographer Deakins

LOS ANGELES  - Here's an Oscar fact to focus on: Roger Deakins is the first director of photography to receive two nominations in the same year since 1971.


Intel looks to mediation to speed discrimination suits

Intel has become the first Silicon Valley company to form a mediation partnership with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an arrangement designed to speed the resolution of discrimination disputes.


An inquiry is launched into a collision involving a magnetic train that killed 23 people in Germany.


Fujitsu, Cisco join to sell high-end routers

Fujitsu, Japan's biggest computer manufacturer, have joined hands with Cisco to produce high-end routers and switches for the Japanese market.


Samsung enjoys strong profit despite flat phone growth

In spite of a slowdown in cell-phone sales, Samsung Electronics Co. still roared to a 46-percent profit compared with the same period last year.


The last two marathon games between the Red Sox and Yankees are second to none in the game's postseason history.


Cisco's CEO on Hollywood's Walk of Fame?

There's a star in Hollywood for John Chambers, but not the one you know.


Bush, Kerry Open Final Month Even in Cash

President Bush and John Kerry began October neck and neck in campaign cash, each with just under half of the $75 million in government money they received to cover campaign costs.


Chrysler proposes shedding non-core assets: report

Chrysler LLC has proposed shedding non-core assets in contract talks with the United Auto Workers, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition.


US-Iraqi forces strike at more rebel strongholds

BAGHDAD - US and Iraqi forces pushed on with their second major offensive in a week yesterday, hunting insurgents in a triangle south-west of Baghdad that has become one of Iraq's most notorious hot spots.


For Karzai, tribal ties seen as key to victory

ROHABAD, Afghanistan -- Khalid Pashtun held up a long ballot paper and delivered marching orders to the sea of turbaned heads before him.


Castro Raises Doubts About Bin Laden Tape

Fidel Castro says the emergence of an Osama bin Laden videotape just ahead of the U.S. presidential election seemed to have been "arranged" to help President Bush.


Sara Lee Net Up on Fee from Tobacco Sale

Sara Lee Corp. (SLE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted a 53 percent increase in quarterly profit, as a fee related to the 1999 sale of a tobacco business helped offset higher costs for meat and cotton.


China repeats denial of military hacking

A Chinese official on Thursday repeated China's denial that it has hacked into other countries' government and military computer networks.


Poll: Men and Women Alike Embrace eCards on Valentine's Day

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 8  /PRNewswire/ -- Whether chivalry is dead may still be up for debate, but as to which gender is more likely to send a last-minute Valentine's Day eCard, the answer is clear -- and rather surprising.


Bombardier Says Air Canada May Buy up to 90 Aircraft

Bombardier Inc., the world's third- biggest maker of commercial aircraft, said Air Canada ordered 45 planes and may buy 45 more in an agreement with a potential value of $2.


InfoWorld - News Corp. aims to increase ad revenue from its online division by completing the acquisition of Internet ad placement company Strategic Data Corp. on Thursday.


Kiev Parties as Court Orders Re-Run of Rigged Poll

Ukraine begins preparing on Saturday for a  new election after its highest court annulled a rigged poll,  breaking a political deadlock and triggering a night of  ecstatic street celebrations in Kiev.


Mars shows signs of geologically recent volcanic activity, and scientists find to their surprise that there might well be another volcanic blast in the Red Planet's future.


The score after Day 2 of the Solheim Cup: "Chokin' Dogs" 6 1/2, Europeans 5 1/2. On a miserable, windblown Saturday in which only half the matches were completed, it was a "choke" comment from former American player Dottie Pepper that made as big a splash as anything her one-time teammates did.


Starbucks raising U.S. drinks prices next week

Starbucks Corp. will raise U.S. prices on coffee, lattes and other drinks by about 9 cents a cup next week to help offset soaring costs on commodities such as milk and energy, a spokesman said on Monday.


Berlusconi, saggia decisione rifiutare il nuovo incarico


Exporters led a fall in Asian shares  on Monday as oil prices set new highs near $47 and data showing  the U.S. trade deficit widened to a record raised fresh concern  about the health of the world's largest economy.


For Spain, Politics Weigh Down Procurements As Spain prepares to...

As Spain prepares to decide on three large defense procurements by the end of the year, the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, elected in March, may have to weigh the political ...


