Few goodies expected in tough Italian budget

Today is the prime minister's 68th birthday and the presentation of his fourth annual budget as premier - but whether the government can afford any goodies for the Italian people is another matter.


An Indian court rules against female flight attendants who were grounded from the national airline for being overweight.


Microsoft buys Multimap to boost advertising strategy

Microsoft continues to make acquisitions to boost its online services and advertising strategy. Early Wednesday, the company said it snapped up Multimap, a U.K. company that provides online mapping for Europe, North America, and Australia.The companies did not disclose the terms of the deal. Multimap, based in London, will act as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, and employees will be integrated into the company's Virtual Earth and Search teams in its Online Services Group (OSG), Microsoft said.Multimap has staff in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, and Microsoft said it is not sure yet if those employees will stay where they are or move to other offices. The Multimap office in the United Kingdom will remain open and employees will continue business as usual there, the company added.In addition to providing online maps, Multimap also offers location-based services to find local businesses, hotels, and restaurants, as well as business services to provide mapping, proximity searching, routing, aerial images with map overlay, and local information to business Web sites.Microsoft has been looking for ways to boost the value and, thus revenue, of OSG, which oversees MSN and Windows Live. Microsoft hopes to leverage these properties to sell online advertising and generate revenue in this area to compete with Google.Last week, the company said it purchased Seattle startup WebFives, formerly Vizrea, which provides a Web-based file-sharing service for Internet and mobile video, photos, audio, and blogs. Microsoft also made its largest acquisition to date to boost the revenue of OSG with its purchase of aQuantive digital advertising and marketing services firm for $6 billion earlier this year.In addition to making acquisitions, Microsoft also has been partnering with online content and service providers to offer online advertising. On Monday, the company announced a deal to be the exclusive provider of display and contextual advertising for CNBC.com, a deal similar to ones it already has in place with Facebook globally and Digg in the United States.All of these efforts are part of a now two-year push to add services and content for its online brands to boost the revenue of its Online Services Business segment. To date, Wall Street analysts have said they are unimpressed by the growth of this segment, and Microsoft's moves seem to be evidence the company is getting that message loud and clear.Revenue from online services grew only 8.7 percent from $2.3 million to $2.5 million for Microsoft's fiscal year 2007, ended June 30. For the company's first-quarter 2008, during which the aQuantive deal closed, revenue from OSG was better, up 25 percent year over year. But even Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell acknowledged when first-quarter earnings were revealed that Microsoft would like to see more growth from this business segment.


Reporter Ina Fried searched the streets of San Francisco for other Zune owners.


Jumbo Squid Wash Onto California Beaches

Hundreds of giant squid are washing up on Orange County beaches, creating a scene more akin to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" than "The O.C."


Asian death toll mounts to 22,000; costliest disaster ever

Bodies washed up on tropical beaches and piled up in hospitals Monday, raising fears of disease across a 10-nation arc of destruction left by a monster earthquake and walls of water that killed more than 22,000 people.


US resists Kyoto talks as climate summit begins

With two months to go before the Kyoto Protocol starts operating, the 10th United Nations conference on climate change conference is underway in Argentina.


Pechino, 10:48 - TENNIS, WTA PECHINO: JANKOVIC FERMA DAVENPORT IN SEMIFINALE

La serba Jelena Jankovic, testa di serie numero 2, si è qualificata per la finale del torneo ...


UK counter-terrorism officials believe plan to kidnap and behead British soldier was backed by al-Qaida


Lecce, 17:09 - CALCIO, INTERCETTAZIONI; LECCE: CASO ROSSI NON ESISTE

La società del Lecce liquida con un "non esiste" il commento sul "caso Rossi", l'allenatore d...


Some big industries dropping opposition to new US mandates

WASHINGTON - After years of favoring the hands-off doctrine of the Bush administration, some of the nation's biggest industries are pushing for something they have long resisted: new federal regulations.


Sometime, somewhere, someway, Trinity will lose. Amherst's E.J. Mills and the rest of the NESCAC head coaches are still waiting. As patiently as they can.


Pump prices are to fall by as much as 3.5p a litre as several major retailers follow Morrisons and cut prices.


Kawasaki, 15:48 - VOLLEY: BENE TEST PRE-WORLD CUP DELLA NAZIONALE FEMMINILE

Buone indicazioni per la nazionale femminile di pallavolo nel test con la Nec Red Rockets in vista d...


Google U.S. search market share up year-over-year to nearly 64 percent, says Hitwise.


Toddler dies in auto-starting dishwasher

An 18-month-old boy died inside a dishwasher that began running automatically when its door closed, the sheriff's office said Thursday.


Operazione dei Carabinieri, arrestato artigiano


Coppi commenta cosi' la risoluzione plenum organo magistrati


Competition So Fierce That the Yarmulkes Fly Off

In the Orthodox Bungalow Baseball League, rabbis, high school principals and pen importers compete for Borscht Belt bragging rights.


Car production is to end at Jaguarâs historic Browns Lane factory in Coventry but some work will continue there, parent firm Ford has confirmed.


Races close as Iowa kicks off White House campaign

DES MOINES, Iowa  - Voters in Iowa begin the process of choosing the next U.S. president on Thursday with two close nominating races, as a new poll showed Barack Obama leading John Edwards among Democrats -- with Hillary Clinton falling to a potentially damaging third.


Gay Novel of Thatcher Years Wins Literary Prize

British author Alan Hollinghurst won the  Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary  awards, on Tuesday for the tale of a gay hedonist living in  Margaret Thatcher's Britain of the 1980s.


Japan's consumer prices up 0.4 percent in November

Japan's core consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in November from a year earlier as Asia's largest economy showed fresh progress in its long struggle against deflation, official figures showed Friday.


Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston say they have separated after "much thoughtful consideration".


Iraq panel seeks more U.S. diplomacy, less combat

The United States should begin to withdraw forces from combat and launch a diplomatic push, including Iran and Syria, to prevent "a slide toward chaos" in Iraq, an elite panel recommended on Wednesday.


Bengals' Henry Pleads Guilty in Gun Case

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry avoided jail time by pleading guilty Tuesday to a concealed weapon charge.


Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's wealth is potentially proof he was corrupt, a judge says.


Complaints that online store is down, among others.


Golf Notebook: 'Deadened' ball revisited

The world's top professional players might soon have to use a "deadened" golf ball to counter more athletic golfers hitting longer shots each year, US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said.


A court orders the release on bail of an astronaut charged with trying to kidnap a woman she believed a love rival.


Richardson optimistic for N. Korea talks

North Korean officials said "everything's on the table" as the reclusive communist country heads back to six-nation talks about its nuclear program, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Friday after a meeting with two North Korean diplomats.


While Newcastle United are considering their options following the sacking of Sir Bobby Robson, one of the leading contenders for the manager's chair at St James' Park was urged


A Palazzo Chigi su richiesta degli stessi sindacati


Dall'aviaria alle assicurazioni.Testo passa ora al Senato


Jackson Motions Denied; Trial to Proceed as Scheduled

A Santa Barbara County Judge denied motions by Michael Jackson's defense counsel to delay or dismiss his child molestation case and indicated that the trial would start January 31st as previously scheduled.


One of the two freed Italian aid workers said Wednesday that their abductors in Iraq taught them about Islam and reassured them they wouldn't die.


Shopdropping, surreptitiously putting things like political propaganda or independent artwork in stores, has grown in popularity in recent years.


The tally of billionaires around the globe reached a high of 946, their combined wealth growing 35 percent to $3.5 trillion


A record Afghan opium poppy crop means more will die of heroin overdoses in European cities, the UN warns.


Open source split Speculation is growing that one of Sun Microsystems' most influential figures has quit following the decision to open source Java.â¦


Breathing Training Helps with Cystic Fibrosis

NEW YORK  - In a new study, eight weeks of  high-intensity training focused on the muscles that control  breathing dramatically improved lung function and exercise  capacity in adults with cystic fibrosis.


US demands Iran suspend all enrichment-related activities

The United States reiterated on Wednesday its demand that Iran must suspend all enrichment-related activities. Boucher claimed that Iran's latest promises to suspend some


Tired of being pushed around AMD today attempted to rescue some initiative in its battle with Intel with pot shots aimed its rival's server, desktop, and even developing world strategies.â¦


Remembering Anna Nicole Smith and her impact on the American Dream

China - she'll never measure up And ninthly I once thought about spawning with Anna Nicole Smith. Offers were made. But, in the end, a $400m baby seemed like too much of a burden for such a simple man with such simple tastes. Decency - that's what I'm all about. That's what I preach - Tales of Lord Astor and other Steve Jobs myths, Julio Stantoreâ¦


The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said yesterday it has reached a $1.3 million settlement with 16 men who were sexually abused by priests between 1962 and 1982.


Rapper Busta Rhymes to face four New York trials

Grammy-nominated rapper Busta Rhymes  will face a string of trials for assault and driving violations  after prosecutors lost a bid on Tuesday to consolidate four  cases against the performer into one case.


DIMAPUR / GUWAHATI: In a sudden outburst of violence in Northeast, 41 people were killed and about 140 injured in a series of blasts and firing by militants in Nagaland and neighbouring Assam on Sunday.


Fed Beige Book says U.S. economy continues growth

The U.S. economy grew overall from  mid-July to late August, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday,  but five of the 12 Fed districts reported slowing growth as  residential construction slackened and energy costs rose.


Detroit coach Brown to miss next two games

Detroit coach Larry Brown will miss the Pistons' next two National Basketball Association (NBA) games as he recovers from hip surgery.


UPDATE 3-Bulgaria, Romania still pursuing Iraqi debt

Bulgaria and Romania, two of Europe's poorest countries, will try to recoup billions of dollars in debt from Iraq despite a call by the Paris Club of creditor states to mostly wipe the slate clean, officials ...


Former Sen. John Edwards is riding a bus across his native state of South Carolina, trying to recapture the glory from his 2004 win there to boost his struggling presidential campaign.


Plans to identify potential troublemakers in the womb are defended because state intervention 'works'.


NBA Wrap-O'Neal and Wade Help Heat Beat Raptor

Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade each  scored 20 points and added nine rebounds as the Miami Heat  notched their fourth consecutive win dumping the struggling  Toronto Raptors 106-98 Sunday.


Shares of PalmSource (Nasdaq: PSRC) are down 17% to $20.80 today after the company reported its first-quarter results yesterday afternoon.


