Using mobile logistics to streamline your business

(InfoWorld) - Field service automation is one of the most advanced areas for mobile applications development among enterprises, and at $280-million-per year laundry services provider Mac-Gray, IT managers say such a project has helped the company clean up both its operations and fuel growth. Tracing its roots back to 1927, when the publicly-held company became the nation's first certified distributor of Maytag brand washing machines, Mac-Gray currently provides laundry outsourcing services to an estimated 58,000 U.S. locations. Customers of its services -- which include apartment buildings, colleges, and other multi-tenant locations -- typically pay the company to provide and service all of their coin-operated laundry equipment under a lease relationship and then split the revenues generated via use of the machines with Mac-Gray. In 2003, as the company found itself looking to grow rapidly via the acquisition of smaller rivals and simultaneously hoping to better optimize its workforce of machine service technicians and money collectors, Mac-Gray leaders decided to replace the voice-based field force management system with a pair of data-driven mobile applications that also embraced geo-location. Four years later, having roughly tripled both the size of its workforce and its annual revenues while dramatically increasing productivity and lowering its consumption of fuel, company executives are heralding the applications -- developed using mobile platform software provided by Vettro -- as a resounding key to its recent success. "The impact of the applications we've built is fairly evident as it's helped us to triple in size since we rolled them out, and there's no question that they have also made us a more competitive company in a lot of ways," said Mike Lento, vice president of operations at Mac-Gray. "We wanted to become more efficient in terms of saving time and money while bringing onboard a lot of smaller companies, and adopting these mobile applications allowed us to do that quickly." Mac-Gray's workers had already been using their company-issued cell phones to communicate with dispatchers, receive assignments, and call in progress reports on their appointments for years. Through the creation of its new applications -- dubbed internally as TechLinx and CollectorLinx -- the company's service technicians and money collectors, respectively, now send and receive text messages about their status instead. In addition to cutting the workers loose from their dispatchers and saving the employees an average of one working hour per day previously spent doing business on the phone, the application is also used in geo-location tracking to maximize the routes workers drive and the assignments they receive to save fuel and mileage on the company's 500 vehicles. Over the course of the project, the system has helped cut fuel expenses and driven down the miles traveled each day by an average of 15 percent per vehicle, Lento said. The tools also channel other vital information back to Mac-Gray's central business operations, including the average time it takes for each transaction to occur and real-time inventory updates of all the parts being used by the company's techs. In that sense, the applications are helping the firm better account for all of its assets and plan for the future, he said. "We had a system that had workers spending a lot of time on the phone in the morning and evenings trying to communicate their progress back to the company, and it was very manual and inefficient," said Lento. "Now our workers act more independently and get more work done, and we use the environmental benefits of the mobile system as a marketing tool." Among the major benefits of using New York-based Vettro's 360 mobile software delivery platform, which helps companies map and create workflow for their applications and tailor programs to run on different types of devices, was that it allowed Mac-Gray's own IT workers to retain complete control over their back-end databases, which could be quickly integrated with the tools, according to the executive. The applications have also proven simple enough to work well on low-cost devices and for most workers to pick them up without extensive training, leading to further savings, said Lento. Industry watchers have observed that while traditional providers of enterprise applications have struggled to find the right mix of technologies to push mobility into many types of large businesses, customers like Mac-Gray who can embrace the tools to streamline logistics have been among the first to benefit from the systems. "Companies in businesses such as overnight shipping and with significant filed force populations have been among the first to truly embrace enterprise mobility, and they will likely continue to find ways to use it to promote real business improvements," said Maribel Lopez, analyst with Forrester Research. "In a lot of industries people still don't have the business case to defend the investment in handhelds and related technologies, but those companies who can apply these tools to logistics will continue to be among the leading adopters."


Bush poised to issue mixed Iraq progress report

President George W. Bush will issue a report as early as Thursday likely to show only limited progress by Iraq's government even as he scrambles to halt erosion of Republican support for an unpopular war.


The FSA is considering a crackdown on websites that compare insurance products, the BBC has learned.


Top UN envoy details lack of progress in Darfur crisis

UNITED NATIONS -- The top UN envoy to Sudan said yesterday that the Sudanese government has failed to improve security for the embattled people of Darfur or to bring to justice the perpetrators of atrocities during the 19-month conflict.


LA STORIA                                          L'ultimo colpo dei "furbetti"  che volevano scalare l'Italia                                                                                BillÃ¨, arresti domiciliari l'accusa Ã¨ di corruzione  di ALBERTO STATERA


White House press corps evacuated from work center

The press center across the street from the White House was briefly evacuated on Monday after a bomb-sniffing dog prompted a security check of an Israeli vehicle, U.S. officials said.


Baseball: Montreal bids faded Expos a difficult farewell

MONTREAL On a wall of the Pie-IX Metro station beneath Olympic Stadium is a blue, white and red sign advertising Expos Baseball, which is presented at the top of the escalator, usually before small audiences.


London's FTSE 100 fell on Friday, after stronger banks failed to offset weakness in the food and beverages sector.


A UN team will go to North Korea on Saturday to monitor the shutdown of a nuclear reactor, the IAEA says.


Report faults Virginia Tech response in shootings

Virginia Tech University officials should have been quicker to notify students and faculty about two killings on campus hours before the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history, according to a state report on Thursday.


Oracle CEO: Centralizing data took 5 years

Oracle's (Profile, Products, Articles) recently completed consolidation to a single, global system for enterprise data took five years, Oracle Chief Executive Officer Larry


Greenspan Backs Idea of Accounts for Retirement

But the Fed chairman expressed unease that the change could lead to trillions of dollars in additional government borrowing.


Chancellor Gordon Brown outlines his plans to increase aid to developing countries and eliminate debt owed by poorer nations


Crackdown closed 18,000 Internet cafes in China

A high-profile government crackdown on Internet cafes in China resulted in the temporary closure of 18,000 Internet cafes between February and August, but few cafes were closed permanently, according to the official Xinhua news agency.


Helsinki, 17:33 - NUOTO, EUROPEI VASCA CORTA: BOSSINI BRONZO NEI 200 RANA

Paolo Bossini ha vinto la medaglia di bronzo nei 200 rana agli Europei in vasca corta di Helsinki. L...


A legal titan throws his hat in the governor's ring

Entrance of Eliot Spitzer, New York's populist AG, may help Democrats reclaim seat and will keep state in spotlight. By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.


G. Gordon Strong, 92, Executive for Two Chains of Newspapers, Dies

G. Gordon Strong was a former president and chairman of two newspaper chains and then publisher of The Oakland Tribune.


Back in 2001, that's how Warner Bros. sold its all-star update of the 1960 Rat Pack Vegas caper "Ocean's Eleven.".


Roma, 16:34 - CALCIO, LAZIO: DUBBIO BEHRAMI, DEL NERO PRONTO A SOSTITUIRLO

Allenamento mattutino per la Lazio in procinto di partire per Empoli. Qualche apprensione per Behram...


Pm ha chiesto archiviazione. Gup decidera' entro 5 giorni


Iconic French hair designer dies aged 85: family

The man who created 'haute coiffure', elevating hairdressing among the elite of the fashion world, has died aged 85, his family announced Saturday in Le Figaro's society pages.


Pulitzer-winning US author Cormac McCarthy wins the UK's oldest literary award, the James Tait Black Prize.


Relief teams in Lebanon hope many of the heavily damaged buildings can be salvaged and are requesting the United Nations send more supplies for temporary repairs and to restore electricity and water services, officials said Monday.


US President George W. Bush and Australia's John Howard vowed Wednesday to stand firm on Iraq in a strong defence of their strategy to contain violence in the war-torn country.


This month's Golden Globe Awards are in jeopardy after actors joined striking writers in boycotting the ceremony.


Torino, 17:22 - CALCIO, JUVENTUS: TREZEGUET E CAMORANESI IN FORTE DUBBIO

Doppio forte dubbio nella Juventus che domenica in posticipo affronterà il Piacenza. Hanno la...


CCID Consulting Analyzes the Wonderful Battle Between Intel and AMD

BEIJING, June 25 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CCID Consulting Co., Ltd, via its Industry Research Center, recently released its views on the ongoing battle between AMD and Intel.


The realism of the animatronic dinosaur is hard to believe, and when it becomes available, it is going to set the toy industry on its ear.


Nine out of 10 women over 70 have never asked for a breast scan although they are entitled to, a survey finds.


Sperm Stem Cells Grown in Laboratory Correct Infertility in Mice

Scientists have transplanted into infertile mice sperm stem cells grown in a laboratory, thus allowing the mice to reproduce -- an approach that one day might be used to cure infertility in men -- according to a study published in the November issue of


The company may be ready for EU CO2 emissions-cap regulations, but says its customers prefer upscale models with bigger engines. Those V-8s will be a challenge to cap. In Autopia.


Music Review| New York City Opera: What a Cold Little Hand, but What Warm Tones

The success of the companyâs performance of âLa BohÃ¨meâ on Sunday ultimately rested on a notable cast.


Beijing - Visitors to the Zhengzhou Zoo in central China's Henan province who don't enjoy passive smoking - let alone being spat on - had better avoid the monkey cage.


Freedom on the March in Iraq, Bush Tells Voters

BLAINE, Minn.  - President Bush said on Thursday  freedom was on the march in Iraq even as a U.S. intelligence  report depicted a bleak outlook for the country.


'Gloria' Singer Laura Branigan Dies From Brain Aneurysm

Her manager, John Bowers, told The Associated Press that Branigan died at home in East Quogue, New York, in her sleep. She apparently had been complaining to her family of headaches for weeks but had not seen a doctor.


Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) may change the way it recognizes royalties from its licensees, which would reduce fourth-quarter pre-tax income by $298 million, the company said on Friday.


Square Feet | Spotlight: Outlet Shopping, the European Way

The designer outlet concept, long popular in the United States, has swept through Europe over the last several years.


Peyton edges Eli in Manning brothers showdown

Peyton Manning won family bragging  rights over younger brother Eli by guiding the Indianapolis  Colts to a dramatic 26-21 win over the New York Giants on  Sunday.


Music weekly NME may have failed in  its campaign to make the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" a  No. 1 single 30 years after it first missed the target, but EMI  still regards its accompanying vinyl reissue program as a  success.


Are audiences ready for the steady stream of movies and documentaries that bring a faraway war very close?


Republican Fred Thompson withdraws from the US presidential race, after poor results in early ballots.


Canadian province to extend film tax incentives

British Columbia  said on Friday it plans to extend its tax incentives for film  makers, which have lured movie production work from the United  States and angered Hollywood unions.