Despite their lead in the polls, congressional Democrats are concerned, and even feuding, about whether they will have enough cash to take back the House this fall


Ministers unveil plans for a Child Poverty Unit aimed at meeting their target of halving child poverty by 2010.


Nuovo bilancio della protezione civile. Tutti i decessinella regione di Bicol, sepolta da una colata di fango                                            Filippine, sono 469 le vittime di Durian proseguono i soccorsi, poche le speranze


Visa said on Thursday it won approval of a registration statement from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a key step in the world's largest credit card network's plan to go public by early next year.


Former U.S. health chief returns to roots to campaign

LOS ANGELES, Feb 5 (Reuters Life!) - Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona says it's payback time as he goes back to his roots to campaign for people to look after their health.


Its coffee shops of the past are gone, but the chain can rebound by slowing down.


Swedish Saab Workers Worry Over GM Decision

Union representative Chresten Nielsen stands by the rolling conveyor belt, proudly showing off new Saab cars being assembled in the airport-sized hangar of the company's plant in this western Swedish town.


French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has told President Jacques Chirac that he will stand for the leadership of the main governing party, officials say.


Torna la pellicola restaurata a quasi 29 anni dalla prima uscitada oggi al Nuovo Sacher di Roma e in altre sale italiane                                            Moretti: "Ecce Bombo non doveva far ridere"                                                                                "Ero convinto di aver fatto un film dolorosoNon mi aspettavo tanta identificazione"di PAOLO D'AGOSTINI


George Washington 101, No. 12 Maryland 92

George Washington coach Karl Hobbs hopes the Colonials' weekend sweep of ranked teams is a beginning rather than a two-day aberration.


NEW YORK Taking huge gambles with estimates once again threatens to wreak havoc in the auction arena. On Thursday night, Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art team played the highest stakes ever in this field.


Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday threw his support behind efforts to craft an economic stimulus package and repeated that the U.S. central bank was ready to act aggressively to counter recession risks.


Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish believes Rangers are still in position to qualify for the UEFA Cup knockout round. Rangers went down 1-0 to Group F leaders AZ Alkmar.


A Napoli subito la prima multa, protesta fumatori a Milano


One of the things that annoys me most about the liberal media machine and the Democratic candidates is their mischaracterization of George Bush's position on stem cell research.


As a literary reporter, I spend most of my waking hours tracking people down and trying to connect the dots. Which is to say, Iâm a Google addict. In recent years, tons of ink has been spilled about Google â as a business model, as an intellectual phenomenon and as a way of reflecting on [...].


US musicians favour sharing - new survey

A new survey of US artists reveals that while most agree that downloading from file-sharing networks is illegal, yet they admit they themselves download media without paying and have little idea if it is legal or not.


NEW YORK -- Citigroup Inc.. the financial services giant, confirmed on Wednesday that it was removing three senior executives in the wake of a banking scandal in Japan.


Kranjska Gora, 11:14 - SCI, CDM UOMINI: RAICH GUIDA GIGANTE KRANJSKA GORA

L'austriaco Benjamin Raich è al comando del gigante di coppa del Mondo di Kranjska Gora. Raic...


Sherry Lansing, who shattered Hollywood's glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to head production at a major studio, said on Tuesday she was stepping down as chairman of Paramount Pictures next year to start a new chapter in


Pakistan's Bhutto assassinated in gun, bomb attack

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan  - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Thursday as she left an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi, putting January 8 polls in doubt and sparking anger in her native Sindh province.


Ha Noi (VNA) - In its report "Asian Development Outlook 2004" released on Sept. 22, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicts that developing Asia is likely to sustain its economic growth rate at 7 percent


We should all be thankful for the army of volunteers who turned out to clean up Saltburn beach.   This is exactly the sort of public-spirited action we need if we are to make the most of our area.


Retailer Woolworths continues to suffer in a "tough" market, reporting widening losses and falling sales.


Blog: Is version 3 of the GNU General Public License asking for too much?


NEW YORK - Ashlee Simpson doesn't have to worry about being in the shadow of her older sister Jessica anymore. The 19-year-old's debut album "Autobiography" is No...


Comedy Evan Almighty tops the North American box office, ahead of new releases 1408 and A Mighty Heart.


Four Los Alamos lab workers fired over security, safety lapses

Four laboratory workers were fired from their jobs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory because of their roles in several recent security and safety incidents in the facility.