Bulgaria's Socialist-led government survived a no-confidence vote Friday on a motion filed by the opposition, claiming that the government was unable to cope with a health care crisis.Comment


Countrywide ends no down-payment lending

Countrywide Financial Corp. ,  the largest U.S. mortgage lender, on Friday told its brokers to  stop offering borrowers the option of no-money-down home loans,  according to a document obtained by Reuters.


Int'l observers' audit backs Venezuelan referendum results

An audit by the international observers supported the official results of the recall referendum on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Cesar Gaviria, the secretary general of


Pfizer Defends Bextra After Cardiologist Criticism

Pfizer Inc. on Wednesday defended  its arthritis drug Bextra after a prominent cardiologist said a  pooled analysis of clinical trial results showed patients  taking the drug were twice as likely to have a heart attack or  stroke as those taking a placebo.


The bank's stock rose 11% in early trading today, halting the freefall that had halved its share price since Thursday


Here's another good reason to finish your holiday shopping early: The US dollar reached a new all-time low against the euro Friday for the fourth straight day, raising the strong possibility that US consumers will pay much more for imported goods as the


I ritardi avvennero in occasione delle amministrative


Wetlands Destruction Allowed / The State Water Board Reverses Earlier Ruling on Chesterfield Project

By JULIAN WALKER  A developer will be allowed to destroy some wetlands and streams in Chesterfield County to make way for a road extension to a planned mixed-use development.  The decision came yesterday from the State Water Control Board, which reversed a previous decision.


Japan May core machinery orders up 5.9 percent

Japan's core private-sector machinery  orders, a key gauge of corporate capital spending, rose 5.9  percent in May from the previous month, government data showed  on Monday.


HHS Calls For Plan To Counter Threat of Flu

The stockpiling of antiviral drugs, making more flu vaccine and better surveillance for new flu strains were among the suggestions mentioned in a long-awaited draft document, released yesterday


At the Convention, a Night for the Regulars

Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Arnold Schwarzenegger -- the party serves up meat and potatoes with Zell Miller and Dick Cheney. They have two important things in common.


Australia takes charge in opening test against India

Michael Clarke notched a century on his test debut and skipper Adam Gilchrist hit a blazing hundred yesterday as Australia took charge of the opening test against India.


Kerry Rips Bush Over Record Medicare Hike

Democrat John Kerry said Saturday that a record increase in Medicare premiums for doctor visits was another failed promise from President Bush.


Number of dogfighting's winners, losers growing

The purses can be as high as $100,000, and there are an estimated 40,000 people in the United States involved professionally, according to the Humane Society, and that number is growing. And so are the blood sport's animal victims. About a third of the animals coming into shelters are pit bulls, the society says..


Siena, 22:36 - Basket, Eurolega: Siena ko in casa con Maccabi Tel Aviv

Il Maccabi Tel Aviv ha battuto in trasferta il Montepaschi Siena 90-86 (29-21, 48-42; 69-57) in un i...


Britain triples tsunami aid pledge to 96 million dollars

The British government raised its pledge for aid to the tsunami disaster to 96 million dollars, more than tripling its offer from a day earlier, the Department for International Development said.


Lawsuit: Ex-Broadcom CEO used drugs, prostitutes

(InfoWorld) - A civil lawsuit accusing Henry Nicholas III, the former president and CEO of Broadcom Corp., of mistreating employees, using illegal drugs and paying for prostitutes, has reportedly caught the attention of U.S. law enforcement officials investigating stock options backdating at the company. Nicholas, who resigned from Broadcom in January 2003, is the target of a civil lawsuit brought by cousins Kenji and Scott Kato, both former employees of Nicholas. The lawsuit, filed in November in Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, alleges that Nicholas and his lawyers reneged on a settlement for wrongful termination and other claims. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, which is investigating stock options backdating at Broadcom, has begun looking into the Katos' claims. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed Kenji Kato in April, and this week, it began interviewing other Nicholas employees, the news report said. Kenji Kato's lawyer, Joseph Kar, declined to comment on the U.S. Attorney's interest in the case. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the investigation. Broadcom, a chip maker for communications devices, announced in January it would take a $2.24 billion charge for stock options backdating. Broadcom said it found options for 232.9 million shares of company stock that had been backdated, with 9.7 million of those shares going to executive officers. Kenji Kato, who describes himself in court documents as a former personal assistant of Nicholas', said Nicholas and his lawyers offered him a settlement of more than US$2.9 million in November, then withdrew it. Kato had accused Nicholas of wrongful termination, breach of contract and infliction of emotional distress, among other things. Kenji Kato worked for Nicholas from October 1999 to April 2006, and during much of that time, Nicholas threw wild parties and regularly used illegal drugs such as cocaine, according to a court filing from May. While at Broadcom, Nicholas hired prostitutes for clients and for himself, and he spiked customer drinks with powdered ecstasy pills to lower their "inhibitions and guard," Kato said in the filing. Nicholas' lawyer, Steven Silverstein, didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the lawsuit. But in court documents, Nicholas' lawyers deny the allegations and accuse Kato of attempting to extort money from Nicholas. Kato signed a confidentiality agreement when working for Nicholas, according to documents filed by Level 7 LLC and The Management Company LLC, two companies owned by Nicholas. Kato has threatened to make public "certain sensitive private alleged facts ... which he had expressly promised to keep private," the Level 7 court documents say. "Kato's wrongful conduct by issuing these threats ... will cause great and irreparable injury to plaintiffs." Nicholas regularly yelled at employees, and he demanded that Kenji Kato carry a bag with illegal drugs for him, according to Kenji Kato's filing. Nicholas also demanded that Kato use drugs along with him, Kato said. "I was regularly exposed to ... a high degree of debauchery while working for Nick," he said in his filing. "The first time I used cocaine was when Nick shoved a tiny spoon up my nose because I was falling asleep, while he was talking to me. Over time, I got sucked into his extreme lifestyle." By the end of Kato's employment, Nicholas was using "large quantities" of illegal drugs, including cocaine and heroin, and had withdrawn from his friends and family, according to Kato's May filing. Nicholas had stopped paying Kato, although he still demanded work from him, and when Kato walked out, Nicholas owed him $150,000 in back pay, the court documents say. Nicholas had promised Kato employee benefits and Broadcom stock options, but he never delivered, according to Kato's filing.


A group of walkers from around the world are setting off on what is being called Britain's longest protest march.


Conflicting campaign polls put confusion in the lead

With Election Day a little more than six weeks away, Americans are being bombarded with often-conflicting polls, adding another layer of confusion to a contest


Two old hands who helped Bill Ford shepherd Ford Motor Co. through the first part of a painful turnaround are retiring in February.


Despite rules banning the advertising of unhealthy food online, some brands bend the rules, research suggests.


Pressure piles on SocGen as report due, trial starts

Societe Generale , the French bank hit by a trading scandal, faced further pressure on Monday with a government report set to criticize its risk control and as an unrelated money-laundering trial starts.


The Bush administration appears increasingly focused on undertaking a risky military rescue of three Americans held hostage more than four years by drug-trafficking leftist rebels in Colombia.


'Pirates' sequel sets DVD record for 2006

Talk about booty.  Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" tallied  first-week sales of 10.5 million units, according to the  studio, making it the biggest home video debut of any new  release this year.


Culpepper Leads Vikings to 31-17 Win Over Packers

Daunte Culpepper threw four touchdown  passes as the Minnesota Vikings roared into an early lead then  held on for a shock 31-17 win over Green Bay Packers in their  NFC wildcard showdown in Wisconsin on Sunday.


Bush Aides, in Shift, Say Oil a Drag on Economy

CRAWFORD, Texas  - President Bush's economic  advisers warned on) Sunday that high energy prices have become  a drag on the U.S. economy and not a threat to growth, chipping  away at Bush's upbeat election-year projections and increasing  pressure on him to act.


Namesys owner Hans Reiser will stand trial for the alleged murder of his missing wife. In 27B Stroke 6.


FDA Issues Advisory on Certain Painkillers

Doctors are being urged to think twice before prescribing certain painkillers in light of new evidence suggesting they may increase cardiovascular risk.


Dice legale sovrintendente Petri, vittima dei brigatisti (ANSA) - ROMA, 19 OTT - Enrico Letta, ex ministro del governo Amato ed esponente dell'Ulivo, sarebbe stato nel mirino dei terroristi dopo l'omicidio del prof. Biagi.


Bush Defends Iraq Invasion Despite Report

WASHINGTON - Faced with a harshly critical new report, President Bush conceded Thursday that Iraq did not have the stockpiles of banned weapons he had warned of before the invasion last year, but insisted that "we were right to take action" against Saddam Hussein.   "America is safer today with Saddam Hussein in prison," Bush said in a surprise statement to reporters as he prepared to fly to Wisconsin...


Udine, 18:54 - Calcio, Udinese; Spalletti: dobbiamo avere coraggio

Esame Milan per l'Udinese dei miracoli. Spalletti dovrÃ  fare a meno di Muntari e Di Michele, entramb...


Williams-Sonoma 2Q Profits Rise 55 Percent

Home products retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. reported Wednesday that second-quarter profits rose 55 percent on strong sales growth to beat Wall Street expectations.


Udine, 15:27 - CALCIO, UDINESE; FELIPE: IL GIOCO MIGLIORE, TORNEREMO GRANDI

L'Udinese dopo la scofitta col Chievo cerca la rivincita: "Sabato abbiamo giocato meglio del Chievo ...


India's BJP is to announce Narendra Modi will continue as chief minister in Gujarat after his election win.


Ukraine's Viktor Yushchenko goes to Moscow on his first foreign trip, a day after his inauguration.


Federal agents raided New Haven police headquarters Tuesday and charged the head of the narcotics division with stealing thousands of dollars planted by the FBI during sting operations.


Risparmio da riduzione carico sarebbe pari a oltre 5 mld


Tony Clark homered and tied a career-high with five RBIs, and the light-hitting Arizona Diamondbacks scored seven times in the second inning to beat the Colorado Rockies 13-7 Saturday night.


Big announcement about Bush and Vietnam coming up, she said. Big bounty for anyone who could prove the president fulfilled his National Guard duty three decades ago.


Scottish children who undergo heart operations are 'more likely' to die than in the rest of the UK, figures show.


First Look: HP's Hefty Media Center Notebook

Pavilion ZD8000 is a TV lover's dream, but it's no lightweight and it doesn't come cheap.


IT after hours: Tech pros donate time to help the computer-clueless

Some IT staffers who spend their days troubleshooting tech problems at work head home at night so they can do the same thing for free -- as volunteers looking to help the computer-clueless.