We don't have to wait another month to know that ``blog'' is the word of the year. So says Springfield-based Merriam-Webster, which tallied queries to its online dictionary.


Germany Posts Month 21 of Declining Jobless Rate

Germany surprised experts again with a larger-than-expected decrease in the number of unemployed.


Jewish leader calls on settlers to resist Gaza withdrawal

JERUSALEM: A Jewish settler leader urged followers on Monday to resist the evacuation of settlements in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, signalling a shift toward revolt after settlers lost hope of stopping the pullback by political means.


Race against time in UK prostitute murder hunt

British police were racing against time  on Wednesday to find the killer of five women, all thought to  be prostitutes, before another person dies.


Proclaiming it a great day in Washington, Mayor Tony Williams confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Major League Baseball is returning to Washington.


Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said yesterday that the insurgency in Iraq is getting worse and that the US occupation there has increased anti-American sentiment in Muslim countries, but


India seize control of the third Test after bowling out Australia for 212 and reaching 52-1, for a lead of 170.


LEOBEN, Austria A man whose apparent attempt to kill himself using a cobra was thwarted by Austrian police is in critical condition.


Thieving horseman leaves China-bound Briton bikeless in Mongolia

A man cycling all the way to China appealed for a new set of wheels after his custom-made bicycle was nicked in Mongolia over the weekend by a thief on horseback.


Rain watched out play Friday in the Forest Hills Clay Court Classic, forcing tournament officials to move the semifinals to Saturday morning.


Kerry Blasts Lapse of Assault Weapons Ban

John Kerry is criticizing President Bush for letting a decade-long ban on assault weapons expire while unveiling his own $5 billion plan to fight crime.


FRANCE:  Sarkozy's Honeymoon May Have Ended

PARIS, Oct 17 (IPS) - Five months after taking office as president,  Nicolas Sarkozy has run into a crisis over labour issues. Railway  workers and staff at electricity companies, among others, plan to  strike Oct. 18.


By Pete GrathoffThe daytime highs sometimes struggle to reach the teens in Missouri, and more than 2 feet of snow has hit parts of Kansas. What's a hunter to do? Throw an extra log on the fire, grab another blanket and dream of the chase once spring comes.


Al-Qaida trying to upset Afghan elections, general says

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Al-Qaida is present along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan and is encouraging Afghan insurgents to disrupt upcoming presidential elections, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Lt.


It was just seven months ago that longtime Paramount Motion Picture Group Chairwoman Sherry Lansing, flanked by Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey, Denzel Washington and a dazzling array of other


Microsoft releases final test version of Vista

Microsoft Corp.  released on  Friday the final test version of its upcoming Windows operating  system and said the launch for the highly-anticipated upgrade  is running on schedule.


Arsenic levels have risen to alarming levels in many districts of the Indian state of Bihar, officials say.


Pistons win 5th straight over rival Cavs

Chauncey Billups scored 18 points, Chris Webber and Rasheed Wallace had 15 apiece and the Detroit Pistons reminded Cleveland who's the boss in the NBA Central with a 90-78 win over the Cavaliers on Sunday.


Now that the New York Yankees have offered Joe Girardi their managerial job, it's clear they've put the Joe Torre era behind them.


A suicide bomber killed at least 21  people and injured 27 outside an Iraqi army recruitment center  in Baghdad on Tuesday in the deadliest insurgent attack since  last month's historic election, the U.S. army said.


Group Tracks U.S. Companies That Send Jobs Offshore

A union group on Thursday unveiled a  Web site that lets users identify more than 200,000 U.S.-based  companies it says have exported American jobs or lost them  because they were hurt by foreign trade.


Controversial "Death of a President" film debuts

After you kill off President George W.   Bush in a fictional film, what do you do? How about make a   deal.


When the turnover count hit 20, the Boston Celtics were in trouble. Now, the team that had been routing the NBA has lost two out of three.


Report: Evidence suggests HP spied on Dell

Blog: Hewlett-Packard allegedly obtained 'confidential' material related to Dell's printing business, according to Fortune magazine, citing unnamed former HP employees.


Cash America Places $253M Bet on Territory Swap

FORT WORTH-In a dual-pronged move, Cash America International Inc. has exited the European market after a 12-year run and has dibs on buying a competitor to get a foothold in the Western US.


U.S. business productivity grew at a  1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, higher than  first estimated, the government said on Wednesday in a report  that also showed worker compensation up much more this year  than initially thought.


Accertamenti anche sulla serrata e i self service


'Lot of work' to do on food-supply safety, Bush says

President Bush expressed no alarm yesterday about a warning from his outgoing top health official that the US food supply is vulnerable to terror attacks but would not deny the assessment and assert that the nation's food is safe.


European approval has been given for the first HIV medication which involves taking just one pill a day.


New VMware Fusion Beta Adds DirectX 9 Support

Fusion 1.1 beta introduces new "experimental" support for DirectX 9.0 3D graphics. This enables the software to run more Windows 3D applications and games.


Cell phone giants start courting coders.

Also: High security built right into $100 laptop's OS. Read these stories and more from around the Web at News.com Extra.


Merger Would End Satellite Radioâs Costly Rivalry

The planned merger of the nationâs two largest satellite radio services, XM and Sirius, raises questions about antitrust issues.


When its television screens go blank on Saturday, the Nickelodeon cable network is advising its viewers not to fiddle with the buttons — but to go outside and play.


Belarus says it will back Russia if the US overrides Moscow's objections to building new missile bases in Europe.


A battle erupts in North Ossetia as Russian troops storm a school where hundreds of children had been taken hostage.


TV * Bonolis e Clerici sul palco dellâAriston

Il direttore artistico del Festival invita Celentano e Fiorello ad esibirsi a Sanremo. Antonella farÃ  da "valletta". Celentano esce sbattendo la porta di Viale Mazzini ma forse rientra dalla finestra del teatro Ariston.


Yesterday, Mozilla launched version 1.0 of its Thunderbird e-mail client for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X in the hopes of winning over converts much like its browser cousin Firefox is doing in the browser space.


Blizzard dates World Of Warcraft in US and Down Under

Blizzard has finally confirmed a launch date for its long-awaited massively multiplayer title World Of Warcraft, with North America, Australia and New Zealand all getting the game on November 23rd.


Putin proposes greater powers for Kremlin to fight terrorism

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a number of anti-terrorism initiatives that would ultimately give the Kremlin greater power over everyday life.


The most geographically diversified casino operator posts strong fourth-quarter growth.


Love-All, Clijsters to Marry Hewitt in February

Belgium's Kim Clijsters and Australian  Lleyton Hewitt, the golden couple of tennis, will marry next  February in Australia.


Milano, 11:46 - CALCIO, MILAN FESTEGGIA 18/O COMPLEANNO PATO

Alexandre Pato è da oggi maggiorenne: il nuovo fenomeno del calcio brasiliano, acquistato dal...


FTC sets deadline for filing SkyBiz.com claims

Consumers harmed by a pyramid-scheme scam at SkyBiz.com have until the end of March to file claims through a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the agency announced.


Chinese Head for Pakistan to Investigate Kidnap Case

A Chinese government team leaves for  Pakistan on Friday to investigate the kidnap and ill-fated  rescue of two Chinese engineers.


News Analysis: For Conrad Black, a Downfall Shaped by Many Battles

Opportunism and indignation helped power Conrad M. Blackâs rise to the heights of media life.


Men drive blazing jeep into Glasgow airport in new attack

Two men in a burning jeep smashed into the main terminal building at Scotland's Glasgow Airport on Saturday in an attack carried out a day after a double car bombing was foiled in London.


Rescuers battled to reach survivors in stranded villages, restore basic services and prevent the outbreak of deadly diseases across South Asia on Tuesday in


Oil and gas company Anadarko Petroleum Corp. said Monday that it is selling its Southeast Colorado producing properties to an affiliate of Citation Oil & Gas Corp.


To get back to what MSN's new search means, start by thinking of ad dollars. As Foolish paid-search fan Rick Munarriz has pointed out many times, this is a big business, with plenty of room to grow.


HP and DIRECTV Extend IT Outsourcing Contract for Seven Years, $500 Million

HP (NYSE:HPQ) (Nasdaq:HPQ) and DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE:DTV) today announced a seven-year extension of their 12-year relationship with a new information technology outsourcing contract valued at approximately $500 million.


Xandros Linux conquers a hostile Sony laptop

A little something for everyone OS Review I have an impressive talent for buying laptop computers hostile to Linux. Right now I'm using a Sony Vaio VGN-FS840/W, with more proprietary drivers than you can shake a stick at. It's so bad that even a retail edition of Windows XP won't run on it; you need the OEM Windows (and sure enough, Sony is too cheap to include the CD), or you need to go to the Sony support site, download all of the drivers, and make your own supplement CD.â¦


The US anti-doping agency banned the sprinter Jerome Young for life yesterday after the world 400-metre champion's second positive test for an illegal steroid.


Canadian divers make a splash in Olympic pool, China adds to medal total

ATHENS (CP) - Canada is on the board at the Olympics, thanks to a bronze medal Monday from synchronized divers Emilie Heymans and Blythe Hartley. Heymans, from St-Lambert, Que., and Hartley, from North Vancouver, will both go after more medals in their individual diving events later in the Games.


Se Pd da solo ci sara' una novita':forza unitaria a sinistra


20 Said Killed in U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. warplanes unleashed devastating airstrikes on an suspected hideout where operatives from an al-Qaida-linked group were meeting Monday, and hospital officials said 20 people died...


Dow Jones board member moves to block News Corp: WSJ

A Dow Jones board member who is also  part of the family that controls the company has launched a  last-ditch effort to block a takeover by Rupert Murdoch's News  Corp., the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.


UPDATE 3-Delta to cut up to 7,000 jobs, close Dallas hub

Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it would cut 6,000 to 7,000 jobs, or about 10 percent of its work force, over the next 18


China's "Still Life" surprise winner in Venice

"Still Life," a Chinese film about   ordinary people set against the giant Three Gorges Dam project,   was the surprise winner of the Venice Film Festival's coveted   Golden Lion award on Saturday.


Torino, 19:40 - CALCIO, COBOLLI GIGLI: ROSSI? IN FIGC HA FATTO BENE

Guido Rossi presidente Telecom e commissario straordinario della Figc? Giovanni Cobolli Gigli non ci...


Justin Morneau drove in three runs and   Joe Mauer scored three times to help the Minnesota Twins thump   Detroit 9-5 and keep the heat on them in the AL central title   battle on Friday.


Sam Buntrock, a 32-year-old British director, is making his Broadway debut with the revival of the musical âSunday in the Park With George.â


Edgar Renteria homered and doubled home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.


