China blames food fears on foreign media

China's top quality control official accused foreign media of raising unnecessary alarm about the safety of the country's food and drug exports, complaining in particular about U.S. reports.


Tigers 4, Yankees 3: Caught in the Shadows, Yanks Now Turn to Johnson

Now that the Tigers beat Mike Mussina to even the best-of-five series at one game apiece, Friday's starting pitcher Randy Johnson has a new assignment: rescue the Yankees.


German airline Lufthansa eyes stake in BMI

German flag carrier Lufthansa is interested in buying a 20-percent stake in British airline BMI currently held by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), the business daily Handelsblatt reported on Thursday.


President Bush asks for funds to reward countries that "took risks" to send troops to Afghanistan and Iraq.


Williamson, Mahan in playoff at Travelers Championship

Americans Jay Williamson and Hunter Mahan finished tied at 15 under par on Sunday and were in a sudden-death playoff in the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.


A Georgian prosecutor charges a wealthy tycoon and opposition leader with planning a coup.


Best Buy reports third-quarter earnings rise 21 percent

MINNEAPOLIS - Best Buy Company Inc. said on Wednesday that third-quarter earnings rose 21 percent, but gave hints that profits during the holiday selling season may not be quite what analysts were hoping for.


Iran lawmakers approve uranium enrichment

"Death to America!" chanted Iranian lawmakers after a unanimous vote Sunday to allow their government to resume uranium enrichment activities.


Smokers may be at greater risk of HIV infection compared with non-smokers, research suggests.


NEW YORK  - Women who are distraught after  breaking up with a romantic partner show brain changes that are  not seen in women less upset by a romantic rift, researchers  report.


(InfoWorld) - After an uglyÂ name-calling flapÂ last month, News Corp.'s MySpace and Photobucket will end up as part of the same company. Fox Interactive Media (FIM), the News Corp. division to which MySpace belongs, announced Wednesday it has agreed to buy Photobucket, which operates the U.S.'s most popular photo site. FIM also announced its agreement to acquire Flektor, a company that lets users edit photos and videos and embed them on Web pages. The acquisitions are expected to boost the photo and video sharing and editing capabilities of FIM's Web site network, particularly MySpace, the world's most popular social networking site. For about two weeks in April, MySpace blocked the videos and photo slideshows its users created, stored, and edited with Photobucket. The move, MySpace said, came after Photobucket knowingly violated its terms of service by encouraging MySpace users to run an ad-sponsored slideshow in their profile pages. This prompted Photobucket's CEO Alex Welch to term the action "a retrograde step." Photobucket also said MySpace never contacted it before implementing the block, essentially calling MySpace officials liars. The spat again highlighted a recurrent criticism of MySpace: that it has been reluctant to open its platform to third parties, a hallmark of the Web 2.0 mashup philosophy. MySpace grants access to its platform on a case-by-case basis to companies that request it, but doesn't have open APIs (application programming interface), something most Internet companies provide for many services. At the time of the controversy, Welch captured the essence of these objections, saying MySpace's action contradicted "the very ethos of personal and social media" as well as "an unacceptable attempt to limit the freedom of the very people who are its lifeblood -- its users." Last week, Facebook, a MySpace competitor, made a big splash when it announced it is opening up its service to external developers, a move that was seen as an attempt to capitalize on MySpace's contrasting philosophy. News Corp. and FIM executives have been candid about their misgivings over third-party services on MySpace, which they feel take advantage of the site's massive popularity. Photobucket, which lets users store photos, slide shows, videos and graphics on its servers and then link them to other Web sites, receives almost 57 percent of its upstream traffic from MySpace, Hitwise Pty Ltd. said in April. MySpace and Photobucket eventuallyÂ reached a truceÂ and MySpace lifted the ban. Shortly afterwards, rumors began flying that FIM was in the process of acquiring Photobucket. Wednesday's confirmation of the deal could be interpreted as being in line with FIM's reservations about having third parties build a business on MySpace's back, preferring instead to acquire, in this case, Photobucket, and bring it into its fold. In November 2006, MySpace had the 38.7 billion page views, the most of any site on the Internet, according to comScore Networks Inc. In March of this year, it had almost 95 million unique visitors from around the world. Meanwhile, Photobucket ranks by far as the most popular photo-sharing site in the U.S. with 41.4 percent of visits to sites in that category in March, according to Hitwise. Photobucket, founded in 2003, has 39 million registered users and ranked 34th among comScore's top 50 U.S. Web properties in March, with almost 16.8 million unique visitors. FIM didn't disclose terms of the acquisitions. The Flektor acquisition has been finalized, but the Photobucket deal still requires regulatory approvals is expected to close in the next 30 days, a FIM spokesman said via e-mail. Â


Biotechs nod as senators urge caution on generics

WASHINGTON -- Local biotech powerhouses were comforted by yesterday's congressional testimony that urged federal regulators to take a cautious approach to approving generic versions of biologics, including mandatory human clinical trials.


One person killed by explosion in Kosovo capital

One person was killed and  seven injured by an explosion that tore through shops in the  capital of Serbia's breakaway Kosovo province early on Monday,  a police source said.


THE first Australians to arrive home from the tsunami-ravaged holiday island of Phuket had the wide-eyed expressions of people who still couldn't believe what they had seen.


ARBIL, Iraq  - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will urge Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Friday to work with Sunnis and Shi'ites, particularly on the controversial issue of managing Iraq's vast oil wealth.


"Shock jock" Howard Stern will jump to  Sirius Satellite Radio SIRI.O in January 2006, moving his  controversial show from the public airwaves and giving the  nascent satellite radio sector a big boost.


The Carlyle Group, the District private-equity giant, continued its recent acquisition spree yesterday with a $2.7 billion deal for Sequa, a manufacturer of as diverse a group of products as pumps that inflate automobile airbags and After Six tuxedos.


Justine Henin beats Serena Williams in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open.


Good news for whom? Comment Last week, Oracle, one of the industry giants, announced that it has agreed to buy Hyperion Solutions Corporation, by no means a small ISV, for $52 per share - thereby valuing the acquisition at approximately $3.3bn.â¦


Incolumi i 164 passeggeri di un volo della Ryanair


With Wall Street in the final stretch of the year and the Dow Jones industrial average in record territory, investors expect next week to bring in even more holiday cheer.


A teenage mother who had her baby son returned to her in hospital by order of a judge will fight to keep him.


U.S. Citizenship Process Is Getting a History Test

The Bush administration yesterday unveiled dozens of new questions that may be added to the nation's naturalization test, and immigration advocates are concerned that the changes could make it more difficult for millions of legal immigrants to become U.S. citizens.


Paris Hilton promised to become a better person when she got out of jail. The more important issue, though, may be whether she can be a better driver.


How self-inflicted plastic surgery turned Italy's It girl into a 'monster'

She is famous for being famous. The Italian blonde first came to public attention because she was the girlfriend of a popular singer, and had given him two children.


Political volunteer killed in Washington

A British volunteer for the potential presidential campaign of former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner was killed in the city's Georgetown neighborhood by robbers who slashed his throat and tried to rape his female companion, police said.


The best investments don't follow a straight line to spectacular returns.


Kurds Move Into 2nd Place in Iraq Vote Count

A coalition of Iraq's main two Kurdish  parties has moved into second place behind a Shi'ite Islamist  alliance in the vote count following the Jan. 30 elections,  partial results released Monday showed.


Passerella e mostra al Centre Pompidou il 10 ottobre


Il metallo prezioso scambiato a 923,09 dollari l'oncia


UK lender Barclays is in talks with South Africa's Absa about buying a majority stake in the bank. The move would "immediately" boost earnings and profit, and "enhance the bank's existing successful African operations", Barclays said.


RealNetworks Sells 3 Mln Songs, Ends Download Promo

RealNetworks Inc. RNWK.O is ending  its 49 cent-per-song music download service but will keep the  promotional prices in place for top 10 songs, the Internet  media and software company said on Thursday.


Members of a Florida Army National Guard unit from Jacksonville have begun returning home from Bosnia and Herzegovina during the past couple of days, the beginning of a withdrawal of troops from what was the ...


Jakarta residents start clean-up after massive flood

Thousands of Indonesians were cleaning up mud and debris from their flood-damaged homes on Saturday after rains eased and waters that forced many into cramped emergency shelters begin to subside.


"The rules have changed" is the motto for the new IAQ Radio program hosted by Joe Hughes, President of IAQ Training Institute LLC, and Cliff Zlotnik, President of Microban Systems, Inc.


HAVANA - Cuba on Friday put up two large billboards in front of the US mission in Havana showing photos of abused Iraqi prisoners, in retaliation for a contentious Christmas display set up by American officials.


Senate votes not to debate Iraq proposal

A bipartisan resolution repudiating President George W. Bush's decision to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq failed to advance in the U.S. Senate on Monday, dealing a serious setback to critics of the war.


Iraqi policeman and National Guard members check weapons handed in to the al-Nasr police station in Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq, October 11.


ADV: $175,000 Mortgage for Under $730/Month

Mortgage rates are at record lows. Save $1000s on your mortgage payment. Free quotes.


