Promise and Peril of Vioxx Cast Harsher Light on New Drugs

The abrupt withdrawal last week of the best-selling painkiller Vioxx is an event rich in ironies and lessons that may ultimately lead to a rethinking of the way drug safety is evaluated in the United States.


LONDON -- The brother of Kenneth Bigley, a Briton held hostage in Iraq, said yesterday he had been told the captive was still alive, a contention echoed by the leader of a London-based Islamic centre.


Healthy Living: UK runner Lyne gets advice to balance life

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Middle-distance runner Becky Lyne,   who has been hailed as Britain's next big Olympic hope   following the retirement of Kelly Holmes, says a lifestyle   specialist helped bring balance to her life.


SAG red carpet ends awards glitz drought

Hollywood's stylish stars got right back to their red carpet routines Sunday night, even if they'd been a bit out of practice. Glamorous gowns Â especially strapless and metallic ones Â dominated the fashion show that preceded the Screen Actor Guild Awards.


Sonography Uncovers Testes Tumors in Infertile Men

NEW YORK  - It's not uncommon to discover  testicular cancer in men when they are examined by ultrasound  during an evaluation for infertility, Israeli researchers  report. They therefore suggest that "routine sonographic  screening of infertile men" may be worthwhile.


Loyola Calls on Court to Back Retreat Plan: Parkton Group Opposes Lodge, Two Dormitories

By Laura Barnhardt, The Baltimore Sun  Feb. 8--Arguing that a retreat center proposed by Loyola College would have little effect on its rural northern Baltimore County neighbors, lawyers for the college asked the Court of Special Appeals yesterday to uphold county approval of the project.


Roma, 18:00 - CALCIO, UEFA: WESTA HAM-PALERMO ALLE 21

Cambia l'orario d'inizio della gara di Coppa Uefa tra gli inglesi del West Ham e il Palermo. La gara...


Suspensions greeted locally with outrage, suspicion

Ryan Carrell of Carmel will be at Conseco Fieldhouse Tuesday night for the Pacers' game against Boston. He'll have with him a petition he'd like Pacers fans to sign before sending it to NBA commissioner David Stern.


Stocks briefly pared gains but then resumed their upward direction on Thursday after the Federal Reserve held benchmark U.S. interest rates steady and dropped a description of core inflation as "elevated."


Phillip Island, 07:55 - MOTO, GP AUSTRALIA: MOTOGP: VITTORIA DI MELANDRI

Marco Melandri su Honda ha vinto la gara della MotoGp del Gran premio d'Australia. Ha preceduto sul ...


Decorated Iraq war veteran Anthony Circosta seemed like an ideal candidate for a pardon from then-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for his boyhood conviction for a BB gun shooting.


The Lord Black jury restarts its deliberations a day after it said its 12 members were failing to reach a verdict.


Oil surges to a record of nearly $79, despite Opec saying it will boost oil output to ease cost pressures.


Foreign soldier dies of wounds from Afghan shooting

A soldier from the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan died of gunshot wounds he received when a suspected Taliban insurgent who had infiltrated Afghan army ranks opened fire on troops at a base in the west of the country.


The Storm worm network nearly doubled in size over the Christmas holidays.


Wandering the vast wasteland in search of substance

The chain is oiled, bolts are tightened, pedals turn and the wheels go round and round. Not the swiftest bike in the race, but eventually it gets there.


Lucca, 19:44 - CALCIO, C1/A: SCONTRI TRA TIFOSI PRIMA DI LUCCHESE-PISA, DUE ARRESTI

- Incidenti tra tifosi prima del derby toscano tra Lucchese e Pisa (C1/A). Il bilancio degli scontri...


Anti-abortion slogan OK'd on Arizona license plates

An Arizona agency wrongly denied an anti-abortion group permission to print their message "Choose Life" on license plates, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday.


LANCASTER, Pa. -- Bill Schulz flipped through a list of Army careers, carefully watching the reaction of Tim Mathis, the 19-year-old construction worker perched next to him. When the potential recruit shrugged in disinterest, Schulz quickly moved to the next job, pointing to those that had the...


Tribunale Sorveglianza si riserva la decisione


People here hope for peace, unity in Middle East

(November 12, 2004) - In the hours since Yasser Arafat's death, it seems one question has been on the world's mind: What will it mean?


Stern Says He Is Not Worried About Knicks

Fans who are not worried about the Knicks are scarce in Manhattan, but N.B.A. Commissioner David Stern is one of those rare birds.


McCain, Romney in tight race as Michigan votes

Republican voters in Michigan make their choices in the U.S. presidential race on Tuesday, with native son Mitt Romney battling for political survival in a primary that could either revive or sink his campaign.


China has lost faith in stability of U.S. dollar, top Chinese economist says

DAVOS, Switzerland  - China has lost faith in the stability of the U.S. dollar and its first priority is to broaden the exchange rate for its currency from the dollar to a more flexible basket of currencies, a top Chinese economist said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum.


Per il settimanale Forbes guadagna 33 mln di dollari annui


Putin's statement on terrorism in Russia, world over

"One should by no means yield to the delusion that if we make some concessions to terrorists, we shall thus be able to bargain in our favor and they will finally leave us in peace.


Army secretary removed in veterans scandal

Defense Secretary Robert Gates fired Army Secretary Francis Harvey on Friday as the Bush administration scrambled to respond to an outcry over poor treatment for veterans at the Army's top hospital.


Group Urges Review of New Statin Drug Advice

Consumer advocates backed by some prominent doctors and researchers on Thursday questioned a new US policy recommending wider use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol.


Gaza City - Two Palestinians have been killed and several others injured in a fresh Israeli air raid on the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalia on Wednesday, medics said.


Gates walks fine line in Europe to seek Afghan aid

Sometimes strident, sometimes sympathetic, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is walking a fine line in trying to win more public support and troops from Europe for NATO's war in Afghanistan.


Welcome to the dawn of a new credit cycle, with tighter bank lending, rising costs for riskier borrowers and a slowing economy.


On top one day and completely down in a matter of two days. That is the story of Pakistan cricket. What a show they put up against the Indians the other day, only to collapse in a heap against the West Indies.


Stocks gained on Tuesday, led by advances in technology shares after positive broker comments on Apple Inc  and Yahoo Inc  and data pointing to strength in the economy.


Moments after the Boston Red Sox beat the rival New York Yankees to advance to their first World Series since 1986, fans poured out of bars around Fenway Park and set off wild celebrations throughout New England.


Lawyer Advising Vets Quits Bush Campaign

WASHINGTON - An election lawyer for President Bush who also has been advising a veterans group running TV ads against Democrat John Kerry resigned Wednesday from Bush's campaign.   "I cannot begin to express my sadness that my legal representations have become a distraction from the critical issues at hand in this election," Benjamin Ginsberg wrote in a resignation letter to Bush released by the campaign...


Usually out front in force, national Democrats expressed outrage over the Mark Foley scandal and its aftermath but largely let their candidates and allied groups do the tough talking.


A powerful bomb killed an anti-Syria lawmaker and six others Wednesday in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut, threatening to derail an effort by an already deeply divided Parliament to elect Lebanon's next president


Delitto forse causato da lite per futili motivi con coetanei


Coach Pete Gillen and the Cavaliers continue their slowdown tactics, but it doesn't phase No. 4 North Carolina as the Tar Heels run away with an 85-61 victory Wednesday night.


UN Court Formally Appoints Defense Lawyers for Milosevic

The UN War Crimes Tribunal has named two lawyers to defend former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, despite his adamant objections.


SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Apple Computer (Quote, Chart) unveiled a batch of new iPods, iTunes software and promos designed to keep it atop the heap of digital music players.


In Race for Gossip, TV Shows Turn to Blogs

Competition to publish the nastiest, most breathless and up-to-the-moment celebrity gossip has always been fierce, but the Internet has pushed it to a new level.


Era stato condannato a due anni dal tribunale di GenovaL'esperto: "Soffre di parasonnia, non si rendeva conto"                                          MolestÃ² sua figlia mentre dormiva Assolto in appello: "E' sonnambulo"


Take seven brainy nerds and seven dim beauties, add Ashton Kutcher as a matchmaker and what do you get? A television reality series, of course. Kutcher, the brains behind MTV's "Punk'd," is producing the new series for the WB network this summer.


Market moves don't reflect strong economy: Paulson

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson  said on Friday that recent financial market volatility does not  necessarily reflect strong fundamentals in the U.S. economy,  nor those of the developing Chinese economy.


U.S. Officials Say Iraq's Forces Founder Under Rebel Assaults

Iraqi forces, whose performance is crucial to securing January elections, are riddled with problems, say local U.S. officials.


News.com Extra: Nobel laureate disses manned spaceflight

Also: Google Shared Stuff plays well with others. Read these stories and more from around the Web on News.com Extra.


UN envoy returns to Iraq for meetings on transition

The top United Nations envoy for Iraq has returned to Baghdad this week and is meeting with a wide spectrum of Iraqi political leaders and actors to see how theworld body


Update 8: Oil Prices Drop Below $50 a Barrel

Oil futures prices sank to their lowest level in nearly a month Monday on a continuation of the selloff sparked last week by rising US supplies of crude and easing fears about the refining industry's ability to satisfy heating oil demand.


Deshmukh to be new chief minister of Maharashtra

India's ruling Congress party elected on Friday powerful politician Vilasrao Deshmukh as the new chief minister of the giant state of Maharashtra, ending nearly two weeks of political vacuum in the key province.


Problems with Tiger's mind and body led to his drop, says Singh

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (PA) -- World No. 1 Vijay Singh claims that problems with the mind and body are behind Tiger Woods' fall from golf invulnerability.


Mo: Gaza, uccisi 4 miliziani e comandante locale Hamas

GERUSALEMME - Ancora scontri e morti nel nord della Striscia di Gaza all'undicesimo giorno dell'operazione militare su larga scala decisa da Israele per fermare il bombardamento con razzi Qassam dei centri abitati del sud del paese da parte dei miliziani


Report of First Birth for Cancer Survivor in a Tissue Implant

A 32-year-old woman in Belgium has become the first woman ever to give birth after having ovarian tissue removed, frozen and then implanted back in her body.


A paranoid schizophrenic is sent to Broadmoor for stabbing a man to death on a bus in a row over chips.


Iraqi capital Baghdad was the scene of two big attacks, which left at least 23 people dead, according to reports. A car bomb went off outside a mosque in an area called Adhamiya in the north of the city, killing 13 people.


Vibing with Al helped Colin bag Alexander

Colin Farell can very well attribute being cast as the epic historical leader Alexander The Great to his ability to strike a chord with Al Pacino in The Recruit, atleast that is what director Oliver Stone thinks.