US Reportedly Favors Australian As Next IAEA Chief

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer declined to comment Monday on reports that the US government has been pressing him to announce his candidacy to replace the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.


At least 3 shot dead in clashes at Pakistan mosque

A paramilitary trooper and at least two students were killed when gunfire erupted during clashes at a mosque run by a Taliban-style movement in Islamabad on Tuesday, police and hospital officials said.


ATHENS  In the time it took Carly Patterson to walk 50 feet across the floor, the Games that still lack soul suddenly got a heartbeat.


CROWN POINT, Ind. - A judge detained and questioned a row of spectators when a cell phone rang for a third time in her courtroom, later ordering two people to serve community service for contempt of court.


Heavy Metal Guitarist Gunned Down During Concert

A gunman charged onstage at a packed nightclub and opened fire on the band and the crowd, killing top heavy metal guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and three other people before a police officer shot him to death, authorities and witnesses said.


The number of people seeking jobless benefits in the UK falls to a 32-year low, official figures show.


Il motore di ricerca pronto ad acquistare un network tlc globaleSecondo molte indiscrezioni vuole entrare nella telefonia online                                                  Voip, Google si lancia all'assalto delle telecom                                                                                di ALESSIO BALBI


Pope defuses tensions on visit to Turkey

Turkey's top Muslim leader on Tuesday told Pope Benedict there was too much "Islamophobia" in the world, as the Pontiff appeared to do an about-face from his previous opposition to Ankara's bid to enter the European Union.


IT errors continue to plague EU single payments scheme

Farmers still short changed The Rural Payments Agency still has plenty to do to resolve the IT difficulties it experienced in implementing the EU Single Payment Scheme.â¦


Trading Halted in Auto Parts Maker Wooed by Icahn

The New York Stock Exchange halted trading in Lear shares at 10:41 a.m. Trading did not resume.


Do the third-quarter numbers mean continued volatility for this small-cap stock?


An explosion that ripped through the main gas pipeline in the southern Russian region of Dagestan was caused by sabotage, and prosecutors are investigating it as terrorism, the regional Interior Ministry said Thursday.


The primary school league tables for England set out the scale of the gap between the best and the worst.


In Europe, a search for what defines the EU's moral identity

Newer EU members are struggling to promote a more traditional morality.


Kidd headed out in revised, 9-player NBA deal

The New Jersey Nets have reached agreement on their long-discussed trade of Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks, SI.com has confirmed from league sources.


Pentagon report slams military over lax security oversight of the nation's nuclear arsenal


The implications of the Russian-Chechen crisis

ELEANOR HALL: And now joining us to discuss the implications of the crisis for Russia and Chechnya, is an expert on the politics of Russia and Central Asia, Dr Kirill Nourzhanov.


Calculated Odds: ; Pfizer Finds Heart Attack Risk With Celebrex ...

NEW YORK - Pfizer Inc. said it found an increased risk of heart attacks for patients taking high dosages of its top-selling painkiller Celebrex, the same problem that led to the withdrawal of its one-time competitor Vioxx.


Microsoft releases Office source code to governments

Redmond software company Microsoft Corp. said it will add the source code of its Office 2003 flagship software suite to its program for sharing the details of its products with government entities.


East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - The New Jersey Nets Tuesday placed guard Ron Mercer on the injured list with a knee injury.


(October 19, 2004) - Constellation Brands Inc. has offered $1.3 billion in cash to buy Robert Mondavi Corp.âa California maker of table wines such as Woodbridge.


US doughnut giant Krispy Kreme reports a fall in income and widening losses for the second quarter of 2007.


Defying Speculation, Snow Will Remain Treasury Secretary

John W. Snow will stay on as treasury secretary, the White House said this afternoon, dashing speculation that he would soon be forced out of the Cabinet.


MOneta unica scambiata a 1,4659 dollari e 163,54 yen


Grocer Winn-Dixie to Name New CEO -- WSJ

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. WIN.N is  ousting its Chief Executive Frank Lazaran and replacing him  with Peter Lynch, a former executive at the Albertsons Inc.  ABS.N supermarket chain, the Wall Street Journal reported on  Friday.


The crisis in Ukraine is seen primarily as a political split between east and west.


Bari, 14:51 - CALCIO, BARI; SINDACO: INVITO MATERAZZI A CENA

Il sindaco di Bari, Michele Emiliano, riferendosi alla polemica in corso con l'allenatore del Bari, ...