FOUNTAINTOWN, Ind. - It's a sight not often seen in rural central Indiana - a 6-foot-tall kangaroo bounding around on the loose.  Hancock County Animal Control officers helped capture the Australian marsupial, an escaped pet named Skippy, early Monday not far from its home.


Fuller: Mirant CEO To Quit, Take $3.4M Severance With Her

Another energy career capped: Mirant (otc: MIRKQ - news - people ) said Chief Executive S. Marce Fuller will resign from the energy company, which is operating under bankruptcy protection.


Review of Gay Policies by Psychologists Draws Fire From All Sides

Gay activists and conservatives alike put pressure on American Psychological Association as 10-year-old policy is reconsidered.


AMERICA/HONDURAS - Aperta la X Riunione Continentale della Rete Informatica della Chiesa in America Latina (RIIAL): nuove forme di presenza e di servizio alla luce della Missione Continentale. Mons. Celli auspica una Âdiaconia della cultura digitale" Tegucigalpa (Agenzia Fides) - Con la Santa Messa presieduta dal Cardinale Ãscar RodrÃguez Maradiaga, Arcivescovo di Tegucigalpa, e con la sessione inaugurale, si Ã¨ aperta il 17 settembre la X Riunione Continentale della Rete Informatica della Chiesa ...


The FBI is investigating letters sent to newspapers nationwide that say "Goldman Sachs. Hundreds will die. We are inside. You cannot stop us," the FBI said Friday.


Schwarzenegger OKs chemical exposure research

SACRAMENTO, California  - California will become the first U.S. state to try to measure how its residents are absorbing chemicals from common products under a "bio-monitoring" bill signed on Friday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.


San Diego starting strong safety Terrence Kiel will miss Sunday's game at Baltimore following his arrest at team headquarters on five felony drug charges.


Yokohama, 13:37 - ATLETICA, YOKOHAMA: DOPPIA FALSA PARTENZA, POWELL SQUALIFICATO

Il giamaicano Asafa Powell è stato squalificato nella gara dei 100 metri al meeting di Yokoha...


Frightened foreigners kept packing into Ivory Coast's international airport Saturday to be evacuated home, despite promises by President Laurent Gbagbo's government to protect them after a surge of anti-Western violence.


Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to fly to Sudan this week to meet government leaders to assess the humanitarian and security crisis.


IBM Seeks To Minimize Disruption With PC Sale

Ken Andre, CIO at packaging company Greif Inc. and an IBM customer, says he's not worried about IBM's sale of its PC business to China's Lenovo Group Ltd.


Stocks Higher Despite Soaring Oil Prices

NEW YORK - Wall Street shifted higher Monday as bargain hunters shrugged off skyrocketing oil prices and bought shares following an upbeat sales report from Wal-Mart Stores and a bright outlook from Lowe's.    The Dow Jones industrial average was up 84.07, or 0.9 percent, at 9,909.42, after edging 0.1 percent higher last week...


Attestato a 4,65 miliardi di corone svedesi


After being stuck for 11 hours on a parked airplane during a snow and ice storm, JetBlue passengers found out there's nothing they can do about it. There are no government regulations limiting the time an airline can keep passengers on grounded aircraft.


Volkswagen U.S. sales fall 7.2 pct yr/yr in Sept

German car maker Volkswagen  said on Tuesday its sales in the United States fell 7.2 percent year-on-year in September to 20,082 vehicles.


Tony Blair phones the mother of a tsunami victim after she challenges him on a radio talk show.


Keep looking for Madeleine, family urge police

Family and friends of Kate and Gerry McCann urged Portuguese police on Saturday to eliminate the couple from their inquiries and to return to the hunt for their missing daughter Madeleine.


On his final night as anchor of "NBC Nightly News," Tom Brokaw was watched by about as many people as was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" on Wednesday.


Bolivia takes full control of two oil refineries from Brazil's state-owned energy company after a compensation deal.


Poliziotta colta da malore sul convoglio non ne e' affetta


A federal judge in New York struck down one of the Bush administration's new surveillance powers yesterday, ruling that a USA Patriot Act provision


Beckham expects Galaxy to aid his England football ambitions

David Beckham has told LA Galaxy they must do everything they can to help him continue his unexpected England revival.


Greg Paulus scored 15 points and Duke beat Georgia Tech 71-62 on Sunday in coach Mike Krzyzewski's 700th victory at the school.


Madrid, 14:28 - CALCIO, ATLETICO MADRID: TORRES PROLUNGA FINO AL 2009

Fernando Torres ha prolungato fino al 2009 il contratto con l'Atletico Madrid. L'attaccante spagnolo...


Officials criticize power of New Orleans judges

Federal, state and local officials   on Saturday complained that judges in New Orleans were hurting   efforts to reduce crime by cutting suspects' bail at will.


MIAMI -- Shaquille O'Neal thinks Miami's opponents are rising to the challenge of playing against him and Dwyane Wade. And right now, the Heat aren't responding the way their center would prefer.


Japanese car giant Toyota reports a 7.5% rise in quarterly profits due to rising demand in places like China.


Condoleezza Rice is set to start senate hearings, to be confirmed as President Bush's next Secretary of State.


Israel frees scores of Palestinian prisoners

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Israel  - Israel released more than 250 Palestinian prisoners on Friday as part of a U.S.-backed deal to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas Islamists took over the Gaza Strip last month.


Bush and Kerry Attack Each Other on Leadership

President Bush warned on Wednesday  that Democratic rival John Kerry did not understand the threats  facing the United States, but Kerry said Bush's failure of  leadership had weakened the fight against terror.


Home Secretary John Reid is considering giving victims of crime a say on offenders' release from jail.


Stage Stores 3Q Profit Dips, Meets Views

Specialty department store retailer Stage Stores Inc. on Thursday said its third-quarter results met Wall Street expectations, even though its profit dropped against a year-ago gain.


Two more doctors charged over bomb attacks on UK

Two more doctors were charged on Saturday with involvement in the failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow, one man in Britain and one in Australia, bringing the number accused to three.


A clear roadmap for Longhorn was more important than inclusion of an advanced file system, Jim Allchin tells CNET News.com.


NEW YORK  - The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is higher and stages of disease are more advanced than has previously been reported, according to findings from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease initiative.


Edwards wins online poll on climate change

John Edwards has the best approach  to fighting climate change of any 2008 Democratic presidential  contender, according to an online straw poll of members of the  liberal activist group MoveOn.org.


Superblack material made from microscopic carbon nanotubes is produced in a US laboratory.


Six-nation survey finds gun crimes, fear widespread

Three in 10 people questioned in a  six-nation survey have been the victim of gun crime or know  someone who has been in the last five years, gun control  campaigners said on Monday.


Wenger Was Summer Target - Arsenal Chief

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has revealed two national teams tried to prise manager Arsene Wenger away from Highbury over the summer.


Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Wilcox, middle, dunks as the Golden State Warriors' Troy Murphy, right, and Jason Richardson look on in the first half on Friday, Nov. 26, 2004, in Oakland, Calif.


Five Killed, 30 Injured in Spanish Bus Crash

Five passengers were killed and around 30 injured when their bus flipped over after tearing through the central reservation of a motorway in the northern Spanish province of Burgos, officials said on Sunday.


Extras, the comedy show starring Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, bows out with 5.3 million viewers.


Veteran CBS newsman Bob Schieffer, who received the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media at the University of South Dakota, says the nation has never needed a vigorous free press more than now.


L'uomo, unico sospettato, si trovreebbe in Tunisia da giorni


The International Whaling Commission passed a resolution Thursday that upholds a 21-year moratorium on commercial whaling.


Changes Coming for Seahawks After Injuries

Seattle's defense is getting a makeover for this week's trip to Minnesota, with most changes forced by injuries and another coming after the rise of rookie safety Michael Boulware.


Business ; FDA to Review Post-Market Safety Checks

Congress has been investigating the FDA's decisions in both the Vioxx and antidepressant cases. The probes have focused on agency reviewers who warned about potential problems but claimed their research was ignored or suppressed by other officials.


If you're among the Americans traveling this holiday season, good luck. You'll need it, along with a bit more cash.


Group Launches 'Asthma Friendly' Toy Certification

SUNDAY, Nov. 26 (HealthDay News) -- The weekend after Thanksgiving has traditionally signaled the start of the Christmas shopping season, but as Santa Claus checks his list of who's been naughty or nice, he may also have to make special arrangements for children with allergies or asthma.


Study: Weak Passwords Really Do Help Hackers

Left online for 24 days to see how hackers would attack them, Linux PCs with weak passwords were hit by some 270,000 intrusion attempts.


Gaza's children used to light colorful lanterns to mark Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. But this year, many parents can't afford those small $1 toys as the coastal strip sinks deeper into poverty amid an aid cutoff to punish the Hamas-led government.


World horrified at bloody end to Russian hostage crisis

World leaders expressed horror at the bloody end to the Russian hostage crisis, calling it a tragedy which resulted from a "nauseating" and "barbaric" terrorist attack.


Pizzo a un commerciante d'auto padre di un pentito


Whole Foods CEO went after rival as a message board troll

'I never intended those postings to be identified with me. Gosh, I'm cute' Court documents reveal that organic grocer Whole Foods CEO John Mackey was an internet forum troll intent on undermining his main competitor through chatter.â¦


Hey, HP laptop owners: click here to get hijacked

Pwnage made simple If you use a Hewlett-Packard laptop, chances are a hacker can hijack your machine simply by luring you to a malicious website.â¦


Accolta richiesta opposizione di far slittare i tempi


Democrats criticize AT&T's exclusive iPhone deal

Blog: AT&T's deal to sell the iPhone drew criticism from Democrats, and a defense from Republicans. The arrangement might lead to an open access requirement for a 700 MHz spectrum auction next year.


The US pop star failed to legally tie the knot with dancer Kevin Federline as the two did not file a marriage licence after their wedding in Studio City in California last Saturday.


How a Cast Got Its Kicks. And Throws. And Punches.

The rule at rehearsals was simple: âIf you hit someone for real, you owe them a beer,â said Timothy Haskell, director of âThe Jaded Assassin.â


Dad begs judge to give sick baby time to experience a miracle

The father of a desperately ill baby said Friday that he believed in miracles as he pleaded with a High Court judge to give his daughter the chance to live.


NBC is taking the  premiere of "Celebrity Apprentice" out of the cross hairs of  the last original episode of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" . . . or so  it seems.