Apple earnings soar, 1.4 million iPhones sold to date

As expected, it was another great quarter for Apple, with Mac shipments leading the way as the company sold more than a million iPhones.


Celebs Gather for N.Y. Parties, Protests

Actor Joe Pantoliano wants the government to make filmmakers an offer they can't refuse.


Higher oil prices to trim China's 2004 GDP growth

Surging oil prices could moderate China's economy this year as rising costs push inflation higher, hitting corporate profits and consumer pocket books, analysts and state press said.


Accord on a Key Issue Reported in G.M. Talks

Negotiators for the U.A.W. and General Motors have agreed on the framework for a health care trust, G.M.âs key demand in talks on a new contract.


Ex-couple and "Shrek the Third" co-stars Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake walked the green carpet at the London premiere of the animated blockbuster.


Roma, 17:12 - CALCIO, SACCHI: ALLENARE REAL MADRID E' MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

Arrigo Sacchi giustifica le difficoltà di Fabio Capello, parlando della crisi del Real Madrid...


Citi and Goldman most exposed to loan writedowns: report

Citigroup  and Goldman Sachs   are the most exposed to further writedowns from  leveraged loans in the first quarter, as the value of loans and  bonds created to finance leveraged buyouts plunges, Bank of  America said.


I'm still ahead of Nicklaus's pace, says Woods

Despite enduring his worst season since turning professional nine years ago, Tiger Woods says he is on track to overtake Jack Nicklaus's haul of 18 major championship victories.


British Airways Raises A$1.1 Bln From Qantas Sale

British Airways Plc, Europe's second- largest airline, raised about A$1.1 billion ($770 million) from the sale of shares in Qantas Airways Ltd.


Rio de Janeiro, 09:29 - CALCIO, BRASILE; TRUFFA SU ETA': UN ANNO DI STOP A CARLOS ALBERTO

La commissione disciplinare brasiliana ha squalificato per un anno Carlos Alberto, il giocatore che ...


December 25 2004 1010CET - The President Edward Fenech Adami urged the Maltese citizens not to give up.


Bryant Prosecutors Say Some Data Tainted

DENVER - Crucial DNA evidence tested by defense experts in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case might have been contaminated, prosecutors said in a court filing released Wednesday, just two days before jury selection is to begin.    Prosecutors said they had found contamination in DNA "control" samples intended to ensure testing was accurate...


OPEC producers have said they see little impact on economic growth so far from oil's relentless price surge, which Wednesday racked up yet another record high.


Beyonce to cover up for Malaysian concert: reports

Just weeks after US singer Gwen Stefani covered up for a concert in Malaysia amid a furore over revealing outfits, her compatriot Beyonce is facing similar calls, media here said Monday.


Giustizia, Anm: maxiemendamento Governo elusivo e deludente

''Il maxiemendamento presentato dal Governo Ã¨ elusivo e deludente, non tocca alcuno dei problemi di fondo''. E' il commento dell'Associazione Nazionale Magistrati sul nuovo provvedimento dell'esecutivo in tema di giustizia.


Why 'Apne' director Anil Sharma learnt boxing

Did you know that Anil Sharma had called a boxing expert for executing the pulse-pounding boxing sequences in APNE?


Angels sign center fielder Matthews to five-year deal

The Los Angeles Angels have signed center fielder Gary Matthews Jr from the Texas Rangers on a five-year deal worth a reported $50 million on Wednesday.


'I felt I'd let everyone down. But nobody was hurting inside as ...

The search for the reasons behind Paula Radcliffe's disastrous performance in the Olympic marathon moved yesterday to a medical laboratory in Athens, where blood samples taken from the 30-year-old athlete were being analysed in the hope of discovering


Trump's financial problems a cause for concern

FRENCH LICK, Ind. -- A state gaming official says it's too soon to discuss replacing financially troubled Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc.


Georgia to sue Forbes magazine in Russia

Georgia said on Friday it will take the  Russian edition of Forbes magazine to the European Court of  Human Rights for publishing details of properties for sale in  its rebel Abkhazia region.


A Greek bus hostage siege has ended peacefully as all 23 passengers were freed and as police revealed the two armed Albanian hijackers had been bluffing when they threatened to blow up the bus.


Kerry hopes to blunt fierce Bush counter-attack in next debate

John Kerry aced a do or die test in the first presidential debate, but in Friday's second showdown he must beat off a fiery counter thrust by President George W. Bush.


Microsoft "Halo 3" wins high marks from reviewers

"Halo 3," the highly anticipated  video game from Microsoft Corp , won high praise on  Sunday from game reviewers who gushed over the lush settings,  cinematic feel and array of multiplayer features.


Killer of Sweden's Lindh Seeks Leniency in Appeal

Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh's  confessed killer sought leniency in a Supreme Court appeal on  Wednesday, with his lawyer arguing he was mentally ill when he  attacked her and should not be jailed for murder.


A British reconnaissance team is set to visit the area around Baghdad where the US military has asked for back-up from UK forces. It is thought about 650 troops could be moved to within 20 miles of the Iraqi


Greenpeace wins its legal bid to make the government re-think its nuclear power station-building programme.


TOKYO (CBS.MW) -- Moody's Investors Service said Tuesday it has placed on review for possible downgrade the Philippines' long-term foreign- and local currency ceilings and ratings due to concerns over the sustainability of the government's fiscal and debt


Nearly a year since it was sold by Vivendi Universal to private investors, online retailer eMusic has undergone a facelift that includes a panel of music critics to help users comb its trove of independent music.


Prosegue l'azione di sviluppo nei principali mercati


Hewlett-Packard Co. HPQ.N on  Tuesday posted a quarterly profit that topped its own  diminished expectations as the computer and printer maker said  it had record revenues in every business and every region.


President Bush said Saturday he is open to the possibility of slowing or stopping plans to bring home more U.S. troops from Iraq, defying domestic demands to speed the withdrawals. Updated on war developments, Bush said the U.S. presence in Iraq will outlast his presidency.


Pakistani officials lower the death toll in the massive train derailment in the south of the country on Wednesday.


Organizations representing the nation's 3 million scientists, engineers and doctors have invited both presidential candidates to have a word with them — online.


Andrew Morton sees a domineering, aggressive character who has joined forces with Scientology to catapult his activities beyond the realm of mere glitter.


Del valore di 0,25 euro, si affianchera' a quello ordinario


Wyeth to Challenge Efexor Label Revision

Drug maker Wyeth said Monday that it will challenge British regulators' decision to revise the label for its Efexor anti-depressant to state that patients with heart disease should not take the medication.


Israeli officials urge opponents of Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan to back it in a crunch vote next week.


Stocks End Down on Dour Economic Outlook

NEW YORK - Stocks sagged Wednesday after Coca-Cola Co. and several other companies issued gloomy forecasts, and a lower-than-expected reading on industrial production for August threw the nation's broader economic outlook into question...


Korean robotics researchers develop ghostly software agents that move from one droid to another, taking possession of their mechanical bodies long enough to perform a task, before vanishing into the ether. Quinn Norton reports from Daejeon, Korea.


Iowa scores a 54-47 upset victory over No. 21 Oklahoma in the Lucaya Division championship game of the Junkanoo Jam tournament.


Shrugging off critics who derided her campaign as spectacularly inept, U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris easily won the GOP nomination for a shot at unseating incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.


La rivelazione fatta in prima persona dall'ex agente del Kgb Andrei LugovoiDopo aver incontrato a Londra l'ex 007 ucciso, tornÃ² a Mosca con un volo della British                                            Caso Litvinenko, uno dei contatti era sull'aereo con radioattivitÃ                                                                                Annuncio del ministro britannico: controlli positivi in 12 posti su 24


Thornton and Basinger tipped for "Informers"

LOS ANGELES  - Oscar winners Billy Bob Thornton and Kim Basinger are in various stages of negotiations to star in the ensemble drama "The Informers," an adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel.


Belgian football fan guilty of French tyre-slashing

A Belgian man angered by the bragging of French football fans during the 2006 World Cup slashed the tyres of dozens of French cars.


Triplets overcome malnutrition in Darfur

Myriam Ibrahim thought she had seen it all: three years of violence during which her Darfur town was invaded twice; days in hiding as gunmen roamed the fields, preventing her from planting crops and making her family dependent on food relief.


Amstelveen, The Netherlands - Rain forced the triangular series match between Australia and Pakistan to be abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday.


World Bank offers to help Bangladesh find "stolen assets"

The World Bank said Saturday it is ready to help Bangladesh's military-backed government bring back stolen money allegedly siphoned off by politicians and businessmen during the previous governments.


DoubleClick Performics Survey Reveals Over Half of Consumers Utilize Internet As Primary Source for Collecting Automotive Information in the Final Days Before Making a Purchase

In a recent survey conducted by DoubleClick Performics, the performance  marketing division of DoubleClick Inc., results highlighted the  expanding influence of the Internet, specifically local search, for  consumers gathering information to make an automobile purchase.


German politician throws weight behind sale of VDO to Continental

In the bidding war for Siemens' car parts specialist, VDO, the regional state premier of Lower Saxony said Friday that he favoured a sale to a German company rather than a potential foreign investor.


