Nigerian militants say Lebanese hostage escaped

A Lebanese hostage escaped from his captors in the remote creeks of Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta and was not freed as his employer had said, the militant group that seized the man said on Thursday.


Chinese web pornographer banged up for life

Sun sets on 'Pornographic Summer' A Chinese web pornographer who founded the country's "largest pornography website" has been sentenced to life imprisonment, Reuters reports.â¦


Thousands Join Effort to Make Beach Cleanup a Sweeping Success

By Tom Buckham  Renee Foley returned from cleanup duty at Woodlawn Beach holding up a plastic yellow windshield scraper she had plucked from the sand. It was molded in the shape of the numeral 1.


Station managers at several CBS affiliates said Thursday they appear to be a target of a national e-mail campaign placing pressure on the network to oust Dan Rather as anchorman of the "CBS Evening News."


Dhol is predictable of Priyadarshan films. The film lacks originality and is funny only in parts. Music by Pritam too is impressinve.


Al Gore's plan for a symbolic switch-off of lights during the UK Live Earth gig is vetoed by the National Grid.


Egypt brands Washington's criticism of its human rights record "unacceptable interference".


Holiday sales results lift Wal-Mart, Kmart

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said a surge in after-Christmas shopping spurred December same-store sales gains of about 3 percent, at the high end of its forecast. Kmart Holding Corp. said profit rose 10 percent during the holiday season after it limited deep discounts.


UK.gov makes bizarre threat to throw self off internet

Curtains if sites not accessible by 2009 The UK Government has given itself until the end of next year to get its act together on accessibility, after which any .gov.uk site failing to achieve the minimum, Level Double-A of the W3C Guidelines will have its domain withdrawn. This brave, nay, foolhardy commitment could conceivably result in carnage across national, local government and miscellaneous hanger-on .gov.uk sites - and we can perhaps look forward to a more overtly outsourced future containing sites such as homeoffice.tv, mod.cn and basildon.eu.â¦


Telefonata anonima al 113 ha segnalato un morto a Bagnoli


A defiant Iran faces the threat of U.N.   Security Council sanctions after the world body's atomic   watchdog said Tehran refused to stop work on its nuclear   program by a Thursday deadline.


United Airlines is mulling plans to cut 6,000 jobs -- or 10 percent of its work force, according to the Financial Times. The move would allow the bankrupt carrier to cut annual operating costs by $655 million.


Floods, storms kill 12 in Indonesia's Java

Floods and storms have killed 12 people  on Indonesia's main island of Java, a health official said on  Sunday.


Travel: The best places to eat, drink, play and stay in Spain's second city, chosen by our readers


ABC News US May Have Found Fallujah Militant Base

US troops inspect a car in Sadr City, in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday Nov. 18 2004. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim). BAGHDAD, Iraq Nov 18, 2004 - US troops sweeping through Fallujah on Thursday said they believe they have


Pakistan gives besieged rebel cleric new ultimatum

Pakistani authorities issued a "last  warning" on Sunday to a rebel Islamist cleric and his fighters  holed up in an Islamabad mosque, as speculation mounted  security forces would launch a full-scale assault.


Hong Kong Family Firm Behind Next DreamWorks Hit

Jaws dropped when Francis Kao, fresh out of college, persuaded his father to transform the family's highly profitable business making plastic Christmas trees into a digital animation house.


Fuel leaking from grounded freighter, search continues

The search for six crew members lost in the Bering Sea continued in the dark Thursday, a day after the rescue helicopter attempting to lift them to safety crashed and


Pedroia has more company in leading role

Much was made of the fact that in hitting a home run to lead off the game for the Red Sox in the World Series opener Wednesday, Dustin Pedroia duplicated a feat last accomplished by former Red Sox star Johnny Damon in Game 4 of the 2004 Series off the Cardinals' Jason Marquis . But it turns out that a ...


By Ken Ritter Associated Press  LAS VEGAS -- Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne told water officials from seven Western states that he expects an agreement on sharing Colorado River water during periods of drought "signed, sealed and delivered" next year.


Retail group Metoz Holdings on Monday announced that Metcash Australia had made an offer to buy out all the issued shares of Metoz at 2.65 rand a share.


Word of mouth research suggest HIV figures in Uganda could be three times bigger than previous estimates.


Microsoft Sees $100 Million First Day for 'Halo 2'

First-day sales of Microsoft  Corp.'s MSFT.O new video game "Halo 2" will reach $100  million, a senior Microsoft games executive said on Tuesday.


Really, must we all go back to cash-only transactions to protect our personal information?


Will Microsoft Makes Its Browser Better?

The success of alternative browsers such as Mozilla Foundation's Firefox may ultimately have an unexpected side effect. It may be causing Microsoft to be more aggressive in leveraging its dominance of Internet


NAJAF, Iraq  - An Iraqi peace delegation has urged a radical Shi'ite cleric to call off his uprising in the city of Najaf, where US troops have been pounding militia positions near the country's holiest Islamic sites.


Dolphins Hire Cowboys Executive Ireland as G.M.

DAVIE, Fla.  -- Jeff Ireland has rejoined Bill Parcells to help revive the Miami Dolphins.


Rafa Benitez has enjoyed hero status among Liverpool fans for much of his reign but he looked distinctly mortal as he trudged across Kenilworth Road's sodden turf.


'Poor Parenting Not to Blame for Hyperactive Children'

Hyperactive children suffer from a genuine inherited disorder that in serious cases can cause severe mental illness, an expert said today.


The government finally apologizes to Aborigines forcibly taken from their families over the course of six decades. But don't ask for compensation


Londra, 11:44 - CALCIO, INGHILTERRA; TOTTI: CAPELLO E' L'UOMO GIUSTO

Fabio Capello è l'uomo giusto per l'Inghilterra. Lo dice anche Francesco Totti. "Fabio &egrav...


New York, 10:42 - TENNIS, US OPEN WTA: FUORI LA GARBIN E LA HINGIS

L'azzurra Tathiana Garbin è uscita al secondo turno degli Us Open Wta. E' stata sconfitta dal...


Pope sends condolences to Philippine storm victims

Pope John Paul II has sent his condolences to the victims of the Philippine storms, which have resulted in more than 1,400 people reported dead or missing.


The astronaut Lisa M. Nowak did not wear diapers during her 950-mile road trip to confront a romantic rival, her lawyer said.


Jury Urges Peterson Be Put to Death for Murder of Pregnant Wife

A California jury sentenced Scott Peterson today to death by injection for murdering his pregnant wife two years ago.


Paris - France has chartered several aircraft to evacuate French nationals who wish to leave Ivory Coast and bring in supplies to those who need them, the foreign ministry said in Paris on Tuesday.


Lima Time was wondrous while it lasted, but it didn't last long enough for the Dodgers. Los Angeles sent Odalis Perez to the mound on Sunday to follow Jose Lima's inspiring shutout in Game 3, but the St.


Qwest settles patent suit, to pay undisclosed sum for license

- Qwest Communications International Inc  said it settled a patent lawsuit with Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing L.P. and would pay an undisclosed sum for a nonexclusive license for interactive voice applications patented by Katz.


'Dalle istituzioni italiane non ho avuto notizie o aiuto'


the continuing brouhaha between Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) and PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT) being a notable exception. South Africa's Harmony


x86 ISA to be extended with application-specific opcodes too IDF Intel has said it will extend the x86 instruction set with even more Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE), this time pledging to add a further 50 instructions to the ISA - the largest number of extra program codes the chip giant's added to the x86 lists since the introduction of SSE 2 with the debut of the Pentium 4 in December 2000.â¦


PlayStation 3 Sales Drop Sharply On Low Supply

During its first full week of availability in Japan sales were sharply lower than those during the two days immediately following its launch.


Udine, 15:50 - CALCIO, UDINESE; POZZO: GIOCARE A PORTE CHIUSE E' ASSURDO

Commento durissimo a 'Repubblica Tv' del patron dell'Udinese Pozzo sulla decisione di giocare a port...


Jan. 9, 1969: Concorde Takes to the Skies; Turbulence Ahead

The world's first supersonic jetliner is sleek, sexy, fast ... and ridiculously expensive. Only Gallic stubbornness and generous subsidies keep it flying for over three decades.


AFRICA/BURUNDI - La riconciliazione nazionale e la pace Ã¨ la linea editoriale di Radio Ijwi Ry'Amahoro della Conferenza Episcopale del Burundi Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides)-  Radio Ijwi Ry'Amahoro vuole essere una voce della Chiesa per la nuova evangelizzazione e la promozione della pace in BurundiÂ dice allÂAgenzia Fides p. Emmanuel Muyehe, Direttore di Radio Ijwi Ry'Amahoro, lÂemittente promo...


Silicon Valley Cleans Up: How Tech Titans Became Energy Entrepreneurs - A Wired Flowchart

In Silicon Valley, the bandwagon is now electric-powered, as a who's who of IT stalwarts reinvent themselves as cleantech entrepreneurs. This map presents a small sampling of the companies, causes, and familiar faces behind the greening of the Valley.


Rangers chairman David Murray tonight hit back at Celtic manager Martin O'Neill's claims that the Ibrox fans are racist and reminded officials at both clubs of their 'responsibility in ensuring safety and fair play'.


The deep-discount retail chain is feeling the effects of cautious spending.


Rimini, 20:26 - CALCIO, CATANIA; MARINO: RISULTATO PENALIZZANTE PER NOI

E' arrabbiato con l'arbitro Giannoccaro, l'allenatore del Catania Marino dopo lo 0-1 sul neutro di R...


St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter left Saturday's start against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning with a strained right biceps.


Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is a busy man. Too busy, apparently, to sign sympathy letters for the devastated families of troops killed in Iraq.


Susan Whitney, who has overseen IBM's push toward high-end servers with Intel and AMD chips, is retiring.


German Designer's Funeral Draws Thousands

Up to 10,000 Germans and assorted glitterati braved heavy snow on Saturday to bid farewell to a flamboyant German fashion designer murdered earlier this month.


As of Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007, at least 3,790 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 3,092 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.


Wellington, 12:19 - RUGBY, SFUMA IL SOGNO MONDIALE DI LOMU

Il sogno di Jonah Lomu di giocare con la Nuova Zelanda i prossimi Mondiali di rugby (Francia, settem...


Riguarda inchiesta aggiotaggio, indagati Lotito e Mezzaroma


Bush, Kerry trade gibes on terror threat

The state that launched George W. Bush on the road to the White House and rejuvenated John F. Kerry's presidential hopes took


Voting errors linger five weeks after election

The presidential outcome wasn't contested, but one county's woes symbolize glitches still unfixed.