Apple Improves iPhone Battery, Screen Cover

Apple announced on Monday improvements to the battery life and the the top surface of the iPhone's display.


Spurred by Illness, Indonesians Lash Out at U.S. Mining Giant

Newmont Mining Corporation, the world's biggest gold producer, has been trailed by allegations of pollution on four continents, including Indonesia.


In a race against herself in Michigan's renegade primary, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton attracted 55 percent of the vote and strong support from whites, Democrats and women. Blacks and independents were among the 40 percent who said they wanted an alternative.


General Motors Corp.  said on  Thursday that U.S. sales fell in May, driven by a big slump in  car sales, which offset a slight increase in demand for its new  line of sport utility vehicles.


China's police ministry on Sunday handed out rewards of up to $240 to people who reported pornographic Web sites in a campaign to stamp out online smut, the government said.


Calif. urges more conservation as heat wave eases

California again urged customers to conserve power on Friday even though electricity demand for air conditioning should decline as temperatures along the coast continue to ease and many businesses shut early for the weekend.


France announces it will withdraw 200 special troops from eastern Afghanistan within the next few weeks.


'Con i sindacati avevamo gia' fatto i passi piu' difficili'


A media watchdog organization charged Wednesday that the network morning news shows have spent considerably more time this year on Democrats running for president than on Republicans.


Swisscom, Telekom Austria Break Off Talks

Merger talks between telecommunications company Swisscom AG and Telekom Austria AG have broken off, Swisscom said Thursday.


Ex-Russian minister's co-defendant sentenced in U.S.

A Russian nuclear engineer and  co-defendant of former Russian atomic energy minister Yevgeny  Adamov was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Thursday for  fraud and tax evasion, U.S. federal prosecutors said.


Blitz nell'insediamento israeliano Morti 2 palestinesi e 3 soldati

GAZA - E' una nuova giornata nella striscia di Gaza, in Palestina. Sono almeno cinque i morti in un attacco portato da un commando palestinese all'insediamento israeliano di Morag. Le vittime sarebbero tre


Bonser outduels Prior as Twins beat Cubs

Boof Bonser threw 6 1-3 scoreless innings to overshadow Mark Prior's second start of the season in the Minnesota Twins' 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.


MANCHESTER United today dramatically rejected the advances of Malcolm Glazer, the US sports boss who is mulling an Â£825m bid for the football club.


More Sleep May Lead to Less Weight, Study Shows

It may seem counterintuitive, but sleeping more can help keep people from becoming obese, according to a new study. A sleep study conducted by Columbia University researchers found that people who got less


Adobe Q2 Profits and Sales Ride High on CS3 Sales

Desktop publishing software maker Adobe saw its profits climb 24% in its second quarter on the back of healthy sales of its new Creative Suite 3 product.


Yanukovych Turns to Wheat to Court Ukraine's Farm Vote

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych courted the important farm vote Wednesday, holding up a sheaf of wheat in a choreographed ceremony reminiscent of Soviet days.


Boeing Touts New 787 As the Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

Boeing's latest wide body makes its debut to much fanfare and the promise of an economical, environmentally friendly future.


âThe Weekâ: Renault F1 Team between China and Japan

Itâs been a busy week for the team with its members stretched across the globe. Hereâs an update of whatâs going onâ¦


Serb women and Nadal ready for final push

A first all-Serbian grand slam final is on the cards when Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic tackle Maria Sharapova and Daniela Hantuchova in the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday.


-- Following revelations that a high-ranking member of Wikipedia's bureaucracy used his cloak of anonymity to lie about being a professor of religion, the free Internet encyclopedia plans to ask contributors who claim such credentials to identify themselves.


Scientists have discovered the remains of a rodent the size of a small car which used to forage the South American continent. The 1-ton creature is believed to have been about 3 meters in length and 1.5 meters tall.


Retailers and Big Tobacco assail Ont. government over tough new smoking ban

TORONTO (CP) - Retailers, cigarette manufacturers and advocates for the rights of Canada's smokers were mobilizing Wednesday for a long, arduous battle over the Ontario government's stringent new crackdown on smoking.


Apple attempts to block free ringtones with iTunes update

Apple has released an update to iTunes that blocks users from creating free custom ringtones and then syncing them to an iPhone. Despite Apple’s best efforts to thwart users, a workaround has already been found and posted to the Internet.


Microsoft Extends Legal Protection To All Customers

The company will shield all customers from legal costs and damages involving patent, copyright, trademark, or trade-secret disputes.


In primavera possibile in Italia avvio progetti pilota


Martin won't be drawn into dispute over sponsorship inquiry judge

FREDERICTON (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin is refusing to get involved in a dispute over the sponsorship inquiry he set up, saying he can't comment on a challenge against the judge he appointed to lead it.


Gazprom sets price limit at 119 dollars for Belarus: spokesman

Russian energy giant Gazprom Saturday set a gas price limit for Belarus at 119 dollars (82 euros) per 1,000 cubic meters for the first quarter of 2008, a day after President Vladimir Putin promised Minsk to freeze natural gas costs.


Hot deal: Canon PowerShot SD1000 Elph for $170

Snapshooters' favorite Canon Elph gets a new life on the market with sweeping discounts, including this deal of the day from Amazon.


Verizon Wireless to Buy NextWave Licenses

Verizon Wireless is buying cellular capacity for 23 markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for $3 billion, ending the government's long tug-of-war over the never-used licenses and bolstering Verizon against a big new rival created by the merger of Cingular Wireless and AT&T Wireless.


U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley  on Wednesday said quarterly profit dropped 34 percent amid reduced trading revenue, falling well short of Wall Street's already-lowered expectations and pushing the company's shares down more than 8 percent.


21 set 21:59 Iraq: Scelli, "Mai chiesto l'aiuto di Sadr per l' ...

ROMA - La Croce Rossa non ha chiesto l'intervento di Moqtada al Sadr per rendere sicuro il proprio ospedale di Bagdad. Il commissario straordinario della Cri, Maurizio Scelli, ha telefonato alla trasmissione


Congress is moving to postpone until June 2009 requiring passports for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean after complaints about vacation-ruining delays by the State Department in issuing them.


As much as the final score will be remembered, so, too, will the way the Giants managed to win a game that few expected them to even play.


Personnel Policy Challenges Await the New DHS Management Chief

There's a new management chief at the Department of Homeland Security, ready to fill a post that has been vacant for six months.


Murali spins out Bangladesh before rain hits Test

Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 59th five-wicket haul before rain played havoc in the final cricket Test against Bangladesh here on Thursday.


The European Union should establish contact with Hamas, the proscribed Islamist group, the holder of the EU's presidency has proposed.


Press repeat referendum calls as Brown heads to EU summit

Newspapers repeated their calls for a referendum on the new EU treaty on Thursday as Prime Minister Gordon Brown was set to attend a two-day summit of the bloc's leaders in Lisbon.


John Wayne centennial marked with DVD bonanza

Two Hollywood studios  are joining forces to celebrate John Wayne's 100th birthday  with a massive May 22 release of 48 movies starring the Duke.


Retired General Augusto Pinochet was indicted and ordered placed under house arrest yesterday by a top Chilean judge on charges connected with


Next-generation computer chip to hold 2 engines

For decades, computer performance has been driven largely by the increasing numbers of ever-smaller transistors squeezed into the machines' silicon brains.


France says claims that its officials were among those offered bribes by Saddam Hussein are unverified.


Stocks fall at open as risk aversion grows

Stocks slid on Friday as investors  sold shares on concerns about increasing risk aversion in  global financial markets.


U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan

The United States has brokered a cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the embattled governor of the western province of Herat, Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday. "Our expectation is that the agreement that has been made will be honored," said ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, adding that the cease-fire was due to take effect at 4 p.m.


FCC Won't Appeal Media Ownership Decision

The Bush administration has decided  against appealing to the Supreme Court a ruling that prevents  media conglomerates from expanding their reach in U.S. media  markets, U.S. officials said on Thursday.


Nissan unveils Qashqai mini-offroader for Europe

Nissan Motor Company has unveiled the new Qashqai, a hybrid offroad compact car aimed primarily at the European market where the Japanese company is hoping to sell 100,000 units a year.


With most polls showing him running dead even with the President in Florida, John Kerry used the specter of the disputed 2000 recount yesterday to urge the state's black voters to turn out in force on Election Day.


Germany cuts 2008 growth forecast to 2.0 percent

Germany, the largest eurozone economy, lowered its 2008 growth forecast Thursday to 2.0 percent from 2.4 percent and its economy minister warned that fallout from a banking crisis could do more damage still.


Subliminal images do attract the brain's attention on a subconscious level, say UK researchers.


Suspected Maoist rebels kidnap a judge and a former adviser to the late king, Nepalese police say.


Germans Use Nokia Phones In Wireless Ticket Trial

The world's top mobile phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday its phones would be used in a project to test wireless public transport fares in Hanau, near Frankfurt in Germany, beginning early next year.


It was typical of the man that he should have had firm opinions on how he might best be remembered. "I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing," he insisted last year.


World in Brief: 29 October 2004, Friday. Spanish police have arrested 13 more suspected Islamic militants in connection with an alleged plot to blow up the High Court in Madrid.


After running afoul with Chicago authorities after the band tour bus apparently dumped up to 800 pounds of liquid human waste into the Chicago River this summer, the usually eco-friendly


Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera will not return next season.


His legs were amputated when he was a year old. Now Oscar Pistorius is on track to make the South African Olympic team. Is he an engineering marvel -- or just one hell of a sprinter? By Josh McHugh from Wired magazine.


An animal rights group Friday called for an international team of vets to examine dozens of famed Lipizzaner horses it says face starvation while Serbia and Croatia argue over their ownership.


HOUSTON - By the time Carlos Beltran's shot landed in Houston's bullpen, this much was clear: At least baseball had one competitive playoff series still going. Beltran did it again, homering in a record fifth straight postseason game and lifting the Astros over the St...


Cellule staminali guariscono bimbo talassemico

PAVIA - Le cellule staminali del sangue placentare di due gemelli hanno guarito dalla talassemia il fratellino di 5 anni: un'operazione riuscita con successo nel reparto di oncologia pediatrica del Policlinico San Matteo di Pavia.


Venezuela's president can improve ties by avoiding inflammatory remarks, the US State Department says.


England batsman Strauss axed for cricket tour of Sri Lanka

England opener Andrew Strauss has been dropped for his country's forthcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.


London equities made strong gains on Wednesday, with every FTSE 100 constituent  rallying, after strong overnight gains on Wall Street followed news of the Federal Reserve's 50 basis point cut in US rates.