Ivory Coast Leaders Agree New Peace Drive -- Mbeki

All sides in Ivory Coast's conflict  have agreed on measures to revive a moribund peace plan and  speed up its implementation, South African President Thabo  Mbeki said on Monday at the end of a mediation mission.


Arafat Has Diagnostic Procedure, No Major Ailment Found

Yasser Arafat underwent a minor diagnostic procedure on Monday and doctors found no major ailment after a week of concerns over the Palestinian president's health, officials said.


TI: Technology Could Cut Cell Phone Prices

Texas Instruments Inc., which makes computer chips for more than half the world's cellular phones, said Monday it is testing a new technology that could drive down the price of high-end features.


Protestors strip, don horns against Spain's running of the bulls

Hundreds of animal rights activists took part in a "Running of the Nudes" Thursday to protest the traditional running of the bulls ceremony in the Spanish town of Pamplona.


In the 1980s, Al Franken was cracking jokes on "Saturday Night Live." Mike Ciresi, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination for the Senate this year, was serving as general counsel to the government of India in a landmark lawsuit over a catastrophic industrial accident.


Proteste nel capoluogo campano. Benevento paralizzata da una manifestazioneAi comuni del Sannio si sono uniti quelli del Molise. Scuole ancora chiuse per 100.000 studenti                                          Rifiuti, a Napoli Ã¨ ancora emergenza in cittÃ  7.000 tonnellate non raccolte                                                                                Il sindaco Iervolino: "Non sono io a dovermi dimettere, si cerca un capro espiatorio"Smaltimento, accordo raggiunto con le Marche. Anche la Lombardia dÃ  la propria disponibilitÃ


Auction website eBay pulls its US advertising from search engine giant and adversary Google.


The Turkish prime minister calls for an inquiry into a fire in a German housing block which killed at least nine Turkish people.


Britney Spears, shaved bald, gets a new tattoo

Pop star Britney Spears sported a  newly shaved head when she dropped by a Los Angeles tattoo  parlor and quickly drew a crowd.


Da Tronchetti a Placido le facce di oggi

L'ex presidente della Telecom si difende. Il regista in lizza per l'Oscar e poi il Papa, Brass e Milingo i protagonisti del giorno


Companies, banks begin to shed subprime torpor

Companies showed signs of shrugging off the caution that has enveloped the world economy since a credit crisis broke, as investors looked on Tuesday to U.S. data to gauge the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut.


Riassetto segue nomina del nuovo ad delle Ferrovie Moretti


Friday's defusing of the three-week military standoff in Najaf has the disappointing result that Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his militia survive to fight another battle, threatening US military forces and the fledgling Iraqi government.


Another day, another gas giant Astronomers have found an extrasolar planet that is perfectly positioned to allow a decent analysis of its atmosphere.â¦


England World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson has said the British and Irish Lions won't need him on their forthcoming tour of New Zealand.


Spector jury deadlocks, judge declares mistrial

A Los Angeles judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of pioneering rock producer Phil Spector on Wednesday after jurors said for a second time that they could not agree on a verdict.


That's what a new California bill will propose. And unlike previous efforts, this one might actually pass muster


ST. LOUIS -- Mike Martz's week of anger was no empty display. He saw the season slipping away for the defending NFC West champions and thought taking potshots at his players might be his best shot at turning things around.


By KARL RITTER  STOCKHOLM, Sweden - The big-bang theory of the universe, microcredit and literature exploring Turkey's clash of cultures will be honored as six American scientists, a Bangladeshi economist and a Turkish novelist receive the Nobel Prizes Sunday in Stockholm and Oslo.


Just Keep It Peaceful, Protesters; New York Is Offering Discounts

hinking about smashing windows or overturning cars during the Republican National Convention? Think again: that will cost you a discounted buffalo chicken salad from Applebee's or a cheaper ticket to see "Tony n' Tina's Wedding." ...


A siege at a south Russian school goes into the night, with a group holding at least 200, many of them children.


A car bomb in a crowded market north of Baghdad killed at least seven civilians and wounded 18 on Tuesday as a U.S. military patrol passed by.