Un altro centauro ferito in incidente su Ss 107


Also: AOL's mobile ambitions. Read these stories and more from around the Web on News.com Extra.


Resignation of China's Senior Leader Appears Imminent

Jiang Zemin, China's military chief and longtime senior leader, may formally step down on Sunday, putting President Hu Jintao in full command of the Chinese Army, state and


Roma, 23:34 - CALCIO, MORTO POLIZIOTTO: STOP ANCHE A PARTITE NAZIONALE

La Figc ha deciso che dopo la morte del poliziotto a Catania, oltre a tutti i campionati di calcio n...


Safety top reason for buying children cell phones

Most parents who are thinking of  buying cell phones for their children this Christmas are doing  so for safety reasons, according to a new survey. An online  poll of 339 parents found that 78 percent were considering  getting a cell phone for their children so they could be in  contact with them in case of an emergency.


GOLD RIVER, British Columbia - A "playful" killer whale who likes to frolic alongside fishermen has damaged three boats in separate incidents in recent weeks.    Luna, described by fishermen as a friendly 5-year-old whale, has made frequent contact with people and boats in waters off Vancouver Island, about 125 miles north of the U.S...


Hundreds of thousands of Shiite Muslims clambered aboard buses or began trekking homeward on foot Saturday at the end of Ashoura, a 10-day ritual to cleanse the spirit and scourge the body in honor of their founding saint.


Company announces an extension of its customer assurance program, a contract clause offered to firms concerned about Oracle's hostile takeover bid.


Reality Weighs Against Struggle for New Beliefs

As the outer layers of her old, familiar life have been peeled back to expose violence, a young Iraqi girl is no longer sure whom to believe, how to interpret events or even what to be afraid of.


Medio Oriente. Israele allenta le restrizioni a Betlemme. Domani i risultati delle elezioni municipali in Cisgiordania. Le autoritÃ  israeliane si sono impegnate a prendere provvedimenti speciali per garantire


Napoli, due nuove vittime Crivellate dai proiettili in auto

Napoli, 13 novembre 2004 - Continua la guerra di camorra nella cittÃ  partenopea. Ed Ã¨ ormai sfida aperta allo Stato. Se l'altro giorno, durante il summit tenuto in cittÃ  dal ministro degli Interni Pisanu


BRITAIN agreed today to send 850 British soldiers closer to Baghdad, freeing up US troops to step up attacks on insurgent strongholds.


When half the flu vaccine supply disappears over night

Just days after health officials announced that there would be plenty of flu vaccine to go around this winter, they now say there will only be enough to vaccinate those in "high risk" groups.


Merrill Lynch Reported Ready to Dismiss Head

The Merrill Lynch board reached a consensus that E. Stanley OâNeal will not stay chairman, people briefed on the discussions said.


Im in ur base processing ur Java Azul Systems is rolling out a new generation of Java-crunching appliances armed with the ability to spread its workload across a total of 768 processing cores in a single box.â¦


Per il ritardo nelle consegne del superjumbo A380


Reactrix's WaveScape shows interactive games on Samsung's large LCD TVs as an advertising lure.


Iraqis look on as a passing US military humvee stirs up the dust, as they wait on the city limits to be allowed to enter Fallujah Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004, as the first of the town's 300,000 residents who fled


Initiatives To Build Confidence In Moldova To Be Discussed In Vienna

Mediators in the Transdniestrian settlement from Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE will meet in Vienna on December 14-15 to discuss a set of initiatives, Measures to strengthen trust and security in Moldova, ...


Court hears about intimate Diana letters to Dodi

Extracts of intimate letters from Princess Diana to Dodi al-Fayed were read out at an inquest into their deaths on Friday, and Dodi's father's lawyer said they showed the relationship was serious, not just a holiday fling.


South Africa Hopes for Movie Boom from Oscar Nomination

South Africa toasted its first film nominated for an Oscar on Wednesday, hoping the poignant story of a woman's battle with AIDS could help the fledgling film industry take flight.


Agency awarded $4M in grants to study the health, environmental risks posed by manufactured nanomaterials -- invisibly tiny materials revolutionizing many industries but its effects on living things remain unknown.-The Washington Post


Hard-liner replaces Myanmar prime minister

Myanmar's military junta announced Wednesday the appointment of hardliner Lt. Gen. Soe Win as prime minister, replacing ousted Gen.


Errore non votare missione e poi Casini fara' diversamente


A bus carrying a wedding party plunged into a gorge in mountainous northern India, killing at least 18 people and injuring another 27, a government official said Tuesday.


The latest batch of images from the Cassini spacecraft has established that the speculations made by scientists from the Space Science Institute were true after all.


Breast Cancer Risk Linked to Normal Aging of Breast Tissue

TUESDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- A woman's risk for breast cancer as she grows older appears strongly linked to the natural process of lobular regression, Mayo Clinic researchers have concluded.


Researchers aim to make file-sharing fairer by treating bandwidth like a currency.


Manchester - Sven-Goran Eriksson has sent England sides out to face opposition of higher quality. But in nearly four years he has been in charge, the Swede has yet to see one of his lineups tested by the degree


One group of prominent university presidents called for universities to revamp the traditional tenure academic career system to make it more family friendly, while another criticized recent remarks by Harvard University President Lawrence Summers addressing why women may be failing to reach top science jobs.


Lo sconfitto Yushchenko chiama i sostenitori a manifestare

KIEV - Situazione di caos in Ucraina dopo il ballottaggio per le elezioni presidenziali di domenica. L'Osce (Organizzazione per la sicurezza e la cooperazione in Europa) ha detto che il voto non risponde alla norme democratiche.


Earthquake-Struck Niigata Shaken Again; No Injuries

Two earthquakes, the first with a preliminary magnitude 5.2, struck Niigata region on the Sea of Japan coast, where repeated quakes have killed at least 37 people and forced tens of thousands


White House hopefuls make nice with France -- sort of

Republicans hoping to win the White House in 2008 appear to have called a truce of sorts in their frequently harsh attacks on France ever since Nicolas Sarkozy won the presidency there.


Microsoft aligns ad strategy across company

(InfoWorld) - In a move aimed at making it easier for customers to purchase advertising,Â MicrosoftÂ unveiled on Monday an organization that aligns all of its advertising sales, research and planning efforts. The Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions team -- which falls under the division overseen by Kevin Johnson, Microsoft's Platforms & Services -- gives customers one group within Microsoft for all of their advertising needs, said Eric Hadley, general manager of global marketing for Microsoft. The organization comprises former MSN advertising sales employees as well as others involved in advertising at Microsoft across other divisions. The company also has been hiring employees to fuel its advertising efforts, and they will join the new division, Hadley said. Until recently, Microsoft's MSN site was the only place where the company offered advertising, Hadley said. But in the last 18 months, the company has built out a portfolio of products that offer a range of advertising options, such as Xbox Live as well as its Windows Live and Office Live Web-based services. "Advertising is now a core asset across all aspects of the company," Hadley said. Microsoft realized it needed to unify how customers could purchase advertising across all of these properties for a comprehensive advertising plan, he said. Microsoft Chief Executive OfficerÂ Steve Ballmer has expressed his intentÂ on more than one occasion to overtake competitors GoogleÂ and Yahoo Â in the online advertising market. Microsoft has said it plans to spend $500 million in its current fiscal year to expand its online business, with a big focus on increasing advertising sales. Eventually, Microsoft's adCenter platform will play a big role in helping to streamline Microsoft's advertising efforts, Hadley said. Right now, the platform,Â which Microsoft launched in the U.S. in May, offers only sales of keyword searches. But eventually adCenter will allow customers to purchase advertising across all of the Microsoft properties that offer it, he said. In its last quarterly earnings call in July, Microsoft said it was not seeing a big uptick in revenue yet from adCenter, and skeptics are doubtful the company will be catching up to competitors in online advertising revenue anytime soon. However, Hadley said Monday that Microsoft is seeing "a lot of growth" in sales through adCenter, and believes that the formation of Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions will help support this trend. "You know with Microsoft -- we don't always get it right right from the start, but we feel we're going in the right direction by aligning all the company assets behind advertising," Hadley said.


Fans plan buyout of Liverpool football club

A group of Liverpool supporters are trying to succeed where the financial might of Dubai International Capital (DIC) has so far failed and buy their beloved club from its American owners.


U.S. District Judge John Garrett Penn, the former chief judge of the federal court in Washington, died Sunday after a lengthy illness, a court spokesman said. He was 75.


UN Agency Welcomes Iran's Suspension of Nuclear Program

The 35 countries of the United Nations nuclear agency board, including the United States, passed a long-awaited resolution today welcoming Iran's total freeze of a sensitive part of its nuclear program.


Soon you will be able to deposit checks by scanning them at home and sending them electronically to your bank. No need to visit a branch or even an ATM.


Iraq tribal leader who fought al Qaeda killed

A Sunni Arab tribal leader instrumental in driving al Qaeda out of Iraq's Anbar province was killed by a bomb on Thursday, hours before U.S. President George W. Bush was expected to announce limited U.S. troop cuts in the country.


ATA, the biggest airline at Chicago's Midway Airport, filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday and said it will unload its Midway hub to AirTran Airways.


Mozilla Firefox - setting the world on fire

After a year in development, today is the day the Mozilla Foundation released their long awaited browser named Firefox officially launching version 1.0.


Russia Keeps West, OSCE from âMeddlingâ in Ukraine

Russia blocked US and European diplomatic efforts at the latest OSCE meeting for a joint position on a re-run of Ukraine âs presidential election on Tuesday because it would interfere in negotiations there, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.


Arafat aides say initial tests have ruled out leukemia as cause of ...

Initial results from a battery of tests on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat found no signs Saturday of leukemia, Palestinian officials said, but blood doctors are still trying to find the cause of the leader's dramatic


Hezbollah fired its biggest and deepest volley of rockets into Israel on Wednesday as Israel pursued the guerrillas with 8,000 soldiers on the ground and heavy bombing. With fighting in its fourth week and diplomatic efforts stalled, the region braced for a bitter and long war.


Unknown Company Baikal Wins YUKOS Auction

Baikal Finance Group, an unknown  company, won an auction for Russian oil company's YUKOS's core  asset Sunday with a $9.4 billion bid and analysts said whomever  was behind the bid enjoyed Kremlin favor.


A defendant in an Old Bailey terror trial should not be jailed just for having "wicked thoughts".


The Hornets needed help, and All-Star point guard Baron Davis had become increasingly frustrated seeing his teammates struggle in nearly every game.