People Panic After India Issues Tsunami Alert

The Indian government on Thursday  issued tsunami alerts for all areas hit by the weekend's killer  waves, prompting panicking people to flee the coastlines.


Filipino thief asks for "time out" in police chase

Philippine police chased down an unfit thief on Tuesday after he ran out of breath and asked his pursuers for a "time out".


Bush, Kerry trade sharp jabs over the war in Iraq

LAS VEGAS -- In their most heated confrontation yet over Iraq, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and President George W. Bush exchanged bitter charges Thursday, with Kerry saying Bush is living in a "fantasy world" as Iraq crumbles, and the


Andy Roddick didn't get to use his favorite weapons and tactics. It still didn't matter. Roddick waited out a rain delay, then got key shots from his backhand and charged the


Japanese stocks fell by mid morning on  Tuesday following a decline in U.S. stocks, with chip maker  Elpida Memory Inc. pulling down technology issues after it cut  its profit outlook for the year.


Rio de Janeiro, 20:57 - F1, GP BRASILE; HAMILTON-RAIKKONEN: FIA NON APRE INCHIESTA

La Fia ha deciso di non aprire nessuna inchiesta sulla vicenda Hamilton-Raikkonen e la Ferrari, come...


$200,000 Grant to Provide Computer Skills for Juneau's Public Housing Tenants

A $199,905 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development will serve economically and educationally disadvantaged adults who lack the technology skills needed to be successful in the workplace.


Milano, 17:14 - CALCIO, MILAN: AL RIENTRO SQUADRA SUBITO AL LAVORO

Appena tornati in Italia, i giocatori del Milan hanno svolto una seduta defatigante, mentre chi non ...


The DUP will oppose any plan to allow unmarried and gay couples to adopt children, Jeffrey Donaldson says.


DC Volunteer Finds No Peace On West Bank

A District resident working with a Christian organization in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is recuperating from injuries she received after being attacked as she escorted Palestinian schoolchildren past an Israeli settlement.


San Francisco strikes late to upset Seattle

The San Francisco 49ers scored 21  points in the final quarter to stun the Seattle Seahawks 24-14  in National Football League play on Thursday in Seattle.


Gregg Zaun remained with the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing Tuesday to a $7.25 million, two-year contract after the team's apparent agreement with Rod Barajas fell through.


US, Europe showing increase in forest land

ROME -- The United States and much of Europe have reversed years of deforestation and are showing a net increase in wooded areas, while most developing countries continue to cut down their trees, a UN agency said yesterday.


Wall Street rose sharply for a third straight session as investors cheered profit reports from big names like Microsoft and were reassured by word of a possible buyout of a trouble bond insurer.


Mobile phone firm Vodafone is to enter the UK fixed-line broadband market after striking a deal with BT.


El Reg 'buys' acre of Brazilian rainforest

Helping Cool Earth 'keep carbon where it belongs' A new online initiative has come up with a cunningly simple plan to save the world's rainforests - offer them by the acre to concerned netizens whose "purchase" allows swathes of threatened land to be preserved for future generations.â¦


Santander Says Abbey Bid Probe Wouldn't Deter Offer

Santander Central Hispano SA, the biggest bank in Spain and Latin America, denied a press report that it may withdraw its 8.2 billion-pound ($14.


Humana profit soars, beats Wall Street view

Humana Inc  posted a sharply higher quarterly profit on Monday, above Wall Street's target, on continued strength in its Medicare health plans for the elderly and its plans for employers.


INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Rookie Josh Scobee put his foot into some more late-game magic for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scobee kicked a season-high 53-yard field goal with 38 seconds left in the first half to


Sudanese government officials and southern rebels signed a permanent cease-fire agreement Friday and endorsed a detailed plan to end a 21-year civil war blamed for 2 million deaths.


South Africa's Zuma may face charges again: report

South African prosecutors are  drawing up fresh charges against former Deputy President Jacob  Zuma after his graft trial was thrown out of court last week,  the Sunday Times reported.


Azionista di Vision Investment Management, per 61 mln euro


InfoWorld - Red Hat has scheduled a March release for RHEL5 (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5), the latest version of its open-source operating system, while it tries to fend off new competitive threats from Oracle and the Microsoft-Novell partnership.


Intitolato 'Il cuore nel pozzo' sara' in onda 6 e 7 febbraio


Milano, 21:48 - CALCIO, INTER; MORATTI: IN CHAMPIONS OBIETTIVO MINIMO FINALE

E' la finale di Champions League il primo obiettivo dell'Inter per la prossima stagione. Parola di M...


Courtney Love pleads not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon after being accused of an attack with a bottle.


What is wrong in Thailand's southern provinces? Violence has scarred the region since the beginning of this year, with the latest bout of fighting coming on Monday when police forces battled 2,000 Muslim youths with tear gas and gunshots.


Giuliani, Clinton, McCain Lead Potential 2008 Rivals, Poll Says

Bloomberg - Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Senator Hillary Clinton top the list of politicians American voters would like to see run for the White House in 2008, according to a new poll released today.


Right now, things are going Jeff Gordon's way — and that should enhance his chances of winning a fifth NASCAR championship. Thanks to a rainout of qualifying Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway, points leader Gordon will start from the pole in the first event of the new 10-race playoff for the Nextel Cup championship.


County, Towns May Cooperate to Better Protect Trees

By Ginny Skalski, The Island Packet, Hilton Head Island, S.C.  Jun. 26--CommentsCutting down trees may become a bigger faux pas in southern Beaufort County.


Governo non tollerera' che il problema non venga risolto


The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Wednesday he would call for the removal of Russia from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which has restricted bilateral trade and remained a key irritant in relations between Moscow and Washington.


If one spouse saves and the other spends, it matters to more than just the bank account.


The countryâs largest newspaper publisher said Friday that its fourth-quarter profit dropped because of a decline in broadcasting revenue and weak newspaper ad sales.


Pennington Is Going Longer: Seven Years for $64 Million

Chad Pennington signed a seven-year, $64 million contract extension Wednesday that is believed to include one of the largest bonuses given to a player in the National Football League.


Candle, $9.99. Personal lubricant, $15.00. Animated pornography ... priceless. Commentary by Regina Lynn.


Lille coach Claude Puel blasted his side's lack of courage and commitment after their 1-0 UEFA Cup loss to German second division club TSV Alemannia Aachen.


A deadline for thousands of illegal workers to leave Malaysia or face arrest expires on Monday.


La giuria presieduta dal regista inglese John Boorman ha premiato con il Leone d'oro Il segreto di Vera Drake dell'inglese Mike Leigh, storia di una donna che pratica aborti clandestini nella Londra degli anni '50.


India is marking the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal today, with a celebration more than a mile from the site. A concert held outside the building in 1996 raised fears that sound vibrations could damage it.


Thales mulls alliance with BAE Systems, Snecma or Finmeccanica

French defence electronics group Thales is considering a tie-up with British rival BAE Systems, French group Snecma or Italian firm Finmeccanica, without saying goodbye to a possible merger with EADS, the ...


La citta' e' in preda alla guerriglia urbana


Seven American marines were killed by a car bomb outside Fallujah yesterday, the heaviest American loss in a day in Iraq for four months.


Kicked out of constructors' championship Formula One team McLaren must pay a $100m fine and has been kicked out of the constructors' championship for spying on rival team Ferrari.â¦


World Business Briefing: France: Sarkozy Favors a Utility Merger

President Nicolas Sarkozy said he favored a merger of Gaz de France and the energy operations of Suez, implying Suez would have to shed its waste and water units to complete the long-pending deal.


Superiore ad attese analisti, ricavi cresciuti del 5%


Really?: The Claim: Calories From Alcohol Go to Your Midsection

But do calories from alcohol congregate at the midsection at a greater rate than others?


"House of Flying Daggers" wins Best Foreign Film in Los Angeles

Chinese martial arts epic House of Flying Daggers was named Best Foreign Film of the Year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA).


Parreira hails Bafana babes after Castle Cup triumph

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira hailed his experimental South Africa side after they won a Castle Cup mini-league here Sunday.


Bush, Chavez on dueling tours of Latin America

President Bush and his left-wing nemesis Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez embarked on dueling tours of Latin America on Friday as they stepped up competition for the region's hearts and minds.


VA hard drive with personal data missing

A portable hard drive that may contain the personal information of up to 48,000 veterans may have been stolen, the Department of Veterans Affairs and a lawmaker said Friday.


Disney's Eisner Under Fire at Shareholder Trial

A lawyer for shareholders suing Walt Disney Co.'s directors on Wednesday sparred with Chief Executive Michael Eisner over everything from his work history to his recollection of an important board meeting, kicking off what could be days of heated questioning.


A Libyan court dismisses defamation charges against foreign medics already sentenced to die in another case.


Ukrainians, Europeans Discuss Election Dispute

Description: Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, opposition leader Viktor Yuschenko and outgoing President Leonid Kuchma meet with European envoys.


Brazil family burned to death in robbery

A couple and their 5-year-old son were tied up, locked in their car and burned to death during a robbery in southeastern Brazil, police said Tuesday.


Anger Over Airline Delays Spurs Passengers' Coalition Into Action

Just a few months ago, Kate Hanni wasn't thinking much about the woes of air travelers.


US team arrives in SKorea for trade talks amid protests

US trade negotiator Wendy Cutler has arrived in South Korea for new talks on striking a bilateral free trade pact and was met with immediate protests demanding an end to negotiations.


U.S. crude futures skidded more than  half a dollar lower on Monday, as a mild New Year's weekend in  the United States and forecasts for above-average temperatures  were expected to cap heating oil demand, traders said.


Three U.S. senators met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday and said they came away optimistic the two governments can mend relations despite past tensions.


British music giant EMI Group PLC is preparing to cut up to 2,000 jobs, or about one-third of its work force, as part of a contentious restructuring plan being prepared by the group's new owner, Terra Firma Capital Partners, reports said Sunday.


More megapixels, better photos: Fact or fiction?

Digital cameras makers continue to pack more sophisticated sensors. But some say there's a price to pay: lower image quality.Image: When photo noise annoys


The U.S. green-lights the use of products derived from cloned animals while testing continues, but the nation's biggest milk producer opposes it. Plus: Sanyo earnings probe... Illinois Senate passes stem cell bill... and more.


Tournament favourite Ernie Els endured a nightmare run on the back nine on Friday to slide down the leaderboard at the Dunhill Championship.


The final South Koreans freed by the Taleban head home, amid rows over the deal made to secure their release.


Bulgaria's wilderness areas under threat from property investors

Bulgaria's wilderness areas, among the largest in Europe, are threatened by property investors who use legal loopholes to contest the territories' protected status to build holiday flats.