US in talks with Iraq over Turkish Kurdish rebels: ambassador

The United States has started talks with the new Baghdad government on &quot;effective action&quot; against Turkish Kurdish rebels holed up in northern Iraq, the US ambassador said.


AMSTERDAM/FRANKFURT  - The world's oldest consumer   electronics show opens its doors in Berlin on Thursday to   showcase an industry bursting with confidence as demand surges   for flat TVs, MP3 players, set top boxes and phones.


Network for Blacks Broadens Its Schedule

Black Entertainment Television is introducing 16 shows through 2008, the biggest lineup of debuts in its 27-year history.


NY Mayor Bloomberg becomes an independent

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, often mentioned as a possible third-party 2008 presidential candidate, said on Tuesday he was changing his political status to independent from Republican.


Israeli killed in Palestinian rocket attack

A Hamas rocket attack from Gaza killed a man in Israel on Sunday and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged unlimited military action against the militant group, saying "no one involved in terror" would be immune.


Police killed in rigging row on eve of Kenya poll

Mobs in Kenya's opposition heartland beat up and killed at least three policemen accused of taking part in a plan to rig Thursday's elections in favor of President Mwai Kibaki, security sources said on Wednesday.


Microsoft expands program on source code

Microsoft Corp. is expanding a program to give government organizations access to some of its tightly guarded software blueprints amid growing competition from rivals who make such source code freely available.


House price growth rebounded in June, according to the Nationwide, with prices rising by 1.1% in the month.


U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom  Ridge, who headed President Bush's efforts to build up domestic  security after the Sept. 11 attacks, resigned on Tuesday.


Presentato il rapporto sulla formazione scolastica 1991-2001Il 30% degli italiani si Ã¨ fermato alle scuole dell'obbligo                                          L'Istat: "Siamo piÃ¹ istruiti" Un laureato su due Ã¨ donna


Cisco to Sell Faster Switch for Flood of Remote Data

Cisco Systems plans to introduce a network switch that will increase traffic capacity to 15 trillion bits of data a second.


Bush and Kerry tussle over Iraq and economy in second critical ...

WASHINGTON -- A feisty President George W. Bush came out swinging in a critical second debate Friday, aggressively branding John Kerry both naive and dangerous in the war on terror as Kerry countered that his opponent was running a campaign of "mass


Bobby Madritsch pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning to beat Jarrod Washburn, and the Seattle Mariners hung on to defeat the Anaheim Angels 3-2 Tuesday night.


UN head: US should be at climate meeting

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he will ask President Bush on Tuesday to have a top U.S. official attend a high-level U.N. meeting on climate change in September because "American participation is crucially important."


The DUP's executive backs Ian Paisley as he enters the final stages of talks aimed at restoring NI devolution.


Telecom Italia to Buy Up Mobile Phone Unit

The board of Telecom Italia SPA on Tuesday approved a plan to buy up the rest of what it doesn't own of lucrative mobile phone unit Telecom Italia Mobile SpA.


/ARTS WEEKLY/FILM-PALESTINE:  Occupation Comes Home

ROME, Sep 11 (IPS) - The open-air cinema at Piazza Vittorio is full, but   people are still walking in as Saverio Costanzo explains his   film 'Private' to the audience.


On a storm-tossed night at Old Trafford, lightning in the form of Mikael Silvestre struck twice for a reinvigorated Manchester United.


No evidence against Indian doctor: Australian media

Australian police have no evidence against an Indian doctor held for 11 days without charge over failed car bomb attacks in Britain, but say he has had "significant contact" with the suspects, said local media.


Roma, 20:48 - CALCIO, SCALONI: HO FIRMATO CON LA LAZIO

L'argentino Lionel Sebastien Scaloni, 29 anni, ex Deportivo la Coruna, ha annunciato di aver firmato...


Bank of America in talks to buy Countrywide: sources

Bank of America Corp , the second-largest U.S. bank, is in advanced talks to buy Countrywide Financial Corp , the largest U.S. mortgage lender, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.


Mamet's New 'Romance' Gets Extended Before It Even Begins

Playbill - Performances for the world premiere of David Mamet's Romance have yet to begin, but Atlantic Theater Company has announced an extension for the comedy.


Iraq conference seeks to bridge divisions on future

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt : An international conference on the future of Iraq opened for two days of talks that will bring the United States to the same table as some of its fiercest anti-war critics.


Actress Liv Tyler, 27,  has given birth to a son, making rocker Steven Tyler a grandfather. Tyler and her husband Royston Langdon from the band Spacehog got married in March of 2003.  They haven't announced a name for their son yet. The baby weighed ab...


Clinton thanks Blair for preserving ties

Bill Clinton thanked Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday for upholding the alliance between Britain and the United States "through quite a lot of storm."


Bulls 106, Knicks 95: Knicks Fall to Bulls, Losing Frye in Process

The Knicks, ending a grueling first month of the season, were at their worst, best and worst again as they lost to the Chicago Bulls in front of a sellout home crowd.


SAN RAMON, Calif. -- Chevron Corp.'s fourth-quarter profit dropped by nine percent, but the oil company still made enough to post its third consecutive year of record earnings.


Demolished Buildings Being Recycled in Pa.

Twenty-five hundred tons of concrete, 350 tons of steel and nine tons of aluminum window frames will be left after a seven-story downtown building is taken down. But instead of ending in the scrap heap, the concrete will be ground up and used to fill the site, steel will be melted to create rebar and the aluminum will be reused in cans and other products.


With Kevin Garnett still out with an abdominal strain, Boston's Rajon Rondo has 14 points and a season-high 12 rebounds as the Celtics top Dallas, 96-90, on Thursday.


Former Mayor Bill Campbell was indicted on charges of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud following a five-year federal investigation into City Hall corruption, officials announced Monday.


After ten years, Yahoo Chief Technology Officer Farzad Nazem is calling it quits.


Dan Ellis stops 20 shots for his first career shutout, helping Nashville snap a six-game losing streak and beat the Atlanta Thrashers, 3-0.


After playing in hail, fog and chill, top-ranked Southern California finishes its season in familiar comfort. The Trojans (9-0, 6-0 Pacific-10) have two games at home — against Arizona on Saturday and Notre Dame on Nov. 27 — before their rivalry game at UCLA.


Oggi l'incontro tra il governo e le organizzazioni musulmaneChiesta l'adesione ai principi di pace, libertÃ  individuale e paritÃ                                             Amato presenta la Carta dei valori primo test per la Consulta islamica                                                                                Il gruppo piÃ¹ radicale minaccia di non firmare: "Ã un atto discriminatorio"di MARCO POLITI


Landmark projects set to reshape the image of Hungary in the medium term will gain new momentum by the end of this year, executives involved in the projects said last week.


L'uomo mascherato colpiva solo gli agricoltoriÃ¨ stato preso ieri sera dopo un furto andato male                                            Rapinatore-ninja con arco e frecce un russo arrestato  vicino a Rovigo                                                                                Un carabiniere: "Ne ho viste tante, ma questa mi mancava"


Prosecutors seek 7 years jail for Timor ex-minister

East Timor's prosecutors sought a seven-year jail sentence for a former interior minister on Thursday for allegedly giving weapons to civilians led by an army rebel during a wave of violence last year.


Stocks End Lower After Coca-Cola Warning

U.S. stocks declined on Wednesday  after a profit warning from Coca-Cola Co. KO.N renewed worry  about corporate profits and a downgrade of the technology  sector by Goldman Sachs weighed on markets.


U.K. police see progress in murder cases

Police investigating the murders of five prostitutes in a town in eastern England said Saturday they have no formal suspects but are focusing on 50 to 100 people they want to question.


JERUSALEM Aug. 28, 2004 - Israeli officials on Saturday denied allegations that Israel spied on the United States to get information about Iran, despite deep concerns about Tehran's nuclear program.


News: DirecTV hacker sentenced to seven years

A Canadian man arrested in the U.S. was allegedly responsible for putting 68,000 hacked smart cards on the street.


ACC Unveils New Football Division Names, Logo

Conference expansion means many things: new schools, new rivalries, new divisions and, as it turns out, a new logo. The ACC -- which this year added Miami and Virginia Tech, and next year welcomes Boston College


Funding Rift Expected as EU Ministers Tackle Border Security

The urgent need to reinforce border controls to prevent thousands of illegal immigrants from entering the European Union will be at the top of the agenda when EU justice and interior ministers meet in Brussels on Tuesday. The ministers are expected to agree on measures to strengthen border controls in a bid to reduce the number of illegal entries to the bloc each year, but the question of funding will be paramount to any decisions taken.


Premier israeliano rigetta critiche, ora situazione migliore


Paul Stastny can think of a couple of reasons why he won't be calling his dad to gloat about breaking one of his records. First, the rookie forward is more concerned about lifting the Colorado Avalanche back into playoff contention. No. 2, Stastny figured his father, Peter, would be sleeping by the time he had time to call after Colorado's 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.


Esce da inchiesta Trani anche ex presidente Consob Spaventa


US Forces, Insurgents Clash In Northern Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- US and Iraqi forces clashed with insurgents in northern Iraq after launching an operation to destroy an alleged militant cell.


Motorola and Apple for iTunes friendly phones

As mobile phones start competing with iPod by incorporating music players in their functionalities, Apple is not staying behind. Rumors are floating that Apple wants to enable iTunes music shopping on mobile phones shipped by Motorola.


Sanyo makes UK 3G debut with Orange tie-in

S750 slider phone boasts 320 x 240 LCD, 1.3Mp digicam


'Fahrenheit,' 'Passion' Win People's Choice Awards

PASADENA, Calif.  - Two hit films that have been  snubbed this awards season in Hollywood snared top People's  Choice honors on Sunday as anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit  9/11" was named best film and "The Passion of The Christ" best  film drama.


Story in full THE Red Cross today condemned the "utter contempt for humanity" shown by both sides in the war in Iraq. In a departure from protocol, the International Committee of the Red Cross urged all warring


Stocks open lower, Wal-Mart sales disappoint

U.S. stocks edged lower on Monday after Wal-Mart Stores , the world's largest retailer, said September same-store sales came in at the low end of a forecast.


U.S. oil prices climbed above $43 on  Monday as energy companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico  braced for possible widespread output disruptions from a  powerful hurricane and Iraq saw some of the bloodiest violence  in weeks.


Uccisi 6 terroristi,2 donne,1 bimbo. 3/o incidente dal 28/11


SystemsNet eyes Getronics takeover: paper

U.S. information technology company  SystemsNet is interested in buying struggling Dutch computer  services firm Getronics NV , daily De Telegraaf  reported on Thursday.