More bodies found in British prostitute killer probe

British police probing the murders of three prostitutes around a quiet English town discovered two more bodies, further fuelling fears that a serial killer is at large.


EarthLink layoffs signal change in muni Wi-Fi

While nobody expects municipal Wi-Fi to go away, analysts say that EarthLink's plan to lay off 900 employees shows that business models aren't yet mature.


Dravid blames batting for India's debacle

NAGPUR: India stand-in captain Rahul Dravid refused to blame the Nagpur pitch for the team's loss against Australia in the third Test, and instead, censured the batsmen for the team's downfall, saying they were capable of much more.


Strict copyright laws do not always benefit authors

And they could even increase risk, study says A stricter, more author-friendly copyright regime does not guarantee higher pay for authors, according to a new study which surveyed the earnings of 25,000 writers.â¦


South Africa's Zuma to look into inflation targeting

Jacob Zuma, the newly elected leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Sunday that he would look at inflation targeting, a key monetary policy tool used by the Central Bank to reign in inflation.


U.S. troops set trap for militants near Baghdad

The U.S. military said on Thursday it was setting a trap to "eliminate" al Qaeda militants around Baghdad, but also said 12 American soldiers had been killed in the past two days, mostly in roadside bombings.


Waldheim, ex-UN leader and Nazi, buried in Austria

Former U.N. chief and Austrian President Kurt Waldheim, whose career was tainted by disclosures of his Nazi past, was buried in a state funeral on Saturday.


'Il treno dei desideri' ha registrato uno share del 34.81%


F.C.C. Clears Internet Access by Power Lines

The F.C.C. adopted rules that will enable utility companies to offer an alternative to broadband services provided by cable and phone companies.


Actor-comedian Red Buttons dies at age 87

Red Buttons, the flame-haired  comedian and Oscar-winning actor of 1957 film "Sayonara," died  on Thursday at his Los Angeles-area home at the age of 87 of  vascular disease, his publicist said.


Russia on Tuesday suspended all transport and postal links with Georgia until further notice, in a sharp escalation of the dispute between Moscow and its small southern neighbor.


Two foreign gunmen who hijacked a Greek bus with 26 passengers have demanded a $1 million (520,000 pound) ransom and a plane out of the country.


Police Defuse Bomb in Italy After Blair's Visit

Italian police defused a bomb early on Wednesday morning near the Sardinian holiday villa of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi just hours after a visit by British Premier Tony Blair.


Viceministro, riduzione tasse dopo abbattimento evasione


IBM Reported to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale

IBM  is reportedly in talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that could be worth up to $2 billion and would cap a gradual withdrawal from the business it helped to pioneer in 1981.


"Yasser Arafat, who died at the age of 75, in France on Thursday, was the standard-bearer of Palestinian nationalism for nearly half-a-century who could not see his dream of an independent state [of Palestine] become a reality.


Derian Hatcher scored midway through the third period and Antero Niittymaki stopped 38 shots, helping the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Florida Panthers, 1-0, on Sunday for their third straight victory.


PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle $24/Share Tender

Oracle called on PeopleSoft's board to meet and close a deal over the weekend. The company had set Friday as the deadline for its tender offer, vowing to walk away from the transaction if investors


Revolutionary label to focus on streaming as downloads falter

"How much do you want to pay for music?" A record label which uses Creative Commons licences and allows consumers to choose how much they pay for music is focusing on streaming music because its downloading business has dipped dramatically.â¦


TiVo starts sales of premium TV video recorder

TiVo Inc. TIVO.O on Tuesday started   selling its latest digital video recorder which is capable of   displaying high-resolution TV signals, as the recording   technology company seeks new subscribers among buyers of   premium home theater systems.


Conservatives outline plans to raise exam standards, undermining proposals for a diploma announced by Mike Tomlinson.


The Postal Service recently, with great fanfare, issued a new set of stamps depicting motorcycles. Collectors who buy copies issued on the first day the stamps are available can get them with a special commemorative postmark. Unfortunately, the colorful postmark spells it "motorcyle."


US President George W. Bush's re-election was viewed negatively by a majority of people in several European countries -- including those in Britain, the US' strongest ally in the war in Iraq, Associated Press ...


It could be two more years before Belgium s Parliament starts assessing the role some officials played in the Holocaust, but the process of examining the country s responsibility in the wartime deportation of ...


`Riches" for Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver

"It's a hard thing to kind of present in a very simple, one-sentence way," says creator and executive producer Dmitry Lipkin of FX's wildly unconventional drama "The Riches."


It is often said, with some justification, that Afghanistan isnât so much a single country as a collection of fiefdoms, each run by a local warlord.


European bourses are seen starting positively after a late spurt on Wall Street thanks to encouraging results from technology stalwarts IBM and Texas Instruments. A slide in oil back to $53.30 from its $55.33 peak on Monday also helped.


Saints' McAllister could miss five weeks

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister is hampered with a high ankle sprain and could miss up to five weeks of action.


Markko Martin admitted that poor pace notes cost him a chance of victory on the inaugural Rally Japan over the weekend. The Estonian revealed how he had made major errors in his notes for the first two days


Giuliani Hurt by Scandal Around Former Top NY Cop

Illicit affairs, mob ties, a secret love nest. The hijinks of Bernard Kerik, disgraced just as he aspired to join President Bush's Cabinet, have also bruised the reputation


Death toll grows in California wildfires

The charred remains of six people have been discovered in California as thousands of evacuees start returning home after what have been described as the most devastating wildfires in the state's history.


Skoda Auto H1 profit up over sixty percent

Skoda Auto, the Czech Republic's biggest car producer, boosted first-half net profit by 62.3 percent to 6.4 billion koruna (224.7 million euros, 287.2 million dollars).


Members incline to expel Slavkov from IOC

Olympic chiefs recommended on November 26 that Bulgaria's Ivan Slavkov be expelled from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for tarnishing its reputation.


The long-running dispute between Microsoft and the European Union is set to be decided on Monday.


E-Etiquette: Workshop Focuses on Student E-Mails, Web Profiles

By Erin C. Perkins, Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.  May 24--Professionalism today goes beyond firm handshakes, eye contact and thank-you notes -- a new etiquette has arisen.


Stocks End Up; Merck Helps Dow; Dollar Up

U.S. stocks closed higher on  Wednesday, as the dollar strengthened and shares of Merck & Co.  MRK.N helped lift the Dow after the drugmaker gave a forecast  that was not as weak as some on Wall Street had expected.


Bancrofts meet to discuss Murdoch bid for Dow Jones

Members of the Bancroft family,  which controls Dow Jones & Co. Inc. , met in Boston on  Monday to consider a $5 billion offer by Rupert Murdoch's News  Corp (NWSa.N)  for the publisher of The Wall Street  Journal.


Comair Begins Recovery From Holiday Snafu

Jocelyn Houle of Washington, DC, right, and Trudy Caldwell of Alexandria, Va., left, stand in a ticket line at Reagan National Airport on Friday, Dec. 24, 2004 in Washington.


First Lady Calls for U.N. Resolution Over Ongoing Strife in Burma

During her recent vacation at the family ranch near Crawford, Tex., first lady Laura Bush was reading news articles about the ongoing strife in Burma, where the military government has been arresting dissidents and protesters in large numbers in recent weeks. When she returned to Washington last...


Calcio: Uefa, Baldini elogia i baby del Parma

Grande prestazione del baby Parma che supera per 1-0 lo Steaua di Bucarest grazie ad un gol nel finale di Budan, nel secondo turno della Coppa Uefa. Il tecnico Baldini vuole perÃ² riservare due parole di elogio


The house was ravaged Â its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.


Country music star Toby Keith broke ground for a 600-seat restaurant and music hall along a canal in the Bricktown entertainment district.


Britain to cut thousands of troops in Iraq next year

Britain said it expected to withdraw thousands of its 7,100 troops from Iraq by the end of 2007, in the clearest pledge yet of a pullout from a country gripped by growing sectarian violence.


Finora hanno potuto votare solo con delega a parente maschio


Homemaking icon Martha Stewart on  Wednesday said she wants to start serving her jail sentence for  lying about a suspicious stock sale as soon as possible, so she  can put her "nightmare" behind her and be home in time to plant  her garden for spring.


REVIEW: Fujitsu Notebook Useful, Portable

With notebook computer configurations now ranging from tiny ultra portables to hefty desktop PC replacements, it's clear that one size was never meant to fit all. After a few weeks of trying out the Fujitsu LifeBook P7010D, I was convinced it didn't fit me.


Every January, my husband and I update our finances, but this year's review nearly sent me over the edge.


Blog: The Chestnut Hill George gets a $50 price cut, and--for a limited time--a $50 remote charger bundled in the package at no extra charge.


An Understudy Helped Make the Dolphins 17-0

Quarterback Earl Morrall led the Dolphins to 12 of their 17 victories during their undefeated season of 1972.


Knifeman kills eight in Chinese school dormitory

Police are hunting for a man who broke into a high school dormitory in central China and hacked eight students to death in the bloodiest of a series of recent school knife attacks.


Rockets 97, Knicks 90: Stunning Benchings Overshadow Action in the KnicksÂ Loss

Though 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson managed to block a Yao Ming layup, the Knicks lost their second in a row at home, dropping them to 1-5 at the Garden.


Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. "strongly" disagreed Thursday with the conclusions of a Food and Drug Administration-funded study that said use of the company's arthritis pain reliever Vioxx increased the risk of heart attack.


N. Korea agrees to address secret nuclear program: US

Nuclear-armed North Korea has agreed to address questions over its controversial highly enriched uranium program that had triggered the nearly five-year atomic standoff with Washington, US envoy Christopher Hill said Monday.


Terzo Valentino Rossi dopo un innocuo fuoripista


TiVo Inc., maker of digital  television recorders, on Monday posted a wider quarterly net  loss, as it boosted spending to achieve a sharp increase in new  subscribers to its fee-based TV service.


By ASSOCIATED PRESS  NASA scrubbed today's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, this time because of a problem that has bedeviled the space agency before: a faulty fuel tank sensor.  The launch was rescheduled for 11:15 a.m.


The Bosnian Serb prime minister steps down after the US and Bosnia's top international envoy sanction officials.


Update 3: Halliburton Co. Reports $44M 3Q Loss

Halliburton Co. posted a $44 million third-quarter loss Tuesday related to a pending settlement of asbestos claims, but the oil-services giant still beat Wall Street expectations amid record gains in its energy unit.


C-Section More Likely with Obesity, Diabetes

NEW YORK  - When women who have diabetes or  are overweight become pregnant, they have an increased  likelihood of having to undergo a cesarean delivery, according  to a new report.