BAGHDAD -- Political infighting blocked lawmakers from opening debate yesterday on legislation to oversee the oil industry, as Iraqi and US leaders called for reconciliation among Iraq's feuding factions.


Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota acknowledged yesterday that his former law firm represented the son of the man who Martin Tankleff's defense attorneys say ordered the September 1988 murders of Tankleff's parents, Arlene and ...


The dollar steadied at the upper end of  recent ranges against the euro on Friday after minutes from a  U.S. Federal Reserve meeting showed optimism over the U.S.  economy, but soaring oil prices kept the yen under pressure.


Medical First: Stem Cells Used to Treat Parkinson's in Primates

Pre-clinical trial results are mixed, but mark a major step forward for developing human treatments.


9/11 Victim's Son Asks FBI Man to Describe Ordeal

HAMBURG, Germany  - In harrowing exchanges before  a German court, the son of a Sept. 11 victim asked an FBI agent  Tuesday to detail his mother's ordeal in the "hellish" minutes  before her plane hit New York's World Trade Center.


Abortion pill 'may become available in Italy'

Italy's pharmaceutical watchdog in the next few months may approve sales of a pill to end a pregnancy after five to seven weeks, the Corriere della Sera reported Monday.


Stop era previsto dalle 21 di sabato alle 21 di domenica


10 Questions: In the wake of its commitment to take the lead in building a strong international force in Lebanon, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema talks to TIME about democracy, Hizballah's future and a certain "indispensable nation"


Meglio di martedÃ¬ i giorni sÃ¬ e no in ufficio

Dirigenti e impiegati per una volta d'accordo. E’ il secondo giorno della settimana il giorno in cui nei luoghi di lavoro si registrano i maggiori picchi produttivi. Molto distanti lunedÃ¬ e mercoledÃ¬


FedEx Corp. , the world's top air-express shipper, on Wednesday said quarterly earnings more than doubled on strong growth in its international, ground and freight services.


Duke Energy Corp. said Friday that a fire that broke out yesterday morning at its Moss Bluff salt cavern storage facility outside of Houston has increased in size after an above-ground valve structure collapsed, causing a larger release of gas.


The Frenchwoman who received the worldâs first partial face transplant  regained nearly full use of her facial muscles within 18 months.


Saints march in as Superdome comes alive

As rock bands blasted and tailgate parties served up barbecue and brew, thousands of people poured into the streets Monday night, hoping to forget about Hurricane Katrina during a Mardi Gras-like celebration of the Saints' first home game since the storm.


The US Financial Accounting Standards Board agreed to delay by six months implementation of a rule that will force companies to treat employee stock options as an expense.


E.U.'s expanding borderless zone spells trouble for U.S. expats

As nine Eastern and Central European countries join Schengen today, they are under pressure to toughen long-abused visa policies.


Bomb Attacks as Kathmandu Blockade Continues

Suspected Maoist rebels set off two powerful bombs in Kathmandu on and shot a policeman today, as their blockade of the Nepali capital to press for the release of jailed guerrillas entered its third day.


Portugal vows to use force to keep Dutch 'abortion ship' out

Portugal warned it would use force to keep a Dutch boat with an abortion clinic on board from entering its territorial waters as activists vowed to fight to find a way for the vessel help women terminate unwanted pregancies.


Tiger Woods, now the number three ranked golfer in the world married Swedish model Elin Nordegren at an exclusive resort in Barbados on Tuesday.


Doppietta di Iaquinta, decisivo rigore di Del Piero


Woman Charged With Killing Baby in Texas

A woman with a history of postpartum depression told a 911 operator she had cut off the arms of her baby daughter, then waited calmly until police arrived, authorities said.


Study: Online shoppers taking more time to hit 'buy' button

Blog: Prospective buyers are increasingly inclined to take extra time to search for the best price and features, according to report.


Red Cross Raises Record $1.2 Billion in Tsunami Aid

The Red Cross federation, the world's biggest humanitarian group, said on Wednesday it had raised a record $1.167 billion in just 30 days for victims of the Asian tsunami, enough to fund a 10-year recovery plan.


Is the small subtle and strong cinema over? Not quite! If youÂve seen some of the non-mainstream nuggets lined up for the next couple of months, youÂd  have to agree, avant- garde cinema is alive and kicking.


Bergamo, 18:18 - CALCIO, ATALANTA: ALLENAMENTO DEDICATO AL LAVORO DI SCARICO

A poche ore dal buon pareggio esterno di Catania, l'Atalanta ha già ripreso la preparazione i...


Morale among NHS staff is so low that three out of five workers have thought of quitting their jobs, an independent survey of 24,000 employees by Income Data Services revealed today.


Evangelist Gilbert Deya is arrested by police in London, wanted by Kenya's authorities on child-trafficking charges.


Kerry Mocks Bush's 'Scowling Faces,' Leadership

Democratic challenger John Kerry on Saturday claimed victory over President Bush in their second debate, mocked his rival's "scowling faces" and scoffed at the Republican incumbent's leadership skills.


The Bush administration readies system under a new name to make it more palatable to passengers and travel industry officials who complained that the earlier plan was overly intrusive, officials say.


LOS ANGELES - Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is getting a promotion - to supreme being. DeGeneres will star as God in a remake of the 1977 comedy "Oh, God!"   The original starred George Burns as the creator and John Denver as a supermarket manager tapped as a new prophet...


As security concerns change many of Westminster's ancient rituals, MPs have voted to take another step into the 21st Century -- this time with courtesy, not safety, to the fore.


Burt Rutan, Scaled Composite's team leader, waves while being introduced in St. Louis, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004. Rutan designed SpaceShipOne, the rocket plane financed by billionaire Paul Allen that won the


The pound was on the backfoot against the dollar following the release of a survey by property website Hometrack, which showed yet more evidence of a cooling in the housing market.


Tennis: Sharapova, Williams Advance to China Open Quarterfinals

Top seed Serena Williams of the United States and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia have advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing.


Former ambassdor to Tashkent says he's 'victim of conscience'

Britain's former ambassador to Uzbekistan, pulled out of Tashkent for "operational reasons," said he is a "victim of conscience" for having dared to speak out against human rights outrages.


Israeli police have arrested a Palestinian presidential candidate as he campaigned in Jerusalem , witnesses said, in the latest incident to mar the run-up to elections for a successor to Yasir Arafat.


Texas Guardsmen charged with immigrant smuggling

SAN ANTONIO, Texas  - Three Texas National Guardsmen serving on the U.S.-Mexico border to help prevent drug smuggling and illegal immigration were charged on Monday with taking cash to transport 24 undocumented aliens, federal prosecutors said.


Bochenski stays put with a one-year deal

The Bruins re-signed right wing Brandon Bochenski to a one-year, $600,000 contract, the first one-way deal of his career.


Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will pay an official visit to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania between September 8th and 13th, his Office said on Tuesday.


The fury of four hurricanes in Florida may have spared the state's endangered manatee population from further decline.


Woods, Mickelson in Hunt For Cup -- Stricker, Too

It started in Hawaii with too much hype and an equal dose of skepticism.


Aamir Khan is one of the most versatile and talented actors (and now even a successful director)   in the Indian film industry.


Chirac hopes visit strengthens partnership

President Jacques Chirac has expressed the hope that his upcoming visit to China would further boost the Sino-French partnership. "Our partnership is built on a shared view of the world, which is multipolar


Potter star Radcliffe bares all in "Equus"

Teenage film star Daniel Radcliffe threw off Harry Potter's invisibility cloak on Tuesday to appear naked on a London stage in a revival of the psychological thriller "Equus."


(HealthDayNews) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:


Third-string goalie Josh Harding stopped 30 shots, Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist apiece, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-0 Thursday night.


Roma, 16:31 - CALCIO, SERIE C1: PROVVEDIMENTI DISCIPLINARI

In merito alle gare della prima giornata della serie C1, il giudice sportivo Pasquale Marino ha squa...


Hamstring injury could keep Reyna out of qualifiers

Manchester, England (Sports Network) - United States midfielder Claudio Reyna aggravated a hamstring injury last week and could be out for a month.


Kerry Prepares for Aggressive Campaign Push

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is preparing to make an aggressive push for votes in several key battleground states this week as he seeks to regain political momentum in the US election campaign.


A leading suspect in the 2004 train bombings in Madrid is arrested in Morocco, where he is expected to go on trial.


The new version of Ernie - the number cruncher which selects premium bond prizes - is to be unveiled on Tuesday.


Patrick Watson made 37 saves to earn his first career shutout and Merrimack surprised No. 16 Massachusetts, 3-0, to end an eight-game losing streak last night in North Andover.


South Korea holds breath as singer drops trousers

An ageing South Korean crooner stunned a  live, national TV audience on Friday by dropping his trousers  and saying he was ready to prove he had not been castrated or  dismembered in a love quarrel.


By David Schoen  THERE IS NOTHING like a good debate. Coke or Pepsi? Alyssa Milano or Christina Applegate?   And thanks, at least in part to David Stern, we have our next great debate.


Houston Astros Hold on to NL Wild Card Lead

The streaking Houston Astros used seven  pitchers and a Jeff Bagwell home run to beat the Colorado  Rockies 4-2 Friday to hold on to their lead in the National  League wild card race.


TUESDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDayNews) --  Although earlier research has suggested nicotine decreases the brain plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease, results of a new mouse study point to the opposite conclusion.


Mediators welcome the return of a Somali warlord to the peace process in neighbouring Kenya.


Wal-Mart Pulls Plug on Movies via the Web

Wal-Mart said it had ended the business because Hewlett-Packard, a chief technology partner, had decided to discontinue essential infrastructure for the service.


Mibtel perde lo 0,05%, positivo invece l'All Stars, +1,13%


Nepal King Sacks Government, Assumes Power

Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked the  government, declared a state of emergency and assumed power on  Tuesday, saying the leadership had failed to hold polls or  restore peace amid an escalating civil war with Maoist rebels.


Website shows you how your job is killing you

SINGAPORE, Feb 8 (Reuters Life!) - Think your job is killing you? A humorous Web site set up by an online recruiting firm shows you exactly how bad things are.


The Dalai Lama arrived Monday for his first visit to Russia in 10 years after Moscow abruptly reversed its refusal to grant the Tibetan spiritual leader entry.


US Presidential election watchers gather a downtown Bangkok, Thailand, hotel Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004, to view results. President George W. Bush and challenger US Sen. John Kerry were locked in a tight race as votes were counted across America.


The San Diego Chargers don't know where or when they'll play their next game. While they spent Monday taking care of their families and trying to find out if their homes survived the wildfires sweeping Southern California, the Chargers were busy yesterday preparing to fly to Phoenix to practice at the Arizona Cardinals' suburban headquarters.