A global series of concerts to highlight global warming gets under way in Sydney and moves on to Tokyo.


Titleholder Ernie Els moved within sight of a record sixth World Match Play title on Saturday by solving a putting problem to overcome injured Irishman Padraig Harrington 5 and 4.


Brunico, 17:09 - Sci, Cdm: Recchia ok dopo consulto medico

La velocista azzurra Lucia Recchia si Ã¨ completamente ristabilita dopo la caduta con leggera commozi...


Roma, 17:45 - CALCIO, SERIE D: RISULTATI

Risultati della 19/a giornata, 2/a di ritorno, del campionato di serie D.


Cagliari, 10:33 - CALCIO, CAGLIARI: ARRIVANO JEDA E STORARI

Il Cagliari ha ufficialmente acquistato il portiere Marco Storari e l'attaccante brasiliano Jeda. I ...


Newman hopes to right the ship at Bristol track

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Ryan Newman canât afford any more missteps, which is a pretty tough row to hoe when the next race on the schedule is at Bristol Motor Speedway.


Tour de France, il kazako domina ad Albi, 54 km contro il tempopotrebbe rientrare in corsa dopo la caduta della scorsa settimana                                            Vinokourov, il grande ritorno Rasmussen, superba difesa                                                                                Il danese tiene con disinvoltura la maglia gialla dall'attaccodi Evans. Bene Kloden e Contador, alla deriva Valverde, Mayo e Moreaudi LUIGI PANELLA


A member of staff at a children's hospital is suspended after pornographic material is found on a computer.


Report: Attack on Mosul mess tent was suicide

WASHINGTON - The deadly explosion in a US mess tent in Mosul, Iraq, was the work of a suicide bomber and the attacker's torso and a suicide vest have been recovered, ABC News reported Wednesday.


The mother of a British soldier killed in Iraq storms out of a surprise meeting with Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.


Ky. controllers had worries before crash

Months before the Comair jet crash that killed 49 people, air traffic controllers at the Lexington airport wrote to federal officials complaining about a hostile working environment in the tower and short-staffing on the overnight shift, according to letters obtained by The Associated Press.


Canyon County Reopens Jail, Brings Inmates Back From Boise

By Sandra Forester, The Idaho Statesman, Boise  Mar. 13--Ten Canyon County inmates housed in the Ada County Jail will return to Caldwell today when the county's old jail, now dubbed the annex, reopens with 74 beds.


A contentious Orange Order parade is under way in the Whiterock area of west Belfast.


Milan Court Indicts 26 Americans In Abduction

ROME, Feb. 16 -- An Italian judge gave approval Friday for what will be the first overseas criminal trial of CIA officers involved in a covert counterterrorism operation, as a court in Milan indicted more than two dozen Americans on charges of kidnapping a radical Muslim cleric four years ago.


U.S. tells N.Korea to fully declare nuclear activities

The United States urged North Korea on Friday to give a full declaration of its nuclear activities after Pyongyang missed an end-2007 deadline for presenting the inventory under a disarmament-for-aid deal.


Saved: lifeguard Rob Howes, his daughter Niccy and friend - click ...

What do you do when a great white wants to have you, your daughter and her friends for lunch? (Besides praying, let's say). Well, if you're lucky, you leave your fate in the hands of dolphins.


'Sleep Dealer' Injects Sci-Fi Into Immigration Debate

Alex Rivera's eye-opening film delivers a message at Sundance: As technology marches forward, the gulf between the haves and the have-nots will widen into an ugly abyss.


Mortars Mark Opening of Iraqi Political Conference

Insurgents fired mortars at a meeting  where Iraqi leaders met to pick an interim national assembly  Sunday, killing at least two people in a grim reminder of the  country's tortured path toward democracy.


Genova, 16:31 - CALCIO, SAMPDORIA: INGAGGIATO CARACCIOLO

Andrea Caracciolo giocherà nella prossima stagione con la Sampdoria, dove arriva dal Palermo ...


Roma-Sampdoria Ã¨ un confronto tra due squadre speculari che si affidano in partenza al classico 4-4-2. La rinuncia forzata a Cassano costringe infatti Delneri a tornare al suo modulo preferito inserendo DâAgostino a centrocampo.


Vodafone: iPhone impact on Verizon was temporary

Verizon Wireless saw some subscribers  defect to AT&T Inc  to get the iPhone but the impact was  short-lived, said one of Verizon's parents, Vodafone Group Plc  , on Wednesday.


Fergie Hails Footballing 'Eccentric' Clough

Sir Alex Ferguson tonight hailed Brian Clough as a great footballing eccentric and âa fantastic managerâ following the death of his old sparring partner.


Prince Harry 'in love' with teenage student

Prince Harry is besotted with a blonde 19-year-old student in South Africa whose father runs a Zimbabwe game farm, the Mail on Sunday reported.


New Novel Shows Hemingway's Lighter Side

The macho hunter image of Ernest Hemingway is replaced by a picture of the author as a confident and happy man in one of his last manuscripts, to be published this fall.


Actress Janet Leigh who was most famous for the shower stabbing scene in âPsychoâ died at home on Sunday at the age of 77, Reuters reports.


Rome, Italy (Sports Network) - Juventus stretched its lead in the Italian Serie A to five points on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Chievo.


Britain to send extra troops to Afghanistan

Britain is set to announce that it is sending up to 1,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, according to media reports Friday.


AFRICA/REPUBBLICA CENTRAFRICANA - Scheda del Paese e della Chiesa Roma (Agenzia Fides)- In occasione della visita ad limina dei Vescovi della Repubblica Centrafricana pubblichiamo una scheda sul Paese e sulla Chiesa. Esteso per 622.984 km2, il Centrafrica confina con il Ciad al nord, il Sudan allÂest, la Repubblic...


Hewlett-Packard Co.'s media leak investigation went forward despite warnings from HP security personnel that the tactics used were ``probably illegal" and should be stopped, according to documents collected for today's congressional hearing on the HP scandal.


Siena, 13:14 - CALCIO, SIENA: MANDORLINI NUOVO ALLENATORE

Andrea Mandorlini è il nuovo allenatore del Siena. L'ex tecnico del Padova prende il posto di...


The US economic embargo of Cuba jumped to the top of the Castro governmentâs agenda on Thursday. For the 13th year in a row, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution condemning the US embargo.


Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N  said on  Saturday it still expected a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in  January sales at its U.S. stores open at least a year, in line  with its previous forecast.


Australia urges voluntary emission goals

Australia's leader urged his Pacific Rim counterparts on Sunday to forge a new agreement on climate change — one that would reject binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions in favor of voluntary goals.


ComScore: Last Week Saw Strong Online Shopping

Online sales grew 25 percent in the last shopping week before Christmas.


A top US commander says the assault on Falluja has "broken the back of the insurgency" across Iraq.


Earth's Solar System Shaped by Brush with Star, Astronomers Say

The outer reaches of our solar system may have been shaped long ago by a close encounter with another star that tore up both nascent planetary systems like colliding buzz saws, astronomers said today.


McDonald's investors yesterday shrugged off the resignation of Charlie Bell as chief executive, deciding the fast food giant's turnround would continue under its new leadership team, sending the shares ahead.


Answering network security demands, Check Point expands its top-level certification program.


Israel Approves Compensation for Evicted Gaza Settlers

The compensation bill sailed comfortably through the Knesset in a preliminary vote with the help of the opposition Labour Party, but the 64-44 vote reflected the deep division within Sharonâs own camp and the fierce opposition of the politically


Israel set to take revenge operations after "tunnel attack"

Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz approved Monday afternoon a series of operations which will be launched in the Rafah area against tunnels used by Palestinians to smuggle weapons and attack Israeli targets.


Belgium's Interbrew, which acquired AmBev to create the world's biggest brewer, reiterated on Thursday its higher volume and profit targets for 2004 as demand began to recover from a weak summer.


It offers impressive cash flow but may not have enough opportunities to reinvest it in the business.


SQL Server pros aren't charmed by open source

They are curious about the growing number of open source database products on the market, but some SQL Server DBAs say they remain doubtful that companies will adopt it for the long haul.


Google to Offer Libraries' Books to Lure Web Surfers

Google Inc., the most-used Web-search service, will scan books and documents from four universities and the New York Public Library, offering access to material unavailable on Yahoo!


Stripped down Longhorn still offers gems

Even though Microsoftâs much-anticipated Longhorn has been stripped of its unified file system and some of its other key Longhorn technologies will be available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the next Windows release will still be worth the upgrade, according to Microsoft.


"While we regret that the incident occurred and have apologized to our viewers, we continue to believe that nothing in the Super Bowl broadcast violated indecency laws," the network said in a statement released on Wednesday, coincidentally the same day


Stars strike late to end Canucks' streak

Jere Lehtinen's powerplay goal at 4:17 of overtime lifted the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.


BUCHALKI, Russia - A Russian airliner crashed and another apparently broke up in the air almost simultaneously after taking off from the same airport, officials said, killing all 89 people aboard and raising fears of a terrorist attack.    Authorities said rescuers found wreckage from a Tu-154 jet with at least 46 on board, about nine hours after it issued a distress signal and disappeared from radar screens over the Rostov region some 600 miles south of Moscow...