IAEA Has Questions about Iran's Nuclear Program

The International Atomic Energy Agency says there are many open questions on the nature and aims of Iran's nuclear program, which could soon include uranium conversion suitable for the building of atomic bombs.


russia: Searching for Yuganskâs mystery buyer

President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Energy Minister Victor hristenko earlier this month. Analysts suggest that the governmentâs action in humbling Yukos and its owner, Mikhail hodorkovsky, is


Music Choice Announces the Addition of Jacqueline Romano As Its New Director of Research

Music Choice, the leading multi-platform music network that reaches millions of consumers through their TVs, PCs, and cell phones, today announced the addition of Jacqueline (Jackie) Romano as its new Director of Research.


Value of U.S. House's Carbon Offsets Is Murky

The House of Representatives has presumably learned that money cannot buy love or happiness. Now, it turns out it's not a sure solution to climate guilt, either.


U.S. anti-missile laser passes low-power tests

Flight tests of a laser-equipped Boeing Co. 747 showed its onboard systems can complete all steps needed to intercept a ballistic missile, the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday.


Hendrix estate cuts off rock star's brother

A bitter family feud over the estate of the rock legend Jimi Hendrix has ended after a judge ruled that the guitarist's brother has no right to a share of the star's royalties.


Juventus increased its lead in the Serie A on Saturday by beating newcomer Messina 2-1, ending the hopes of the unheralded Sicilian team to earn a historic first place in Italy's top league.


Last month, Khamel Ali Abdallah kissed his wife and six children goodbye, then put them on a bus to his native village in south Lebanon for summer vacation. He was supposed to join them a week later, but war between Hezbollah and Israel broke out.


BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- The first images yesterday of the seabed battered by the earthquake that triggered Asia's catastrophic tsunami revealed huge ruptures spanning several miles.


Rescuers express mounting fears for 86 people still missing after a gas explosion in a China coal mine killed 62.


A rare genetic variation dramatically raises the risk of developing autism, a large study showed, opening new research targets for better understanding the disorder and for treating it


American Idol runner up Clay Aiken is to tour the US backed by a full orchestra.


UPDATE 2-Cricket-Malik reported for suspect action

â¢ Cricket-ICC clears Zimbabwe Cricket Union of racism October 17, 2004 14:05:37 LAHORE, Pakistan, Oct 17  - A special report by an International Cricket Council (ICC) inquiry commission has ruled there is no evidence of racism within the


I ''cicciobomba'' d'Europa sono i bambini italiani, primato poco onorevole, ma con il 35 % di piccoli italiani "under 10" in sovrappeso, la nostra nazione si pone decisamente sopra la media europea, che Ã¨ pari al 25 per cento.


President Bush's search for better relations with Europe in his second term faces an early test next week with a visit by an old ally, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.


With just a day and a-half left in 2004, stocks have turned listless, as most investors sit on the sidelines, having already made their year-end moves.


Report-Lehman Near Deal on Enron Lawsuits

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH) is close to settling a class action lawsuit for $220 million stemming from allegations that it colluded with other brokerages to mislead Enron Corp.


Arsenal defender Sol Campbell announced he will leave the English Premiership club this summer.


Saturday Interview: At Heinz, Hoping to Leave a Legacy of Product Safety

Heinz chief executive William R. Johnson discusses product quality and the influence of shareholder activist Nelson Peltz on the company.


Researchers have developed an electrical generator mounted on the knee that turns walks into watts.


The Israeli security Cabinet declared Hamas-controlled Gaza an "enemy entity" Wednesday in response to continued Palestinian rocket attacks, Israel Radio reported.


Autopsy Reveals Ol' Dirty Bastard Overdosed

. (antiMUSIC) Medical examiners have found that rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard died from an accidental overdose of cocaine and a prescription pain medication.


HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- A US passenger jet landed in Vietnam on Friday, the first since the Vietnam War ended nearly 30 years ago.


The government is close to hitting its MRSA target, but is accused of manipulating the data.


UK Verdict May Jeopardize Blair's Terror Policies

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's security strategy, a central plank in his re-election bid, looked in trouble on Friday after a landmark legal ruling against a vital part of his anti-terror policy.


Singer Katie Melua set a world deep-water record by performing a concert 994 feet under the North Sea in the leg of an oil platform, the rig's operator said Tuesday.


Update 5: European Central Bank Ups Growth Forecast

The European Central Bank on Thursday raised its economic growth forecast for the 12 nations using the euro and kept its key interest rate steady at record lows as it waits for the recovery to firm up.