Anna Nicole Smith's longtime lawyer and   confidante, Howard K. Stern, said on Larry King Live Tuesday   night that he is the "proud father" of Smith's newborn daughter, calling   her the one "ray of hope" in their lives since the sudden death Sept. 10   of the TrimSpa spokeswoman's son, Daniel.


Hurricane Frances has lost some of its bluster, but not enough to bring solution providers back to work. Calls were not answered at about a dozen Miami-area solution providers Friday, who no doubt were home bracing for the storm.


Cassini snaps an image of the Huygens probe it has just despatched to study Titan, Saturn's largest moon.


India Test Fires Nuclear Capable Missile

NEW DELHI, India  - India successfully test fired  a long-range nuclear-capable Agni II missile off its eastern  coast of Orissa Sunday, a defense ministry spokesman said.


The prospect of a deal between Sprint  and Nextel Communications sparked concerns on Friday about a  shrinking U.S. market for mobile network equipment, sending  shares of Nextel's key supplier Motorola Inc. MOT.N down  almost 8 percent.


Miami media mogul Ed Ansin , who owns WHDH-TV (Channel 7) in Boston, said yesterday that he plans to buy WLVI-TV (Channel 56) for $113.7 million and make over its 10 p.m. newscast to appeal to a younger demographic.


Safety review ordered into popular painkillers

A European medicines regulator will today order a safety review of four powerful painkilling drugs taken by more than 750,000 people in Britain amid fears that they could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.


Israel Launches Strike at Gaza Refugee Camp

Israeli helicopter gunships destroyed a metal workshop in a Gaza Strip refugee camp on Sunday, the latest attack in a cycle of violence threatening to complicate Israel's planned pullout from the territory.


Milano, 14:36 - CALCIO, LAZIO; LOTITO: PER CESAR ASPETTO PROPOSTA SERIA

''Tutti sono in vendita nel momento in cui arrivasse una proposta seria''. CosÃ¬ il presidente della ...


The bard, or not the bard, that is the question.


China Urges US to Stop Selling Arms to Taiwan

China Tuesday urged the United States to halt all official contact with Taiwan and to stop selling arms to the island, but made no comment on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's recent peace overtures.


At least 100 people died in Thailand after a tidal wave triggered by an earthquake hit the country's western coast.


Iraq's Regime Crimes Tribunal Flawed - Rights Group

Iraq's plan to push ahead with early  trials of Saddam Hussein's deputies risks launching an unfair  process that is flawed and discredited in the eyes of the  world, a leading human rights group said on Friday.


Dems' Ad Buys Show Race Down to 14 States

Sen. John Kerry and the Democratic Party are limiting television advertising to just 14 states as the fall campaign opens, curbing their ambitions for a broader playing field against President Bush. The shift reduces Missouri, Colorado, Arizona and four Southern states to second-tier status.


The chill gripping South Mississippi this week was nothing like the freezing weather 60 years ago today in Europe, when a desperate Germany launched a surprise last-ditch offensive now known as the Battle of the Bulge.


Two British Soldiers Killed in Iraq Ambush

Insurgents in Iraq ambushed a British military convoy in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday, killing two soldiers, a spokesman for the British army in Iraq said.


Mel Gibson's accused stalker is own lawyer

A US drifter accused of stalking movie star and producer Mel Gibson has decided to represent himself, Celebrity Justice reported Friday.


The Russian Olympic Committee is to appeal against several results in the  gymnastics compeititons.


Miss USA Rachel Smith made the top 10 Monday night in her bid to reign as Miss Universe 2007. Smith was vying to become the first American winner since Brook Lee in 1997. From Tennessee, the journalism graduate carried a guitar and wore a white, Elvis-style suit during the opening parade of nations.


Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - Shuffle, the newest, cheapest iPod yet, will surprise you

Could the selections be any more varied? One minute, the exhilarating sound filling my headphones was Maria Callas, reminding me why she was a diva. A moment later, I heard the Eagles' Hotel California. Before the listening session was over, I'd glided from the Beatles to Mozart to Chris Isaak to Thelonious Monk.


World AIDS Day: Women and Girls, HIV and AIDS

BRUSSELS, Dec. 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) joins with our global collaborators and colleagues to mark the 17th annual World AIDS Day this year with an emphasis


Milano, 16:09 - CALCIO, SERIE A: 13 SQUALIFICATI, DUE TURNI A CARACCIOLO E PACI

Il giudice sportivo ha squalificato in serie A 13 giocatori. Due turni (e ammenda di 3 mila euro) a ...


A national conference to help heal the wounds of 16 years of conflict in Somalia has again been postponed because some delegates will not arrive in time and the venue is not ready, a top official said Wednesday.


For the first time, a woman has been chosen as one of two candidates facing off for the presidency of the Navajo Nation, whose reservation is the largest in the country.


Circolazione regolare anche sulla rete del Gruppo Autostrade


Registerfly on the fly, ICANN on the run

This domain will self-destruct in five seconds "In the past couple of weeks, over 70% of the non-jurisdictional contacts my Office has received have concerned registerflyâ¦ In most circumstances, the matter would be refered to Mr. Mike Zupke, ICANN's Registrar Manager, and he would in turn pass along consumer concerns to the registerfly contactâ¦ If, however, Mr. Zupke determined that the matter you are complaining about is unrelated to the Registrarâs Accreditation Agreement, or any other ICANN policy, he will likely encourage you to work out the situation with the registrar..." ICANN Ombudsmanâs Blog, February 12, 2007â¦


Dig beneath the surface of the raucous Republican presidential race and you will find even deeper turmoil: Four in 10 GOP voters have switched candidates in the past month alone, and nearly two-thirds say they may change their minds again.


Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday urged Asian nations to do more to defeat a global terrorist threat and to ensure that Afghanistan not be allowed to slip back into chaos.


OGGI SU INTERNET/SPAGNA - Lettera di una madre di famiglia contro il governo Zapatero Girona (Agenzia Fides) - ÂDopo l'evento di Barcellona in difesa della famiglia, ho sentito nei media che per avere 8 figli faccio parte di uno tsunami integralista, che la mia famiglia non Ã¨ normaleÂ....


Springsteen Leaves Garden Audience Euphoric

Bruce Springsteen belted an entire set of showstoppers straight from the gut at Madison Square Garden last night.


Business confidence in Germany is at a 15-year high although economic growth slows in the third quarter.


Roma, 11:55 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS: INGLESE RILEY ARBITRO DI MILAN-BENFICA

Sarà l'inglese Mike Riley ad arbitrare Milan-Benfica, gara valida per la prima giornata della...


A better showing among movable voters has helped put George W. Bush back at the 50 percent mark, with 47 percent support for John Kerry among likely voters as the 2004 presidential campaign enters its closing days.


Napolitano comincia i colloqui con Marini e Bertinotti


NEW YORK  - A new drug, Lyrica (pregabalin)  is a well-tolerated, effective treatment for pain in the  extremities often experienced by people with diabetes,  according to a recent report. In addition to reducing the pain,  the drug seems to improve sleep.


Unsafe abortions in the developing  world kill 68,000 women a year, research suggests.


Per Coldiretti atteso aumento del 5% di vendite


For Iowaâs Democrats, Too Many Good Picks

Many Democrats in Iowa have been in a state of happy paralysis. Republican voters are sounding more decisive.


Roma, 17:28 - CALCIO, MAZZONE: NON ALLENERO' PIU'

Carlo Mazzone non tornerà ad allenare. "Se avessi voluto tornare in panchina sarei già...


Bombardier urges airlines to ground planes after accidents

TORONTO - Bombardier Inc. , the world's third-biggest aircraft maker, urged airlines to ground 60 of its Q400 turboprops after a second landing gear failure in a week.


Chat with Meghna Kothari on the 19th of October @ 5 pm IST

Meghna Kothari entered the tinsel town four years back with Feroz Khan's Prem Aggan. The movie was a flop, but she managed to leave her mark in the movie industry.


Hewitt Fed Up of Clashing with Federer in Slams

Lleyton Hewitt is getting fed up with  meeting Roger Federer in the major events.


Calif. Sets Weeding Ban to Save Workers' Backs

California regulators on Thursday ordered farmers to stop employing field hands to weed commercial crops by hand, becoming the first state in the nation to limit such back-wrenching work.


Up to 1.85 million tickets for the Beijing Olympics will go on sale to people in China next week, officials say.


Castro injured in graduation ceremony stumble

Cuban President Fidel Castro put on a brave face after he was injured in a tumble Wednesday night. Although it was not broadcast live on Cuban television, cameras caught Castro's misstep Wednesday night, as


Microsoft questions future participation at CeBIT trade fair

US software giant Microsoft is looking closely at whether it is worthwhile continuing to attend CeBIT, the world's biggest high-tech and computer trade fair, in future, the head of Microsoft Germany Juergen Gallman said.


Shell Evacuates Staff from Nigerian Delta Conflict

Multinational oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell has evacuated non-essential staff from two oilfields in Nigeria where troops are fighting a major offensive against rebel militia, a spokesman said.


Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums rose 11.2 percent this year, registering the fourth consecutive double-digit annual increase and pushing the cost of family coverage under the most common type of plan past $10,000, according to a new survey.


Delta, union in tentative deal over early retirements

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Delta Air Lines Inc. have a tentative agreement to stave off an expected wave of early retirements by Delta pilots.


Ryan Zimmerman singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning to back Jason Simontacchi's best start of the season, and the Washington Nationals beat the slumping Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.


Forget about her famous aunt or her actor-father, when Emma Roberts needs advice on how to look like a TV star, she asks her 6-year-old sister. "I'm embarrassed to say I do ask her sometimes when I'm putting on clothes. I'll say, `Is this cute, Grace?'" the 16-year-old star of TV's "Unfabulous" said during a recent phone interview.


Forti pressioni al rialzo su prezzi, pronti ad agire


Belichick adjusts as coordinator takes Notre Dame job

Bill Belichick took a few minutes Monday to convey his congratulations to his offensive coordinator on becoming Notre Dame's head coach.


Obama warns of 'quiet riots' among African Americans

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama warned on Tuesday a "quiet riot" was building among African-Americans, comparable to that which boiled over in violence in Los Angeles in 1992.


Livorno, 18:38 - CALCIO, LIVORNO: PARECCHIE NOVITA' CON IL MILAN

Parecchie novità in vista nel Livorno che domani sera affronterà nel recuper il Milan....


On Football: After four years, Edwards still clueless with a clock

Jets coach Herman Edwards realized in the offseason he needed to make the NFL clock his friend, after so many time-management gaffes made him look like a goof.