Beazer to exit some operations, take Q1 charge

Beazer Homes USA Inc  said on Friday it would cease some operations, including mortgage origination, causing unspecified charges.


Indonesia Prospective Leader on Hunt for Ministers

BOGOR, Indonesia  - Former general Susilo Bambang  Yudhoyono discussed presidential plans and a cabinet with  visitors to his home on Wednesday, even though he has yet to  declare victory after Indonesia's first direct vote for a  leader.


Cell phones, Net could have saved thousands from waves

In a sickening way, the horrific death toll from the tsunamis last week was an information disaster.


Ottimista su Iraq, esorta congresso a rapide misure stimolo


Play-off earns Singh seventh victory of year

NOW that he is No1 in the world, Vijay Singh clearly believes that the best way to stay there is to continue the form that got him there and secure victory by playing better than everyone in the field - again.


Explosives Found in Both Crashed Russian Jets

Explosives have been found in the second  of two Russian jets which crashed simultaneously this week  killing 90 people, investigators said Saturday, having already  announced the same discovery in the first aircraft.


STOCKHOLM, Oct. 30. - Andre Agassi edged Tommy Haas in two tie-breaks today and reached the final of the Stockholm Open for the first time.


New tests reveal the level of dioxin in the blood of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko is more than 6,000 times higher than normal, according to the expert analyzing the samples.


Court: Disclose all evidence in detainee cases

NEW YORK -- A federal appeals court yesterday ordered the US government to turn over virtually all its information on Guantanamo detainees who are challenging their detention, rejecting an effort by the Justice Department to limit disclosures.


Those Dolphins achieved the N.F.L.âs only perfect season by finishing 17-0. Some 35 years later, the Patriots need three postseason wins for 19-0.


Should We Worry About What's in Our Tap Water?

CAMPAIGNER Robin Watkins wrote to us with a comment relating to our Go Green campaign: "I have campaigned for a number of years to ban the addition of a chemical called hexafluorosilicic acid to the drinking water of Newcastle.


Verizon, T-Mobile Likely to Lead FCC Sale

Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are expected to be the most aggressive bidders for U.S. wireless airwaves in a January auction that analysts say could give them added resources to expand and improve service.


Blair Seeks to Prick World Conscience on Africa

Britain hopes to use a summit in Ethiopia this week to force an international community obsessed with Iraq and terrorism to also focus on the "scar" of Africa.


Big Brain Theory: Have Cosmologists Lost Theirs?

A bizarre scenario takes theories of modern cosmology to the limit.


Lycos Europe's controversial anti-spam efforts had a bumpy first week, with various availability problems, some of which may have been caused by the same spammers the site targeted with distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.


Dell could go indirect with Acer buy - analyst

Model 2.0 Michael Dell could prove that "Dell 2.0" is more than a marketing throwaway by buying rival Acer, according to a leading Wall Street analyst.â¦


Brown to meet with queen, take over as British PM

Gordon Brown will receive the keys to 10 Downing Street on Thursday, as outgoing UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is appointed as a peace envoy to the Middle East. (Full story)


Digital guru Nicholas Negroponte says he is developing a laptop that will sell for less than $100 (Â£53).


Spain to hand judge documents on secret CIA flights

Spain agreed on Friday to hand a judge intelligence documents about secret CIA flights that transported terrorism suspects to third countries where investigators say they may have faced torture or abuse.


Few back home knew ex-soldier now charged

In Steven Green's hometown, few people seemed to have any recollection of the skinny, 21-year-old former private now accused in the horrific rape and killing of a young Iraqi woman and the execution-style slaying of her family.


Microsoft Plans New IE Browser, Better Security

Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O will  release a new version of Internet Explorer, the world's most  widely used Web browsing software, with stronger, built-in  security features, chairman Bill Gates said on Tuesday.


A computer virus posing as an electronic Christmas card is spreading across the net.


Low Testosterone Linked With Memory Loss

Oct. 27, 2004 -- A new study hints at why forgetfulness plagues older men. Loss of testosterone, which happens normally as men age, seems to be at the root of some memory loss.


A total lunar eclipse expected to create views of a blood-red moon will be visible tonight throughout most of North America, weather permitting.


At a low-key ceremony on Monday, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France inaugurated La CitÃ© de lâArchitecture et du Patrimoine, (the City of Architecture and Heritage) in Paris, which reopened after a $114 million, decade-long makeover.


FluMist Announces One Million More Vaccine Doses

MedImmune has made available an additional 1 million doses of its nasal spray flu vaccine. "This is for people who are healthy ... who should not be getting the injectable vaccine," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said.


Hewlett-Packard's online store, HPshopping.com, this week introduced the "Apple IPod from HP," the company's long-awaited version of the IPod.


Germania e Lussemburgo approvano prospetto Buenos Aires


Rajashree Thakur is an upcoming television actress.


The arrest of 16 people, including champion jockey Kieren Fallon, in an investigation into horse race fixing is clearly very embarrassing for the sport.


This step towards easy portability of software from one Java-enabled mobile device to another, which is currently not the case because there is no standard specification, would ultimately provide mobile customers with a wide choice of feature rich Java


ADVERTISING : This Web TV Is for You, Especially if YouÂre a Male Aged 21 to 34

The nationÂs biggest brewer, is preparing to launch Bud TV, an online entertainment network with various channels including one similar to the Web site YouTube.


Corzine to Run for Governor of New Jersey

The announcement by Jon S. Corzine, whose riches helped make him a U.S. senator, was widely anticipated.


Reshuffled South Africa hang on for draw

South Africa narrowly escaped defeat in their three-day tour match against an Indian Board President's XI on Tuesday. The visitors, having conceded a 135-run first-innings


While most TV characters remain boxed inside the frames of our sets, Stephen Colbert has routinely injected his on-screen persona into everything from the presidential race to ice cream.


MADISON, Wis. Wisconsin remains unbeaten by rolling over Minnesota 38-to-14. The fifth-ranked Badgers got 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Anthony Davis, while quarterback John Stocco threw for a career-high 297 yards.


Update: Credit card firm hit by DDoS attack

Credit card processing firm Authorize.Net said today that it was the target of a large-scale distributed denial-of-service attack that had caused disruptions for customers.


Women peace laureates appeal for Myanmar action

Six female Nobel Peace laureates called  on the world to keep up pressure on Myanmar's military junta to  restore liberty and democracy in the country.


Soccer: Youth brings energy to a night drained of meaning

On Tuesday, Cesc Fabregas, a 17-year-old Spaniard, scored a flamboyant goal and ran the midfield so well that Arsenal thrashed Rosenborg Trondheim 5-1.


Football: Aberdeen beat Celtic 3-2 via last gasp goal

Celtic suffered their first defeat of the Scottish Premier League season on Wednesday when John Stewart grabbed a goal in injury time to complete a 3-2 win for Aberdeen.


Turkey registers frustration as France prevents the EU opening membership talks with Ankara in a key area.


Flight Attendant Union Calls For Nationwide Strike

PITTSBURGH (Dow Jones)--The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, or flight attendant union, expects the union board to act on a resolution authorizing a nationwide strike later Tuesday against airline management.


Indice Nikkei a +0,15% dopo le dimissioni di Abe


Apple Rolls Out IPod Photo, Rocks with U2

Apple Computer Inc. rolled out on Tuesday a new iPod that allows users to view and share photos as it opened nine new iTunes music stores in Europe,  spurring its rivalry with Microsoft Corp. and others.


U.S. eyes regional peacekeepers for chaotic Somalia

The United States expects to unveil this week a draft Security Council resolution authorizing African peacekeepers to help prop up Somalia's shaky interim government, U.N. diplomats said on Monday.


Anthony, six others suspended for on-court brawl

NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony was  among seven players suspended on Monday for their roles in an  ugly brawl between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets on  Saturday night.


Panel: Aprotinin should remain on market

A drug used to prevent excessive bleeding during bypass surgery should remain on the market despite being linked to increased risk of death and other serious side effects, federal advisers recommended Wednesday.


David Beckham and Landon Donovan are among a glut of players whose injuries have decimated the Los Angeles Galaxyâs roster.


The San Jose Earthquakes re-signed defender Troy Dayak on Tuesday.


La gestante colta da improvviso malore ieri mattina. Trasportata al GallieraÃ¨ stata sottoposta a duplice intervento chirurgico. La neonata trasferita al Gaslini: Ã¨ grave                                          Genova, donna di 40 anni in coma partorisce bimba al settimo mese


Roma, 19:56 - CALCIO, ROMA: LAVORANO SOLO GLI INFORTUNATI

Ripresa degli allenamenti della Roma prevista per domani. Intanto a Trigoria lavorano gli infortunat...


Thomas homers power Oakland to Game One win over Twins

Frank Thomas belted a pair of home runs and Barry Zito delivered eight sparkling innings as the Oakland Athletics edged the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Tuesday to draw first blood in their American League division series.