File-trading penalties legislation moves forward

Legislation that would expand the definition of criminal file-trading over the Internet was approved Wednesday by the US House Judiciary Committee.


Gold heads for largest yearly rise in 3 decades

Gold was on track for its biggest yearly gain since 1979, with prices hovering on Monday about $10 away from its historic highs.


Approvato con 295 voti a favore e 15 contrari, va al Senato


Our video-game enemies are smart - and getting smarter. The artificial intelligence that guides in-game characters today leads to far more natural actions and realistic friends and foes than in the past. "As graphics improvements top out, artificial intelligence will (drive) game innovation," says University of California-Santa Cruz professor Michael Mateas. A look at  AI evolution:


Patients are to be given the right to opt out of having information stored on the NHS electronic database.


DANIA BEACH, Florida  - A Florida medical examiner was performing an autopsy on the body of former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith on Friday as her mother said drugs may have contributed to her daughter's sudden death.


Four million left without power as Florida counts the cost of ...

Battered, drenched but largely intact, Florida started counting the cost of Hurricane Frances yesterday, as four million people were left without power and thousands were


El Hadji Diouf, the Liverpool striker on a season-long loan at Bolton, has admitted improper conduct after spitting at Portsmouth's Arjan De Zeeuw and will now serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect.


Red Hat acquires AOL's Netscape server software

In a move to add more open-source arrows to its quiver, Linux seller Red Hat has acquired the Netscape server software products of AOL Time Warner, the companies plan to announce Thursday.


Units which teach disruptive pupils struggle to get them back into mainstream school, Ofsted says.


Memo to French Officials: Beware the BlackBerry

PARIS, June 20 -- In an age of terrorism and corporate espionage, French intelligence officials have identified a security threat lurking in the pockets and purses of government officials: the BlackBerry.


L'analisi dai toni sorprendenti dell'agenzia di rating anticipata da RadiocorE aggiunge: "Lodevoli" gli sforzi compiuti dal governo nella lotta contro l'evasione fiscale"                                          S&P's: "I conti pubblici italiani? Performance impressionante"


She arrived at 6.15 am, Friday at the Alderson Federal Prison Camp, according to an announcement by the US Bureau of Prisons. She put out the news first, on her Marthatalks.


Macerich Co. MAC.N on Thursday said  it would buy Wilmorite Properties Inc. and Wilmorite Holdings  L.P. for $1.45 billion in a deal that expands its portfolio of  shopping malls.


Police officer at centre of Brazilian shooting promoted

A British police officer at the centre of the fatal shooting of an innocent Brazilian man mistaken for a suicide bomber has been selected for promotion, police said.


InfoWorld - Nokia Corp. has added new features to its mobile mapping application, with a revamped user interface and a status indicator to alert users when they're connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite.


Karzai widens lead in Afghan election; bomb attacks kills 2 GIs, 3 ...

KABUL, Afghanistan - Interim leader Hamid Karzai widened his early lead Saturday in Afghanistan's landmark election, but the deaths of two US soldiers and three Afghan children in bomb attacks underscored that peace and security still elude much of the


Hotel employees to return to work after lockout

San Francisco -- Unionized hotel workers in San Francisco agreed Saturday to return to work following an eight-week lockout, dealing a major boost to the city's tourism industry on the eve of the busy holiday season.


Thieves took the families of two bank executives hostage and forced the executives to help them steal more than $39 million from the vaults of a


Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios Inc. on Tuesday said they delayed the release of Pixar's animated feature film "Cars" until June 2006 from November 2005.


News Corp. explores MySpace swap deal with Yahoo: report

Global media giant News Corp. has discussed swapping social networking site MySpace with Internet giant Yahoo in return for a 25-percent stake in the group, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.


Israel blocks Palestinian PM from returning to Gaza

Israel blocked Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, from returning to Gaza on Thursday after a visit abroad, in an effort to prevent him bringing in money donated by Iran.


Chain Store Sales Up 0.1 Percent - Report

U.S. chain store sales rose in the latest week, but business continued to fluctuate from the effects of Hurricane Charley and high gasoline prices, a report said on Tuesday.


Africa: High Population Growth in 2050 Despite Aids

The US-based Population Reference Bureau (PRB) has predicted that the bulk of the world's population growth will occur in developing nations by 2050, despite higher rates of HIV/AIDS and infant mortality.


Peace center to occupy Va. shooting site

The Virginia Tech classroom wing where a student gunman killed 30 people and himself and wounded two dozen others last spring will be turned into a place to study peace, the school announced Thursday.


Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore acknowledges having feelings of "doubt and fear" on the night of July 31, 2001, as he sat alone in his state courthouse office awaiting delivery of a Ten Commandments monument he wanted to install in the rotunda.


Four charged in plot to blow up JFK airport

Four people, including a former member of Guyana's parliament, have been charged with planning to blow up New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, U.S. officials said on Saturday.


The onslaught of the winter Typhoon Nanmadol made everyone forget the intense legislative election campaign, as early warning and disaster prevention mechanisms were initiated in the hope of minimizing damage.


Hundreds of mourners attend funeral of slain Dutch filmmaker

AMSTERDAM  - Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of controversial Dutch director Theo van Gogh, killed by a suspected Islamic radical in an attack that has shocked traditionally tolerant Dutch society and fueled ethnic tensions.


Even though more countries are renouncing the death penalty, more people were put to death last year — 5,628 — than in the past two years, an anti-death penalty group reported Thursday.


Bogus! US agencies target moneymaking scams

A sting in the works for most of 2006 has trigged over 100 law-enforcement actions targeting fraudulent business-opportunity offers and work-at-home scams, the FTC announced Tuesday.


A jury in Texas has ruled that Boston Scientificâs drug-coated stents infringed a 1997 patent issued to a radiologist and has awarded the inventor $431 million.


China's first climate change plan says the priority in tackling climate change is economic development.


Shares of chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plummeted more than 20 percent in Tuesday trading after the company warned that its fourth-quarter operating income will be "down significantly" from the third quarter.


Mother of missing British girl to be declared suspect

PRAIA DA LUZ, Portugal  - The mother of missing British girl Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal four months ago, will formally be declared a suspect on Friday, a spokeswoman for the family said.


Ravaged face of old Havana gets make-up for summit

HAVANA, Cuba  - New Chinese traffic lights,   anti-mosquito fumigation campaigns and half-finished paint jobs   on crumbling houses reflect what many Cubans see as papering   over the cracks of a dilapidated city to prepare for the   Non-Aligned Summit.


Defence Ministry to provide intelligence for Bush-Putin summit

The Slovak Defence Ministry will use both intelligence and equipment to ensure security during February's Bush-Putin summit in Bratislava, Defence Minister Juraj Liska told the TASR news agency.


Corruption Charge Against Berlusconi Dropped

MILAN, Dec 10 - An Italian court dropped a key corruption charge against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Friday, invoking a statute of limitations that meant time had run out to press a conviction.


IBM Acquires Storage Analysis Firm NovusCG

IBM announced Wednesday that it has acquired NovusCG, a privately held company that was founded in 2000 and has about 100 employees. Novus specializes in business intelligence and storage analytics.


The eight Giants chosen in last Aprilâs N.F.L. draft are still treated like rookies in the locker room, but have also become pieces to the teamâs sudden championship hopes.


Justin Gatlin ran the race of his life Sunday night, barely holding off the fastest Olympic 100 field in history to win the gold in 9.85 seconds. Francis Obikwelu of Portugal got the silver in 9.86. Defending champion Maurice Greene won bronze in 9.87, falling short in his quest to crown himself the "greatest sprinter of all time."


Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez suspends key ties with Colombia over a "violation of national sovereignty".


The European Union's decision to begin entry talks with Turkey has received a widespread welcome. But Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face tough questions at home about what he has signed up to.


Two French journalists held hostage in Iraq were handed over to intermediaries yesterday, raising hopes that they would soon be freed.


Oil hits record over $80 on tight supply

Crude oil prices vaulted to a record high $80 a barrel on Wednesday as dealers focused on tight inventories in top consumer the United States ahead of peak winter demand.


Now is the time to take your portfolio to higher ground.


Pak Foils Massive Al-Qaeda Plot To Attack Govt., US Targets

Islamabad, August 22 (NNN): With the arrest of several suspected terror network members said to planning to attack US and government targets in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistani security forces claimed to have busted a massive al


Minaya's First Move With the Mets Is to Clean House

Omar Minaya, the Mets' new general manager, fired or reassigned every coach on Wednesday except for Rick Peterson, the club's highly touted pitching coach.


A cyborg skeleton from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" brought in nearly $500,000 on Friday in an auction of Hollywood memorabilia dominated by props and costumes from Arnold Schwarzenegger's shoot-em-up sci-fi franchise.


Il decesso della piccola rom avvenuto all'ospedale di Lucca


Bush Gives $20 Mln to Palestinians to Pay Israeli Bills

President Bush on Wednesday approved $20 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to help pay its Israeli utility bills after key lawmakers opposed plans to


A top Republican lawmaker called Wednesday for Merck & Company to answer questions about its withdrawn drug Vioxx on Nov. 18 at the first Congressional hearing to address the drug's safety problems.


The Wizards, playing without point guard Gilbert Arenas, fail to contain Paul Pierce and Gary Payton in a 108-103 loss to Boston.


WASHINGTON - Weighed down by high energy prices, the US economy grew slower than the government estimated in the April-June quarter, as higher oil prices limited consumer spending and contributed to a record trade deficit.


Mortgage companies salvages sale to private equity fund by agreeing to a lower price.


Arriva il sito della Corte di Cassazione

Le moderne tecnologie informatiche consentono di avvicinare sempre di piÃ¹ il mondo giudiziario all'avvocatura. In linea con questo progresso e sensibili alle esigenze della Magistratura e dell'Avvocatura


Candidates Make Final Push Before Tuesday Primaries

Senator John McCain and the two Democratic presidential hopefuls made campaign appearances in the Northeast, while Mitt Romney set off on a coast-to-coast swing.


CHINESE palaeontologists said they had found feathers on the fossilised legs of a primitive bird, which backs controversial theories that birds descended from four-limbed dinosaurs.


When the University of Massachusetts squared off against Montana in last night's Division 1-AA semifinal, it was billed as matchup of tough defenses.


The film adaptation of Lemony Snicket novels has topped the North America box office chart, displacing Ocean's 12. A Series of Unfortunate Events, starring Jim Carrey, took $30.2m (Â£15.5m) in its debut weekend.