Darfur peacekeeping to get $125m from EU

BELGIUM BRUSSELS -- Officials said the European Union will provide up to $125 million to back African peacekeepers in Darfur, as the United Nations warned yesterday that crucial relief convoys are in danger. Gunmen in Darfur are attacking relief convoys, civilians, and African villagers, the UN's World Food Program said in a statement yesterday. ''The security situation in all three ...


One of history's deadliest diseases has been making a comeback. Scientists want to know why


Congo: scoperta scimmia gigante, per scienziati e' nuova specie

Una scimmia gigante e' stata scoperta da un gruppo di ricercatori in una remota regione dell'Africa centrale. Gli scienziati sostengono che si tratti di una nuova specie, finora sconosciuta all'uomo. Il primate


Jackson Back in Court for Jury Selection

A judge urged prospects to relax and to keep an open mind as questioning began Monday for potential jurors in Michael Jackson's child-molestation trial.


5.2-magnitude quake shakes northern Italy

An earthquake rattled northern Italy yesterday, sending residents into the streets and damaging buildings, news reports said. No injuries were reported.


By David Bauder THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  NEW YORK -- Three nights of escapist entertainment that kept parents and their children watching television together led Fox to a dominant week in the ratings.


Scientists believe they have found a way to spot which breast and ovarian cancers are likely to be aggressive. A team from the University of Texas, in the US, found cancer cells that overexpressed a particular protein were more likely to be fatal.


Dato riferito ad aprile, media trimestre segna un +10,4%


Navistar International, an Illinois-based maker of trucks and diesel engines, is expected to announce Thursday that it is buying General Motorsâ medium-duty truck business.


Police say they control the Spanish consulate in the Swiss capital - but there is no sign of the intruders.


Federer's Power to Meet Hewitt's Precision in US Open Final

he Americans bowed out relatively early. Controversy clouded the elimination of one of the game's biggest names, Serena Williams, and rain and wind each had a day to ravage the tournament.


'Ma non posso fornire alcuna informazione', dice portavoce


Insiders Weigh Prospect Of Wireless Spam

A law banning spam delivered to wireless devices goes into effect next month. But is it necessary? By Thomas Claburn. In less than a month, it will be illegal to send commercial messages to any Internet domain


A new army base going up in the northern part of the West Bank will be Israel's most colorful, painted in a dazzling array of pink, brown, purple, light blue and orange, an army weekly reported.


The Venezuelan president causes a stir with his U.N. attack on Bush - and that's just the way the leftist leader likes it


The BBC News website looks at how the system of Sharia law works and fits into society.


Military Specialist Pleads Guilty to Abuse and Is Jailed

The first American military intelligence specialist to stand trial in connection with the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison pleaded guilty here on Saturday to abusing prisoners.


HP to Pay $14.5 Million in Board-Spying Case

By Therese Poletti; Ryan Blitstein  Hewlett-Packard agreed today to pay $14.5 million to settle civil claims brought by the California attorney general's office, also today, arising from the company's board-spying scandal.


Dell offers hush-hush overclockable mobile Core 2 Duo

But is the T7600G worth $275 more than the T7600? Exclusive Intel has quietly begun shipping a clock-unlocked version of its mobile Core 2 Duo T7600 processor, but tracking one down may prove tricky. Not all PC makers are likely to offer the part - and those that do may not let slip the chip can be overclocked.â¦


Bernanke: current account gap cannot persist

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday told a European audience that huge external debts were not unduly burdening the U.S. economy now, but over time the U.S. current account gap is unsustainable.


Stocks fall on energy sector, rising yields

Stocks fell on Wednesday, hurt by a decline in heavily-weighted energy shares and climbing bond yields, which reignited concerns about higher interest rates and their impact on corporate profits.


Bush, Blair: "New approach" needed on Iraq

President Bush said on Thursday a new strategy was required in Iraq but he would await further reviews beyond the scathing Iraq Study Group report before determining a new way forward.


Indonesian militant sentenced to 12 years in Marriott hotel ...

: An Indonesian court sentenced a Muslim militant to 12 years in jail on Thursday after finding him guilty of involvement in last year's JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta.


Bush signs bill paying for new border fence

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona  - President George W. Bush signed a law on Wednesday that will pay for hundreds of miles of new fences along the U.S.-Mexico border, a move against illegal immigration that Republicans had sought before next month's congressional elections.


Oracle says Apex tool won't suffer predecessor's fate

The tool makes it easier for Oracle users with limited programming experience to build, deploy and manage secure Web applications with information contained in Oracle databases.


Pupils could soon face tests of their creativity under plans to boost the kind of "soft skills".


Wild beat Canucks to split home-and-home

As usual, the Minnesota Wild played much better back at home. Facing the sloppy Vancouver Canucks didn't hurt, either.


Reminder - Media Alert: Santa's Using Video Phone Technology From Cisco to Deliver Old-Fashioned Christmas Cheer at Hospitals in Canada, Germany and the United States

WHAT: "The Cisco Santa Claus Connection" This holiday season, hospitalized children who otherwise would not have the chance to meet Santa Claus will be able to see and speak with jolly old St. Nick through the magic of an Internet video telephone from Cisco(R) (NASDAQ: CSCO).


Oil Tip-Toes Higher, Watches Stocks, OPEC

US oil prices edged higher for the second day in a row on Tuesday amid calls within OPEC to crack down on excess output at this week's meeting.


Italian PM puts stricken government to decisive test

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi submitted his centre-left government to what may be its final test by asking parliament on Tuesday for a confidence vote after the defection of an ally pushed it to the brink of collapse.


For years, Saddam Hussein showed himself to be a master practitioner of the big bluff. Everyone outside Iraq and just about everyone inside believed that he harbored a secret stockpile of weapons of mass destruction.


The broadcast went dead at the worst of all moments, and thousands of Bay Area fans listening on radio missed Barry Bonds' 715th homer.


Economy Expands Despite Rising Oil Prices

Surging energy costs drove up U.S.  consumer prices a hefty and larger-than-expected 0.6 percent  last month, while industrial output grew strongly after  rebounding from hurricanes and housing starts leapt, government  reports showed on Wednesday.


Animated cartoon Shark Tale stays afloat at the top of the UK and Ireland box office in its second week.


The FBI on Tuesday said it is investigating 14 companies for possible accounting fraud, insider trading or other violations in connection with home loans made to risky borrowers.


In Blog, a Military Man Writes About His Own Death

âI died doing a job I loved,â U.S. Army Major Andrew Olmsted wrote in his final online piece.


Let's save First Amendment as well as 'Ryan'

HOW did a patriotic movie about young men giving their lives for their country turn into such a hot-button issue? On Veteran's Day, ABC decided to continue its tradition of showing the unedited version of


Witness: Disney Paid Ovitz 'Unreasonable' Amount

Walt Disney Co.'s multimillion-dollar contract with Michael Ovitz was unreasonable and one of the most generous ever, a compensation expert testified on Monday


Tempers Flare Over the Issue of Nagorno-Karabakh "Souvenir" Currency

On the surface, the red and green notes, which have no monetary value, seem harmless enough.


Tal Afar civilians return home after nearly two-week assault

Anxious civilians trickled back into Tal Afar yesterday, digging through the rubble of buildings flattened during a nearly two-week siege by US-led forces targeting foreign fighters holed up in the city astride a smuggling route to Syria.


OJIYA: Japan was on edge Sunday after powerful earthquakes left 17 people dead or missing, injured hundreds and derailed a bullet train for the first time in history, within days of the country's worst typhoon in a quarter century.


Imperial Tobacco agrees 16.2 bln euro bid for European rival

French-Spanish tobacco company Altadis has accepted a takeover bid from Britain's Imperial Tobacco valuing the company at 16.2 billion euros (22.4 billion dollars), Imperial Tobacco announced Wednesday.


Dead Litter Streets, Indonesia Toll May Hit 25,000

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia  - Dead bodies still  littered the streets of this provincial capital in northern  Indonesia on Tuesday as fears rose that the local death toll  from Sunday's earthquake and tsunami would exceed 25,000.


Suicide Car Bomber Kills Seven in Iraq's North

BAIJI, Iraq  - A suicide car bomber killed seven  people, five of them Iraqi National Guards, near the northern  town of Baiji Friday, as the insurgent campaign to wreck the  Jan. 30 election gave no sign of a New Year lull.


Coinvolti anche i tratti alpini Torino-Lione e del Brennero


Chances of New U.S.-EU Aircraft Pact Dwindling -EU

The United States and the European Union are unlikely to reach agreement on a new civil aircraft pact, a European Union official said on Thursday, increasing chances the two sides could fight out the issue at the World Trade Organization.


Gordon Brown asks the international community to share the burden of the military campaign in Afghanistan.


No major decisions expected at Iran talks: Beckett

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has said she did not expect any major decisions at a meeting of major world powers on the Iran crisis later in the day.


LSU-Auburn Rivalry Could Get Another Name

Auburn and LSU have played several nickname games in recent years: The Fire Game. The Interception Game. The Cigar Game.


KABUL, Afghanistan -- Militants threatening to kill three UN hostages in Afghanistan have said they will extend the noon deadline so that talks can continue.


Federal Grand Jury Takes Copperfield Case

SEATTLE -- A federal grand jury in Seattle is investigating allegations by a Washington state woman who said she was raped, assaulted and threatened by magician David Copperfield at his private island in the Bahamas in July, at least three federal law enforcement officials have confirmed.


India's "Queerfest" targets anti-gay law, prejudice

Hundreds of India's closet gays and lesbians came out to celebrate their sexuality with the launch of a 10-day festival in New Delhi, hoping to build on a campaign against the country's strict anti-gay law.


W. Va. town is abuzz over Stewartâs jail stint

Each year at Christmastime, residents of this tiny mountain town run a yarn drive, gathering extra bits and pieces and donating them to the inmates of the Alderson Federal Prison Camp.


Nationalist Favorite Shinzo Abe a Step Closer to Japan's Top Job

TOKYO, Sept. 20 -- Shinzo Abe, the nationalist who has pledged to make his country a more robust force on the world stage, won the contest to become leader of Japan's ruling party Wednesday, all but clinching election as prime minister next week.


CBS News on Thursday is expected to fire the executive producer of Katie Couric's struggling "CBS Evening News" broadcast and appoint former CNN and MSNBC president Rick Kaplan to the job.


Nigerian oil delta rebels pull out of peace talks

An influential rebel commander in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta has ordered the suspension of peace talks with the government because of military incursions and the arrest of another commander.


Israel praises the Palestinian Authority for deploying its forces to stop rocket attacks in Gaza.