World News > US launches fresh offensive against Iraqi rebels:

US aircrafts Sunday pounded positions held by militants loyal to Iraq's radical Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the besieged sacred city of Najaf, Xinhua reports.


Verizon Wireless has launched AOL Mail, a move that will give its Get It Now customers, who are AOL members, wireless access to their e-mail.


The government has accelerated plans to let spies share information with immigration officials, a week after a foreign doctor was arrested in connection with the failed British terror attacks, the prime minister said Sunday.


Trail Blazers send Heat to 12th straight defeat

Portland's Brandon Roy sparked a fourth-quarter rally to lead the Trail Blazers to a 98-91 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday, sending the hosts to their 12th consecutive defeat.


Stocks slid in early trading amid renewed fears that financial companies will suffer larger-than-expected write-downs from credit market troubles.


BP expects 10.0 percent annual rise in daily oil output

British oil giant BP said its average daily production for 2004 was expected to be around 3.995 million barrels of oil equivalent, an increase of more than 10 percent compared with a year earlier.


Mentre si conferma meta privilegiata per basi logistiche


New Windows, plus Office 2007 and Exchange Server 2007, now available to corporate customers in Asia.


Looking for foreign aid after his election, Haitian President Rene Preval stopped in Havana. When Trinidad's prime minister needed heart surgery, he twice turned to Cuban doctors. And when the U.N. held its annual vote to denounce the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, the Caribbean Community trade bloc gave its unanimous support.


Man Sentenced for Rampage in Phone Store

FARGO, N.D. - A man who damaged a cell phone store after complaining of bad phone service has been sentenced to 60 days in jail...


Mike Hart ran for 153 yards on a career-high 44 carries and scored early in the fourth quarter, leading Michigan to a 14-9 win over No. 10 Penn State on Saturday.


Millions of dollars are being spent by media firms hoping to cash-in on the success of online games


No matter how nuanced his confession for involvement in dogfighting, Michael Vick got no leniency yesterday from the NFL.


Jeter an A.L. M.V.P. Favorite After Best Season Since 1999

Derek Jeter will learn if his .342 batting average and 97 runs batted in, his best numbers in seven years, are good enough to earn him his first American League M.V.P. award.


Pakistani 'spy' arrested in eastern Afghanistan

Afghan security forces arrested a Pakistani intelligence officer in the east of the country, a presidential spokesman said, a day after an army general was arrested for alleged espionage.


Identity Badge Worn Under Skin Approved for Use in Health Care

The F.D.A. cleared the way for a company to market implantable microchips that would provide easy access to medical records.


Switzerland opens the world's longest rail tunnel on land - the 34km Loetschberg tunnel under the Alps.


Online payment system Paypal can now be used for purchases by US customers of Apple's iTunes music store. Until now, iTunes accepted credit cards, gift certificates and account balances as forms of payment.


Presentata la nuova collezione a Palazzo Reale a Milano


Iraq: 26 killed on horrific day of violence

Suicide bombers killed at least 22 members of Iraq's fledgling security forces yesterday amid a spate of insurgent attacks across the country that also


Roma, 12:34 - CALCIO, MAZZINI: NO CONCILIAZIONE, MA PRESO CONTATTO

Alla Camera di Conciliazione del Coni, a Roma, è terminato il tentativo di conciliazione tra ...


Governo ha concluso lavoro preparazione e fara' da arbitro


There are holes aplenty in this national-security 'Breach.'


The servicemen killed in a Nimrod crash in Afghanistan are being flown back to their Moray home base.


UPDATE 1-XM, Sirius surpass '04 subscriber goals

XM Satellite Radio Holdings (XMSR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said the companies surpassed their full year 2004 subscriber targets, boosted by a strong


IL PERSONAGGIO                                          Ichino, il giuslavorista bersaglio dei nuovi brigatisti                                                                                di FEDERICO PACE


The former Beirut hostage Terry Waite has urged the family of Kenneth Bigley not to give up hope that his captors in Iraq will release him safely.


Hip resurfacing firms to advertise to consumers

Medical device makers hawking new hip repair products using more of a patient's bone said they will likely go straight to consumers in advertising products in 2007, as the U.S. market is seen heating up.


Americans increased their borrowing at a 2.4 percent annual rate in May, significantly slower than in April, as a big jump in credit card borrowing was not enough to offset a slowdown in the growth of auto loans, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.


Deadly nightclub fire in Argentina's capital

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina Police in Buenos Aires, Argentina, say a fire in a crowded nightclub has killed at least 88 people and injured dozens more.


The British Broadcasting Corp. began showing excerpts from its news and entertainment programs on the YouTube video-sharing Web site Friday, becoming the first international broadcaster to ink a major deal with the Google Inc.-owned portal.


At least 13 people are killed after a bus plunges into a river in southern Nepal, police say.


Orange announced the commercial availability of Talk Nowâ¢, Europeâs first advanced Push-To-Talk service. Over the last nine months, Orange has engaged in customer trials across Europe to develop and refine


US Politics in Spotlight at Venice Film Fest

This year's Venice Film Festival has been hailed as Hollywood on the Lido, but American stars have had to share the stage with US politics as movies like Tim Robbins' "Embedded-Live" hit the screen.


Asian disaster toll could top 100,000 -- Red Cross

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - Reeking corpses rotted in the tropical sun from India to Indonesia on Wednesday and many who escaped death from one of the worst tsunamis in history fought for survival against thirst and disease.


Arroyo mulls declaring 'state of fiscal crisis'

MANILA -- President Arroyo ordered Monday a study into the proposal of Albay Rep. Jose Maria Salceda to declare the Philippines in a "state of fiscal crisis".


Shareholders may not sue on behalf of mortgage giant Fannie Mae to force changes to its governing policies and recover money lost during a $6 billion accounting scandal, a federal judge ruled Thursday.


White House: Economy to strengthen later in year

The White House said on Friday that the U.S. economy was "mixed" and should strengthen later in the year once it was past the worst of the housing market slump and steep oil prices.


Russia plays down talk of deal with Japan

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his government would work towards fulfilling a 1956 agreement with Japan to resolve the status of two disputed islands.


In June 2001, Nintendo launched the Game Boy Advance â-nd gamers cheered. Twenty-one months later, the company rolled out the Game Boy Advance SP â - that cheering turned into an ovation.


Toyota sees sales up despite steel shortage

TOKYO - Toyota, Japan's biggest car maker, yesterday shrugged off a steel shortage looming over the industry, and said it expected sales to gain 8% next year after this year's 10% rise.


Bangor: Marsh-Mall Panel Recommends Granting Zone Change

By Dawn Gagnon, Bangor Daily News, Maine  Feb. 10--BANGOR -- Cecelia and Robert Brown had long planned to sell their triangle-shaped property off the Gilman Road to a developer as a way to finance their golden years.


Tomlinson Among Wildfire Evacuees in San Diego

LaDainian Tomlinson was one of 40 members of the San Diego Chargersâ organization who were forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires burned in San Diego County.


Infosys Technologies on Monday announced that its Board of Directors approved Sponsoring a Secondary ADS Offering ("the Offering"), against equity shares held by its existing shareholders in India.


Afghans Again Extend Deadline for UN Hostages

A Taliban splinter group that has  threatened to kill three U.N. hostages again extended a  deadline on its demands after the government said it would  respond to them on Wednesday, a spokesman for the group said on  Tuesday.


Jerusalem: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's annual budget was overwhelmingly defeated in parliament, triggering a major political crisis in Israel.


MIAMI - A manager at a fast-food restaurant was shot several times in the arm early Tuesday trying to protect the chili sauce, authorities said.  A man in the Wendy's drive-through argued with an employee because he wanted more of the condiment, police said.


Hopes for a healthy rise in US employment levels prompts a rise in the value of the dollar after days of sharp declines.


Microsoft acquires antispyware vendor Giant

DECEMBER 16, 2004  - Microsoft Corp. has acquired antispyware vendor Giant Company Software Inc. in New York for an undisclosed amount.


Mexicans vote after months of mudslinging

After a campaign that split open Mexico's deep class divisions, voters were deciding Sunday whether to elect a free-spending leftist who pledges to put the poor first or a conservative politician who says private investment and free markets are the keys to prosperity.


Russia calls U.S. shield proposals "positive"

Proposals put forward by Washington to  ease Russian concerns over the planned missile shield in Europe  are "positive signs," a senior Kremlin aide said on Wednesday.


Douglas, Rose to be honored at film fest

Michael Douglas and Charlie Rose will be honored with lifetime achievement awards at the 10th annual Savannah Film Festival.


Futures fall on durable goods and Bhutto

Stock index futures fell on Thursday after weaker-than-expected economic data combined with concerns about global security after news that Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed in an attack.


Target janitorial provider settles overtime claim

Global Building Services Inc., a Newhall, Calif.-based company that provided janitorial services to Target stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, has agreed to pay $1.


Snow falls on Baghdad for first time in memory

Snow fell on Baghdad on Friday for the first time in memory, and delighted residents declared it an omen of peace.


SAN FRANCISCO  Â MC Hammer hasn't topped the music charts since the early 1990s, but the former rap star says he has another hit in him Â only this time around he'll produce it as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur.


With 25 games remaining in the season, the Celtics have nothing to play for other than ping-pong balls, but that's not something coach Doc Rivers will attempt to sell his young team. Instead, he's motivating the players by focusing on improvement in practice and challenging them to play the role of spoiler.


By Ray Grass Deseret Morning News  STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR -- The Strawberry River and some of its main tributaries are currently running red and will continue this way for the next month.  The kokanee salmon are spawning. It is their final act in life.


Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Israel late Sunday for his first direct talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on November 11.


Anna Nicole Smith's film finale — a campy B-grade movie called "Illegal Aliens" she helped bankroll — was supposed to be a comedy. Whether it will be received that way now is unclear, though, says director David Giancola, who canceled three screenings in the wake of her death.


Iranian firms feel the heat as sanctions bite

When a Western bank suddenly suspended the account of her family freight firm, Nazila Noebashari revived a financial practice she thought long gone: she sent staff to the Afghan border to collect $50,000 by hand.


NY subpoenas Facebook over safety from predators

New York State Attorney General Andrew  Cuomo said on Monday his office has subpoenaed Facebook,  accusing the social networking site of not keeping young users  safe from sexual predators and not responding to user  complaints.


Isiah Thomas finally concluded what everyone else who follows the Knicks has been saying since training camp: Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis cannot thrive in the same backcourt.