Usher leads the American Music Awards field

Usher has led the field of candidates for the 32nd annual American Music Awards with four nominations. The R&B singer was nominated for favourite male artist and favourite album, in both the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories.


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- No storm in history has done more damage to the Kennedy Space Center than Hurricane Frances did. Officials at the Florida facility said the storm tore about 1,000 exterior panels from the Vehicle Assembly Building.


One of the dominant themes of these Olympic Games has been the narrowing gap in basketball between the United States men and the rest of the world.


FORMER Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet was indicted today and placed under house arrest for the kidnapping of nine dissidents and the killing of one of them during his 1973-90 military regime.


Haiti's president appeals for aid for the flood-stricken island, as UN officials warn the death toll could rise.


A WELSH primary teacher whose school is under threat has been named as the best in the UK during a televised awards ceremony.


Edwards Vows Not to Touch Retirement Age

Seizing on a report that a plan to privatize Social Security includes raising the retirement age for full benefits to 72, vice presidential candidate John Edwards on Saturday renewed a promise that the Democrats would never raise the retirement age.


Unocal to pay villagers, fund improvements to settle rights case

LOS ANGELES - Unocal Corp. will settle a human rights case filed over a pipeline in Southeast Asia by paying villagers and funding improvements to living conditions along the project route, lawyers on both sides said Monday.


Asus amplia la propria offerta di notebook con la serie A2500K

Equipaggiati con processore Mobile AMD AthlonTM 64 3000+ o 3200+ (supportano fino a 3700+), i portatili della serie ASUSÂ® A2500K sono disponibili con hard disk da 60 o 80GB, 512MB di memoria DDR 333 SDRAM (espandibile fino a 1024MB) e masterizzatore DVD


Netherlands issues first fines to spammers

Telecommunications regulator OPTA, which is responsible for regulating spam in the Netherlands, issued three separate fines on Tuesday, the first since the Dutch government agreed


Its latest marketing application includes a new approach to a worrisome treatment.


Q&A:  "Global Justice Movements Are on the Rise"

BERLIN, Dec 20 (IPS) - Social movements are responsible for some of the  most important transformations taking place lately in our  societies and minds, says Prof. Dieter Rucht from the Berlin  Centre for Social Sciences (WZB).


Poor sanitation kills 5,000 children a day: report

Five thousand children die every day globally because they do not have access to clean toilets, health experts said on Tuesday.


WASHINGTON -- Boeing Co., the second-largest US defense contractor, won the first piece of a $2.5 billion contract to secure the US border and help stem illegal immigration, congressional aides said.


Three hours of show floor wandering covered only a fraction of the trade show's booth space, but yielded a few insights, a few laughs and a decent massage.


A Battle for Supremacy Continues, This Time on Federerâs Turf

A fifth consecutive Wimbledon victory for Roger Federer would match Bjorn Borgâs modern menâs record for consistency and give Federer 11 Grand Slam titles.


Fire swept through a two-story house where a large number of people had been living, killing at least four early Sunday, the state fire marshal said.


-- Curtis Martin will miss at least the first six weeks of the season. It could be the end of the 33-year-old running back's career.


House passes intelligence changes; Senate OK likely today

In a decisive victory for President Bush and a bittersweet triumph for the families of Sept. 11 victims, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a sweeping overhaul of the nationâs intelligence agencies.


Tra i 23 convocati da Lippi per le sfide con Slovenia e Bielorussia ci sono Esposito e Zaccardo. Oltre agli infortunati Vieri e Del Piero, manca Cassano. ROMA, 3 ottobre 2004 - Sono 23 i giocatori azzurri


Palazzo Chigi: Rai prerogativa governo, non del presidente


Kermit Washington had gone back to American University on many occasions over the years -- the night they retired his basketball jersey, the times he needed a gym to run his clinics for aspiring players.


Jason Campbell hit Courtney Taylor for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:14 to play and No. 14 Auburn got two chances to kick the winning extra point.


The parent company of Discovery Communications said yesterday that it was in preliminary talks to buy out shareholder Advance/Newhouse Communications, another step toward taking Discovery public.


GE raises dividend, boosts stock buyback

General Electric Co. said Friday that it is raising its quarterly dividend by 10 percent to 22 cents per share, and could buy back up to $15 billion worth of stock over the next three years.


Sports ; Arsenal vs. Manchester United: A feud grows in England

Sunday's game added further heat to this simmering rivalry: Arsenal, the defending champion and rising power vs. United, the team of the '90s trying to reclaim its dominance; Wenger, the urbane Frenchman vs.


Palestinian officials: Arafat era is over

Palestinian officials close to Yasser Arafat, who is being treated for illness in Paris, told CNN Saturday they have reached the conclusion that the era of Arafat as Palestinian leader is over.


WEEK/Pantagraph Poll Shows Kerry Leads In Illinois

There is no reason to believe Illinois will provide much drama on Election Night. The last News 25/Pantagraph poll of the campaign shows John Kerry comfortably ahead in his quest for Illinois electoral votes.


Shock Jocks Boost Satellite Radio Profile

When radio shock jocks Opie and Anthony considered their next career move after two firings in four years, the twisted twosome was ready to feign rehabilitation. Or at least that was the plan when they sat down with satellite radio executives.


BERLUSCONI, VINCEREMO LE ELEZIONI E NEL 2006 RIDUZIONE IRPEF

Nel 2006, punto a ridurre l'Irpef per un punto di Pil, pari a circa 12 miliardi di euro, non solo per lo 0,5% come previsto per ognuno dei tre anni dopo il 2005. Lo Stato deve togliere meno soldi dalle tasche


Sluggish growth in the eurozone is holding back the global economy, according to the US Treasury Secretary John Snow. Speaking during a visit to Dublin, he said the zone was growing at "below its potential


Insurgents fought US troops in running street battles in the capital Saturday, assassinated three Iraqi officials and their driver, and detonated a car bomb in Baghdad's Liberation


Russell Crowe doesn't "do charity work" for studios

Actor Russell Crowe said on Monday he   quit an epic movie about the Australian outback co-starring   Nicole Kidman because he doesn't do "charity work" for major   studios.


Ronald Boyer, who has been better known as a star of pornographic films as, Rod Fontana, has searched his soul and chosen to seek a priesthood in the Episcopal Church.


TRADE:  EU Pesticide Rules May Force Out Small African Farmers

YORK, UK, Jun 29 (IPS) - African farmers could soon find themselves forced  out of the lucrative European market for agricultural products as  retailers and government move towards a zero tolerance policy on  chemical residues in food.


Shuttle Enterprise Takes Center Stage, at Last

Space shuttle Enterprise was born to be an astronautical bridesmaid, never a bride. Built in 1976 as one of the first trio of US shuttles, Enterprise never left


UN Envoy Calls Darfur Crisis Probable War Crime

UN envoys told the Security Council Thursday that war crimes had probably taken place on "a large and systematic scale" in Sudan's Darfur region and called for foreign police to help stop abuses.


Celtic midfielder Alan Thompson insists fears Martin OâNeill might have managed Celtic in Europe for the final time will prove unfounded.


Up to 1,000 killed in Kenyan crisis: Odinga

Riots and post-election violence in Kenya may have killed up to 1,000 people, the opposition said on Monday as it halted protests to give mediation a chance.


OECD lifts forecast for First World economies

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) yesterday offered an optimistic assessment of prospects for the world's leading industrialised economies.


Bush to request $50 billion more for Iraq war: report

U.S. President George W. Bush is preparing to ask Congress for as much as $50 billion in additional funding for the war in Iraq, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a White House official.


Iran won't halt atomic work, snubs big powers

Iran said on Tuesday it would never suspend uranium enrichment as demanded by the West, a day after world powers agreed to work on a new U.N. resolution to pressure Tehran to back down over its nuclear program.


Thereâs an inherent conflict of interest when the government conducts comparative-effectiveness studies and then uses those studies to determine which pills are worth buying.


The long-awaited Mitchell Report will lay blame at all levels of baseball for a widespread drug problem and call for drastic changes.


Sospeso per eccesso di ribasso, titolo rientra in Borsa


Bush Disappointed Intelligence Reform Failed

President Bush expressed disappointment on Sunday that an agreement on intelligence reform collapsed in the face of Republican opposition and vowed to renew pressure on Congress to reach a deal this year.


A group of 29 people, thought to be North Koreans, force their way into a Japanese school in Beijing.


London, England (Sports Network) - Jaguar Racing made the announcement on Friday that it would no longer be competing in the series at the end of the 2004 season.


Positive Trends Recorded in U.S. Data on Teenagers

Fewer high school students were having sex and more were using condoms in 2005, according to the latest government report on the well-being of the nationâs children.


By Allan Turnbull  NETWORKING is an essential part of network marketing. Every successful network marketer knows this to be true. And although networking is such an intricate part of network marketing, the two terms are not synonymous.  But there are many similarities.


China launches drive for food and drug safety

China will launch a long-term offensive against dangerous medicines and bad foods that have alarmed consumers, the government announced in a plan that vows stronger export controls.