NASA has refitted a space shuttle fuel tank to decrease the likelihood of the debris problem that doomed the shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts from happening again, agency officials said on Tuesday.


The Liberty Media Corporation, the entertainment and Internet retailing company controlled by the billionaire John C. Malone, purchased 14 million shares of IAC/InterActiveCorp, the company controlled by Barry Diller, for $339.5 million.


Bad weather is hampering efforts to salvage a lifeboat stranded on rocks at Rathlin Island, off the Antrim coast.


Little hope for homeless in ruins of Miami shanty

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


Apple patent applications hint at Wi-Fi iPods, new mice

Blog: Apple has filed for several patents that could hint at future iPods that talk to each other and a mouse that moves 3D objects.


England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is likely to use Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge on the left side against Spain.


With speculation over big name coaches running wild, Real Madrid executive Jose Luis Cerrano insisted that the club were set to ride out the season with Mariano Garcia Remon.


Britain to cut thousands of troops in Iraq next year

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


Banca continuera' a vigilare su rischi inflazione


Via Technologies says its tiny Mobile ITX motherboard probably won't ship till next year.


Bush, Maliki to meet as Iraqi deaths hit new high

U.S. President George W. Bush will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan next week with grim new statistics showing record numbers of Iraqis were killed last month and many more fled the country.


Nevada tenth nationally in rent for two-bedroom apartment

Nevada workers now must earn nearly 17-dollars an hour in wages to be able to afford to pay for rent and utilities for a typical two-bedroom apartment in the state.


Mbeki to Help Defuse Strife in Ivory Coast

President Thabo Mbeki is due to visit the strife-torn Ivory Coast to help find a political solution for that country, following a dramatic escalation of violence that has embroiled French peacekeepers there.


Judge dismisses $1.25 billion US lawsuit against Conrad Black

CHICAGO - A US federal court judge has thrown out Hollinger International's $1.25 billion US lawsuit against Conrad Black and other former executives of the company.


Rio de Janeiro, 10:45 - CALCIO, MILAN: FLAMENGO INCONTRERA' AGENTE RONALDO

Mentre Ronaldo continua a fare progressi nel ritiro del Milan a Dubai, il Flamengo non rinuncia al s...


Three women were found dead at a bed and breakfast just outside Maine's Sunday River ski resort, and a cook who had been living there was charged Tuesday with murder.


In final push, Kerry tries to close a perceived 'God gap'

Democrats hope to draw swing voters from ranks of religious 'moderates,' eyeing fault lines within churches.


Doug Mientkiewicz was on the verge of bringing his good glove to the New York Mets. The ball is another story. The Mets were awaiting medical records Wednesday and hoped to finalize a trade to acquire the former Gold Glove first baseman from the Boston Red Sox for a minor leaguer who played Class-A ball last year.


Drought Has Georgia Revisiting Border Dispute

COLE CITY HOLLOW, Tenn. -- Nearly two centuries after a flawed survey placed Georgia's northern border just short of the Tennessee River, some legislators are thirsting to set the record straight.


What we avoid in small caps, and why we avoid it.


Floods from a week of storms in the US Midwest swamp thousands of homes and cause power blackouts.


Rise Of Virtual Wireless Firms (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - Operating a wireless phone company is hardly a license to print money. Many wireless firms struggle to generate cash flow. It normally takes years to break even.


Phil Garner insisted bringing in Brad Lidge in the seventh inning was business as usual. For the Houston closer, the result was quite unusual.


Chris Hartjes' Blog: Simple User Registration in CakePHP 1.2, Part II

Chris Hartjes has followed up on a previous post about user authentication in CakePHP with a few more comments in part two.   I got a question in the comments about my previous post on simple user registration about how to do some of the necessary validation for registration in the model. I thought I'd show some code I did to do exactly that.   He includes the code for his example with the key, he explains, being the use of a second field (the confirm password field) to do the validation.


Sony Profits Up Sharply, Signaling Recovery

Sony said quarterly net profit jumped to 73.7 billion yen, or $646.7 million, as sales of digital cameras, televisions and other electronics more than offset losses at its video-games unit.


The European Commission's former chief accountant, who said the EU budget was open to fraud, will fight her dismissal.


'Devastated' Radcliffe to Meet the Press

Devastated Paula Radcliffe will reveal why her Olympic dreams ended in a nightmare later today. The marathon race casualty is to speak at a press conference in Athens this afternoon


The Bank of England is set to keep interest rates on hold following the latest meeting of the its Monetary Policy Committee.


Some business travel problems are solved by hiring special services; others by not submitting to a no.


Bombing of Kazakh president's office 'hooliganism' not 'terrorism' ...

Terrorism wasn't involved in a pair of bomb blasts that rocked the pro-presidential party's office in Kazakhstan's commercial capital, police said Monday.


With the Shi'ite cleric's Mahdi Army ending its ceasefire, the U.S. is downplaying his capacity for mischief. That's a mistake


O.J. Simpson faces charges over Las Vegas robbery

Las Vegas police are questioning football star O.J. Simpson and he is expected to be charged in connection with last week's alleged armed robbery at a hotel room in the U.S. gambling capital, a top law enforcement official said on Sunday.


Iraq War Foes Focus on Alternative Agenda to Bush

On the eve of President Bush's  address to the United Nations, domestic and foreign critics of  his Iraq war policy focused on a radically different  international agenda on Monday.


G8 agrees $60 billion package, focus on Africa

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany  - World leaders agreed on Friday a $60 billion pledge to fight AIDS and other killer diseases ravaging Africa and restated broader promises to double development spending.


Buenos Aires, 19:06 - TENNIS, ATP BUENOS AIRES: GALVANI ELIMINATO

In un match valido per il gruppo 3 del torneo Atp di Buenos Aires (terra battuta, montepremi 445.000...


Jamie Foxx Goes Dark to Play a Musical Hero

"Ray," an ambitious film about Ray Charles, may be Jaime Foxx's entree to a kind of triple stardom rarely contemplated and even more rarely seen.


G8 urged to address China's rights record

China's human rights record should be properly addressed at this week's meeting of the Group of Eight leading industrial nations in Germany, an exile group said on Tuesday.


Sporting Lisbon beat Inter Milan, Barcelona score five, plus a round-up of the rest of Tuesday's matches.


Chinese president expresses condolences over air crash

Chinese President Hu Jintao has extended his sincere condolences to the relatives of the passengers and crew members that died during an air crash in north China.


Michael Kinsley thinks TIME editor Rick Stengel's call for compulsory national service is naÏve. What we really need is better free-market capitalism


Report Spotlights Rising AIDS Infections in Women

Description: A United Nations report being issued in advance of World AIDS Day says women now account for nearly half the number of people infected with HIV worldwide.


Recent expansion in the U.S.  manufacturing sector lost some momentum last month as growth in  new orders and employment retreated, but industrial costs  jumped, according to data published on Thursday.


An EU court is to issue its initial verdict this morning in a high-profile competition case pitting US software giant Microsoft against the EU Commission.


IPR Rights of Taiwan Businesses to Improve

By Jiang Zhuqing  Cross-Straits co-operation on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and arbitration will be improved in handling disputes involving Taiwan business people's investments on the mainland.


The US Air Force launched a global positioning system satellite Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Fla. It was the 12th successful launch of the new-generation GPS IIR spacecraft.


Country Music Sales Up 12 Percent in 2004

Country music fans continue to be a fickle bunch. Country sales were up 12 percent last year, with three albums among the year's overall top sellers — a good year on Music Row.


Get ahead of the game by making an early start

If you have some time between now and your New Year's Eve celebrations, try to focus on some financial issues. Can't think of any matters you need to take care of before the end of the year?


Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Jose Reyes win the manager and player of the month awards.


French rock star Bertrand Cantat is returning home from Lithuania to complete his jail term for killing his lover.


Al-Qaeda's North Africa wing says it carried out two attacks which killed at least 50 in the past two days.


CANTON, Ohio, June 24 -- A former classmate of a man suspected of murdering a pregnant woman was arrested Sunday on a related obstruction of justice charge, the FBI said.


Microsoft releases Office source code to governments

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


It's mostly a formality at this point, but AOL is dropping support for its Netscape Web browser on February 1.


Former Detroit Red Wings coach Dave Lewis was hired as coach of the Boston Bruins, an official within the NHL said Wednesday.


Colombian President Alvaro Uribe asks donors to help fund a process to disarm right-wing guerrillas.


Pakistan says no to extradite London plane-bombing suspect

Pakistan has told Britain that the alleged mastermind of thwarted bombings of transatlantic flights cannot be extradited until his trial in local courts concludes, news reports said on Friday.Comment


Internet provider EarthLink and Yahoo! have teamed up to fight spam by incorporating DomainKeys, a technology developed by Yahoo! that filters fake addresses used by spammers.


Wreckage of Afghan plane found with all 104 on board feared dead: official

The wreckage of a missing Afghan jet was found in mountains east of the capital Kabul with all 104 people on board feared dead, an interior ministry spokesman said.


Baby Growing Stronger After Heart Transplant, Twin Sister Waits ...

The first 48 hours are critical, and as of Wednesday, 4-month old Abigail Patrick was half-way there. Meanwhile, her twin sister Shea waits for a donor heart.


Total eclipse of the moon comes Saturday

The moon will turn shades of amber and crimson Saturday night as it passes behind the Earth's shadow — the first total lunar eclipse in three years.


Japanese-Swedish mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson has reported a tripling of its third-quarter profit. Earnings at the world's fifth-biggest handset maker were driven by strong sales of new camera phones and topped market expectations.


Upcoming Apple event could mean more than movies

Apple had just completed announcing updates to its iMac and Mac mini offerings Wednesday, when talk turned to the next Apple product announcement—a press event slated for next week in San Francisco.


Study fails to link chemical, brain woes

A mercury-based preservative once used in many vaccines does not raise the risk of neurological problems in children, concludes a large federal study that researchers say should reassure parents about the safety of shots their kids received a decade or more ago.


Avaria per imbarcazione da regata, interviene Aeronautica


Poland mourns after coal mine explosion kills 23

RUDA SLASKA, Poland  - In Poland's worst mining disaster since the 1970s, all 23 miners caught in a gas explosion in a pit in the south of the country were confirmed dead on Thursday.


Insurgents seized four hostages, including one US resident, as they worked at their Baghdad office Monday, the BBC reported. Earlier Monday gunmen murdered Baghdad's deputy governor


Eco-conscious Sundance turns deeper shade of green

PARK CITY, Utah  - When former Vice President Al Gore premiered documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, he inspired not only greater awareness of global warming, but the general greening of this top movie event.


Yahoo! Nipping at Google's Heels on Email

As part of its ongoing battle with Google (GOOG:Nasdaq - news - research) for the loyalty of Internet users, Yahoo! said it had implemented new antispam technology for its Web-based email service.