Court oversight of Microsoft Corp.'s market power, which began in 2002 after a landmark antitrust settlement, has been extended two years.


Pfizer is the latest drug maker to warn that a product already on the market may pose serious health risks. It took outrage from activists in September to get the Food and Drug Administration to require warning


Home Depot to announce deal with China's Homeway

U.S. home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc.  is going to announce an alliance with Chinese furnishing chain HomeWay on Wednesday, a source said.


Yanks, Rangers have second thoughts on Loaiza

MINNEAPOLIS - The Yankees have held discussions with the Texas Rangers about trading Esteban Loaiza for prospects, but both sides have reservations.


A female zookeeper at Denver Zoo in the US dies after being attacked by a jaguar in its enclosure.


Studies find new ways to make embryonic stem cells

Researchers have taken ordinary skin cells from a mouse and reprogrammed them to look and act like embryonic stem cells in a long-promised experiment that provides an alternative way to get the valued and controversial cells.


Europe ; Judgment at Hand in Landmark Berlusconi Trial

Berlusconi, a billionaire media mogul, is accused of bribing Rome judges in the late 1980s and again in 1991 to win favorable rulings for his Fininvest business empire.


Presidents Call on U.S. to Help Tsunami Survivors

U.S. presidents past and present  appealed to Americans on Monday to help victims of the Asian  tsunami as one of the biggest aid efforts in history struggled  to bring food and water to millions of desperate survivors.


Deutsche Bank sells office properties for â¬300 million

LONDON, December 27  - Europeâs leading bank Deutsche Bank AG (DBK.ETR) has decided to sell its 109 properties across Germany to Eurocastle Investment Ltd for â¬300 million.


La Cdl accetta la decisione di Napolitano, ma Ã¨ convinta che il Professore fallirÃ  di nuovo"Paese danneggiato, l'Unione Ã¨ senza i voti e senza coesione politica"                                          Il centrodestra contro il ritorno di Prodi "Non ha i numeri, sarÃ  un'agonia"                                                                                Berlusconi getta ombre sui possibili rinforzi dal centro: "Pagano i traditori"Lettera di Calderoli al Quirinale: "Presidente, ti supplico, restituisci la parola al popolo"


In a raw populist appeal, Democrat John Edwards on Saturday accused presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton of defending a lobbyist-driven political system that is "rigged against regular Americans" and killed her plan for universal health care.


The clothier has great profits, but no free cash flow.


Redbirds hit five homers to set NLDS record

The Cardinals reminded everyone Tuesday just how they had marched to a 105-win regular season, tying a postseason record with five home runs in Game 1 against Los Angeles.


GHAZNI, Afghanistan  - Taliban insurgents freed three South Korean women hostages on Wednesday, the first of 19 Christian volunteers the Taliban agreed to release after South Korea said it would pull its troops out of Afghanistan.


In calo dello 0,7% rispetto alla chiusura di ieri


Justin Gatlin ran the race of his life, barely holding off the fastest Olympic 100 field ever to win the gold in 9.85 seconds. Francis Obikwelu of Portugal got the silver in 9.86 and defending champion Maurice Greene won bronze in 9.87.


Japanese game maker Nintendo Co. raised its earnings outlook for its fiscal first half, saying Monday a strong US dollar had helped its business.


For Shrinking Parish, a Stressful Season, an Uncertain Future

St. Lucy's-St. Patrick's Church, between Fort Greene and Bedford-Stuyvesant, is about to lose its pastor.


Controversial former ambassador Craig Murray says he is a "victim of conscience" after criticising the use of information allegedly gained from torture victims.


Toys "R" Us said Monday that it planned to convert one of its two Manhattan stores into a Babies "R" Us, giving the company a prime location for its fast-growing


A 46-year-old man is jailed for the manslaughter of his two-month-old son.


Music Review | Justin Timberlake: Heâs Bringing Commitment Back

Mr. Timberlake was both Old Justin (cred-deprived crooner) and New Justin (pop superstar) in his mostly riveting performance at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.


Dopo finanziaria istituire tavolo rivisitazione norme


ATLANTA -- After watching Auburn University's football team finish a perfect regular season yet remain on the outside of the national championship picture, Doyle King is experiencing a familiar and not-so-welcome feeling these days.


Orlando Pace ends holdout, signs with Rams

Offensive tackle Orlando Pace signed a one-year, $7.02 million contract with the St. Louis Rams on Monday to end his holdout. Pace, a 28-year-old five-time Pro Bowl selection and former No.


Movie veterans shine brightest in wonderfully raucous 'Fockers'

Familial angst rises to new heights in "Meet the Fockers," Jay Roach's sequel to his 2000 hit, "Meet the Parents.


The decision comes on top of 12,500 job cuts that the bank initially said it would eliminate during the merger. The bank's move drew fire from two Massachusetts


Iraqi PM Extends Emergency Laws for Elections

Iraq's U.S.-backed government said on  Thursday it was extending emergency powers equivalent to  martial law for a further 30 days to try to safeguard Jan. 30  elections under threat from deadly attacks by insurgents.


No fair elections in Russia: opposition challenger

The only outspoken Kremlin critic in Russia's presidential election next month said on Monday the vote could not be fair because the country was run by "thieves".


PeopleSoft fires its CEO; shares rise 15%

PeopleSoft Inc. fired chief executive Craig Conway, raising the likelihood that the business-software maker may give up a 16-month fight against Oracle Corp.


Sherman's talk propels Packers over Lions

Brett Favre and Darren Sharper have forgotten more motivational speeches than they can remember. If the Green Bay Packers bounce back this season from their


SATURDAY AUTO RACING 8 a.m. - Formula One: Italian Grand Prix qualifying, Speed 7:30 p.m. - Nextel Cup: Chevy Rock & Roll 400, Ch. 5, WWZN


Villeneuve to Drive Final Races for Renault

Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve of Canada will drive for Renault for the final three races of this season. Villeneuve, who has not raced in Formula One this season, will debut for Renault this month at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.


Spinach contaminated with E. coli. Frozen oysters tainted by norovirus. Peanut butter fouled by salmonella.


For the past three years, Michael J. Wagner directed the Army's largest effort to help the most vulnerable soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His office in Room 3E01 of the world-renowned hospital was supposed to match big-hearted donors with thousands of wounded soldiers who could not afford to feed their children, pay mortgages, buy plane tickets or put up visiting families in nearby hotels....


Maryland's long-shot hopes for a bowl bid and winning season ended with the worst loss in coach Ralph Friedgen's four seasons.


Bandits abort restaurant robbery after door confusion

Three hooded bandits in eastern Australia bungled a robbery when they apparently mistook a restaurant's sliding door for a swinging one, police said Monday.


Study Spots New Pancreatic Cancer Drug Target

MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- New research may someday provide another treatment option for patients battling deadly pancreatic cancer.


Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen wins the Formula One championship as Lewis Hamilton can only finish seventh in a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix.


FDA Employee Seeks Legal Help From Whistle-Blowers' Group

Dr. David J. Graham, the drug safety reviewer who denounced his employer, the Food and Drug Administration, before a Congressional panel last week, said yesterday that he feared being fired


Van Gogh murder suspect has terror links

The main suspect in the Amsterdam slaying of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh has links to a radical Islamic terrorist group, the BBC reported Thursday.


Peter Martins takes a mini sabbatical to choreograph a new work for the Boston Ballet.


What happens when a Rudy Giuliani campaign event, Ron Paul spoilers and anti-abortion protesters collide? Not a press conference, that's for sure.


Medical device stocks were in the spotlight Wednesday with Medicare's proposal late Tuesday to expand coverage for implantable cardioverter defibrillators, or ICDs, bolstering shares of those companies making the devices.


Top Colombian Rebel Extradited to the U.S.

Top Marxist rebel Ricardo Palmera was extradited to the United States on Friday, becoming the first leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to face U.S. drug and terrorism charges, officials said.


Shuttle crew completes last spacewalk of flight

Astronauts put the final touches on a  new solar power unit for the International Space Station on  Sunday in their last spacewalk before the scheduled departure  of the shuttle Atlantis on Tuesday.


COLUMBIA, South Carolina  - Barack Obama won South Carolina's bitterly contested Democratic presidential primary with the aid of heavy black support on Saturday, dealing a setback to rival Hillary Clinton after a week of political brawling.


Donovan McNabb is one victory away from hero status in Philadelphia, where he was once shunned.


Americans observed a moment of silence at the very hour and place of the first Sept. 11 attack on Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of a day remembered with solemnity and ceremony.


Water Contract Renewals Stir Debate Between Environmentalists and Farmers in California

The farms served by the Central Valley Project, the country's largest irrigation system, get about 20 percent of California's water supply.


Many See China Rivaling U.S. in Influence by 2020, International Survey Finds

BERLIN, Dec. 13 -- The world's perception of China as a major global power is growing, with many people believing it will rival the United States in influence by 2020, according to a major survey released this week.


Cheney takes refuge in bomb shelter after Afghan blast

Vice President Dick Cheney was whisked into a bomb shelter immediately after a Taliban suicide bomber struck the main American military base he was visiting in Afghanistan on Tuesday.


Apple NAS box ties in to Leopard's Time Machine

Time Capsule launched Macworld Expo Apple today renewed its AirPort Extreme BaseSation Wi-Fi router, adding in a "server grade" hard drive to convert it into a network-attached storage box dubbed the Time Capsule.â¦


Helsinki, 19:23 - NUOTO, EUROPEI VASCA CORTA: LA SHAEFER ORO NEO 50 RANA

Ai campionati europei in vasca corta in svolgimento a Helsinki, la tedesca Janne Shaefer ha vinto la...


Holiday rains spare Atlanta from drought record

Thanks to a rainy holiday season, the Atlanta area stayed just above its historical low-water mark for annual rainfall, the National Weather Service reported.


No Big Surprises At the American Music Awards

. (antiTainment) Apart from Anna Nicole Smith's behavior on stage, where she appeared to be under the influence of something and was helped off stage, the American Music Awards turned out pretty much as predicted when it came to the winners.


Ridge, Pollsters Met During Bush Campaign

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge met privately with Republican pollsters twice in a 10-day span last spring as he embarked on more than a dozen trips to presidential battleground states.


Cingular Tips Hand On Wireless Broadband, 3G Plans

Cingular will not only roll out a 3G UMTS cellular data network next year, but it also will use even faster wireless technology that will compete, at least in part, with wireless broadband technologies like WiMAX.


The furniture company's profitability is better than expected, but for how long?


Landowners Concerned Over Proposed Development Rules: Clustering May Be Allowed in Rural James City to Better Protect Open Land By Grouping Lots Together.