About 21,000 American soldiers, most of them from units sent to Iraq, have been treated at the biggest U.S. military hospital outside the United States since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, the hospital said Monday.


TURIN, Italy  - Yevgeny Plushenko performed an  explosive free skate Thursday to capture his fourth European  men's title.


Sudan VP wants troops in Darfur even without Khartoum's OK

The international community should send peacekeepers to Darfur with or without Khartoum's approval, Sudanese First Vice President Salva Kiir has said.


Canadian teams voice support for Bettman

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Canada's NHL teams came out Thursday and voiced their support for the league's decision to lockout its players.


L'attaccante della Lazio, autore del gol-vittoria, ha denunciatol'episodio alle telecamere di Sky sport. "Non mi ha chiesto scusa"                                            Razzismo, Makinwa accusa Aronica "Mi ha chiamato 'negro di merda'"                                                                                Ma il difensore amarato replica: "Mai dette quelle parole"


Accra, 20:07 - CALCIO: 1-0 AL CAMERUN, EGITTO VINCE LA COPPA D'AFRICA

L'Egitto ha vinto per la seconda volta consecutiva, sesta nella sua storia, la Coppa d'Africa. In fi...


Expanding time is a crucial element in today's NFL, where defenses are high tech with speed to burn and the quarterback has three seconds to react.


Iraqi Foreign Minister Tells Neighboring Countries to Stop Interfering

BAGHDAD, Sept. 9 -- Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Sunday called on Iraq's neighbors to stop interfering in Iraqi affairs and warned that ongoing violence threatens to spread across the region.


There is a sort of swagger to Howard Dean's smile. Here he is, poised to take charge of the Democratic Party, a striking comeback after his flameout a year ago in the presidential race. He is savoring the moment, yet displaying a new sense of caution.


A federal grand jury indicted a hunter on charges he started the largest wildfire in California history — last year's Cedar Fire, which charred 273,000 acres and killed 15 people.


Roma, 17:04 - CALCIO: SERIE A, I RISULTATI DELLA TERZA GIORNATA

I risultati delle gare della terza giornata del campionato di calcio di serie A:


U.S. stocks close up after overseas gains NEW YORK, March 6 (UPI) -- U.S. stock indexes closed up Tuesday after overseas gains, despite shaky economic data about U.S. productivity, salaries, factory orders and housing.


Blake to meet Delray specialist Malisse in final

Top seed James Blake will play tournament specialist Xavier Malisse in the Delray Beach International final on Sunday.


Prosecutor Faces Fight Using 3-Strikes Law

If she were a prosecutor anywhere else in California, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris wouldn't get a second look for using the state's tough "three-strikes" law against a man who spent more than six years in prison after setting his 6-year-old son on fire.


The odds aren't as long as you might think.


A New York judge tossed out a lawsuit by the fledgling World Skating Federation that accused the International Skating Union of monopolistic practices.


New Test Can Detect Bladder Cancer Faster -Study

A urine test that detects proteins given off by malignant growths can identify bladder cancer faster and perhaps reduce the use of more invasive procedures, researchers said on Tuesday.


Beltre agrees to $64 million deal with Mariners

Prized free agent Adrian Beltre and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a $64 million, five-year deal Thursday, The Associated Press learned.


On a Slippery Day in London, Giants Hold On

The Giants won their sixth game in a row at a muddy Wembley Stadium. But for the N.F.L., the game will be remembered for the moment it represented, not the final score.


Culture is no excuse for China denying its people democracy

Comment is free: Ian Buruma: Repressive regimes are playing on our colonial guilt, but we must stand up for those values to which oppressed people aspire


Embassy Workers Suffer Breathing Ailment

Two employees at the Egyptian Embassy were treated for breathing problems and irritated skin after they opened a suspicious package Tuesday, police said.


Chris Lofton scored 21 points, and Tennessee pulled away from No. 5 Florida in the first half and held on for an 86-76 victory last night in Knoxville, Tenn.


Michigan Basketball Player Horton Pleads Guilty

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Sports Network) - Daniel Horton,  Michigan's second-leading scorer, pleaded guilty on Monday to a  misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.


American defender Steve Cherundolo scored the second goal of the game in the 53rd minute Sunday, helping Hannover 96 to a 3-0 victory at VfR Neumuenster in the first round of the German Cup.


US raids leave family of 6 dead in rebel-held Iraqi city

US warplanes killed a family of six in raids against rebels led by Al-Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, while an international aid agency suspended Iraq operations on Wednesday after its manager was kidnapped.


Elizabeth Edwards has lost a lot of her hair, which her young children find funny, and has received notes of encouragement from President Bush and first lady Laura Bush as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer.


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


Dell releases iPod mini rival, announces Linux alliance

Dell will introduce Thursday a small music player to compete with Apple's iPod mini. The new Pocket DJ 5 offers one GByte more memory, but is priced $50 less than Apple's market dominating player.


La Bmw Serie 7 sarÃ  venduta solo in leasing in Usa, Europa eGiappone. Ha un motore V12 da 260 Cv e scatta da 0 a 100 in 9 secondi                                                  In vendita l'auto a idrogeno CosterÃ  3500 euro al mese                                                                                di VINCENZO BORGOMEO


L'Inter si rituffa nell'"isola felice" Champions League e spera di continuare la sua corsa immacolata nella gara di San Siro con il Valencia, squadra dominata due settimane fa in trasferta. Ai nerazzurri (sette


They've been here before, and it's a place they don't want to stay.


âJerry Springer,â the Great American Musical

The notorious show from London uncovers something grand within the small, squalid lives it portrays.


Sony to release PS3 firmware update today

Upscaling comes to old games, movies Sony is to update the PlayStation 3 system software today, rolling out a firmware tweak that allows PSOne, PS2 and DVD movies to be upscaled by the console to full 1080p HD resolution via HDMI. Well, if you've got the right kind of telly, of course...â¦


La vacanza di lusso sulla 'Queen Victoria' sta diventando un incubo per i passeggeriAttacchi di vomito e dissenteria, poca igiene e una lunga serie di guasti e sciatterie                                          La crociera naufraga fra malati e disservizi Per i tabloid Ã¨ la "maledizione Camilla"                                                                                Tre settimane fa all'inaugurazione la tradizionale bottiglia di champagne non si infransequando moglie di Carlo la lanciÃ² verso la prua. I superstiziosi parlarono di un brutto segno


Australia to send navy ship, choppers to Indonesia

Australia is to send a navy ship and helicopters to tsunami-hit Indonesia and has offered to set upa field hospital in Aceh area, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday.


50 Indian IT firms taking part in GITEX 2004

Dubai, Oct. 3 (PTI): A record number of 50 Indian IT companies will take part in the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) 2004 beginning today with some of them providing Arabic enabled software


Tommy Hilfiger Delays Results Due to Probe

Tommy Hilfiger Corp. Wednesday said it would delay the filing of its quarterly report while it reviews issues related to a government investigation.


Tournament doctor thinks Clijsters' injury could threaten career

Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters' latest left wrist problem is a new injury that is expected to end her season but probably won't require surgery.


Bank of England governor Mervyn King can expect tough questioning when he faces MPs on Thursday.


Rafael van der Vaart has been stripped of the Ajax captaincy after a row with coach Ronald Koeman. Koeman asked the 21-year-old Dutch international to play as a left-sided striker in Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.


Israeli Text for Arabs Refers to 1948 âCatastropheâ

A book for use in Arab schools describes Israelâs war of independence as a âcatastropheâ for the Arab population.


Turnout may decide knife-edge Serbian election

Serbia votes on Sunday in a knife-edge  presidential election that could decide whether it turns its  back on the West in response to the imminent loss of the  breakaway province of Kosovo.


Kapalua might consider changing its logo to a Maple Leaf this week. Mike Weir of Canada, who only 10 weeks ago qualified for the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship with his first victory in more than three years, made an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under 67 in much more agreeable conditions Friday for a one-shot lead over Stephen Ames and Jonathan Byrd.


Beyond Wind and Solar, a New Generation of Clean Energy

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Iron Works has the feel of a World War II-era shipyard, with sparks flying from welders' torches and massive hydraulic presses flattening large sheets of metal. But this factory floor represents the cutting edge of American renewable-energy technology.


Turkish planes strike northern Iraq: Kurd official

Turkish warplanes targeting Kurdish rebels bombed areas in northern Iraq on Sunday for the second day in a row but caused no casualties, an Iraqi Kurdish official said.


Bush signs biggest US intelligence overhaul

US President George W. Bush on Friday signed into law the biggest US intelligence overhaul in more than 50 years, including the creation of a new national intelligence chief to oversee the country's spy network.


Bank of America says it's cutting nearly 4,500 jobs

CHARLOTTE, NC Bank of America says it's cutting about 45-hundred jobs beginning this month as a result of its merger with FleetBoston Financial.


Investigators find secret White House email accounts

88 senior officials implicated The Committee of Oversight and Government Reform has released its initial findings after investigating the use of parallel email accounts by officials in Bush's White House.â¦


Sweden greeted the new year with a national day of mourning Saturday, flying flags at half staff and lighting candles for the 3,500 of its citizens still missing in Thailand after the tsunami disaster that ...


WMC, the Australian mining firm, turns down a $5.5bn bid from Swiss company Xstrata but says it is willing to hold talks on a deal.


Spiccano baltici, mediorientali e portoghesi


Someone forgot to inform the US Olympic basketball team that it was sent to Athens to try to win a gold medal, not to embarrass its country.


Oil prices pause after 14% plunge, traders eye Opec

SINGAPORE, DEC 6: Oil prices inched up from a three-month low on Monday as traders caught their breath after last weekâs 14% dive and considered a possible output reduction at Opecâs upcoming meeting.


Milano, 12:47 - CALCIO, VIEIRA: FINIRO' LA MIA CARRIERA ALL'INTER

Patrick Vieira giura amore eterno all'Inter. "FinirÃ² la mia carriera a Milano e


Applications for asylum in the UK rose by 9% in the last three months, according to official figures.


In real life, all that 10-year-old Megan Leffew's cuddly stuffed animals can do is sit on her bed in her room in Rockville. But online, they can play air hockey, whip up a fish-and-chips dinner or take a dip in a hot tub.


Venezuela looks for oil partners in Iran, India and South America

Moratinos made the remarks after meeting with his Colombian counterpart Carolina Barco, who made the first layover of her European tour in Madrid.