Sony has released version 1.3 of its firmware for the PlayStation 3 game console, which gives preference to 1080i high-definition output. The device initially outputted in only 720p and 1080p HD, which meant older televisions with support only for 1080i were stuck displaying standard definition 480p.


The cholesterol drug Vytorin is now getting attention that is anything but funny.


Inchiesta ad Ascoli Piceno, sono tutti indiani


O.J. Simpson tops Clinton on best-sellers list

"If I Did It," O.J. Simpson's hypothetical account of his ex-wife's slaying, has hit No. 2 on the New York Times best-sellers list for non-fiction, topping former U.S. President Bill Clinton's book "Giving."


Palermo, 14:02 - CALCIO, PALERMO-INTER: AGGREDISCE STEWARD, ARRESTATO

Un 38enne pregiudicato di Palermo, Simone Abbate, è stato arrestato dai Carabinieri con l'acc...


EarthLink pays $5 million to delay Houston Wi-Fi buildout

EarthLink will pay the city of Houston $5 million as a penalty for not meeting a deadline to sign a contract with the power utility that will provide the poles to install its Wi-Fi gear.


France reserves right to veto Turkey's entry into EU, says Chirac

France reserves the right to veto Turkey's entry into the European Union at any moment, President Jacques Chirac told state television France 2 Sunday in an interview conducted


âWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Storyâ has a good beat and you can dance to it, though mostly youâll probably just tap your foot.


Police say a trio being hunted after a 10-year-old was killed crossing the road may be bogus workmen.


First Malaysian astronaut "living in a dream"

Malaysia's first astronaut  said on Tuesday his view of Earth from the International Space  Station had been "a magical and spiritual experience."


Radcliffe finds the old character for her next book

When Paula Radcliffe's autobiography My Story So Far hits the bookshelves next week it will already be out of date, because it will not include the tale of her dramatic victory in the New York City Marathon here yesterday.


HIV carriers in China may have a chance to become civil servants under a new health standard for recruitment. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Health are now seeking


Sport: Chelsea finally complete signing of Bolton striker after clubs agree on a fee


Bush, Hu Discuss Chinese Currency Policy

President Bush spoke to Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday about what the White House called Beijing's commitment to steadily move to a flexible exchange rate.


Lo ha affermato un inviato della tv Al Jazira in Afghanistan


At Wimbledon, it's Rafael Nadal's turn to try and make some history. Only two weeks after beating top-ranked Roger Federer in a second straight French Open final, the Spaniard will get another chance to win a Grand Slam title away from Roland Garros when Wimbledon begins today.


E' morta anche la speranza: identificate le sorelle Rinaudo

L'istituto di medicina legale di Tel Aviv, grazie ai campioni di Dna arrivati dall'Italia, ha oggi confermato ciÃ² che tutti gli italiani temevano, le sorelle Rinaudo sono rimaste uccise nel devastante attentato che nella tarda serata di giovedÃ¬ scorso


Selig Mum About Attending Bonds's Milestone

Commissioner Bud SeligÃÂ maintains he is undecided as to whether to attend the game when Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.


US Welcomes Georgian Withdrawal From South Ossetian Region

Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Georgia's withdrawal of its soldiers after an advance into the breakaway region of South Ossetia sends the ``right signal'' toward ending their standoff peacefully, the US State Department said.


A major Japanese trading company is investing in Isuzu Motors Ltd., a truckmaker allied with General Motors Corp. of the United States, to strengthen a partnership in Thailand.


New law means it's time to change the way you think about 401(k)s

The 401(k) is being transformed. The pension bill that President Bush signed into law makes 401(k)s friendlier to workers and encourages employers to help savings-challenged Americans build their nest eggs for retirement.


OPEC responded to recent high oil prices yesterday by raising its output quotas by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, effective from 1 November, a move analysts said was largely cosmetic in light of its current overproduction.


"Turtles can fly" about Iraqi children wins Spanish film festival

A film about Iraqi children victims of war "Turtles can fly" directed by Iranian Bahman Ghobadi won the Concha de Oro (Golden Shell) at the prestigious San Sebastian film festival.


Marbury Powers US Over Spain; Coaches Square Off

Officials had to separate the US and Spanish coaches when an argument erupted at the end of the game as the United States beat Spain 102-94 in the Olympic men's basketball quarter-finals Thursday.


E' accaduto a un sessantottenne del bresciano: l'uomo credevadi avere avuto un semplice malore e cosÃ¬ ha raggiunto l'ospedale                                          Pensionato colpito da infarto percorre 5 chilometri a piedi


Even when Georgetown is a huge favorite, the Hoyas always have their hands full with Syracuse.


Eriksson stands resolute against media pressure

The England manager Sven-goran Eriksson has refused to bow to public pressure to drop David James or David Beckham. Speaking at a press conference ahead of tomorrow's qualifier against Poland, the Swede insisted


The authorities in Brasov, central Romania, declare a rabies alert after an infected bear kills a man and injures others.


Situazione sotto controllo nella zona colpita


Ukraine Commission to Meet, Yanukovich Out

Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma  accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich on  Wednesday, but the country remains in political limbo during a  drawn-out transition after last month's election.


Chiti: il Quirinale vuole l'accordo, ma il Cavaliere Ã¨ contrario: "Un pessimo inizio di dialogo"An possibilista. GiovedÃ¬ Palazzo Chigi deciderÃ  sull'accorpamento politiche-amministrative                                          "Senza intesa salta l'election day" no di Fi, governo verso la rinuncia                                                                                di ALBERTO CUSTODERO


Bush, Kerry Sparring Over Troops in Iraq

With far more than military hearts and minds at stake, the presidential contenders are clashing over who best stands for US soldiers -- President Bush accusing his opponent of "denigrating" them, Sen.


World-Van Basten takes positive approach to Czech test

Less than three months on from their Euro 2004 defeat by the Czech Republic, the Netherlands begin their World Cup campaign against the same opponents on Wednesday with a new-look side.


Lowe, Miller team up, lead Lincoln-Sudbury

LOWELL -- Derek Lowe and Matt Miller performed a masterful, rotating duet on the mound for Lincoln-Sudbury, leading the Warriors to a 3-1 win over Peabody yesterday in the Division 1 North final at LeLacheur Park.


UN: Sudan has failed to rein in Janjaweed

New York - Sudan's government has not stopped attacks on "terrorised and traumatised" civilians in the Darfur region, United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan has said.


Maria Shriver believes there should be an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow her husband, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, to run for president — but she has her doubts that it will be enacted.


Darfur rebels split over secular state demands

Darfur's main rebel group insisted on Sunday religion and state should be separated in Sudan, a demand rejected by Khartoum and which has divided the two rebel groups at peace talks in Nigeria.


PITTSBURGH -- Corey Chandler and Mike Coburn led Rutgers' decisive second-half run and the Scarlet Knights pulled off their second consecutive upset of a Top 25 team by stunning No. 13 Pittsburgh 77-64 on Saturday night.


Four decades after it was abandoned, King Island holds an almost mystical pull for former inhabitants and their descendants, its crumbling homes still perched on stilts, clinging to the steep, rocky terrain.


Leaders Chelsea maintained their five-point lead over champions Arsenal at the top of the Premiership by twice pulling level at Highbury to rescue a 2-2 draw.


Barghouthi Drops Out of Palestinian Election

Jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi has pulled out of a Jan. 9 presidential election to succeed Yasser Arafat, a close aide said on Sunday.


Alle 18.15, alle 19 incontro al Quirinale Prodi-Napolitano


The NFL's drug-testing program is inadequate, warned a doping expert who examined medical records that linked several former Carolina Panthers players to steroids and human growth hormone.


Arcane Market Is Next to Face Big Credit Test

The market for credit insurance will be put to the test as a looming economic downturn strains companiesâ finances.


Leaders: N. Ireland Talks End in Failure

LEEDS CASTLE, England Sept. 18, 2004 - A high-stakes effort to revive a Catholic-Protestant government for Northern Ireland has ended in failure, but hope remains of an eventual breakthrough, the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland said Saturday.


Relazione Apicella ad apertura anno giudiziario


Dubai, 21:58 - CALCIO, INTER; MANCINI: SARA' VITTORIA SIENA QUELLA CHE CONTERA'

Nonostante il ko con l'Internacional di Porto Alegre, Roberto Mancini trae comunque aspetti positivi...


By James Lyons, John Deane and John-Paul Ford Rojas, PA News. Prime Minister Tony Blair was being treated in hospital for a recurring heart condition today.


Calif. prisons trying to reduce suicides

Every 30 minutes, day and night, guards walk the tiers of the isolation unit at California State Prison, Sacramento, checking inmates to make sure they don't kill themselves.


Egypt police detain dozens of Islamists before vote

Egyptian police detained dozens of members of the Muslim Brotherhood on Wednesday, expanding a crackdown on the country's strongest opposition group ahead of local elections in April.


La Reggina in dieci ferma la Juve Prima sconfitta per la capolista

REGGIO CALABRIA, 6 NOVEMBRE 2004 - Alla Juve il Sud nuoce: quattro gol presi, tutti dalle squadre meridionali (Palermo, Messina e Reggina). E domenica ci sara' da andare sul campo del Lecce di Zeman... Dove non pote' il Bayern, pote' la Reggina.


Rasheed Wallace has 23 points and 15 rebounds as Detroit snaps a two-game skid to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 90-80, on Thursday.


Advertising: Little Love Among Matchmakers

The online dating service Chemistry.com plans to unleash a new advertising campaign that seeks to depict its competitor, eHarmony.com, as out of touch with mainstream American values.


The commander of US forces in Iraq says violence has decreased, but the country still faces many problems.


Charlton manager Alan Curbishley believes Dennis Rommedahl's sparkling winner will provide the platform for the Dane to recapture the form that made him one of Europe's most feared wingers.


Microsoft to buy mobile software company Danger

Microsoft announced plans to buy Danger, a company that makes the software behind T-Mobile's Sidekick.


Treo 650 boasts a high-res display, an improved keyboard and camera, a removable battery, and more. PalmOne this week is announcing the Treo 650, a hybrid PDA/cell-phone device that addresses many of the shortcomings


Kosovo appeals to U.S. for independence date

PRISTINA, Serbia  - Kosovo appealed to the United States on Monday to set a date for the province's independence from Serbia, saying Russia had blocked its path through the United Nations.


US baby furniture supplier Simplicity recalls one million Chinese-made cots linked to two infant deaths.


Canada's public inquiry into the 1985 Air India bombing hears emotional testimony from rescue workers.


Amazon, TiVo to test movie downloads direct to TVs

Amazon.com Inc. and TiVo Inc. will  begin testing on Wednesday a service that lets users watch  videos rented or bought over the Internet directly on  televisions, as part of a trend to link personal computers and  TVs.