By Seth Freedland, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.  Jan. 30--JAMES CITY -- The committee entrusted with creating new development rules for James City's rural land for the first time in two decades presented its proposal Monday night to about 100 people in Legacy Hall in New Town.


By Pam Kowalik, The Buffalo News, N.Y.  Feb.


Colombian orders the arrest of an ex-minister's father, as a political scandal over alleged militia links widens.


Abdul-Razzak Yousif arrives to a Baghdad hospital for treatment after a bomb exploded Monday, Oct. 25, 2004 near a US military convoy in central Baghdad, Iraq, killing at least three people and injuring several, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.


UN Forces Ex-Soldiers From Aristide Home

UN Brazilian peacekeepers leave their positions near the home of ousted Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide in the suburb of Tabarre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Dec. 17, 2004.


Three days after New Mexico voted, Democratic officials offer apologies and finger-pointing Â but have no winner. Hillary Rodham Clinton holds a slight lead, but the state is still counting 17,000 provisional ballots given to voters because of long lines and a shortage of ballots.


Federer Wins Easily to Begin 2005 Season

Roger Federer began his Australian Open preparation by beating David Ferrer of Spain 6-1, 6-1 Monday in the first round of the Qatar Open.


Warning raised as St. Helens' quakes intensify

Earthquake intensity is increasing and preliminary measurements show magma may be moving into the crater area of Mount St. Helens, federal scientists warned Wednesday.


ATLANTA -- The government has halted a national sickle-cell study because two children suffered strokes and more than a dozen others developed dangerous conditions that put them at high risk of having a stroke.


A radio station dedicated to helping women deal with violence and discrimination relaunches in Afghanistan.


Dozens Of Children Slain As Soldiers Hand Out Candy

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- At least 37 people, most of them children, have been killed by multiple explosions that rocked a western Baghdad neighborhood celebrating the opening of a new sewage system.


Stocks slid on Tuesday as a report showing a surprise drop in retail sales in December bolstered the market's suspicions the economy was heading into a recession, while a bigger-than-expected loss at Citigroup Inc  dragged down the financial sector.


A Rare Success Story With Heroin at the Root

Jerry Stahl indirectly owes his latest success, a fictional memoir of the silent film actor Roscoe Arbuckle, to a heroin addiction he overcame a decade ago.


Sharon Pledges to Proceed With Withdrawal

JERUSALEM Aug. 19, 2004  Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that he would push ahead with a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, despite a stinging setback to the plan from his Likud Party.


Tehran agrees to freeze nuclear programme

Iran agreed to freeze all its nuclear programme last night, dropping its insistence that some uranium enrichment activities be exempted from a deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency.


Damon Hill admits to worries that Formula One could lose a piece of history if it abandons the British Grand Prix but understands the hard-nosed decision Bernie Ecclestone has made in dropping the race from the calendar.


Violence in Mosul is damaging efforts to hold elections in the city, the US commander in north Iraq tells the BBC.


Oracle to PeopleSoft: Rescind Poison Pill

Oracle Corp. on Monday said it asked Peoplesoft Inc.'s board of directors to immediately rescind a "poison pill" anti-takeover provision, two days after 61 percent of PeopleSoft shareholders


Men's Basketball: N.C.A.A. Clears Pope to Play

Herb Pope, the New Mexico State freshman forward who has dealt with eligibility troubles since arriving on campus last fall, has been cleared to play by the N.C.A.A.


Report: Family ties Sharpton to Thurmond

Geneaologists have found that civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton is a descendent of a slave owned by relatives of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, a newspaper reported Sunday.


Andre Agassi will not be able to repeat the triumph he enjoyed in the Madrid Masters two years ago following his semi-final defeat to Marat Safin on Saturday.


Experts Expect Britney's CD to Top the Charts

After making headlines for everything but music, Britney Spears is back with an album industry insiders say should top the charts despite her. Now Spears is hoping that the release of âBlackout,â her first studio album in four years on October ...


Japan Pledges $500 Million in Tsunami Aid

Japan pledged up to $500 million in grant aid for tsunami disaster relief on Saturday, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced, making the country the largest single donor to victims of the catastrophe.


Rockstar's PS2 title Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has become the latest high-profile game to be leaked onto the Internet significantly ahead of its release date.


Iranian Hardliners Unhappy with Nuclear Deal

Iranian hard-liners are angered over a deal Tehran has agreed with the European Union to suspend all activities related to its enrichment program in a bid to end an international standoff over its nuclear program.


International markets account for more than half of the conglomerate?s sales.


Germany beat San Marino to set a European Championship qualifying record.


The World Bank warns Cambodia needs to quicken reform to avoid severe economic problems.


Dolphins may have to turn to third-string QB

Jay Fiedler has a cracked rib and AJ Feeley a concussion. So the Miami Dolphins might be forced to turn to third-string quarterback Sage Rosenfels when they play the Buffalo Bills next Sunday


A longtime captive at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be sent home to his native country after a military tribunal there determined that he is not an enemy combatant, Navy Secretary Gordon R. England announced yesterday.


Pope Benedict XVI said Thursday he is greatly concerned about the fate of Christians in Iraq, returning to a theme he discussed with President Bush earlier this month.


WASHINGTON - Drafts of a report from the top U.S. inspector in Iraq conclude there were no weapons stockpiles, but say there are signs the fallen Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had dormant programs he hoped to revive at a later time, according to people familiar with the findings...


ATHENS, Greece - With his medal hopes all but gone after he hit the judges' table on his vault landing, Paul Hamm performed two of the most spectacular routines of his career to win the men's all-around gymnastics title by the closest Olympics margin ever.   "I'm happy right now...


U.S. soldier sentenced to 100 years for rape, murder

FT. CAMPBELL, Kentucky  - A U.S. soldier who pleaded guilty to raping and murdering a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and killing her family was sentenced to 100 years in a military prison, the U.S. Army said on Thursday.


FONTANA ---- Brian Vickers' qualifying lap for Sunday's Nextel Cup Pop Secret 500 felt almost too good to the rookie. "When you cross the line after a lap like that and everything feels awesome, you're waiting


Anti-Syrians bury slain Lebanese MP, accuse Damascus

Some 2,500 mourners chanted anti-Syrian slogans on Thursday at the funeral of a Lebanese legislator killed in a car bomb attack that increased tension with Damascus and deepened Lebanon's political crisis.


Cosenza, 12:58 - CALCIO, MORTE LICURSI: SAMMARTINESE CHIEDE DI RIPOSARE

La Sammartinese chiede ufficialmente di non giocare la prossima partita di campionato, in programma ...


Many French see no need to vote in parliamentary second round

The risk of abstention looms large in  Sunday's parliamentary election, with many French voters saying  President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservatives will win regardless  of their vote.


Afghan leader not cowed by rocket attack: spokesman

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has no plans to restrict his travel or beef up personal security after surviving a third assassination attempt in a rocket attack outside the capital, a presidential spokesman said on Monday.


A Massachusetts man has combined two of his passions â-horoughbred horse racing and the Boston Red Sox â -naming a recently purchased 1-year-old colt Curse Reversed.


Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud berates the UN for not stopping "barbarous aggression" by Israel.


'Concentrated PV' solar power plant hits mark in Spain

A novel solar technology hits an important milestone as it competes with other forms of solar power plants.


Home building projects started in November fell by 3.7 percent as the pace of single-family home construction was the slowest in more than 16 years, a government report on Tuesday showed.


Duloxetine improves depression-related pain

NEW YORK  - Treatment with duloxetine relieves pain in patients with major depressive disorder, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.


Insurer receives 'Wells notice' over PNC transactions

NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering charging American International Group for violating federal securities laws, the insurer said Tuesday.


Dell's laptop customisation options not very customisable

Memory, all alone in the moonlight Forward-thinking Dell customers who want to make cash savings on pre-loaded memory cards in the firm's latest range of laptops could be in for a hard time.â¦


The deadliest form of skin cancer cheats chemotherapy by disguising itself as a normal cell, say scientists.


U.S. Treasury debt prices edged lower  on Tuesday as a lack of market-moving economic data left  investors focused on profitable curve-flattening trades.


In a Tough Hearing, Smithsonian Is Urged to Find a New Chief Fast

Senator Dianne Feinstein declared at a hearing on Tuesday that the museum complex should move quickly to replace its ousted top executive.


Leta Lindley carded a six-under-par 65 and holds a surprise one-shot lead after Saturday's third round of the LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge.


Pin Placements Are More Than Just Holes in the Ground

For rule officials who get PGA Tour courses ready for play, the most crucial decision is setting the hole locations, which determine how aggressive or conservative the golfers can be.


The Cuban-born pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba is finally swimming with the recent undercurrent of Afro-Latin jazz.


Truck bomber kills 135 in deadliest Iraq blast

A suicide bomber killed 135 people on Saturday in the deadliest single bombing in Iraq since the 2003 war, driving a truck laden with one ton of explosives into a market in a mainly Shi'ite area of Baghdad.


A woman accused of stalking and threatening actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is mentally fit to stand trial, a court-appointed psychiatrist told the woman's attorney Monday.


Two Arrested in Shooting Death of Idaho Cornerback

A University of Idaho football player was shot to death, and police arrested two brothers from Seattle after a car chase that extended across two states.


Venus battles past gutsy Mirza to reach last 16

Eighth seed Venus Williams survived her toughest test at the Australian Open to beat Indian Sania Mirza 7-6 6-4 and reach the fourth round on Saturday.


Boeing Says Pentagon Cuts May Hit Defense Business

Planemaker Boeing Co. expects Pentagon  budget cut proposals to hit its top defense programs, the head  of its military business said in a newspaper interview  published on Friday.


Astros beat Cards to keep playoff hopes alive

The Houston Astros kept their slim   playoff hopes alive with a 7-3 win over the St Louis Cardinals   on Sunday to complete a four-game series sweep.


Mitt Romney takes GOP presidential rival John McCain to task on taxes and immigration in a new advertising push in New Hampshire as he seeks to fend off the Arizona senator's challenge.


Warner Music decides not to make a rival bid for EMI, the British music firm which is set to be bought out by a private equity group.


Businesses today face a barrage of security threats that require constant vigilance to safeguard the integrity of their critical IT services. Mid-sized businesses are often challenged by tight IT resource constraints, and their central challenge is not just protecting themselves from potential security threats, but doing so within those real-world constraints. Download this whitepaper to see how mid-sized businesses can get the maximum security bang for their security buck.