CFL Grey Cup Summary - Toronto vs. British Columbia

John Avery had 75 yards on 11 carries for Toronto...Antonio Warren had 160 yards on 18 carries for the Lions...Robert Baker hauled in six catches for 101 yards for the Argonauts.


Dell to Sell PCs Through Retail Chain in China

Sales will start in Chinaâs biggest chain of electronics stores next month and expand to more stores early next year, a Dell executive said.


Winter arrives late, bites hard in Canada, U.S

Winter arrived late but compensated with a burning blast of cold in parts of eastern Canada and the northern United States on Monday, as plunging temperatures and biting winds made it deadly to be outdoors.


Romania centrist PM names cabinet of fresh faces

Romania's Prime Minister designate Calin Tariceanu Sunday named a centrist cabinet of fresh faces to lead the Balkan country on the difficult path of European Union integration in 2007.


Chiefs' Green will miss first game years

For five high-flying years, Trent Green was the Kansas City Chiefs' Mr. Reliable.


E' positivo, dice Piebalgs dopo l'incontro con Scaroni


''Altrimenti trattativa si ferma'', dice direttore generale


Word of oversupply from OPEC punctures oil prices

LONDON - Oil prices eased further today, as the head of the OPEC cartel said markets were well-supplied with crude and traders continued to take profits from this year's 40 percent rally.


Rescuers recover 20 bodies from Latvia disabled home inferno

The search for bodies buried in the rubble of a burnt-out home for the disabled resumed Saturday with emergency officials saying that the remains of 20 people had been discovered so far.


Tra i piu' bassi d'Europa.Concorrenza bancaria molto elevata


William Pfaff: When the Marines make policy, Iraq burns

PARIS Argument over American policy in Iraq and the Middle East presumes that there is a considered policy in Washington and that in Baghdad, people are in charge - L. Paul Bremer 3rd until recently, Ambassador John Negroponte now - who carry out ...


Republican John McCain, his presidential campaign trying to climb out of dire financial straits, is eligible to receive public financing for his struggling bid, the Federal Election Commission said Tuesday.


ABC Apologizes for Steamy Football Intro

ABC apologized Tuesday for a steamy intro to "Monday Night Football" after receiving complaints from viewers and the National Football League.


Japan says Russia war plane violates air space

Japan protested to Moscow after a Russian  military plane intruded into Japanese air space over the Izu  Islands south of Tokyo on Saturday, a Japanese foreign ministry  official said.


Business Owner Welcomes Bush, But Not His Ideas on Health Care

The entrepreneur who hosted President Bush last week for a round-table discussion on health care and small business said yesterday that he could barely get a word in as Bush opined on children's health insurance and other health topics.


Blackpool boss Colin Hendry reckons Scotland have landed the right man after appointing Walter Smith as national team coach. Former Scotland skipper Hendry, who won 52 caps, believes the whole country will


Hamas Member Escapes Damascus Attack, Israel Blamed

Syria blamed Israel's Mossad  intelligence service for a bombing in Damascus on Monday which  a Palestinian source in Beirut said was a failed attempt to  kill a member of the militant Hamas group.


Judge strikes down part of Bush anti-terror order

A federal judge in Los Angeles, who previously struck down sections of the Patriot Act, has ruled that provisions of an anti-terrorism order issued by President George W. Bush after September 11 are unconstitutional.


Singer Celine Dion brings her Las Vegas engagement to a close after 717 shows in almost five years.


A proud nerd puts her prefrontal cortex on the line to discover whether she's really a closet cool cat. By Jennifer Kahn from Wired magazine.


US drug giant Pfizer has said a trial had found a sharp rise in heart attacks for patients using its Celebrex arthritis and pain medicine but it would not immediately withdraw the treatment.


Kelly Holmes and Tanni Grey Thompson become dames and Matthew Pinsent is knighted in the New Year Honours.


Saudi Arabia, Gulf States to boost output

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, which account for almost half of OPEC's oil output, said they're committed to boosting capacity to meet soaring demand that has driven prices to a record.


Plans are put forward to appoint two new judges in Scotland, taking the total to a record number of 34.


Chone Figgins was struggling at the plate, so Angels manager Mike Scioscia dropped his leadoff hitter to ninth in the order a week ago. It's certainly taken some pressure off Los Angeles' most versatile player.


Newspaper endorsements in the 2004 presidential campaign between President Bush, a Republican, and Sen. John Kerry, a Democrat.


South Korea says the North attempted to develop a second, secret uranium enrichment programme.


New technique can identify counterfeit drugs

NEW YORK  - A new method of verifying the ingredients of a pharmaceutical product without opening the package is more accurate than the conventional methods of analysis, scientists in the UK report in a new study.


Gym newbies are crowding regulars in the winter blitz.


REAL MADRID striker Fernando Morientes has revealed he will join Liverpool in the January transfer window. The 28-year-old has been out of favour at the Bernabeu and spent last season on loan at Monaco.


WS-I adding to blueprints for Web services usage

(InfoWorld) - Blueprints for implementing interoperable and secure Web services are being amended by the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) to incorporate the latest SOAP technology and reliable message transmission, representatives of organization said on Thursday. During a meeting at the Burton Group Catalyst Conference in San Francisco, WS-I officials cited plans to upgrade the group's Basic Profile and Basic Security Profile and release a Reliable Secure Profile. WS-I profiles feature implementation guidelines on using related Web services specifications together for interoperability. Membership in WS-I features a roster of the computer industry's major players. Companies like BEA Systems, IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, and Sun are among the participants. The industry has embraced the WS-I Basic Profile to enable interoperability of Web services between different vendors' products, said Michael Bechauf, WS-I president and chairman. "The reception has been incredible," said Bechauf, who also is vice president of industry standards at WS-I member SAP. WS-I is working concurrently on two upgrades to Basic Profile, versions 1.2 and 2.0. Due by the end of the year, version 1.2 adds support for SOAP-based attachments and WS-Addressing for addressing of Web services and messages. Version 2.0, expected in 2008, changes the SOAP implementation from SOAP 1.1 to SOAP 1.2, promising performance improvements for embedded devices, WS-I officials said. WS-I did not consolidate the two Basic Profile upgrades because switching SOAP versions requires a major upgrade to products. Basic Profile 1.0 was published in August 2003 with version 1.1 following a year later. The advent of Basic Profile has had a positive impact on Web services, said analyst Anne Thomas Manes, vice president and research director of Burton Group. "Once that came out, a lot of our most egregious interoperability issues went away," Manes said. Vendors began adopting it, and people followed these rules as systems were being developed, she said. Manes cited errors in WSDL 1.1 as an example of egregious errors that impeded Web services implementation. Basic Security Profile 1.1, planned for ratification by the end of 2007, includes capabilities for single sign-on for Web services applications in multiple systems. This is accomplished through support for the WS-Security 1.1 specification, which backs new token profiles, particularly around XAML. WS-I is seeking five interoperable implementations of Basic Security Profile 1.1, which is a requirement for ratification. Basic Security Profile 1.0 was published March 30. With Reliable Secure Profile 1.0, also anticipated by the end of the year, WS-I is accommodating reliable transmission of messages. This differs from the Basic Security Profile, which covers encryption and signatures. Reliable Secure Profile will incorporate support for the WS-ReliableMessaging 1.1 and WS-SecureConversation 1.3 specifications. WS-I at the conference Thursday evening plans to demonstrate interoperability offered by Basic Security Profile, featuring technologies from IBM, Microsoft, Novell, SAP, and Sun involved in a supply chain management application. Also, a group of companies at the conference will be featured in an interoperability demonstration of the eXtensible Access Control Markup Language 2.0 standard from OASIS. Among the participants are IBM, CA, Oracle, and Red Hat.


AMA asks fast-food chains to post nutrition facts

The American Medical Association said on Wednesday it wants fast-food and chain restaurants to add nutritional information to menus and menu boards as part of an effort to combat obesity in the United States.


Spyware hackers raid Calif. city coffers

Wild Wild West Hackers attempted to swipe $450,000 after stealing login credentials associated with bank accounts run by the city of Carson, California. Police are working on the theory that the password for the general fund account was stolen after miscreants planted key-logging spyware onto a PC used by city treasurer Karen Avilla.â¦


IRS business audits decline so far this year

The pace of corporate audits by the Internal Revenue Service continued to decline in the first six months of fiscal 2004, despite IRS pledges to crack down on


Red Sox Beat Indians in Beckett's Return

Josh Beckett returns from the disabled list to win his eighth consecutive decision as the Red Sox top the Indians, 4-2, on Tuesday.


Overnight in London a High Court judge ruled in favor of three shareholder banks who sought to gain control of a business they majority own, but is presently stacked with directorâs friendly to Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, that ensures he retains


Aussies Crush India By 217 Runs In 1st Test

Bangalore, Oct. 10 (NNN): Despite brave efforts by Indian tail lenders like Irafan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh âBhajiâ and Zaheer Khan, Australia crushed India by 217 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead


Masked Shiite gunmen stopped cars in western Baghdad Sunday and grabbed people off the streets, singling out the Sunni Arabs among them and killing at least 37, police said.


Outsourcing Provider Achievo Raises $24 Million

China-based Achievo has raised $24 million from private and institutional investors.


Iraq renews closure of al-Jazeera offices

The Iraqi interim governmentSaturday renewed closure of offices of the Arabic-languagesatellite television network Al-Jazeera over incitement toviolence.


'Housewives' Thriving with Truthful Portraits

ABC's white-hot "Desperate Housewives" has been deservedly praised as a worthy successor to "Sex and the City" for the way it presents a view of modern American womanhood through the prism of four different archetypes.


At the Winter X Games this year there will be a massive jump for a new event in skiing and snowboarding called big air, where new tricks are bound to be attempted.


After starring in two megasized Hollywood trilogies that have taken him from unknown to A-list ("Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Lord of the Rings") Orlando Bloom is walking away from movies — temporarily.


NASA launches Swift, to track gamma rays

WASHINGTON, Nov 20  - NASA launched Saturday its Swift satellite, which will track huge explosions of gamma rays, the US space agency said.


Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert said he doesn't think a gambling-related arrest when he was in college will affect his proposed purchase of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilbert was arrested in 1981 while a student at Michigan State, then fined, given probation, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service -- but he has no permanent criminal record since the charges ...


Handing over more greenfield land to housing will not curb rising prices, say campaigners.


Two candidates standing in Northern Ireland's elections say they have been sent bullets in the post.