U.S. chain store sales rose in the  second week of November, as shoppers sought to get a head start  on the holiday shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


Quattrone gets harsher-than-required 18 months in prison

NEW YORK A US federal judge on Wednesday imposed a harsher-than-required sentence of 18 months in prison on Frank Quattrone, a leading technology investment banker of the 1990s who was convicted of obstruction of justice in May.


Report: 90 percent of companies fail compliance

(InfoWorld) - An overwhelming percentage of businesses still fall far short in their efforts to comply with industry data-handling regulations and reduce their likelihood of experiencing a serious leakage incident, according to a new survey. In a report to be published by the IT Policy Compliance Group on July 18, the consortium of IT compliance and security experts concludes that some 90 percent of all businesses still do not have sufficient policies in place to meet data governance regulations and adequately limit the risk of a breach. In the survey of 475 companies, a third of whom reported revenues of more than $1 billion last year, the industry group found that an overwhelming majority of the firms expect to deal with at least six business disruptions related to major data incidents per year along with five or more instances of information loss or theft. While businesses continue to invest policy enforcement software, and other technologies aimed at helping them meet data-handling regulations, said James Hurley, managing director of IT Policy Compliance Group, most are still struggling to fill all the gaps left in their systems that leave them open to potential incidents. Hurley is also a senior research manager at security software maker Symantec, a member of the compliance policy think tank, along with such organizations as the Computer Security Institute, Institute of Internal Auditors, ISACA, and IT Governance Institute. Along with well-known federal guidelines, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, many companies are having trouble responding to new statewide data protection measures crafted after the California 1386 bill, which requires businesses to make public notice of severe data incidents, he said. "When it comes to protecting data, a lot of organizations still find information all over the place that they may not even have control over," Hurley said. "People are finally discovering this is a difficult problem and that the controls they thought they have in place may not be adequate; that they need to rethink those controls and find out where the data inventory actually is because in most organizations, it's not under control." In addition to gauging what percentage of companies remain at risk for a data breach, the survey also attempted to measure the impact of such an event on the average company. Based on its respondents' replies, businesses that are forced to report major incidents publicly can expect to experience an 8 percent loss of their stock price and an equal 8 percent of their customers. Companies can also expect to report an 8 percent falloff in their quarterly revenue along with additional costs for litigation, customer notification, and subsequent settlements averaging $100 per each record they lose. In a nod to the increased challenge of meeting regulations and lowering data leakage within enterprises, the report concludes that larger companies are more likely to have incidents, based on its research. Organizations with less than 1,000 workers average roughly 8 percent in revenue and customer losses per event, whereas companies with more than 100,000 employees can expect to lose 12 percent of their sales and clientele. While some researchers have tried previously to divine the overall expense of having a major data breach, such as the one reported by retailer TJX Companies in early 2007, it has been hard to guess just how much such an event truly costs said Mike Money, associate director at Protiviti, an auditing services specialist that is also participating in the consortium. "We finally have some data on this because of the state laws that have gone into effect, so hopefully some companies see this report and understand the extent of the problem," Money said. "People are finally starting to focus on the issue because they see the newspaper headlines every day, and until you've been through one of these types of events, it's hard to understand all the implications." Unsurprisingly, the report also finds that companies that allocate the highest budgets for compliance automation technologies are faring better in their efforts than those who spend less on the issue. In a shift from previous studies completed by IT Policy Compliance Group, however, it appears that most organizations are realizing they need to adjust their budgets to account for the tools, Hurley said. "The difference is that these state regulations have put this on the front of the radar screen, and they are realizing that they need to spend money to solve security problems that benefit compliance goals," said Hurley. "There's a clear linkage between having better controls and experiencing fewer data losses and business disruptions, as obvious as that may seem."


Brosnan: "Ancora arrabbiato per l'esclusione dalla serie"

LONDRA, 6 NOVEMBRE 2004 - James Bond, l'agente segreto piÃ¹ famoso del mondo non avrÃ  piÃ¹ il volto affascinante e rassicurante di Pierce Brosnan. L'attore irlandese era pronto a interpretare ancora una volta


Two truth seekers, a First Lady and her son, Presidents (and wannabes), a marrying mayor and five housewives -- all are part of our gallery of those who made a difference. Oh, and just for fun, a horse


Kerry, Greenspan Differ on Social Security

John Kerry doesn't talk much about Social Security on the campaign trail, but he laid out some thoughts for a voter in Everett, Wash., who doubted that the government retirement program is really in trouble.


Pentagon re-evaluating background checks for Iraqi workers

In reaction to the suspected suicide bombing at a base in Iraq, the Pentagon is investigating how US forces check the backgrounds of Iraqis who work at US installations.


Afghan troops retake town from insurgents

Afghan and foreign forces have recaptured   a district headquarters taken by rebels last week, killing   about 20 Taliban fighters.


Roma, 22:45 - CALCIO, JUVE; DEL PIERO: QUANDO GIOCO 90 MINUTI...

Una doppietta per tenere la Juve nei piani altissimi della classifica. Alessandro Del Piero è...


Japan Scrambles to Win Hostage's Release

Japan scrambled Wednesday to win the release a 24-year old Japanese man taken hostage by Islamic militants in Iraq, dispatching high level diplomats to the middle east and


Yahoo: A Retrospective of Microsoft's Acquisition Target

The pioneering search firm originated on campus, spread worldwide in a short time.


UN refugee chief launches Darfur tour with appeal for peace

GENEINA, Sudan, Sept 26  - UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers appealed to Khartoum and ethnic minority rebels to set aside their differences Sunday, as he launched a tour of Sudan's devastated western region of Darfur with an appeal for


Chavez extends oil largesse at Caribbean summit

CIENFUEGOS, Cuba  - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez proposed on Friday extending a barter scheme used by Cuba to other Caribbean and Central American nations to help them pay for oil supplies with products and services.


Fifty new areas which will get special help in fighting anti-social behaviour are being named on Wednesday.


MILANO - Giovanni Raboni Ã¨ morto. Nato il 22 gennaio 1932 a Milano, era uno dei piÃ¹ grandi poeti italiani contemporenei, oltre che traduttore, critico e storica firma del Corriere della Sera. La sua carriera


Director John Woo says efforts to depict an ancient Chinese battle in his new film have been frustrated because he can't shoot at China's largest river, the Yangtze.


Google has fixed a bug in its Web-based e-mail service, Gmail, that allowed users to read the contents of other people's messages.


Mutu Banned Seven Months by English FA for Taking Cocaine

Adrian Mutu, fired by Chelsea last week after failing a doping test for cocaine, was banned for seven months and fined 20,000 pounds ($36,800) by England's Football Association.


By doing nothing, CBS could fill void Dan leaves

A class act to the end, Tom Brokaw bowed out of his NBC News anchor chair Wednesday night with his dignity and his reputation intact.


The husband of Nisha Patel-Nasri is charged in connection with her murder.


'Altair 8800' kit reaches $1,725 on eBay

'It's only a model...' We could describe this eBay auction as your opportunity to own a piece of computing history, but that would be an utter lie. No, this is an eBay auction that gives you the chance to own all the bits you'll need to make something that looks like a piece of computing history.â¦


SpaceShipOne Bid Seen Opening Space for Business

A private space plane is set to  shoot beyond Earth's atmosphere for the second time in a week  on Monday in a pioneering bid to win a $10 million prize and  prove that space is open for business.


UPDATE 1-BAR win contract tug-of-war over Button

Briton Jenson Button will drive for BAR next year but is likely to join Williams in 2006 after Formula One's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) ended a tug-of-war between the teams on Wednesday.


I risultati di una ricerca dell'ateneo di Shanghai premiano gli istituti americaniIndietro quelli italiani: il migliore Ã¨ La Sapienza di Roma, centesima                                                  Dalla Cina i voti alle universitÃ  Vince Harvard, Italia rimandata


Europe to Consider Complaints About Online Music Royalties

The European Commission says the organizations that collect royalties for songwriters in Europe are restricting competition in the field of music distribution over the Internet.


BESLAN, Russia -- Funeral processions filled the rainy streets of this southern Russian city yesterday, carrying coffins large and small, as townspeople buried scores of victims of a carefully planned school standoff that prosecutors linked to a Chechen rebel leader.


A Marine helicopter that crashed last week near Baghdad was actually shot down. Are the insurgents using better antiaircraft technology? The U.S. says no. By the Associated Press.


Drinking a pint of milk a day may protect against diabetes and heart disease, say researchers in Cardiff.


Sean O'Brien is announced as the winner of the TS Eliot prize for his poetry collection The Drowned Book.


La conferma e' dell'Eurostat. Stesso indice nell'Ue a 25


The US military denied claims from Afghan officials and a Danish aid group that it bombed a village and killed several civilians during clashes with insurgents in eastern Afghanistan.


Chechen journalist Timur Aliyev exposes the black economy that plagues breakaway Chechnya.


The detention of a man with autism was a breach of his human rights, a court has ruled.


Massachusetts-based start-up has created a way to print photographs or documents without ink or an ink cartridge. From Crave, CNET's gadgets blog.


Venturing to different parts of the state but aiming at the same goal, Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan and Republican challenger Mitch Daniels were surrounded by supporters


WASHINGTON - Oil prices charged toward $50 a barrel Monday, and gasoline prices surged to $1.92 a gallon last week, as petroleum output in the Gulf of Mexico returns at a slower-than-expected rate after Hurricane Ivan and geopolitical unrest keeps traders on edge.   "The Ivan damage is persisting," said John Kilduff, senior oil analyst at Fimat USA in New York...


Ted Lilly won his fourth straight start, Aramis Ramirez had four RBIs and Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer Saturday as the surging Chicago Cubs roughed up Roy Oswalt in a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros.


Obstacles Abound for Auto Builders in India

Indian automakers are plagued by a shortage of skilled workers, inferior product quality and deficient highway infrastructure, among other challenges, according to a new study.


China's parliament passed a law Saturday banning the buying or selling of blood to prevent the spread of AIDS and outlawing discrimination against victims of infectious diseases, state media said.


Unrelenting Attacks on Women in West Sudan Provoke an International Outcry

African women in Darfur, Sudan, continue to be insulted, beaten and raped by armed men who belong to Arab tribes.


Russia: our space atom rockets are bigger, nyah nyah

'Son of Star Wars' a phantom menace Analysis Russian strategic forces revealed this week that they have successfully tested a new intercontinental nuclear weapon, underscoring their ability to penetrate the developing US missile shield.â¦


Baduel: Venezuela buildup isn't a threat

Venezuela's defense minister said Monday his country's military buildup isn't a threat to the region as he joined Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and counterparts from across the Americas in discussing possible joint humanitarian missions.