GOING FOR UNPRECEDENTED 19TH STRAIGHT WIN TODAY

The New England Patriots have won 18 games in a row. Because the streak includes post-season, the NFL record book won't recognize the feat, but anyone you ask in the NFL thinks it's a pretty nifty achievement.


Funerals Held for 3 Starved Ala. Children

More than 1,500 mourners filled an Alabama church Sunday to remember three children who died after their mother allegedly starved them.


Almost half of adults eat to beat the blues or boredom, research suggests.


Lebanese Official Assassinated in Beirut

BEIRUT, Nov. 21 -- Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, a vocal opponent of Syrian involvement in the country and a leader of the country's Maronite Christian minority, was assassinated in Beirut today, intensifying an already volatile situation and pushing the country's government a step...


The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio, Rich Heldenfels Column: Maggie Smith's Son is Star of PBS' `Jane Eyre'

By Rich Heldenfels, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio  Mar. 1--If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag...   Q: Can you tell me who starred as Rochester in the Jan. 21 and 28 airing of "Jane Eyre" on PBS? Also, is there a VHS or DVD of the "Jane Eyre" many years ago starring George C.


A "new" album of Beatles music mixed by their legendary producer George Martin and described as a new "way of reliving the whole Beatles musical lifespan", will be released in November.


'Popolo delle pentole' torna in piazza questa sera


Arafat's health worsening, aides in Paris say

Speaking from France, Palestinian officials say leader Yasser Arafat took a turn for the worse late Wednesday. He's been in a Paris hospital since last Friday.


Yahoo CEO Semel steps down, Yang takes over

Blog: The company names co-founder Jerry Yang to be CEO, as Terry Semel shifts to a role as nonexecutive chairman.


As Condos Rise in Florida, Investors Try to Flee

As dozens of condominium towers conceived during Floridaâs real estate boom near completion, investors who snatched up units are trying to break contracts.


Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has announced that he will no longer recognize the Democratic Coordination or CD as the opposition coalition.


As the summer swelters on, skyscrapers and apartments around the city will be cranking up the air conditioning and pushing the city's power grid to the limit.


LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Darrell Arthur scored 23 points, and Russell Robinson had 22 and helped fuel a 17-6 spurt in the second half that pulled No. 4 Kansas away from stubborn Baylor and carried the Jayhawks to a 100-90 victory Saturday night.


Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who led Republican candidates in money raised during the first three months of the presidential race with $21 million, told top fundraisers yesterday that his campaign will bring in less during the second quarter and that he continues to lend money from his...


The BBC's Tamsin Smith says the row in Brussels over comments by Italy's candidate for EU commissioner has affronted Italians.


Oil slips under $58 as U.S. winter fuel worries ease

Oil prices edged lower on Thursday,  adding to a near 2 percent sell off the previous day caused by  a smaller-than-expected drop in U.S. heating fuel inventories.


Most Analog Cellular to Fade Away Next Week

The biggest U.S. mobile operators, AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless, will close down their analog networks on Monday.


ABC Says It Won't Attempt to Retain All B.C.S. Games

ABC Sports, which has carried the entire Bowl Championship Series since 1998, withdrew from talks to retain the full package of games.


China Rejects Powell Call for Dialogue with Taiwan

China on Wednesday rejected Secretary  of State Colin Powell's call to resume dialogue with Taiwan,  saying there was no basis for talks because of the island's  push for formal independence.


The political spin machines went into high gear Wednesday with the publication of the report from the Iraq Survey Group on Saddam Husseinâs weapons of mass destruction (WMD).


One supportive message came engraved on a 150-pound rock from the Mississippi River. Another was a lime-green hood from a race car bearing Virginia Tech's logo. A large painting of a tree arrived on a semitrailer from a New York university.


Treatment Delay for Prostate Cancer Doesn't Hurt Outcome

Men with prostate cancer who have to wait up to three months after diagnosis to receive external-beam radiation therapy don't have worse outcomes than men who start treatment


Hacking Pleads Not Guilty to Killing Wife

A Utah man on Friday pleaded not  guilty to killing his wife in a case that drew national  attention when police discovered he had been leading a life of  lies.


Treasury chief feeling good about economy

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Sunday said he feels good about the U.S. economy and does not see the country slipping into recession.


Stoccolma, 13:09 - AUTO, RALLY DI SVEZIA: AL COMANDO C'E' SOLBERG

Il norvegese Petter Solberg Ã¨ al comando del Rally di Svezia dopo la seconda prova speciale della se...


US special forces buy electric stealth golf carts

Milk floats of death to drop behind enemy lines The US Air Force (USAF) is trialling battery-powered off-road vehicles for use by its special-forces ground units, according to reports - and you can buy one yourself for just $100,000 plus shipping.â¦


Can't get an iPhone? Here's how some hot cell phones from other manufacturers measure up.


Oggi rapito un generale consigliere ministro difesa


Video Rental Wars: Blockbuster Seeks Takeover of Hollywood Video

The battle for video and DVD rentals heated up this week as Blockbuster indicated it would seek to buy out rival Hollywood video and would do so by hostile takeover if necessary.


The Rev. D. James Kennedy, a pioneering Christian broadcaster and megachurch pastor whose fiercely conservative worldview helped fuel the rise of the religious right in American politics, died Wednesday. He was 76.


Suicide truck bomber blows up outside Iraqi army base

RAMADI, Iraq  - A suicide truck bomber blew up outside the Iraqi army headquarters in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi on Wednesday, wounding many but causing no deaths, police said.


Nel messaggio per la Quaresima Benedetto XVI riaffermache la redistribuzione delle ricchezze Ã¨ un dovere morale                                          Il Papa: "La proprietÃ  non Ã¨ un diritto assoluto"


Huge Cache of Explosives Vanished From Site in Iraq

The Iraqi interim government has warned that nearly 380 tons of the world's most powerful conventional explosives are missing from a former military installation.


Walter Brown stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day in a bulldozer, eventually using it to widen one of the roads to bring dead American soldiers from inland back to the shore.


BEIJING -- New rules by a Chinese government-backed Internet group maintain strict controls over the country's bloggers, requiring them to register with their real names and identification cards.


British Airways said on Wednesday that "very low traces" of radiation had been found on two of its aircraft by police probing the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.


US and Iraqi forces say they control of three-quarters of Falluja after two days of fighting with insurgents.


The Huygens probe is on target and all set for its encounter with Titan, the mysterious large moon of Saturn.


US President George W Bush backs an Iraqi law to allow Saddam Hussein's Baath party to return to public life.


Indonesian Chickens, and People, Hard Hit by Bird Flu

Three people died of bird flu this week, pushing the total number of deaths in Indonesia to 101, nearly half of all the bird flu deaths in the world.


Che Guevara's last night alive relived on NY stage

After writing "The Motorcycle Diaries"  screenplay, Jose Rivera felt he had more to say about Ernesto  "Che" Guevara so he wrote a play he says shows the Latin  American revolutionary would have had plenty to say about the  war in Iraq.


Cold water poured on Egyptian claims of Mideast peace breakthrough

JERUSALEM  - Israeli, Palestinian and US officials all poured cold water on claims from Egypt that a comprehensive peace plan for the Middle East was in the pipeline.


Toll Brothers quarterly profit falls sharply

Toll Brothers Inc.  on Thursday said the weak U.S. housing market drove down its quarterly profit 67 percent after write-downs for lower land values, and the luxury home builder lowered its forecast.


China's yuan is not substantially undervalued given the country's balance of payments, but it will manage capital flows with the aim of eventually making the currency convertible, China's central bank governor said.


Scholes will play key role in treble quest: Man Utd boss

Sir Alex Ferguson believes experienced midfielder Paul Scholes could play an important part in Manchester United's bid this season to match their treble achievement of 1999.


A doctor is under no obligation to tell a pregnant woman that she is carrying âan existing human beingâ before performing an abortion, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled.


Era stato fermato per il crac del gruppo di Collecchio lo scorso ...

PARMA (27 set. 2004) - A mezzanotte di ieri Ã¨ tornato in liberta' Calisto Tanzi, l'ex patron di Parmalat, dopo 275 giorni fra custodia cautelare e arresti domiciliari. Tanzi era stato fermato per il crac


I paesi asiatici devono circa 400 miliardi di dollari


Possible US help for DR Congo's army will be discussed when the two countries leaders meet in Washington.


Scientists in Japan claim to be able to increase the size of a woman's breasts using fat and stem cells.


By Mike Rogoway, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.  Feb. 12--When Intel built its first "tera-scale" computer, capable of  handling a trillion calculations per second, the machine was the size of a  middle-class home.   That was 1996.


EUROPA/SLOVACCHIA - Congresso promosso dalle Pontificie Opere Missionarie sui ÂFidei donumÂ, per aiutare i sacerdoti Âa scoprire la dimensione missionaria della vita quotidiana della ChiesaÂ Bratislava (Agenzia Fides) - Alla vigilia della Giornata Missionaria Mondiale, che si celebra questÂanno domenica 21 ottobre, e nellÂanno commemorativo del 50Â° della pubblicazione dellÂenciclica ÂFidei donumÂ di Papa Pio XII, le Pontificie Opere Miss...