Dopo il no all'emendamento Manzione, la Cdl abbandona l'aula e non partecipa al voto finaleFini: "Scalfaro, Montalcini e Colombo responsabili di alimentare il disprezzo per le istituzioni"                                          Senato, il ddl Mastella passa tra le polemiche Il Polo all'attacco: decisivi i senatori a vita                                                                                Berlusconi: "Sapevo che il governo si sarebbe salvato, ma non ha la maggioranza"Il Guardasigilli: "Riforma, di grande equilibrio". Bonfrisco (Fi) a D'Ambrosio: "Sei un assassino"


Virginia Tech Comeback May Be One for the Ages

ATLANTA - Its offense lifeless and defense confused, Virginia Tech looked nothing like a football team primed for its most significant road victory in more than two years.


January housing starts down 14.3 percent

The pace of U.S. home construction  fell 14.3 percent in January, the sharpest drop since October  that bucked two months of increases and that was much worse  than economists had expected, a government report on Friday  showed.


Shoppers headed to the nation's malls and stores to grab discounted coats, cashmere sweaters and other items on Sunday as merchants slashed prices even deeper in hopes of squeezing more sales out of what's winding up to be an unimpressive holiday season.


Abbas hits the campaign trail, criticizing Israeli barrier

Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel's West Bank separation barrier during campaign stops Wednesday at towns fenced in by the concrete slabs, urging Israel to remove the massive structure.


England skipper David Beckham has denied reports he will quit playing for his country after the 2006 World Cup. The 29-year-old Real Madrid star says he hopes to reach 100 international caps and has no plans to retire from international football yet.


Amazon.com Inc. is testing a new paid advertising program that will drive shoppers away from products on its own Web site.


Inside the search giant's quiet push in Washington to fight Internet censorship.


Damaged roads hinder Sri Lankan aid efforts

Death tolls in Sri Lanka and India continue to rise, with an estimated 11,000 dead in the island state, and 6,000 dead in India. Of those deaths, 3,000 are thought to have occurred in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.


Afghan beauty queen refused cat walk at India fashion week

Organizers of India's premier fashion week refused to let an Afghan beauty queen take part in a show inspired by her life as she did not have a work permit, a report said.


SOUTHAMPTON, England -- West Indies captain Brian Lara had to quit after being struck on the neck by a bouncer as his side beat Pakistan by seven wickets to reach the Champions Trophy final.


US Military Modernizes With Troop Realignment

Top US Defense officials say President Bush's plan to reposition American military power overseas is intended to put US forces in a better position to respond to potential conflicts and the threat posed by terrorism. To do that, tens of thousands of ...


City analysts were slashing their forecasts for profits at J Sainsbury yesterday after the struggling supermarket group admitted its first-half profits would be two thirds lower than last year's.


Ice cores drilled from deep beneath the floor of the Arctic Ocean show it was once warm enough for swimming.


At a midnight mass the Archbishop of Westminster says people are suffering as "billions" are spent on conflict.


Antidepressants not big risk for defects

Newborns face little risk of birth defects from antidepressants taken by many women early in pregnancy, say the reassuring findings of the two biggest studies of this controversial link.


Cricket: Follow-on shy Aussies lead India by 355 runs

BANGALORE, India : Hosts India braced themselves for a harrowing chase on a wearing wicket in the first Test after Australia declined to enforce the follow-on here.


No. 17 Marquette holds off South Florida

Lazar Hayward scored a career-high 23 points and No. 17 Marquette held off an upset bid by South Florida for an 62-54 victory Tuesday night. Wesley Matthews added 16 points for the Golden Eagles (15-4, 5-3 Big East), including three late 3-pointers that helped put the game away.


Super Micro pleads guilty to selling banned exports to Iran

California company Super Micro Computer pleaded guilty to violating an export ban by selling servers and other computer components to Iran.


U.S. investigates report of Iraqi civilians killed

The U.S. military said on Friday it was investigating whether civilians, including two children, were killed during a fierce gunbattle in Ramadi on Wednesday that ended with U.S. air strikes destroying several buildings.


"Touched By An Angel" Star Will Enchant Painter in Geffen 'A Picasso'

Playbill - Peter Michael Goetz and Roma Downey will headline the West Coast premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.


Florida Mops Up After Hurricane Frances, Counts Cost

Floridians began mopping up on Tuesday and counting the cost of Hurricane Frances' long and torturous path through the state and thousands of people joined long lines for ice, water and fuel.


AOL will keep delivering security patches for the current version of Netscape until Feb. 1, 2008, after which it will no longer provide active support for any version of the software.


How does a God-fearing Muslim finance a gas well? With sort of a sale-leaseback.


The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Purdue Pharma's Palladone (hydromorphone hydrochloride) for people requiring 24-hour pain relief for an extended period.


China confirms more Internet cafe closures

CHINA IS continuing its pogrom on the country's Internet cafes and officially confirmed that it has shut more than 1,600 Internet cafes since February.


Afghan authorities investigate the circumstances of a militant attack on US forces in which eight civilians died


About 800 older Americans will be asked to lend their brains to science this spring, part of a major government study to track early Alzheimer's disease.


Partha Bhattacharya founded Protego acquired by Cisco Systems

more than 13 years experience in networking, security, database, and system architecture and software development. At Cisco Systems, Partha was architect and technical lead for the Cisco Security Management


Six Norwegian diplomats are being expelled for "pampering" Eritrea and rebel groups, Ethiopia announces.


FAMILIES could face hefty fines if they rely on relatives' DIY skills when a new law is introduced this weekend.


More Bridget, same story Sequel to the 2001 hit covers the same ...

Bridget Jones has become, after only two novels and film adaptations, a cheery goofball for whom nothing remarkable happens. She is loved by friends, who orbit at all times.


Austin Kearns tied the game with a two-out double in the ninth inning, then hit a two-run homer in the 12th and the Cincinnati Reds dealt the Chicago Cubs a key loss, 4-3 Wednesday.


A chocolate a day keeps heart diseases at bay, say insurance ...

Call it the heights of irony but where you might have though that insurance agencies would urge their clients to keep away from fattening things like chocolates, they are actually writing letters to their clients to eat a chocolate a day after several


The bulk of the Elvis Presley estate has been sold to a US promoter for a cool $100 million (Â£52m). Robert Sillerman, founder of promoter SFX Entertainment, will take over Presley trademark rights, intellectual


The third volume of Christopher Paolini's million-selling "Inheritance" fantasy series, coming out this fall, will have a Harry Potter-like midnight opening.


For immigrants, the land of plenty can mean obesity

CHICAGO -- For an increasing number of immigrants, the United States is a land of plenty that is going straight to their gut. While obesity is relatively rare in the foreign-born, those who have lived for


Airline Workers See Little to Cheer as Crisis Widens and Cuts ...

These days, airplanes are filled with more passengers than ever, and with expectations for the busiest holiday season in four years, airline managers and their employees, by all rights


Kevin Costner has gone to the South Dakota Supreme Court in a legal shootout over a Deadwood casino he owns.


Tanguay.at: Installing PHP 5, Apache 2 & SQLite

PHP Magazine has a new posting today titled "How To: Install PHP 5, Apache 2 and SQLite on Windows". Obviously, it instructs you on the correct way to install these pieces of software correctly as well as how to interconnect them.


First Successful Malaria Vaccine Reported

An experimental vaccine can slash the risk that children will get malaria, apparently offering the first effective inoculation against the deadly disease, researchers report.


Former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins vies with Brian Harvey to sing to the UK's Eurovision entry.


Â· Police only told to stop bomb suspect, jury told Â· Killing 'a terrible tragedy regretted by whole force'


The battle to set the standard for next-generation digital recording media took another twist on Thursday with the announcement that Walt Disney would launch titles on the Blu-ray Disc format promoted by Sony and Matsushita.


Schwarzenegger signs global warming bill

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed into law a sweeping global warming initiative that imposes the nation's first cap on greenhouse gas emissions, saying the effort kicks off "a bold new era of environmental protection."


TORONTO (Sports Network) - Toronto Raptors All-Star  swingman Vince Carter was placed on the injured list Friday  after tests revealed a mild strain of his left Achilles'  tendon.


Apple offers compensation to customers who have already bought an iPhone after the firm cut $200 off the price.


An interceptor missile destroyed a mock warhead over the Pacific Ocean on Friday in a key test of the nation's missile defense system, officials said.


The world's largest underwater gas pipeline is expected to start deliveries to the UK's national grid.


Lo ha detto ministro Lanzillotta, verso 1,3 mld di risparmi


Riots by Aristide supporters erupt for second day in Haiti

Violence erupted again yesterday in Port-au-Prince, one day after three policemen were killed in a clash with protesters demanding the return of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.


Increasing the tension over government subsidies to Airbus and Boeing, yesterday's latest round of talks between the United States and the European Union ended in deadlock.


Israel ends 2-day Gaza raid after killing 12 Palestinians

Israeli troops have pulled out of Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, ending a two-day raid that claimed the lives of 12 Palestinians and wounded dozens.


UPDATE 2-Barrichello fires up the fans in Brazil

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello fired up his passionate home crowd on Friday with the fastest lap in practice for Sunday's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.


Millions mark Shi'ite ritual in Iraq after clashes

KERBALA, Iraq  - Iraqi forces imposed tight security on the city of Kerbala as 2.5 million pilgrims marked the climax of a major Shi'ite rite on Saturday, a day after gunmen attacked worshippers and police in other southern cities.


European Central Bank Shows Off HQ Design

A pair of slender, twisting towers designed by a team of Austrian architects will become the future "icon" of the European Central Bank.


Schilling hopes to rebound from Game 1 performance

Curt Schilling isn't going to let an injured ankle get in the way of a shot at redemption. Acquired this past offseason to help the Boston Red Sox finally get past the New York Yankees, the hard-throwing


The parents of twin girls separated at birth in Ecuador sue doctors who they say kidnapped one of the babies.


War and Liquor a Perilous Mix for U.S. Troops

Strictly forbidden by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan, alcohol is involved in a growing number of crimes committed by troops.


TCL Corp  began sending BlackBerry handsets to partner China Mobile  in 2007's fourth quarter, suggesting the launch of the popular email device in China is just around the corner.


France Telecom employees protest privatization plans

France Telecom employees protested government plans to privatize the group, with management characterizing the mobilization as modest and unions describing it as robust resistance.


Eating Red Meat Linked To Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk

If you like to eat red meat you may be at an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to a British study in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.


Colleges told to favour minority students

Universities were encouraged yesterday to give preference to students from minority backgrounds in a scheme that could see working-class and ethnic minority applicants