Intel's Otellini has company focused on low power

The CEO of the world's largest chipmaker wants hardware developers thinking about graphics, low-power applications, and Intel's determination not to let AMD get the best of it again.


Best Buy customers snatched up $2,000 flat-screen TVs, Neiman Marcus shoppers made a run on $1,000 handbags and Costco members tracked down every last $100 cashmere sweater, but the luxury buying binge did not spare the retail industry a weaker-than-expected holiday shopping season.


Conflict in Najaf Dominates Iraq Political Meet

Iraqi leaders met for a second day on  Monday to pick an interim national assembly but fighting in  Najaf dominated the event, piling pressure on Prime Minister  Iyad Allawi to hold more talks with Shi'ite rebels.


Nove i feriti.Probabile causa, mancato funzionamento scambio


GAINESVILLE - Mike Degory's appearance at new University of Florida coach Urban Meyer's news conference Tuesday debunked yet another slew of Internet rumors.


Just about the last place Mariano Aguirre wanted to be Sunday was Macy's in Herald Square. But the Washington Heights resident knew he had little choice but to brave the busy aisles.


Secondo il Garante, favoriscono senza motivo Poste Italiane


Less than half of British children aware Jesus born on Christmas Day: survey

Less than half of British children between the ages of seven and 11 are aware that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, according to a BBC poll.


Israeli police have detained bodygards of Leonardo DiCaprio after a clash in Jerusalem with paparazzi photographers trailing the US film star and his Israeli girlfriend.


Un direttiva della Corte Suprema chiede che venga applicata in modo piÃ¹ cauto"Clemenza con i criminali disposti a collaborare con le autoritÃ  anche per reati gravi"                                            Pena di morte, Pechino frena "Usarla solo nei casi piÃ¹ gravi"


Formula 1. Gran Premio del Belgio. Dalla pioggia spunta la pole di Trulli. Secondo posto per Schumacher. Jarno Trulli, su Renault, ha ottenuto la pole position del Gp del Belgio, quattordicesima prova del mondiale


PARIS Tyler Hamilton, the American bicycle racer who won an Olympic gold medal in the time trial last month in Athens, strongly denied Tuesday that he had used illegal performance-enhancing blood transfusions there and in the major race in Spain.


Indianapolis, 21:25 - F1, GP USA; ALONSO: VICINO A HAMILTON MA IMPOSSIBILE PASSARLO

Fernando Alonso ha provato in tutti i modi a superare Hamilton, senza riuscirci. ''Hamilton? Siamo s...


Bank of England cuts interest rate to 5.25 percent

The Bank of England trimmed its key interest rate by a quarter-point to 5.25 percent on Thursday, the central bank announced, in line with market expectations.


Mba: subprime, in ritardo uno su sette nel secondo trimestre


VATICANO - Benedetto XVI in visita alla Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana: ÂVostro compito Ã¨ di custodire la sintesi tra cultura e fede che traspira dai preziosi documenti e dai tesori che custoditeÂ CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - La Biblioteca Vaticana, che si appresta ad affrontare ingenti lavori di restauro, Ânon a caso porta il nome di ÂApostolicaÂ in quanto Ã¨ unÂIstituzione considerata sin dalla sua fondazione come la ÂBiblioteca del P...


A 22-year-old man is charged in connection with the seizure of more than 107m euro of cocaine in west Cork.


Bills, rooted in Pittsburgh, face Steelers in playoff bid

Perhaps the Buffalo Bills should wear their charging buffalo logo on just one side of their helmets this week. It would be a fitting homage to the Pittsburgh Steelers.


Affluent Asians set up house in downtown L.A.

Architect Christopher Pak understands what upwardly mobile Koreans want and that's why his latest project, a 22-story residential tower, has no apartments on the fourth and fourteenth floors.


Blair Feels OK After Oct. Heart Operation

Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday he was feeling fine after an operation earlier this year to correct an irregular heartbeat.


Dashboard of the Future Gives Drivers a Heads-Up Display

A prototype dashboard system from Delphi shown at CES in Las Vegas gives drivers four separate screens of information, enabling them to keep their eyes forward more, thus increasing safety.


Mariah Carey snubbed at another awards show

Pop diva Mariah Carey, whose commercial success has not translated into awards show acclaim, was snubbed at the American Music Awards on Tuesday, despite scoring three nominations.


Airbus close to sale of four factories: report

Airbus boss Thomas Enders could be days away from selling four of the aircraft maker's factories to US company Spirit Aero Systems, a German newspaper reported on Sunday.