Area Farmland Vanishing at Steady Rate: All Signs Point to the Continued Loss of Irrigated Agriculture in Arkansas Valley.

By Chris Woodka, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.  Mar. 11--The amount of irrigated farmland in the Arkansas Valley has been dwindling for three decades and will continue to disappear as more water is converted to other uses.


Per presidente Inpdap bisogna pero' cambiare metodo


A close friend of "American Idol" semi-finalist Antonella Barba says that the aspiring singer is not the subject of some graphically sexual pictures purported to be of her that were posted on the Internet last week.


Make Sinn Fein Prove Itself Worthy Of Power

As a member of the Democratic Unionist Party and a member of the Church of Ireland, I have noticed over the last few weeks that there has been considerable media coverage regarding the restoration of power sharing in the Northern Ireland Assembly.


The prime minister is accused of "dithering" and failing to deal quickly enough with the Northern Rock crisis.


Hezbollah-led rally demands Lebanon govt quit

Hundreds of thousands of Hezbollah-led protesters rallied on Friday at the doorstep of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to force the resignation of his U.S.-backed government.


Starbucks Corp. announced Thursday that it will add computer kiosks in stores in Austin, Texas, and in Seattle where customers can burn music CDs for about $10 while waiting for their Frappuccino.


Sixth seed Andy Roddick crashes out of the Australian Open to Philipp Kohlschreiber after a five-set thriller.


Guzman, Stewart both homer to lead Twins past Tigers 3-2

Cristian Guzman and Shannon Stewart homered to lead the Minnesota Twins over the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Saturday night. The Tigers lost their two all-stars to knee injuries.


British pro-hunt protesters meet Hain at home

A handful of pro-hunt protestors have met Peter Hain, the government's leader in the lower chamber House of Commons, after hundreds showed up outside his Welsh home, a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance ...


Bush, Kerry debate focuses on foreign policy

The first presidential debate and its focus on foreign policy and security gives both President George W Bush and Senator John Kerry opportunities to dig into each other's record and patch their own weaknesses on Iraq.


Timeless hits like "Sweet Love" may have transformed sultry singer Anita Baker into an international star, but after 10 years as a stay-at-home mom, her young sons offer a more humble assessment of her career.


TEL AVIV A Palestinian suicide bomber killed at least three people and himself in Tel Aviv's main open-air market on Monday morning.


Ford Motor Co. (FN: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it would offer Sirius satellite radio in more vehicles, as Sirius fights to catch up with industry leader XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.


Germany detains three men on suspicion of planning an "imminent" terrorist attack, the defence minister says.


General Electric Co.   Chairman and Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said his "green"  ecomagination unit is on track to "blow away" its 2010 sales  target of $20 billion as demand for environmental products and  services surges.


Successo nei primi due mesi 2007 del costruttore europeo


Steinbrenner to Meet With Prized Free-Agent Beltran

The free-agent center fielder will travel to Tampa, Fla., to talk with the New York Yankees owner, who wants to added another high-priced All-Star to his collection.


A judge will hear arguments next month on whether to indict 26 Americans and five Italian secret service officials in the 2003 alleged kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric in Milan — a case that continues to be an irritant to U.S.-Italian relations.


Michael Vaughan is determined to lead England to a 4-0 victory over Zimbabwe.


Ex-bad boy author finds a legal pleasure - wine

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - U.S. writer Jay McInerney, the quintessential chronicler of 1980s excess in New York, says he has mellowed with age, now preferring Bordeaux and Burgundy wines to the illegal drugs of his youth.


Similar deals expected to follow Countrywide sale

Similar deals are expected to follow Bank of America Corp's  agreement on Friday to acquire battered mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp  for a knock-down price of $4 billion in stock.


I membri del Cio hanno assegnato la manifestazione a Soci, sul mar NeroBattute le altre candidate: Salisburgo, per l'Austria e Pyeongchang, Corea del Sud                                            Olimpiadi invernali del 2014 in Russia La gioia di Putin: "Un posto unico"


Craig Biggio hit a solo home run to give the Houston Astros a 1-0 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals after two innings of play in Game 7 of the NL championship series on Thursday.


All the action as Great Britain's Amir Khan takes on Cuban Mario Kindelan in the Olympic lightweight final.


ABOUT 5000 supporters of Ukraine's defeated presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich have rallied in his eastern stronghold as the supreme court hears his final appeal over a rerun election.


U.S. issues alert for stolen beef due to possible E. coli

U.S. regulators have issued a public health alert for about 14,800 pounds of missing ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday.


Justine Henin beats Venus Williams to set up a US Open final against Svetlana Kuznetsova.


Tsunami-hit Asia receives more foreign aid

More aid from the international community poured into tsunami-devastated south Asian coastal nations on Wednesday as death toll from the catastrophe climbed toover 65,000 and concerns grew over epidemic outbreaks.


Myskina upsets top-ranked Davenport in WTA Championships

French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia upset Lindsay Davenport 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the WTA Championships in Los Angeles, United States, on Friday.


ADV: Instantly Lower All Your Monthly Bills

Get a low refinance or home equity rate, including $150,000 mortgage for under $690/mo. Also save on your cell phone bill, long distance calls, credit card payments, auto insurance and more.


The S.E.C. has proposed that fund sponsors rework summaries and be allowed to meet disclosure obligations by making prospectus data available on the Internet.


By The Associated Press  BERLIN - Europe's first mission to the moon got a scare, but ground controllers made a last-minute course correction early Saturday that kept the craft from hitting the surface earlier than planned.


D-Backs, Yankees Close to Deal for Johnson

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Yankees were close to a deal Thursday that would send Randy Johnson to New York, with the teams still trying to finalize details of the trade.


Remembering trails in this lost and found

OK, shredders, dudes, dudettes, rugrats, whippersnappers, all of you out of the room. Go find something else to do today. Clean your room or something. This one's for your parents, or even grandparents.


Giants spend big to address their closer dilemma

Bee Staff Writer. The last time the Giants tapped the Florida Marlins for a closer, they received a franchise-record 206 saves and three playoff appearances with Robb Nen anchoring their bullpen from 1998 to 2002.


Children born in May have an increased risk of going on to develop multiple sclerosis, research has suggested.


BEIJING, Dec. 22 -- FDA warns patients that taking the pain killer Aleve may run the risk of heart attacks and strokes. FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) issued a warning to users of the over-the-counter


British politicians overseeing legislation from Brussels are "asleep on the job," says head of the CBI.


Prc contrario a qualsiasi altra forma di governo


Attendees at this year’s PowerSchool University ramped up their student information system skills with the new PowerSchool 4.0 and augmented their development activities through peer networking. [Aug 3]


Food Scarcity and H.I.V. Interwoven in Uganda

Staying uninvolved while interviewing participants for a study about the effect of food shortages on H.I.V. treatment is often difficult, one researcher finds.


A new worm takes advantage of a Telnet glitch in Sun Solaris, delivering an ASCII turkey sketch.


REM are joined by Coldplay's Chris Martin on stage at an Oxfam benefit concert in London on Tuesday.


Oil futures prices plunged by more than $2 a barrel Thursday, continuing a sell-off that began last week amid rising US supplies of crude and expectations of a surge in heating oil production before winter arrives.


Eight months ago, Missouri seemed well on its way to becoming a national leader in stem cell research.


Briton David Howell, who has struggled for fitness over the past 12 months, withdrew from the U.S. Open on Monday because of a wrist injury.


The Mets continued to stockpile minor league free agents on Tuesday, signing pitchers Manny Aybar and Joe Nelson along with shortstop Chris Woodward while inviting each to training camp in February.


CIA Faces Pressure to Divulge Ties to Ex-Nazis

A U.S. senator demanded on Wednesday  that the CIA director release thousands of pages of documents  detailing the agency's ties with former Nazis who aided in Cold  War espionage against the Soviet Union, officials said.


Man Threatens Court with Gun, Explosives

A 62-year-old German carrying a firearm and an anti-tank mine threatened a receptionist at a court in Berlin Tuesday because he was angry at one of its rulings, police said.


Justice Secretary Jack Straw is meeting MPs to discuss killings committed by men who had been released on bail.


Posh's TV show backfires as bid to woo America

Victoria Beckham's bid to woo Americans has backfired with damning reviews of a reality TV show that she hoped would overturn her image here as a sour-faced diva.


L'ex capo sicurezza Telecom ha ottenuto arresti domiciliari


Bird flu resilience cited as reason WHO fears pandemic soon to ...

BANGKOK, Thailand Officials of the World Health Organization say they fear the bird flu virus in Southeast Asia could become a worldwide pandemic capable of killing anywhere from two to seven (m) million people.


Microsoft's Raikes planning deals, not exit

Microsoft issues a media alert saying Microsoft to make Business Division announcement, then kills the release. A source says unit head Raikes is busy on the mergers and acquisitions front, not sending out his resume.


Roma, 19:46 - CALCIO, LAZIO; LOTITO NON VA A INCONTRO CON PERUZZI: ROTTURA?

E' saltato l'incontro tra Lotito e Peruzzi. I due si dovevano vedere oggi negli uffici del president...


Refuting rumours about other Bollywood actors being offered a role in "Pink Panther 2", its casting director Ilene   Starger said they only considered Aishwarya Rai.


After more than 200 years in the family, the gold-encrusted sword Napoleon carried into battle in Italy will be auctioned off Sunday, across the street from one of his imperial castles.


The UN mission in Congo says it has spotted 100 troops, thought to be Rwandan, in the vast Central African country but Kigali has declined to confirm or deny whether its soldiers had crossed the border.


UK Journal Sends Prozac Documents to FDA

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) said on Friday it has sent documents to U.S. health regulators that it said appear to suggest a link between the antidepressant drug Prozac and suicidal behavior.


MOSCA - Tracce di esplosivo sono state trovate nei rottami di uno dei due aerei precipitati quasi contemporaneamente nella notte fra il 24 e il 25 agosto. Lo ha detto oggi l'agenzia russa Itar Tass. Una prova che conferebbe quindi l'ipotesi attentato.


Nessun accenno da Cda a trattativa su Olimpia e Telecom


LONDON - The U.S.-led war in Iraq hasn't made the world any safer, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a British TV interview aired Sunday...


President Felipe CalderÃ³n of Mexico and a group of Mexican activists from across the New York region met behind closed doors in Lower Manhattan to discuss immigration and naturalization.


France's Amelie Mauresmo made an unspectacular return to tennis after a two-month layoff with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru at the China Open on Wednesday.