L'intesa presentata al ministero dello Sviluppo economico


The front-runner in the vote for a new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, gets a rousing welcome in Gaza.


At least 11 people die as an explosion hits a civilian bus in the central Sri Lankan town of Dambulla.


BAGHDAD - At least 49 people were killed, most of them children, in a series of car bombs that left a trail of carnage here and in northern Iraq yesterday, medics said.


The retailer cited increased sales from its expanding Hollister Co. chain that cater to teens and its abercrombie stores for children.


Milwaukee Bucks Team Report - December 2

(Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Bucks continued to struggle on Wednesday, as they dropped a 101-100 decision to the Boston Celtics at the FleetCenter.


Two more London addresses are found to have traces of radiation in the wake of Alexander Litvinenko's death.


Chad army fights to halt rebel advance on N'Djamena

N'DJAMENA  - Chad's army fought rebel forces northeast of the capital N'Djamena on Friday to try to halt a rapid rebel advance on the city.


Branson's 'Enterprise' Brings Final Frontier Within Reach

Richard Branson has announced plans for the VSS (Virgin Space Ship) Enterprise, the first of several planned "space liners" to be built with a total investment of $110 million.


Little hope for homeless in ruins of Miami shanty

The Umoja shantytown was intended to shock. Just a few miles (kilometers) from the luxury condos of Miami Beach, it stood as a protest at the lack of affordable city housing.


Busch grabs series points lead under new format

LOUDON, NH. - Perhaps the biggest surprise of all on Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway was the fact that so little had changed.


Colon cancer test shows tiny miss rate: study

TORONTO - Doctors consider colonoscopy to be the gold standard method to screen for colorectal cancer, but a new Canadian study suggests it can miss a "concerning" number of cases.


Washington rolls on with rout of Houston

SEATTLE - The Washington Huskies look ready to make a run at the Pac-10 men's basketball championship. Bobby Jones scored 22 points Friday to lead five Washington players in double figures in a 110-63 victory over Houston.


Il governo dimostrera' che i conti sono a posto


Time Warner Inc. (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's largest media company, on Wednesday reported a lower third-quarter profit and established a $500 million legal reserve


Eurotunnel plan seen approved if quorum reached

Creditors of Anglo-French cross-Channel tunnel operator Eurotunnel   are expected to approve a restructuring plan on Monday. should the vote be attended by enough to form a quorum, sources close to the talks said.


Study: Interest in political news steady

Despite generally less interest in politics during the summer months and for midterm elections, Americans were as likely to look up political news and information online in August as they did during the peak of the 2004 presidential campaign.


Overweight people get less out of exercise: study

Overweight and obese people get less out of resistance training than leaner people do, researchers said on Friday in a study that suggests the overweight may have to try harder to get results.


Fidelity may expand Texas facility by up to 1,500 jobs

THE REGION Fidelity Investments is considering expanding a Texas facility, adding up to 1,500 jobs, a spokeswoman for the Boston mutual fund giant said. Anne Crowley confirmed reports in Texas newspapers that Fidelity is in talks with the town of Westlake, near Dallas, to expand a campus where it now has about 2,900 employees. One of Massachusetts' largest employers, Fidelity ...


101 Corridor Getting New Mega Data Center to Meet Internet Needs, Built By ISWest

With its Data Center expected to hit full capacity by the end of this year, ISWest is building an additional 16,500-square-foot facility to house staff as well as server co-location, managed server hosting and Data Center products and services.


TORONTO -- Last night, Doug Mientkiewicz was on call as the Red Sox' emergency catcher in case calamity befell Doug Mirabelli , raising the uncomfortable specter of the one-time minor league catcher trying to corral Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. He escaped that duty, serving only as a pinch runner and defensive replacement at first base for Kevin Millar in last night's ...


London equities fell further on Monday, with fading hopes for a rescue bid for Northern Rock putting shares in the bank under further pressure.


One hurt in Basque country car bomb: ministry

A car bomb exploded in the Basque town of Getxo, with armed Basque separatist group ETA claiming responsibility, Spain's interior ministry said.


Ma agli agricoltori il grano pagato oggi come 22 anni fa


Roma, 18:21 - CALCIO, ROMA: FERRARI FUORI TRE SETTIMANE

Matteo Ferrari, a causa dell'infortunio rimediato nella trasferta ucraina, dovrà stare fuori ...


With the New York Times picking up the recent story of the (mostly minor) anti Adblock Plus protest, its worth looking into the subject, and seeing just where a webmaster/adblock developer arms race could take us.


Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has proposed gradual demilitarisation of all the regions in Jammu and Kashmir to resolve the Kashmir issue.


Averting the worst impacts of a warming world is the theme of a high-level UK scientific conference starting on 1 February.


New trend in emerging markets to drive growth at Nokia

(InfoWorld) - The number of mobile phone users worldwide will reach 3 billion next year instead of 2008, Nokia said, driven in part by a new trend in emerging markets. For the past year, operators and phone makers have been saying that the bulk of theirÂ future growthÂ will come from areas outside of the increasingly saturated mature markets. Nokia expects that in 2007, several regions, including China, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, will experience 15 percent growth. But Nokia is noticing the surprising trend of growth among customers in emerging markets who are upgrading their phones. Nokia estimates that this year, 52 percent of its sales in emerging markets will come from people who are replacing their phones, said Kai Oistamo, executive vice president and general manager of mobile phones for Nokia. Next year, that figure should grow to 60 percent, Nokia said. Oistamo, along with other senior Nokia executives, outlined the phone giant's strategies for pursuing growth in the next few years during its annual analyst meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Phone users who replace their devices typically opt for higher-priced phones that offer more, Nokia finds, and that's true in emerging markets as well. In India, Nokia found that among buyers of phones that cost over â¬60 ($79), 21 percent were first-time mobile users and 41 percent were replacing existing phones, said Bill Seymour, Nokia's head of investor relations. In addition to a focus on the emerging markets, Nokia will also increasingly pursue mobile Web 2.0 applications. Computer users have demonstrated their interest in creating online content, through the growth of blogs, social networking sites and online video sites. "The significance of this megatrend to Nokia is obvious," said Nokia President and Chief Executive Officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. "We are the key player in bringing this into the mobile environment." Nokia hopes toÂ extend some Web 2.0 applicationsÂ to mobile users and add value to them through location information or other offerings that are unique to mobility, he said. Nokia currently has 850 million users and around half of them have the capability to connect to the Internet, he said. "We can and we will monetize this by embracing the business models that already exist on the Net," he said. Some Nokia customers may soon access Web 2.0 applications from phones with a new design from Nokia. The company will increasingly focus on building very thin phones that don't skimp on functionality, said Oistamo. Motorola recently set off a new trend in ultra-thin phones with its successful Razr and now other phone makers like Nokia are following suit. At the event, Nokia introduced the Nokia 6300, one of its first handsets to exhibit the move toward thin phones. "It's a sneak preview of what else will come out in 2007," Oistamo said. In addition to thin phones, he expects phones that offer location-based services to also be popular next year.


On US-Mexico border, illegal crossings drop

National Guard troops are having a deterrent effect, dropping the attempt rate 62 percent in one busy sector.


More Options With Tomorrow's Cell Phones

Install the software and services you want--plus, enjoy cameras, portable game consoles, and more with access to wireless networks.


World powers consider steps to Iran sanctions

Russia ruled out issuing any ultimatum to Iran as ministers from six world powers gathered in London on Friday to discuss U.S. and British proposals for possible sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program.


Rice Seen Holding Steady on US Mideast Policy

Israeli officials said on Tuesday they expected no major change in Washington's strong support for Israel after a main architect of the policy, Condoleezza Rice, takes over as secretary of state.


A state judge ruled Monday that the sign-up period should be reopened for the Nov. 2 election in Louisiana's 5th Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Rodney Alexander infuriated Democrats by switching to the Republican Party minutes before the qualifying deadline.


Elton John warmed up his vocal chords for a concert early yesterday morning in Taiwan by telling photographers to "fuck off" and that they were a bunch of "rude, vile pigs.


BOISE, Idaho - The expiration Monday of a 10-year federal ban on assault weapons means firearms like AK-47s, Uzis and TEC-9s can now be legally bought - a development that has critics upset and gun owners pleased.    The 1994 ban, signed by President Clinton, outlawed 19 types of military-style assault weapons...


Champion Roger Federer continued his  easy passage through the Australian Open when unseeded Jarkko  Nieminen retired hurt during their third round match Friday.


John Salmons will have at least one more season to find his niche with the 76ers. On Thursday, the team announced that it exercised the fourth-year option on Salmonsâ contract.


A delegation that was paid to watch the Ukraine elections by a lobbyist affiliated with one of the candidates has some saying the move taints the process of promoting democracy.


After authorities dismantle a car bomb in London, they try to figure out who might have been behind it


Space Shuttle Endeavor Primed for August Launch

HOUSTON - NASA's shuttle Endeavour is headed for the launch pad as the space agency gears up for its second construction flight of the year to the International Space Station (ISS).


Carmakers in for a Long Haul in Paying Retiree Health Care

For older domestic manufacturers like General Motors, health care represents a severe financial burden.


Israel Plans 530 New Settler Homes in W.Bank-Sources

Israel plans to build more than 530  new settler homes in the West Bank after Washington signaled it  would accept growth in Jewish enclaves in the occupied  territory, Israeli political sources said on Monday.


The death toll from a coal mine blast in northern China has risen to 166, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday. "The spokesman for the mine just declared all the 166 miners were killed," the


Smothers Doesn't Think He'd Fit in Today

Tommy Smothers has no doubt what would happen if he tried to put "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on television today.


A giant mirror that will fly on the US space agency's next space telescope is a step closer to completion.


Nationalists Strong Early in Bosnia Poll Count

Bosnia's main Muslim, Serb and Croat nationalist parties led Sunday in an early count for local polls, but voter turnout fell below 50 percent for the first time.


Bayh Files Papers Forming Presidential Exploratory Committee

Bloomberg - Dec. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana said he filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to create a presidential exploratory committee, the first step toward a bid for the presidential nomination in 2008.