Murder charges filed in fatal carjacking

Three men and a woman were charged Thursday with murder, rape, kidnapping and robbery in the fatal carjacking of a University of Tennessee student and her boyfriend.


EU decides to lift arms embargo on Libya

The foreign ministers' meeting of the European Union (EU) decided in Luxembourg Monday to lift the arms ban against Libya, which the bloc imposed 18 years ago.


Owens Defies Odds, Unable to Overcome Patriots

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  - Terrell Owens defied his  doctors and some fairly long odds to overcome a serious ankle  injury in an effort to lead his team to glory.


Manu Ginobili scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 21 points and 10 rebounds, leading the San Antonio Spurs to their first victory of the season in three tries against the Seattle SuperSonics, 103-84 on Monday night.


MIAMI -- Hurricane Frances continues to move closer to the US coastline. Forecasters say most of Florida will be affected by the storm.


Science & environment: Converting rainforests, peatlands and grasslands for biofuels can increase CO2 emissions, scientists find


Gunmen killed the deputy governor of Baghdad today on his way to work, Iraqi officials said. Hatim Kamil was assassinated in a drive-by shooting this morning, said Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haidari.


Jim Rice fell short again, by just 16 votes. Now, the former Boston Red Sox slugger has one chance left to be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.


Hurricane Ivan moving onward towards Cuba

While the Cayman Islands remain under a hurricane warning, Hurricane Ivan is now moving on to a date with western Cuba. "Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," warned the


Washington Republican Declared Governor-Elect as Recount Looms

Republican Dino Rossi was declared the winner of the Washington governor's race by 42 votes, the closest margin in the state's history.


A boy reported to have been given a playful slap by Cherie Blair for making "rabbit ears" behind her says it was all just a bit of fun.


Senator Seeks Probe of Google-Doubleclick Deal

The chairman of the Senate's antitrust panel is uneasy about Google's proposed $3.1 billion acquisition of DoubleClick and says it should be scrutinized very closely.


Madrid, 10:26 - CALCIO, CALDERON: A FEBBRAIO HO CAPITO CHE CAPELLO NON DA REAL

In un'intervista al quotidiano sportivo spagnolo 'As', Roman Calderon torna sull'esonero di Capello:...


'Sicko' down at YouTube, up at Google Video

Blog: One of Google's units removes bootleg versions of documentary but copy remains at Google Video


Web holiday sales are up 24 percent over a year ago, says comScore. However it is believed the shopping season may extend longer online this season as consumers appear to be confident that expedient shipping would get their gifts in time.


A tavolo in Gb parteciperanno anche Francia e Germania


Lo schianto nel centro storico della cittadina in provincia di BariHa ceduto il solaio e poi tutto il primo piano. Sul posto i soccorsi                                          Bitonto, tre bambini feriti nel crollo di una palazzina


Report highlights Britons' steroid, speedballing drug abuse

The extent of Britain's drug problem has been laid bare in a survey which highlighted increasing steroid abuse among young men and the rise of a deadly heroin/crack cocaine cocktail known as speedballing.


As local kids make their holiday lists, parents might want to check them twice for potentially dangerous toys. Consumer advocates yesterday released a list of 61 toys they contend have deficient labeling or hazardous parts.


Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard said Monday he is confident he can fly a solar-powered airplane on the first round-the-world trip of its kind, even though he needs more money to build the craft.


Horror guru Barker unveils "Jericho" video game

LOS ANGELES  - Horror mastermind Clive Barker testified Tuesday to the crumbling walls between entertainment and gaming as he unveiled his upcoming video game at an industry conference.


Once a frozen embryo threatened by Hurricane Katrina, little Noah Markham Â named for the survivor of the biblical flood-of-all-floods Â celebrated his first birthday Wednesday.


Intel has created a more powerful memory chip without increasing its size, wrong-footing warnings that the firm had hit its technical limits.


DealBook Blog: DealBook: Tony Blair to Join JPMorgan as Adviser

The former prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, will join the banking giant JPMorgan Chase as a part-time adviser, the bank said in a statement. While the firm didn't say how much it would pay Mr. Blair, one New York recruitment consultant told The Financial times that it was likely to be more than $1 million [...].


Stima del Centro studi Confindustria, +2,1% su anno


Vice-President Dick Cheney will be called to testify in the CIA leak case involving his ex-chief of staff, lawyers say.