AMERICA/PARAGUAY - ÂDobbiamo intraprendere il cammino verso la nostra santificazione e il rinnovamento pastorale. Dobbiamo essere esempi di sacerdoti santi per l'evangelizzazione del nostro paeseÂ: lettera dei Vescovi ai sacerdoti nel 50Âº anniversario della Conferenza Episcopale AsunciÃ²n (Agenzia Fides) - I Vescovi del Paraguay, in occasione dei 50 anni della creazione della Conferenza Episcopale Paraguaiana, hanno inviato una lettera a tutti i sacerdoti del paese nella quale mostrano la loro vicinanza di Pastori e il deside...


Service Supports Cell Phones Inside the Office

Strata8 is launching a service that lets enterprise cell-phone users make low-cost calls inside their offices.


Inquinamento, ecco chi rischia il superbollo

MILANO - Inquinanti e ingombranti: due aggettivi per i Suv che secondo il ministero dellâAmbiente meritano un inasprimento fiscale. Ma qual Ã¨ il limite dâinquinamento che il ministro Matteoli ritiene


Genova, 16:56 - CALCIO, GASPERINI: UN'ANOMALIA IL RINVIO DELLA JUVENTUS

Il rinvio della partita Brescia-Juventus valida per il sesto turno di Serie B ha creato non poche po...


Manchester City could be the next Premiership club targeted for a takeover, BBC Sport understands.


European Commission raids Intel offices in Munich

Intel offices in Munich were raided by the European Commission on Tuesday as part of an ongoing antitrust investigation.


First five-year review of international treaty to ban land mines ...

NAIROBI, Kenya - The first five-year review of the international treaty to ban land mines begins considering governmentsâ compliance with the pact on Monday, and starts work on a five-year action plan.


Oil eased below $70 a barrel on Friday   on expectations of a long delay before the United Nations   decides on sanctions against Iran, the world's fourth-largest   oil exporter.


La strada imboccata sembra quella giusta, ma due punti in due giornate e il -4 dalla Juve acuisce i tormenti nerazzurri. Adriano Ã¨ una certezza, ma alimenta il dubbio: che la squadra ora dipenda solo dai suoi gol?


Ten people were killed and 52 sustained injuries in a bus crash in Latvia. The bus was on its way from Moscow.


Hasin Hayder's Blog: Hacking SlideShare.net using PHP

Hasin Hayder shares a method for "hacking" the Slideshare.net service to be able to download whatever slideshow you'd like:   I just spent some time today analyzing the HTTP requests made by the player available in slideshare using LiveHTTPHeader extension and found a way to download any presentation you want! There are many slides available in slideshare where you see that "Download not available" - But as long you have some knowledge on web-scrapping, that doesnÃ¢ÂÂt matter at all.   He includes the code that you can point at a slideshow's URL and let run. It works through each of the pages of the presentation and pulls out the URL of it and echoes it back out.


Arafat's death critical time for Palestinian people - Goff

The death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was a critical time for his people who must now address the question of his successor, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said today.


When 300 "shoppers" poured into a busy Rome supermarket and loaded their trolleys with fine wine and food, it was not because there were any special offers.


Law Could Put Dent in Offshore Bookmakers' Windfall

By Paul Moran, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.  Feb. 4--"You can't really describe what it's like. Every phone is ringing. The network is running at capacity and it's that way all day long. Last year, we took more than 100,000 bets on Super Bowl Sunday, mostly over the Internet.


Scottie Reynolds scored 25 points, Corey Fisher added 15 and No. 25 Villanova pulled away in the closing minutes to beat foul-plagued Syracuse 81-71 on Saturday.


This week's appeals court reversal on al-Marri shows that the Administration still hasn't got its legal act together


Watts, Linney Lead Sundance Drama Lineup

Sundance Film Festival veterans Naomi Watts, Laura Linney and Patricia Clarkson are returning with new movies to the nation's top showcase for independent cinema.


As part of Sony's long-range plans for its newest gaming console, the PlayStation 3 will be getting a movie-download service as well as additional music and HDTV capabilities.


The UK's minimum wage should be frozen at Â£4.85 an hour until 2006, the Confederation of British Industry says.


Ohio Court to Decide AMHA Case: Agency's Responsibility at Issue in Neighborhood Feud at Barberton Complex

By John Higgins, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio  May 28--Employers must protect their employees from racial discrimination by co-workers.


AFRICA/BURUNDI - Tensioni politiche in Burundi. ÂUno spreco di tempo e risorse perchÃ© vanno affrontati i reali problemi del PaeseÂ dice una fonte della Chiesa locale Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides)- ÂÃ difficile stabilire la veritÃ  dei fatti. Bisogna essere prudenti nelle analisi. Ã comunque vero che il Paese sta attraversando un momento non facileÂ dice allÂAgenzia Fides una fonte della Chiesa locale da Bujumbura, cap...


A rampant Australia thrash Great Britain at Elland Road to win the Tri-Nations trophy.


Aretha & King Curtis notti soul a San Francisco

In 4 cd gli indimenticabili concerti al Fillmore West di 'Lady Soul'. Era il 1971 e l'evento cambiÃ² la storia della musica


NBA Wrap: Hawks Stun Injury-Plagued Pistons

Tony Delk and Predrag Drobjnak both  scored 16 points as the Atlanta Hawks stunned the defending NBA  champion Detroit Pistons 88-72 in National Basketball  Association play Friday in Auburn Hills.


Selig: MLB stars unlikely to play in Olympics

Don't count on seeing any major league stars in the Olympics while Bud Selig is baseball commissioner. Selig, who last week received a three-year extension through 2009, said Monday that


Pakistan says 11 alleged militants have been arrested since security forces killed top al-Qaeda suspect Amjad Farooqi.


Asian stocks were mostly higher Monday, led by selected technology and metals firms, while oil extended gains and the dollar edged up ahead of an expected U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate rise Tuesday.


Mining Giant Told It Put Toxic Vapors Into Indonesia's Air

An report warned the Newmont Mining Corporation that it was putting tons of toxic mercury vapors into the air in Indonesia.


Donna avrebbe ucciso marito e figlio e poi tentato suicidio


David Terry, interim head of planning at Bartle Bogle Hegarty in New York, has accepted the post of director of planning at Omnicom Group's TBWA\\Chiat\\Day in New York. The Texas native has worked at agencies known for the discipline: Ogilvy & Mather, Merkley + Partners and most recently BBH, under global planning chief Emma Cookson.


The head of the UN World Food Programme says China should start  giving, rather than receiving, food aid.


The ongoing scandal concerning resigned Florida Rep. Mark Foley's correspondence with congressional pages is not the first time the House's page program has been at the center of controversy. In what year were two congressmen reprimanded for engaging in improper relationships with House pages?  1968 1983 1991 1973


Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds rose by $5.64 billion in the latest week to $875.21 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


America Online, which earlier this year stopped signing up new broadband customers, is telling existing broadband subscribers in nine Southern states that they must find a new broadband carrier by Jan. 17.


Lawyers for a British resident incarcerated in Cuba are to press Jack Straw to secure his release.


Liberian Children Pick Up Pieces of Broken Lives

LAINE CAMP, Guinea  - The four young siblings weep  as they leave their foster home to make the short trip back to  their war shattered homeland of Liberia.


A Palestinian man contests the Israeli army's conclusion that he was not forced to play his violin at a checkpoint.


Nearly a third of American adults have high blood pressure, putting them at greater risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and other problems, according to a new government analysis.


BBC chief vows to stay after apology to Queen

The head of BBC One said on Friday he  would not resign after the broadcaster was forced to apologize  to the Queen for wrongly implying that she had stormed out of a  photo shoot.


Tokyo's Nikkei average opened down 0.07  percent on Friday following lackluster trade on Wall Street and  as investors wound down trading ahead of a long weekend in  Japan and bookclosings for the first half of the business year.


The Senate blocked a bid by anti-abortion forces Thursday to cut off money for clinics that provide family planning and other health services in addition to abortions.


Peruvian ex-leader Alberto Fujimori, under house arrest in Chile, considers an offer to run for office in Japan.


California produce growers and processors worked to draw up new food-safety measures Thursday as government investigators trying to pinpoint the source of the deadly E. coli outbreak narrowed their search to three counties.


NASA -- When Space Shuttle Discovery rolls to the pad next year, the trip is guaranteed to be on firm ground. That's because the Crawler Transporters used to carry the Space Shuttles to the launch pads are being overhauled, including the installation of new tread shoes...


A man is released from prison in Sri Lanka after being held on remand for 50 years without conviction.


BAGHDAD -- Nearly every week, American generals and politicians visit Combat Outpost Gator, nestled behind a towering blast wall in the Dora market. They arrive in convoys of armored Humvees, sometimes accompanied by helicopter gunships, to see what U.S. commanders display as proof of the...


Space shuttle Discovery soars on second launch try

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - Space shuttle Discovery blasted off its seaside launch pad on Saturday, defying the odds of poor weather and ending the ban on night-time flights imposed after the 2003 Columbia disaster.


Gov. Mike Huckabee said Wednesday the nation is being given a chance to make up for past racism by the way it handles the influx of Hispanics.


Hewlett-Packard, Equant win 210 mln euro EU order

A consortium of Hewlett-Packard Co.   and France Telecom's  Equant has won a 210  million euro ($266.8 million) contract to supply a secure  communications infrastructure for the European Union.


Blog: Dell plans to begin selling desktop PCs in Wal-Mart Stores this weekend, the first move in a major departure from its decades-long sales strategy.


Federal Court Rules in Favor of 'Enemy Combatant'

A federal appeals court today ruled that the U.S. government cannot indefinitely imprison a U.S. resident on suspicion alone, and ordered the military to either charge Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri with his alleged terrorist crimes in a civilian court or release him.


Intel says responds to EU antitrust charges

Chipmaker Intel  said on  Monday it had responded to antitrust charges filed by the  European Commission and would seek a hearing, an Intel  spokesman and a Commission spokeswoman said on Monday.


A boy in southern Vietnam has died from the lethal strain of bird flu that has killed 22 people in the communist nation since late 2003.


GOP Advisers Press Boehner to Be More Aggressive      (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - House Republican advisers, antsy with the go-slow approach by leaders like Minority Leader John Boehner, are urging that the GOP instead follow the pattern of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has aggressively moved on several fronts, including the war in Iraq, taxes, and stem cell research.


Economy to weather housing storm: Fed officials

The U.S. economy can weather a  slowdown in the housing sector as rising incomes and business  investment offer support, Federal Reserve officials said on  Wednesday as they pointed to inflation risks.