InfoWorld - The high-definition movie disc battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc can be traced all the way back to 2000, when companies began experimenting with using new blue lasers in optical disc systems.


WTO Delays Decision On E.U.'s Biotech Ban

BRUSSELS, Aug. 26 -- The United States will have to wait until next year to see its fight with the European Union over biotech foods resolved, as the World Trade Organization agreed to an E.U. request to bring scientists into the debate, officials said Thursday.


Baby becomes latest victim of Boston crime wave

A one-year-old girl became the latest victim of Boston's wave of gun violence when she was shot and wounded in the leg as her father carried her into their home, local media reported on Saturday.


Sheffield United target keen to stay at Anfield

Neil Mellor is prepared to play in the reserves in order to remain a Liverpool player despite interest from Sheffield United Football Club.


China Says Taiwan Separatist Push Exacerbates Tensions

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's push  for independence is exacerbating tensions with China, a Chinese  government spokesman said on Wednesday in the first official  reaction to Chen's party suffering a weekend election setback.


Arthur Miller, author of several award-winning plays such as Death of a Salesman, The Crucible and A View From the Bridge, died earlier this week due to pneumonia, cancer and heart problems. He was 89. Miller's plays have been stud...


Even as Pentagon planners search for ways to shift the Iraq mission from combat to support with fewer U.S. troops, Democrats plan to raise their pressure on President Bush to end U.S. involvement in the unpopular war.


Australian PM to hold defense talks in Japan

Australia will seal a security relationship with Japan next week stronger than its defense ties with any country except the United States, but Prime Minister John Howard dismissed concerns it would harm ties with China.


Oscar-show director gets seat in a truck

Most people watch the Academy Awards on a single TV screen — but not Louis J. Horvitz. He watches on 85 screens at once.


Six Injured in Bomb Blasts at Two Indian Mosques

Unidentified men threw crude bombs at two mosques as worshippers ended Friday prayers in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, wounding at least six people, police said.


Australian Labor opposition poised to dump its leader

Australia's opposition Labor party appears poised to dump its leader Mark Latham amid rising demands he be replaced for failing to answer questions about his political judgment and his health.


The Giants will still have to waive one player if defensive end Michael Strahan returns to the team, as expected.


Ellen DeGeneres wants calm in shaggy dog tale

For comedian Ellen DeGeneres, this shaggy dog tale has gone too far.


US Senator Hagel in Vietnam criticises "unwise decisions" in launching Iraq war

Prominent US Republican Senator Chuck Hagel criticised "very unwise decisions" in going to war in Iraq, during a return visit to Vietnam where he served as a soldier in the late 1960s.


Patriots march into today's contest armed with 18 straight wins

As the New England Patriots aim for their 19th straight win over two seasons today, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are starting to notice.


France's Societe Generale says fraud was hidden using "sophisticated and varied techniques."


PHILADELPHIA | Amid fallout from his appearance in a ABC promotion that featured an apparently naked actress Nicollette Sheridan of the TV show ''Desperate Housewives,'' Terrell Owens was


Jay Leno has maintained his customary position atop the ratings in late-night television despite the Hollywood writersâ strike.


Massive N. Ireland bank heist may be IRA 'pension fund': report

A massive bank robbery in Northern Ireland last week might have been carried out by paramilitary group the IRA as a way of providing a "pension fund" for activists ahead of its dissolution, a report said.


The Count: At More Offices, a Plan to Stick With That Old PC

Businesses are expected to be less willing to open their wallets for new technology in 2007.


Three children from a care home are missing on the Lancashire moors after they are separated from a group.


UN: 700,000 AIDS Patients Get Drugs, Funds Short

The number of AIDS patients receiving  life-extending drugs in poor countries has jumped to 700,000  from 440,000 six months ago, U.N. agencies said on Wednesday,  but warned much more needed to be done.


The head of the Anglican Church says the adoption of some Sharia laws "seems unavoidable" in the UK.


Study: Students find ways to safely drink

Despite the anti-alcohol warnings and campaigns targeting college campuses, students still find ways to drink and they've developed ways to drink safely, researchers reported Friday.


Sony may soon compete directly with Apple and its popular iPods and iTunes, producing its own movie download service and products, company officials said Tuesday.


North Korea lashed out Tuesday at ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills and warned that it could take retaliatory action amid renewed concern that the communist nation may be preparing to test a nuclear bomb.


Home Depot considers sale of supply business

Home Depot Inc. said on Monday it was  considering a sale, spin-off or initial public offering of its  professional supply business to focus on its retail stores,  reversing a controversial policy of former CEO Robert Nardelli  to expand the unit.


North Korea's nukes: advanced, but hidden

Scientists say any credible future deal with the regime will require months of nearly unlimited access to the country.


U.S. chain store retail sales fell for  the second week in a row, with customers mostly just window  shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


Egyptian troops seal the border with the Gaza Strip, ending 10 days of freedom of movement for Palestinians.


Singapore hits back at US sex slave claim

Singapore, seldom seen as a fleshpot of Asia, has challenged a US State Department report that lists it as a centre for trafficking sex slaves, claiming more than


FIFA Plans Show to Kick Off 2006 World Cup

The 2006 World Cup will break with tradition and begin with a separate show a day before the opening game.


Wales has sunk into the Irish Sea on a map published by European Union statisticians to illustrate their official yearbook.


Bus carrying Poles crashes in France, 24 killed

French police said at least 24 people  died on Sunday when a coach carrying Polish pilgrims plunged  down a hillside and burst into flames near the southeastern  French city of Grenoble.


Pakistanis Arrest More Militant Suspects

Pakistani forces following up on a raid that killed a top al-Qaida fugitive arrested four more suspected extremists Monday, while the US Embassy warned that security constraints


Glen Johnson knocked out American Roy Jones jnr in the ninth round to retain the International Boxing Federation light heavyweight title in Memphis.


Lo ha annunciato il direttore generale Roberto Santarelli


Malcolm Glazer has increased his stake in Manchester United for the third day in succession to take his holding to 28.11 per cent.


Nobel laureate Maurice Wilkins, one of the scientists involved in the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA, died Tuesday in London. He was 88.


Apple settlement boosts Creative's Q2 profits

(InfoWorld) - Creative TechnologyÂ on Wednesday reported net income of $92.2 million for the second quarter of its fiscal year, largely due to a one-time licensing payment by Apple. Creative, which makes MP3 players and PC audio components, said net income was sharply higher over the same period one year ago, when it reported net income of $8.2 million. The company's second quarter revenue, at $425 million, was also higher than the same quarter last year, when the company generated sales of $391 million. The big jump in net income during the second quarter came largely from aÂ $100 million licensing paymentÂ received from Apple. That payment contributed $82 million in net income, Creative said. Excluding the Apple payment and investment gains, Creative's net income for the second quarter was $9.9 million, it said. The Apple licensing payment was made under the terms of a settlement reached last year, following a patent dispute between the two companies. Creative was initially expected to record the payment during the first quarter of its fiscal year, but instead recorded the payment during the second quarter.


Hostage Takers Give Up After 18-Hour Standoff on Bus in Greece

A daylong hostage siege ended here early Thursday morning after two gunmen who had hijacked an Athens-bound commuter bus surrendered to the authorities and released their six remaining captives.


Internet Tax Ban Meets Resistance in Senate

Senators debate whether to extend or limit a ban on access and other Internet-only taxes.


French customs officials seize more than 650 smuggled artefacts, some up to one million years old.


Frequent Flier: Seat-of-the-Pants Tourism Without Belt or Suspenders

My wife, Debra, believes in something she calls ÃÂtravel by serendipityÃÂ ÃÂ no reservations, and letÃÂs see what wonderful things we find.


UK growth at fastest pace in nearly 4 years

Britain's economy accelerated to the fastest annual pace in nearly four years in the second quarter as manufacturing emerged from a slump and consumers ratcheted up spending, the government said Friday.


Portsmouth back Redknapp over agents' fees claim

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric said on Tuesday that Harry Redknapp, who resigned as manager last week, was innocent of any wrong-doing over agent or transfer fees.


Researchers Hope Creatures From Black Lagoon Can Help Fight Cancer

Bacteria, algae and fungi that manage to survive in toxic Montana lake left behind by a century of copper mining produce unique compounds to survive in the poisoned, acid environment. Some may inhibit cancer growth. And toxic dumps elsewhere may be incubating biomarvels of their own.


Genzyme 2nd-qtr earnings rise on higher drug sales

Genzyme Corp.  on Wednesday  reported second-quarter earnings that topped expectations on  higher sales of its drugs for rare and chronic diseases,  sending its shares up nearly 8 percent.


Former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will head a University of North Carolina center that will study ways to lift people out of poverty.


Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George and actress Tamsin Greig and are winners at the Olivier Awards.


At a time when most teams are trimming rosters, the Nuggets increased theirs to 18 players Monday by signing DerMarr Johnson to a nonguaranteed contract.


U.S. FDA clears new genetic breast cancer test

U.S. regulators cleared a new genetic test on Monday that helps predict tumor recurrence and long-term survival in breast cancer patients with higher risk of the cancer returning.


By CHRISTOPHER LEONARD  ST. LOUIS - The state sued Ameren Corp. on Wednesday over the billion-gallon breach of a mountaintop reservoir it says was caused by the utility's negligence.


Sweep averted as Ortiz homer in 12th lifts Sox over NY

Hold on to those tickets for this afternoon's fifth game of the American League Championship Series. The left-for-dead Red Sox are still breathing.


Some High Prices and Some Low Points in Auction at Sotheby's

Big estimates don't necessarily mean big prices. That was the lesson the art world learned at Sotheby's sale of Impressionist and modern art last night.


Blair to Urge End to Trans-Atlantic Rift

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will stress the need for Europe and the United States to put differences over Iraq behind them and work together to tackle issues such as Middle East peace in a speech on Monday.


Space Station Crew Ready for Extra Spacewalk

WASHINGTON - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are gearing up for an extra spacewalk to tackle solar array joint malfunctions outside their orbital laboratory.


McCain's top two aides quit his 2008 campaign

Republican John McCain's top two aides quit his struggling presidential bid on Tuesday, dealing a sharp blow to the Arizona senator and casting the future of his 2008 campaign in doubt.


Executive Searches, Done With Sharp Elbows

As companies continue to hire thousands of skilled workers in India at lower levels, signs point to a talent shortage that is becoming acute at the high end.


NHL's Jagr Signs for Russian Champions Omsk

Czech winger Jaromir Jagr has signed a  contract with Russian ice hockey champions Avangard Omsk,  leaving the Czech league where he has been playing during a  labor dispute that has shut down North America's National  Hockey League (NHL).