Entire updated chip line to be unveiled, sources say. Newest top-line Itanium 2 boosts high-speed cache memory from 6MB to 9MB.


There's a whole lot for them to shoot at on 9

Having required 34 putts in Thursday's opening round of the US Open, you could have predicted where you would find Lee Williams yesterday morning.


A European watchdog expresses concern about the treatment of sex offenders in the Czech Republic.


UN climate envoy nominated as SKorean prime minister

South Korea's incoming president on Monday made his first cabinet appointment, naming veteran diplomat and economist Han Seung-Soo as his prime minister.


MOSCOW The Russian government said Thursday it would auction its 7.59 percent stake in Lukoil next month with an opening price of $1.


College Basketball: Kansas Edges Georgia Tech in OT

LAWRENCE, Kan. (Sports Network) - Keith Langford scored a  team-high 18 points, including the game-winning bucket with 3.3  seconds remaining in overtime, as second-ranked Kansas rallied  from a 16-point deficit to hand No. 9 Georgia Tech a 70-68 loss  in a heavily anticipated nonleague matchup.


A Firefox in Internet Explorer's Henhouse

When was the last time you heard about the browser wars? Well, they're back. The reason: For the first time in more than seven years, Microsoft is losing Web browser market share.


The cheapest calling plan of all: Friends and Family on the company phone

UK.biz subsidises our social life British workers are spending around Â£400m a year on personal calls using company mobile phones, according to research from Aurora Kendrick James (AJK).â¦


Powell Calls Ukraine Election 'Historic Moment'

U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, during a press briefing at the State Department, Monday, Dec.


Modena, 18:54 - CALCIO, MODENA: DOPPIA SEDUTA ALLA RIPRESA

Il Modena ha ripreso la preparazione con una doppia seduta. Sessione mattutina basata su una parte a...


Pfizer: Painkiller may pose increased cardiovascular risk

Drugmaker Pfizer announced Friday that its painkiller Celebrex puts patients at "increased cardiovascular risk" for heart problems, citing a long-term cancer study.


Iran's moderate ex-President Rafsanjani wins election to Iran's powerful clerical body, marking a surprise comeback.


Cybercrooks add Ajax coding to bag of hacking tricks

LAS VEGAS  - The hot new technology behind slick Web pages has suddenly become the hot new tool for cybercriminals. The technology, Ajax coding and Web tools, enables popular websites such as Google Maps and MySpace.com to come alive.


Australian troops arrive in troubled Solomons

Elite Australian troops arrived in the troubled Solomon Islands on Thursday as the body of an Australian peacekeeper, the first casualty of Canberra's tough South Pacific security policy, arrived home.


Supreme Court to Hear Case on Cable as Internet Carrier

The Supreme Court stepped into one of the most heated debates over the future of the Internet: how to classify Internet cable service for purposes of federal regulation.


Allworx Supports the Rochester Institute of Technology's Telecommunications Laboratory By Donating VoIP Technology

Allworx, the Small Business VoIP Company continued its ongoing support  of community-based educational initiatives by donating its  industry-leading VoIP technology to the Rochester Institute of  Technology (RIT).


VATICANO - ÂDio: pace o dominioÂ - Alla presenza di esponenti della Curia Romana, dei Movimenti ecclesiali e delle RealtÃ  religiose, il Presidente del Senato della Repubblica Italiana presenterÃ  domani il programma televisivo dedicato al rapporto tra le religioni per la pace e la convivenza dei popoli CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - Sono stati necessari tre anni per documentare la convivenza tra le religioni e le culture dei popoli attraverso situazioni, ambienti, opinioni e realtÃ  irraggiungibili, sconosciute o a volte manipolate le une cont...


Indian medicine can cure cancer, says British doctor

British medical fraternity is rather cautious in its assessments but Dr Rosy Daniel has had no hesitation in declaring that she has "seen walking miracles".


ISP blows the whistle on router chip 'fault'

Market-leading hardware doubted Exclusive: One of the UK's best-respected broadband providers has raised concerns about the reliability of the world's most popular ADSL chip.â¦


Specialist retailer Jessops says the popularity of digital cameras has helped to boost its profits.


Putin encourages Indian computer companies to do business in ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged Indian computer software firms to set up offices and joint ventures in his country, promising tax breaks and government support.