WARSAW, Poland - A Polish woman who was abducted last month from her apartment in Baghdad has been freed, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.


A gunman has opened fire on foreign tourists in the centre of the Jordanian capital, Amman, reports say.


Berdych too strong for Baghdatis in Halle final

HALLE, Germany  - Tomas Berdych went one better than last year when he beat Marcos Baghdatis 7-5 6-4 in the final of the Halle Open on Sunday.


Pinochet agli arresti domiciliari. La sua "Gladio" alla sbarra per ...

SarÃ  processato. A nulla sono valsi le centinaia di certificati medici, coi quali lâex dittatore cileno ha provato a sottrarsi alla giustizia. Il giudice Juan Guzman ha stabilito che Augusto Pinochet dovrÃ


In Election of Change, TV Gives Voice to Insiders

The best-known television pundits who hold politicians to account are entangled in old partisanship and past allegiances.


Paris Soccer ÂUltrasÂ at Center of Furor Over FanÂs Death

The death of a hard-core soccer fan has set off soul-searching and finger-pointing as France confronts the violence and hate that have poisoned the sport.


Francoforte, 15:16 - CALCIO, MONDIALI 2006; BECKENBAUER: BIGLIETTI NON BASTERANNO

Tra due settimane comincerÃ  la vendita dei biglietti per i Mondiali 2006 in programma in Germania. F...


Dating Service eHarmony Taps Software For Help With Relationships

TechWeb - As growth in the online dating industry slows, eHarmony hopes to improve the experience of 15 million registered users through bettter Web site monitoring.


The recent trips by President Bush and Secretary Rice signal a US push for a holistic, regional solution.


Committee Investigates Ad Tactics for Lipitor

A Congressional committee wants information about people who might have served as stunt doubles for Dr. Robert Jarvik in televised ads.


During the spring protests that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets, Hispanic immigrants chanted a promise and a threat to politicians: "Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote."


Fish is good for your heart and your brain. But do the benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks for pregnant women?


Yemen has set free one of the al-Qaeda masterminds of the USS Cole bombing in 2000 that killed 17 American sailors, a senior security official said Thursday


Senior Arab officials attending a U.S.-sponsored conference to promote democracy in the Middle East emphatically rejected on Saturday the Bush administration's assertion that greater democracy in the region would help end terrorism. They argued that the administration's strong support of Israel made it difficult to undertake political reform or to stop extremists driven by hatred of U.S. policies.


Oil May Allow Sudan to Escape Sanctionsâ Pain

Sanctions aimed at pressuring Sudan to take action in Darfur are likely to have limited effects on the countryâs oil production and exports.


Accra, 19:57 - CALCIO, COPPA D'AFRICA: EGITTO-ZAMBIA 1-1, FARAONI AI QUARTI

In una gara valida per la terza giornata del gruppo C della coppa d'Africa, Egitto e Zambia hanno pa...


Venezia, 22:31 - BASKET, A1 DONNE: NAPOLI KO CON LA SPEZIA

Risultati della prima giornata del campionato di serie A1 femminile di basket.


U.S. agents under greater attack on Mexico border

LAREDO, Texas  - Frustrated by tighter security on the U.S.-Mexico border, illegal immigrants and drug traffickers are taking it out on U.S. agents, increasingly attacking them with guns, rocks and petrol bombs.


WPP Group PLC, the London-based advertising giant, said Sunday that it had won the bidding to acquire Grey Global, based in the United States.


Blair Faces Growing Revolt From Lawmakers

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaks at a press conference that he held with UN Secretary General Kofi Anan inside 10 Downing St.


Police: Delp's fiancee found rocker dead

Brad Delp's fiancee found the rock singer dead at their Atkinson home after calling three times without getting through, police said Monday.


A British man is jailed for 14 years in Sweden after infecting two under-age girls with HIV.


President George W. Bush heads for the Middle East on Tuesday, aiming to nurture Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in the face of deep skepticism while trying to rally Arab opposition to Iran.


DreamWorks Animation has an IPO with more green than its signature ogre, Shrek.


Dan Rather to vacate 'CBS Evening News' anchor chair

Just two months after Dan Rather anchored a report on the president's military record that proved to be based on questionable documents, CBS announced Tuesday that the veteran newsman is stepping


Snoring, short bed time impact kids' mental skills

NEW YORK  - Among a group of children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids who were suspected of having disordered breathing during sleep, those who snored a lot and spent less time in bed did less well on certain mental tests, according to a new study.


GERUSALEMME EST - Sharon: "Ok a voto arabi in elezioni palestinesi ...

Il premier israeliano Ariel Sharon e' favorevole alla partecipazione degli arabi di Gerusalemme est alla prossime elezioni palestinesi. Sharon lo ha riferito al segretario di Stato americano Colin Powell.


How's this for a reality TV show, Channel 4? Ten gorgeous burds come and stay in my B&B and I set them special tasks every day. You wouldn't even need your cameras as I have one installed in every bedroom.  FLETCHER LECHER  (c) 2007 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK).


The main asset of Yukos, the crippled Russian oil company, will not be integrated into Gazprom, the state gas monopoly, but remain as a separate state-controlled group, the Russian government said yesterday.


An "October surprise" is part of the political folklore of presidential campaigns, and just eight days before the election, the unexpected is indeed happening.


A tight race for governor is under way in Iowa, with both national parties intent on capturing the top job in a state that plays a major role in setting the country's political agenda during the presidential campaign season.


SOUTH Korea 's Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chipmaker, is to invest $US24 billion ($31 billion) in new chip production lines over the next six years.


Church attendance rockets in rural parishes over Christmas but rises only a "meagre" amount in the cities, according to a study.


Johnny Oates, 58, Cerebral Catcher and Manager, Dies

Johnny Oates, who managed the Texas Rangers to three division titles in the 1990's, the only postseason appearances in the franchise's history, died on Friday.


British cancer patients face painkiller shortage

Britain faces a shortage of a powerful painkiller used to treat cancer patients, the Department of Health reports. It said a supply problem with the opiate-based drug diamorphine meant stocks would soon reach


Online gaming could be about to explode say experts as Xbox live traffic quadruples on the day Halo 2 launches.


Bank of America Files for Parmalat Damages

Bank of America Corp. said Friday it had filed for damages against former officials and auditors of collapsed dairy giant Parmalat at a preliminary hearing in Milan, as the bank attempts to avoid blame in the massive fraud scandal.


Bosses 'too trusting' of outsourcer's security

CEOs aren't taking the care that they should with their customers' data when they outsource, according to a new survey of senior management.


Johnny Knoxville: Rude, crude, and misconstrued

He stars in John Waters's raunchy "A Dirty Shame" and is known for his MTV stunts. But what he really wants is to be taken seriously as an actor.


Court Limits Damages for Misleading Loans

Car buyers beware: the Supreme Court said Tuesday that people misled about auto loans cannot use a federal law to receive significant damages.


A Belfast estate agent accused of involvement in money laundering has all charges against him dropped


US, Iraqi Troops Occupy Fallujah as Violence Spreads Other Cities

American and Iraqi forces are almost entirely in control of Fallujah, after a week of fighting in which 38 American troops, six Iraqi soldiers and an estimated 1,200 insurgents have been killed.


Sun Micro, UT Austin, Team Up on Supercomputer

Sun Microsystems Inc.  and the University of Texas at Austin are set to flip the switch on Friday on a unique supercomputer that will vastly speed up massive data analysis and visualization to tackle time-critical problems such as weather prediction.


Two bodies found in sleeping bags on Sonoma County beach

JENNER  Authorities tried to determine Thursday whether two bodies found in sleeping bags on a Sonoma County beach belonged to two camp counselors reported missing earlier this week.


NY seeks Wal-Mart records on alleged surveillance

The New York City Comptroller on Tuesday demanded Wal-Mart Stores Inc. records dating from 2002 to determine whether the retailer performed illegal surveillance on shareholders who submitted proxy petitions.


The new surgical techniques were inspired by an unexpected side effect to facial plastic surgery - specifically, a forehead rejuvenation procedure.


Russian communists say Putin more powerful than Tsar

The leader of Russia's Communist Party  accused President Vladimir Putin on Saturday of piling up vast  powers and said the Kremlin's main party represented  billionaires rather than ordinary people.


Alle celebrazioni per il suo novantesimo compleanno


Lebanon army shells camp, three soldiers killed

NAHR AL-BARED, Lebanon  - Lebanese troops shelled al Qaeda-inspired militants entrenched in a Palestinian refugee camp on Saturday and three soldiers died in the heavy battles, security sources said.


Shocking! IPod Plus Lightning Equals Trouble

Doctors warn that injuries are more severe when lightning strikes an iPod user.


The world largest casino operator, Las Vegas-based Harrah's, agrees to buy London Clubs International for Â£279m.


Children stranded after immigration raid

Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby-sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday.


The 2005 Tour de France might give other riders their best chance to test Lance Armstrong, if he goes for a seventh consecutive title.


E sull'onda delle voci di una pausa della Bce sui tassi


Sudan's rebels and government broke off three-week-old peace talks for the Darfur region with no deal, blaming the United States for the failure.