OpenSwing is a component library that provides a rich set of advanced graphics components and a framework for developing java applications based on Swing front-end. It can be applied both to rich client applications and Rich Internet Applications.     In this release:   Added PropertyGridControl component: it can be used to edit properties, having different value types in a grid (see documentation for detailed info). Added "demo21" and "demo22" sample applications showing how to use the new PropertyGridControl class. Fixed problem when referring inner v.o. attribute in a grid or Form components. Fixed problem when referring the whole lookup v.o. to an attribute in the lookup container. Added "addLookup2ParentLink" method to LookupController, to set the whole lookup v.o. to an attribute in the lookup container. Added "createInnerVO" property to GridControl to define if an inner v.o. must be automatically instantiated when a setter method is invoked. Fixed a problem in NumericControl: now "minValue" property in NumericControl and in "numeric" columns  correctly support negative numbers, i.e. if this property has a negative value, then the user can digit a negative number  in the numeric component, by pressing "-" symbol as the first character at the left of the number. Fixed problem with ListControl when there is the same item description for more than one item. Fixed problem in Form when binding an inner value object to more than one input controls. Added new target "beaninfosign" to build.xml Ant file: it can be used to sign BeanInfo.jar file too. The distribution includes also Jar file libraries, source files, javadoc, license and readme.txt installation instructions.   OpenSwing is available at:  http://oswing.sourceforge.net/     OpenSwing last release is downloadable from:    http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=167774&package_id=190748&release_id=535881


Scott edges Els to retain Singapore Open title

Australian Adam Scott birdied the   18th to defeat South Africa's Ernie Els in a three-hole playoff   and retain his Singapore Open title on Sunday after torrential   rain had reduced the tournament to 54 holes.


Sejm Speaker expected to resign later today

Sejm Speaker and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) leader JÃ³zef Oleksy is expected to officially announce his resignation as Sejm Speaker.


Toshiba touts laptop-friendly HD DVD burner

Slimline Toshiba has launched a slimline HD DVD drive for notebook computers in a bid to boost support for the next-generation optical disc format. The drawer-mechanism unit not only reads and writes all ther usual DVD and CD formats, but also HD DVD recordable and rewriteable media.â¦


D.C. Mayor Stakes Career on Baseball Deal

Mayor Anthony A. Williams said Sunday his political career may depend on whether his plan to bring major league baseball to the capital wins city council approval in the next two weeks.


Astronomers discover a newborn planet in a solar system that is still in the process of forming.


By Karen Vigil, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.  Sep. 23--Move forward together. That's the idea behind Action 22 of Southern Colorado's Oct. 12-14 conference scheduled in Colorado Springs.


FDA Panel Weighs Pain Drugs' Benefits, Risks

GAITHERSBURG, Md.  - U.S. scientific advisers  began hearing evidence on Wednesday about the benefits and  risks of pain killers taken by millions of Americans as  regulators weigh moves following Merck & Co. Inc.'s recall of  its arthritis pill Vioxx.


Construction in China is one factor crimping global cement supplies and affecting 29 US states.


British mobile phone firm mmO2 hikes revenue forecast

Mobile telephone operator mmO2 raised its forecasts for British revenue growth but would not be drawn on an exact date for the launch of third-generation services in its domestic market.


Qualcomm posted a profit of $767 million, or 46 cents a share, for the period that ended Dec. 30, compared with $648 million, or 38 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter.


As Drama Plays Out, Arafat's Neighbors Express Sorrow, Fear

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 28 -- No crowds of well-wishers massed Thursday outside the Mukata, the mostly ruined compound where Yasser Arafat has been confined for the past two years. Only a throng of reporters assembled, peering through the smoked windows of sedans carrying officials to a frail old man who still embodies the national aspirations of many Palestinians.


China Brings Charges in Panda Worm Outbreak

Four men face charges for creating and selling the worm that infected about a million PCs in China.


It may soon no longer be considered quite so gauche, in the midst of a restaurant meal, to reach into one's pocket or purse for a cell phone.


Seeking Savings, Employers Help Smokers Quit

Many companies are seeking to reduce their medical bills by paying for programs to help employees stop smoking.


Frget Txt Msgs: Real E-Mail Comes to More Phones

MILAN â Mobile e-mail, until recently the exclusive terrain of business executives, is breaking out of its niche market even as cellphone operators remain ambivalent about a service that will cut into their lucrative text messaging market.


Israeli nuclear whistle-blower arrested in church

Heavily armed police commandos stormed a church compound and arrested nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu on Thursday, seven months after he completed an 18-year prison sentence for treason.


Afghan opium crop soars to "frightening levels": UN

Opium production has soared to "frightening record levels" in Afghanistan, which now has more land producing drugs than Columbia, Bolivia and Peru combined, the United Nations said on Monday.


Will Smith's new film is No. 1 with weekend moviegoers, if not with English teachers.


Obiettivo prioritario per azienda che nascera'


Internet search leader Google Inc. is in talks to acquire the popular online video site YouTube Inc. for about $1.6 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.


Moving to protect minority shareholders, China's securities regulator has issued draft rules that would limit the rights of major shareholders in listed companies.


Fool Video: What Is Yahoo! Really Worth?

Is Microsoft's offer too low, too high, or just right?


Sport: Half a century after the Munich air disaster, John Roberts recalls the replacement Manchester United players who went on a remarkable cup run


Murdoch Buys Rest of Fox Shares in $6 Billion Deal

Rupert Murdoch, consolidating his global media empire in the U.S., announced that he will buy out the shareholders of his Fox properties.


Nikon tops SLR customer satisfaction survey

Canon may lead in SLR market share, but a J.D. Power study gives longtime rival Nikon and newcomer Sony higher customer satisfaction scores.


Marathon talks to end Ukraine's political paralysis broke off early Saturday without an agreement between President Viktor Yushchenko and the pro-Russian parliamentary majority that has nominated his former Orange Revolution rival as prime minister.


The one-bag rule will still apply at NI airports despite changes elsewhere in the UK from Monday.


ROGER AND ROUT AS FEDERER MAKES IT THREE

ROGER Federer completely outclassed Lleyton Hewitt as he won the US Open last night - his third Grand Slam title of the year. The Swiss world No.


Delta Air Lines, which is trying to avert a bankruptcy filing, said Monday that General Electric's commercial finance unit would provide it with $500 million of financing.


'Sorry' Is the Hardest Word for Blair on Iraq

Tony Blair's ministers have said it, his political opponents are baying for it but the British prime minister refuses to utter it.


Two Italian women working for a humanitarian group in Iraq have been kidnapped in Baghdad.


Catania, 15:39 - CALCIO, CATANIA: ATZORI VICE DI BALDINI

Gianluca Atzori sarà il vice allenatore del Catania per la prossima stagione. L'ex difensore ...


Lo ribadisce l'ad Radamacher durante audizione Senato


As a child, Oscar Torres fled the civil war in his homeland. Now he has brought his story home as a new film, "Innocent Voices," opened before enthusiastic crowds in the nation's capital.


Stocks rise as oil drops; housing data to come

U.S. stocks advanced on Monday as   crude oil prices fell below $60 a barrel, lifting optimism   about spending and profits.


An Honest Book Review From Kirkus? Only $350

Kirkus Reviews, which has long prided itself on being a sort of Consumer Reports for the book publishing industry, is embracing a new spirit of commercialism.


WASHINGTON - The Army extended a Halliburton Co. troop support contract over the objections of a top contracting officer, even contending - and then withdrawing - a claim that US forces faced an emergency if the company didn't get the extra work.


TUESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDayNews) -- Children with brothers or sisters have a lower asthma risk than children with no siblings, says a Canadian study in the October issue of the journal Chest.


December 05 2004 1700CET- Several explosions took place at various petrol stations at the outskirts of the capital city of


APEC leaders to sign climate change pact at summit

Asia-Pacific leaders were expected to sign a landmark statement on climate change at their annual summit on Saturday, papering over differences between rich and developing nations over pollution targets.


SOA is the future - but what exactly is it?

Survey says business just doesn't 'get' it Service-oriented architectures (SOAs) are the subject de jour with IT vendors, who have been using the term as if the concept has been totally understood by the buying audience and is well along the way to general implementation.â¦


After recording seven solo tackles, including a sack, and three passes defensed on Sunday, Ray Lewis shows that he's still got something left in his tank.


Cost of Insuring Workers' Health Increases 11.2%

he cost of providing health care to employees has risen 11.2 percent this year, according to the results of an authoritative national survey reported yesterday.


UK invades California in cyber MMORPG wargame

Walk softly and carry a thin pipe All next week a worldwide virtual war is being fought. Soldiers, warships, jets, and unmanned drones from the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are combining in cyberspace to form "Task Force BISON," which will join NATO's "Task Force ATLANTICA" to mount massive amphibious landings in a conflict-stricken West African warzone.â¦


Indonesia's VP sees end to opposition bloc

JAKARTA: Indonesia's vice-president indicated yesterday that an opposition alliance could fold up since he had taken charge of the powerful Golkar party, leading to better relations between government and parliament.


Disney Picks Sony Format for DVD's of Its Films

The Walt Disney Company and its home video division, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, said yesterday that they would release films in the next-generation high-definition DVD format being developed


Scrambling for safety California is on the brink of introducing privacy laws to safeguard personal data stored on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in government-issued documents and identification cards.â¦


Peace talks on the Darfur conflict are due to resume on Thursday, despite delegates being delayed en route.


Human Viruses Cause Respiratory Outbreaks in Ivory Coast Chimps

In the past decade, human viruses spread to chimpanzee populations in the Ivory Coast, causing outbreaks that were sometimes fatal.


Dopo la vendita della catena Hilton a fondo Blackstone


The French mime artist Marcel Marceau dies at the age of 84, the AFP news agency reports.


Rapper "The Game" in court on police impersonation

Rapper The Game appeared in a New York court on Thursday, charged with impersonating a police officer but a judge ruled that those charges would be dismissed in six months if he stays out of trouble.


President Hugo Chavez said Friday that Fidel Castro is not dying of cancer, saying he had spoken with the ailing Cuban leader by phone and he is eating cautiously and well enough to joke.


Blog: AT&T DSL subscribers will get free access to the carrier's Wi-Fi hotspots in airports and coffee shops around the country.


Wall of pictures is only hope of identifying the waves' victims

Desperate times require desperate measures, which is why there are a dozen photographs of bruised and battered corpses pinned up on a noticeboard outside Wachira public hospital in central Phuket.


Sources: N.Korea May Be Preparing Missile Launch

The United States and Japan have detected  signs that North Korea is preparing to launch a ballistic  missile capable of reaching almost anywhere in Japan, Japanese  government sources said Thursday.


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday a North Korean nuclear test would be "a very provocative act," and she prodded Asian nations to rethink their relationships with the North Koreans.


Gunmen who kidnapped a three-year-old British girl in Nigeria have threatened to kill her unless her father takes her place, her mother has said.


AT&T Profit Surges 41%, With Help From iPhone

AT&T, which is the sole supplier of cellphone service on the Apple iPhone, is clearly benefiting from the deviceâs strong sales.