Clinton, Giuliani Maintain Leads, But GOP Shows Signs of Shifting

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York holds a solid lead over her rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, while the contest for the Republican nomination appears even more unsettled than it did when it began five months ago, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.


President Bush's campaign won re-election through the strategic gamble that there was more to gain from galvanizing conservatives and stressing moral issues than from reaching out to centrist voters.


Lewis Hamilton sees kindred spirit in Heikki Kovalainen

STUTTGART, Germany  - Lewis Hamilton expects McLaren to be a far more harmonious team now that Heikki Kovalainen has replaced Fernando Alonso.


Dal 17 febbraio su Fox Life di Sky e in autunno sulla Rai


Medicare presents drug plan coverage map

The Bush administration said Monday it would carve the country into multiple coverage regions to get private insurers to offer Medicare prescription drug plans and comprehensive health benefits beginning in 2006.


ASIA/CINA - La comunitÃ  cattolica continua a ricordare i primi 6 Vescovi cinesi consacrati a Roma da Papa Pio XI: Âsenza di loro non ci sarebbe oggi la Chiesa in CinaÂ Pechino (Agenzia Fides) - ÂSe non ci fosse stata la consacrazione di questi 6 Vescovi di origine cinese, non ci sarebbe la Chiesa in Cina oggiÂ: sono le parole pronunciate da Mons. Zhao Zhen Dong (86 anni), attuale Vescovo di Xuan Hua, che fu la sede...


The San Francisco Giants want Barry Bonds back. It's unclear whether the Boston Red Sox feel the same about Manny Ramirez.


Turmoil in Pakistan has moved foreign policy to the forefront of the presidential campaign in the U.S., a potentially unwelcome development for two Republican former governors with thin credentials on world affairs.


In 1991, landlocked Uzbekistan became a sovereign nation after decades of Russian and Soviet influence. Since 1990, Islam Karimov has been the areaâs most notorious politician.


As the death toll continues to climb after Sunday's epic tsunami in the Indian Ocean, worldwide relief efforts are mobilizing, including some in central Maine.


You don't have to be a market wizard to ride some rockets to riches.


All Eyes On Nigeria As Oil Price Bounces

Oil prices bounced higher on Friday after two days of sharp declines that came on the heels of rising inventories of crude in the US and a move by China to cool its economy.


I.B.M. is buying Solid Information Technology, a maker of high-performance databases and a close partner of I.B.M. rival MySQL.


Esponente clan ucciso vicino alla caserma dei carabinieri


Special Report: The World's Billionaires

By our count there are a record 946 billionaires this year, including 178 newcomers.


UN plans aid operation for Darfur refugees in CAR

The UN plans to launch an aid operation to help refugees who have arrived in eastern Central African Republic after fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Darfur, an official said Thursday.


Protezione Civile: nessun danno a persone o cose


With this week's PHP Weekly Summary (only *cough* a few days late), Zend covers a lot of the discussion that went on this previous week.


The government is planning to announce an election pledge on immigration to hit back at the Conservatives.


Rapid Rise and Fall for Body-Scanning Clinics

Hundreds of companies offering CT scans without a doctor's referral have opened, but the medical gold rush is ending abruptly.


The BBC and Yahoo are holding a hack day for web developers and designers.


Sport: Rugby union: Captain bullish despite Dallaglio claims that England's preparation has been inadequate.


Afghan President Hamid Karzai appeals to Italy not to withdraw from Nato forces operating in his country.


With eBay's stock lingering near an all-time high of $96.60, investors have been holding their collective breath since the third quarter closed Sept.


French Criticize Music Download Crackdown

Dozens of French musicians, intellectuals and politicians are criticizing what they call a "repressive" crackdown against those who download music illegally over the Internet.


Per la mancata esecuzione di investimenti per circa 2 mld


Demonstrations against the closure of  Burberry's south Wales factory are to be held in six cities across the world.


Microsoft jumped into the disk-based backup and recovery market this week with the announcement of the Microsoft Data Protection Server, a low-cost, continuous, disk-based backup and recovery system.


Angel Raich, a 39-year-old mother of two, smokes marijuana eight times a day in her Oakland home. By Ben Margot, AP. She does it to relieve pain from a brain tumor and more than a dozen other maladies.


Oprah Winfrey Opens 19th Season with Car Giveaway

Television host Oprah Winfrey had a surprise for the 276 members of her studio audience when she opened the latest season of her daytime talk show on Monday -- she gave them all new cars.


Maurizio Dallocchio ha rassegnato le dimissioni


Would you give up some privacy to save money?


Future Bleak for Suu Kyi after Burmese Premier Sacked

Burmaâs secretive military regime has sacked its prime minister, seen as a relative pragmatist, and replaced him with a general who has taken a hard line in dealing with the countryâs pro-democracy movement.


THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDayNews) -- Preliminary research suggests that benzene emissions from gas stations and auto repair shops may quadruple the risk of leukemia in children.


Bush Seen with Debate Edge Over Kerry on Iraq, Terror

President Bush's ability to stick to a scripted defense of his policies on Iraq and terrorism should give him an edge over Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry in Thursday's presidential debate, analysts say.


Simpson's No. 1 'Autobiography' Hits Million Mark

MTV chanteuse Ashlee Simpson logged a third non-consecutive week atop the U.S. pop charts Wednesday as her debut release "Autobiography" breezed past the one million sales mark.


Respect MP George Galloway is facing an 18 day suspension from the House of Commons.


FOXBORO, Mass. - The New England Patriots got another victory â-ut quite a scare â -they extended their NFL record for consecutive wins.


- PacifiCare driver Bruno Junqueira assured that the chase for the Vanderbilt Cup would go down to the final round in Mexico City after closing his pre-race deficit to leader Sebastien Bourdais from 28 to 22 after winning the 57-lap Lexmark Indy 300 on


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India failed to agree on the text of the draft agreement on advance notification of missile tests as the expert-level meetings on nuclear CBMs concluded here on Wednesday.


Mozilla has released Firefox 3 beta 2, which sports a wide range of improvements including plugs for memory leaks, security fixes, and a download manager that includes improvements previously available only through plug-ins.


Africa AIDS war undercut by health worker crisis: MSF

A critical shortage of healthcare workers and restrictions on prescribing life-saving drugs are crippling the war on HIV/AIDS in southern Africa, medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Thursday.


VIENNA, Austria - Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries were divided Tuesday on whether output should be increased in a bid to boost global supply that might cause prices to drop.


Stern: 'I'm tired of censorship'; switches channels

The local radio galaxy tilted on its axis Wednesday when New York shock jock Howard Stern announced he would abandon the radio dial in 2006 for satellite subscriber radio.


Seagoe Technologies  announces that 40 jobs are to go at its factory in Portadown, County Armagh.


Entro il 31 gennaio saranno assunte le scelte definitive


Politicos want veto of cell phone import ban

Blog: There's a bipartisan call for the president to overturn a decision to prevent allegedly patent-infringing Qualcomm chips in all new phones shipped to the U.S.


Reader Mark Grogan asks: What computer company makes or sells laptops that will work with a Sprint wireless wide connection card PC-5740? I have a Dell (DELL) Inspiron 9200 laptop that works with the Sprint (S) PC-5740 wide card that I still use, but I want to buy a new laptop computer.


Officials in Nepal welcome a decision to remove seven historic monuments from a list of world sites in danger.


The Royal Mail today said it was on course for recovery, revealing it was making Â£1m a day after having lost Â£1m a day two years ago.


HITMAN Alessandro del Piero scored in the final minute to fire Juventus into the second stage of the Champions League last night. Keeper Oliver Kahn fumbled and del Piero stabbed the ball home to hand the Italians a 1-0 win.


By Wu Chong  US astronaut Neil Armstrong descended from landing craft Eagle on July 20, 1969, and his next action captivated the world.


Cagliari, 12:43 - CALCIO, CAGLIARI: BUDEL RESCINDE CONTRATTO

Alessandro Budel, legato al Cagliari fino a giugno 2008, la scorsa notte ha trovato un accordo con i...


Yell for a doctor in an Italian cinema and you risk a stampede. Almost everybody here, it seems, is a "dottore." Or a "professore" or a "maestro." Now a court ruling has eased the college criteria for calling oneself "dottore," lighting the fuse for an explosion of "dottori" that has made front pages.


"Phoenix" still rising at overseas box office

LOS ANGELES  - "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" mopped up on the international circuit for the second consecutive weekend, towering over the competition with an estimated box office of $100.8 million from more than 13,000 screens in 58 markets.


Putin Strengthens Grip on Power After Attacks

MOSCOW , Sep 13 (MASNET & News Agencies) - President Vladimir Putin announced steps to tighten Kremlin control over Russia 's regions and called for "radical" moves to improve security in the north Caucasus after the Beslan school hostage tragedy.


Il gruppo bancario corrispondera' 310 milioni di euro


"Guitar Hero" makes Activision into profit hero

Activision Inc  on  Thursday posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and  gave a bullish revenue forecast, citing strong sales of its hit  "Call of Duty 4" and "Guitar Hero 3" video games.


Two Malaysia Christian groups sue the government after it banned non-Muslims from using 'Allah' to mean God.


Old reliables maintain United's momentum

The "been there, seen it, done it" T-shirts hang from their dressing-room pegs. Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and co know their way home from here.


The editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) are calling for an end to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) role in post-market monitoring of the safety of drugs it approves.


Source: Expos announcement will come Wednesday

Major League Baseball will announce Wednesday that Washington will be the new home of the Montreal Expos, The Associated Press has learned.


The UK is withholding Â£50m from the World Bank in protest at the way it fights corruption, ministers say.


Elena Dementieva hit a backhand winner down the line and the world came crashing down on Jennifer Capriati. After an 86-minute third set, Capriati's most recent, and perhaps best


Opinion: Is Microsoft getting ready to explore intellectual property lawsuits against Linux and open-source software? If you can't beat them, sue them?


By Lisa Gibson, Grand Forks Herald, N.D.  Jun. 23--Odalen Norwegian Lutheran Church, located about six miles west of Edinburg, N.D., burned to the ground Thursday night.


An Australian movie about life before Europeans arrived triumphs at the country's top awards.


Under a court order, the Bush administration will restart a housing program for Hurricane Katrina victims early this week and begin explaining to thousands of evacuees why their aid was cut off this summer.


Advocates, federal government billions apart on child care funding

OTTAWA (CP) - Child care advocates say the federal government must work toward a "modest" $10-billion annual investment in day care.


Washington state's resident killer whales, with two newborns in tow, dodged a potentially lethal roadblock in their voyage south to feast on a healthy run of chum salmon, experts say.


Prosperous alumni helped make 2006 a record fundraising year for colleges and universities, which hauled in an all-time high of $28 billion — a 9.4 percent jump from the year before.


Friends and family of Kate and Gerry McCann have rallied around the pair who have been named as suspects.


Among all the fossils, skeletons, meteorites and gemstones for sale Sunday at the I.M. Chait Gallery natural history auction, lot #127 stands out.


Insurance firm Royal & Sun Alliance sells its US operations to a company set up by its management team for Â£158m.


British Soldier Denies Role in Ieaq Abuse

A British soldier on trial for alleged abuse of detained Iraqis denied in emotional testimony Friday that he made two detainees simulate sexual acts, saying a subordinate who brought the accusation was lying.


Canny Chavez tactics lead Venezuela's "revolution"

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has displayed canny brinkmanship in his nationalization drive toward Cuba-inspired socialism despite his image as an impulsive Latin American revolutionary.


Roma, 19:17 - CALCIO, ROMA; TOTTI: SONO CONTENTO DI AFFRONTARE IL REAL

Francesco Totti è contento di avere trovato il Real Madrid nel sorteggio per gli ottavii di C...


E' una proposta finale, non una base per negoziare


A huge jump in wholesale prices sent stocks falling yesterday as investors worried that rising oil prices were taking a toll on the overall economy.


Musharraf Vows to Aid Afghanistan in Fighting Taliban

While visiting Afghanistan, PakistanÂs president promised to help combat the Taliban insurgency, which operates from his country.


Dell to build factory in N.C., hire 1,500 workers

No. 1 PC maker Dell announced plans Tuesday to build a new computer factory in North Carolina and hire 1,500 workers within five years. The site for the approximately $115 million, 500,000 square-foot factory has not yet been chosen, but it will likely be near Winston-Salem.


Hezbollah rocket attack kills 2 in Haifa

Hezbollah rockets fired into northern Israel on Sunday badly damaged a house and slammed into a car on a main road in the city of Haifa, killing at least two people, Israeli police said.


CORRECTED: 'Shark Tale' Chews Up 'Team America' at Box Office

In a surprise at the North American  weekend box office, the fishy gangsters of reigning champion  "Shark Tale" easily dispatched the frisky marionettes of the  much-hyped satire "Team America: World Police."


Top U.S. retailers, including Wal-Mart  Stores Inc. WMT.N, reported lackluster September sales on  Thursday, as warm weather and string of hurricanes that  battered the East Coast dampened buying.


Chairman of Joint Chiefs Will Not Be Reappointed

The Bush administrationâs decision makes Gen. Peter Pace the highest-ranking officer to be a political casualty of the issue of Iraq.


Iraq war fueled Islamic radicals: retired U.S. general

The conduct of the Iraq war fueled   Islamic fundamentalism across the globe and created more   enemies for the United States, a retired U.S. Army general who   served in the conflict said on Monday.


COLIN Powell, the American secretary of state, yesterday admitted that insurgency in Iraq was worsening, as two car bombs were detonated outside the rebel town of Falluja.


Ready, steady... Sprint! Creating open-source ECM

InfoWorld - Holding focused meetings, also known as "sprints," over several days to develop, test, and document software is proving very helpful to the open-source Plone community in quickly adding more functionality to its content management software.


South Korea's police round up striking civil servants

SEOUL: South Korea's police detained more than 140 public sector workers for their involvement in an unprecedented illegal strike against a controversial government labor reform bill, officials said.


Ahmadinejad blames U.S., Israel for wars

Iran's president blamed the United States and Israel for the world's problems Thursday in a lecture to Sudanese officials and intellectuals during his visit to Sudan.


The nation's retailers were set to usher in the start of the holiday season Friday with expanded hours, generous discounts and free money in the form of gift cards.


Health Secretary to outline his vision of the NHS

Health Secretary Alan Johnson will Tuesday outline his plans for the National Health Service when he addresses the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.


Firm's G200 looks strangely familiar... Taiwanese hardware maker Elitegroup ECS yesterday revealed it's going to be demo'ing at Germany's CeBIT show this week. One offering caught our eye: the G200 laptop, which sports an "ingenious... smart neck that allows the screen to be lifted, tilted or swiveled to a comfortable level for the user".â¦


La giovane non aveva ancora aperto le finestre di casa


Wes Brown could leave Manchester United in January after rejecting a new deal.


Community News: Latest PHPClasses.org Releases for 12.06.2006

Latest PHPClasses.org Releases:Simple CURL WrapperMoney CurrencyDraw SudokuPlay List ImportercPanel APIDate Drop Down List GeneratorBig Number CalculatorRSS ErrorSession in CookiesPHP MS WordOverall Tag ViewGoogle Calendar WrapperGraidleAJAXed list boxes


Afghanistan's intelligence service arrested a man wearing a police uniform suspected of taking part in a multipronged attack on Kabul's main luxury hotel that killed eight, officials said Tuesday.


Awash with water, yet some Italians still go short

Yet this summer, as every summer, tales of water shortages are leaking out up and down the Italian peninsula as people talk of badly maintained reservoirs, faulty distribution networks, high tourist demand and ...


A new study offers some relief to parents of picky eaters: Itâs not your cooking, itâs your genes.


James Taylor Sends Musical Greetings Via Hallmark

The Hallmark name is synonymous with card shopping, but it has also turned into a successful music retailer during the holiday season.


Despite Warnings, Drug Giant Took Long Path to Vioxx Recall

A review of Merck's handling of Vioxx suggests that actions the company took - and did not take - may have affected the health of potentially thousands of patients.


Londra, 12:26 - F1, ECCLESTONE: GP IN INDIA ENTRO TRE ANNI

Un Gp in India entro tre anni. E' quanto ha assicurato il patron della formula uno Bernie Ecclestone...


Bombing in Baghdad will not halt march towards democracy: Britain

The car bomb attack outside Baghdad's main police station will not derail Iraq's march towards a stable, democratic future, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.


Prices of existing U.S. single-family homes fell in the first quarter from a year earlier for the first time since 1991, the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller national home price index reported on Tuesday.


ADV: Health Insurance for the Self-Employed!

Affordable health, dental, and life insurance for you and your family. Ideal for self-employed, small business owners. Fill out our form for a competitive quote.


AVONDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Amid darkness, rain and a series of late race crashes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored an overtime victory in Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup Checker Auto Parts 500.


Three plants shut down as workers protest GM's plans to cut jobs in Europe

A strike at a General Motors Corp. plant in Germany began to squeeze the company's European production Tuesday as a lack of parts halted two other factories, while thousands of workers rallied against GM's plan ...


management of the agency at a time when it is fighting terrorism and supporting US operations in Iraq. covert officer will take charge of the Directorate of Operations, CIA Director Porter Goss said in a statement on Monday.


Norwegians fathered by German soldiers in World War II go to court in Strasbourg demanding compensation.


Fighting Erupts in West Sudan Despite Accord

Less than two weeks after the Sudanese government and rebels reached a partial agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Darfur, two clashes in that western Sudan


Actress Sienna Miller attends the premiere of her latest film, Factory Girl, in New York.


Text of the statement dictated by former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko before he died and released by his friends on Friday:


N.Y. shark hunt attracts commerce, protesters

MONTAUK, New York  - In this Long Island fishing hamlet, hundreds of adults drank beer and children marveled at the bloodied sharks caught in a fishing contest, including a heart from a gutted 180-pound (82-kg) thresher shark that several children poked with awe.


"The Incredibles" opens well -- but well enough?


City Room: Bloomberg Speaks on Climate Change

The mayor reiterated his call for a carbon tax in the United States, suggested that congestion pricing could be a model for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And he managed to throw in a boast about the city's 311 line.


Republican Mitt Romney criticized his Democratic rivals Thursday for not rejecting the inclusion of gay-related issues in sex education for second-graders.


Sotto accusa Radio Vaticana, mancano fondi per perizia


Risponde di corruzione nella gara per gestione patrimonio


Rain Delays Start of 4th Cricket Test Between India, Australia

Rain delayed the start of the fourth cricket Test between India and Australia in Mumbai as the Australians seek to complete a 3-0 series victory.


Sogno di riportare la Corrida in radio, vorrei Fiorello


Briton finds ethical jewelry good as gold

"Customers don't realize that one wedding ring weighs 10 grams and causes three tonnes of toxic waste," says Greg Valerio, whose company aims to follow fair trade coffee with ethical gold jewelry.


This isn't the kind of bomb U2 expected to be dropped.


Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants  Pashtuns on both sides of the Pakistan border to work together against the Taleban.


Japan follows Europe by tapping offshore wind for power

Overlooking a mountain lake a  few hours drive from Tokyo, dozens of tall wind turbines spin  in the breeze creating carbon-free power for the world's  fifth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.


For iPhone, Some Shortages and Activation Problems

Both Apple and AT&T acknowledged that some customers have had problems activating their phones to connect to the AT&T cellular network.


Losail, 12:04 - MOTO, GP QATAR: LORENZO VINCE 250, POKER APRILIA

Successo spagnolo anche nella classe 250 del Gp del Qatar, prima prova del motomondiale. La vittoria...


Arts & entertainment: Charlie Brooker had never been to a festival before. So how would he cope with the full Glastonbury experience?


Yahoo's (Quote, Chart) public embrace of the RSS content syndication format took a major leap forward with the release of a revamped My Yahoo portal seeking to introduce the technology to mainstream consumers.


Laid-off Brazilian factory workers have their jobs back, Nicaraguan farmers are getting low-interest loans, and Bolivian mayors can afford new health clinics, all thanks to the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez.


New British foot and mouth case confirmed

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


This is hyperfinance. In the space of five frenetic days, stock markets have plunged and recovered; the US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to 3.5 per cent; so-called "monoline" insurers, revealed as a small but vital valve in the financial machinery, have wobbled; and one Jérôme Kerviel has lost EU5bn for a venerable French bank.


A nifty moon colony sounds so very exotic. But the dreamy mission comes at a terrible price: slashing funding for Earth science. In Beyond the Beyond.


Putin Accuses West, Chechen Rebel Vows More Attacks

President Vladimir Putin accused the  West of indulging terrorists on Friday, just hours after a  Chechen warlord claimed responsibility for a wave of deadly  attacks in Russia and threatened more.


A Jets' victory over the Patriots would have made them the talk of the NFL. Now, until they defeat one of the NFL's elite, they might be viewed as paper tigers for a while - especially


Apple Sues Three for Posting Mac OS X on Net

Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) has sued three men for illegally distributing test copies of the next version of its Mac OS X operating system


Israelis kill 7 Palestinians, CNN producer kidnapped

An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a car east of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, killing Ali al-Shaer of the Popular Resistance Committees.