"Jericho" headed for cable via Sci Fi Channel

Sci Fi Channel has  snapped up cable rerun rights to the post-apocalyptic drama  "Jericho" from CBS Television Distribution.


British censors are seeking a judicial review to block the sale of controversial video game Manhunt 2.


Building a Resilient and Highly Available Exchange Infrastructure

(Source: Symantec) Join this webcast to learn how you can maximize uptime of your e-mail infrastructure, dynamically manage storage growth without impacting user performance, quickly recover from data or application failure, and protect from the worst case - a complete site disaster.


Networks criticized for lack of Anna Nicole Smith coverage.


Rumor: Gawker Media to launch science fiction blog

Blog: The parent company of successful blogs like Kotaku and Lifehacker is rumored to be working on a sci-fi title, and has a highly sought-after editor in mind.


US approves Tykerb for advanced breast cancer

US drug regulators approved Tuesday the targeted anti-cancer treatment Tykerb (lapatinib) for use together with another drug, Xeloda (capectabine) in certain advanced breast cancers.


Microsoft poised to unveil WorldWide Telescope?

Google Sky beware Redmond's all-seeing galactic eye On 27 February, Microsoft will use the TED Conference in Monterey, California, to launch its "WorldWide Telescope" - a downloadable Google Sky-busting app allowing users to "pan around the nighttime sky and zoom as far in to any one area as the data will allow".â¦


While both are men of faith, the President and the Pontiff have important disagreements. Chief among them is the war in Iraq


Update 12: EU Accuses Microsoft of Paternal View

Microsoft Corp. said Friday that small companies and their customers would suffer most if it is forced to remove its digital media software from Windows, while the European Union accused it of being "paternalistic


Russia's president to head for India's Silicon Valley

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is heading to the high-tech city of Bangalore, on the second day of his trip to India, after ruffling feathers by rebuffing New Delhi's hopes of a veto on an enlarged UN Security Council.


Kerry Pins Hopes in Iowa on Big Vote From Absentees

About three times as many Democrats as Republicans have applied for absentee ballots in 20 counties.


PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 25 - Sharman Networks has announced that Kazaa Version 3 will integrate Skype software via the recently released Skype API.


Cautious optimism after Iraqi political deal

A new political accord between Iraq's main Sunni Arab, Shi'ite and Kurdish leaders will not be enough to lure boycotting Sunni Arabs back into the government, a spokesman for the biggest Sunni Arab bloc said on Monday.


I just started watching The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel a few weeks ago, and I'm hooked. I really like the way the star, Cesar Millan, explains stuff. He shoots straight, with love. You can't be politically correct and get a dog to behave.  And he never misleads the owners, they have to change in order for the dog to change. Dogs are very simple, they can't just be your friend. The dog's world is hierarchic. Someone is the boss. If you're not the boss, he or she is. Every pack has a leader. Watching the show I wish I had a dog so I could try out his ideas. I also wish news shows were like this, get to the real story, find a solution to the problem.  Maybe he'll run for Governor of California. I'd vote for him.  Sue Polinsky loves the Dog Whisperer too.


Canada claims early win on trade dispute with US over swine exports

OTTAWA (CP) - A new international trade ruling could save the bacon of thousands of Canadian swine producers who were accused of illegally subsidizing and then dumping their animals into the United States market.


AA flight diverted to NY after crew concern

An American Airlines flight was diverted to New York early on Thursday after the crew reported a suspicious passenger in what the U.S. homeland security chief later said may have been a misunderstanding.


NEW YORK  - Adults who carry most of their   excess weight around the middle may be at particular risk of   high blood pressure, new research shows.


News Analysis: The Debate Over How and How Long

If President Bush is likely to respond to recession fears much as he did on entering office in 2001, but this time around Democrats are planning to push back.


Northern Afghan warlord gathers thousands for presidential rally

Northern Afghan warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostam held the biggest rally of Afghanistan's presidential campaign with a gathering of thousands in his northern home town.


Chiron: No Flu Vaccine, Stock Down 18 Pct

Chiron Corp. CHIR.O on Tuesday  slashed its 2004 earnings forecast after announcing that it  will not record any sales of its flu vaccine for the 2004-2005  flu season, sending its shares down 18 percent.


Sheldon Silver, speaker of the New York State Assembly, is barely known to the general public but wields tremendous power over many bills.


A man accused of tossing his four young children off a coastal bridge to their deaths denies killing them and says police harassed him into making a false confession, his attorney said Thursday.


The new Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, wants every university to open an academy.


Suffolk Police Arrest Man in String of Church Burglaries

By Dave Forster, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.  May 30--SUFFOLK -- Police on Tuesday announced an arrest in a string of church burglaries that had gotten so bad the "entire department" was helping on the case.


NATO Agrees to Increase Training Force in Iraq

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed today to substantially enlarge the number of forces stationed in Baghdad to train Iraqi soldiers, although leaders of six countries said they refused to participate.


NBA Wrap: Suns Shine in Big Win Over Raptors

Amare Stoudemire collected 27 points and Steve Nash showcased his talents in his only visit to his home country this season to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 123-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors Sunday.


Collectively, independent record labels are a sleeping giant waking up and demanding its due. Think many Davids versus a few Goliaths. Commentary by Eliot Van Buskirk.


Sara'emanata ordinanza che interessera'aree colpite da roghi


Iraq exodus brought boom, but Jordan stems flow

Abdul-Razzak al-Zobai strolls with his two daughters in Amman's glitzy Mecca Mall, enjoying the normality long absent from his native Baghdad.


With HIV carriers increasing at an annual speed of 40 percent, China now ranks world 14th and Asia 2nd in its AIDS outbreak degree, an expert from the Ministry of Public Health revealed Sunday at the opening ceremony of "Beijing 2004 AIDS awareness


At least four people are injured in a grenade attack on visitors to a zoo in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo.


The loud lefty known for his unabashed love of Yankees history agreed Saturday to an $8 million, two-year contract with Boston that could be worth up to $18 million over two years.


Scans show brain hard-wired for sweet revenge

WASHINGTON - Planning revenge really does feel sweet, according to a new study of brain scans. Researchers in Switzerland said the brain centres linked to enjoyment "lit up" in young men who punished those who cheated them.


Londra, 10:20 - CALCIO, INGHILTERRA: SIR FERGUSON AGGREDITO A LONDRA

Il manager del Manchester Unite, Sir Alex Ferguson, lunedÃ¬ è stato aggredito alla stazione fe...


Insurer Aviva posts 7.0-percent sales rise, targets Asia expansion

Aviva, the biggest British insurer, said sales of its worldwide life and pensions rose by 7.0 percent to 1.84 billion pounds (2.64 billion euros, 3.37 billion dollars) in the nine months to September, as it looked to further expand operations in Asia.


Photographer on Jolie trail arrested again

A South African photographer was arrested in Namibia on Wednesday for the second time in a week while trying to snap a picture of Hollywood superstars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.


Seven were hit by trains or cars. Ten were killed illegally, often shot and left to die. Thirteen were killed by wildlife officials because they had menaced humans or had otherwise become a nuisance. One was killed in self-defense.


Why didn't shares of video rental chain Hollywood Entertainment (Nasdaq: HLYW) move much yesterday on news that Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) plans to make a tender offer for its shares next


It appears "impossible" for Pakistan to hold an election on Jan. 8 because of unrest following the killing of Benazir Bhutto, election officials said Tuesday


in the Kings' 104-100 victory -- the Celtics have seen consistently big contributions from Raef LaFrentz on the glass lately. Last night was no exception as LaFrentz finished with 25 points and 9 rebounds.


Gunners stay clear as United revival gathers steam

A rare goal from Ashley Cole fired Arsenal to a 1-0 win over Manchester City as the Gunners maintained their slender advantage over Chelsea at the top of the English Premiership.


Astronauts venture out for work on space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - A pair of high-tech construction workers ventured outside the International Space Station on Monday to hook up electrical connections on a massive girder that holds new solar panels needed to boost power on the orbital outpost.


Today on the presidential campaign trail

2004 Democratic nominee Kerry endorsing Obama for president, bypassing Clinton, Edwards ... McCain seeks second shot in S.C.


Skilled workers would face competition for jobs from outside the EU, under plans being considered by ministers.


Genova, 19:32 - CALCIO, GENOA: DEBUTTA IL NUOVO SPONSOR

Il Genoa cerca i tre punti contro l'Arezzo per ripartire dopo il ko con il Lecce. Un solo dubbio per...


Microsoft steps up assault on virtualization

Microsoft has laid out plans to become a bigger force in the market for virtualization software, stepping up its assault on established leaders such as VMware.The plans announced Monday include the acquisition of a startup company, Calista Technologies, whose graphics technology is designed to improve the end-user experience for people who access their Windows desktop remotely from a server, Microsoft said.The company also loosened some of its licensing terms related to virtualization. Consumers who use the Home Basic and Home Premium editions of Windows Vista will now be able to run those OSes in a virtualized environment, Microsoft said. It also announced new licensing rates for corporate users.Finally, Microsoft extended its partnership with Citrix Systems to make that company's Xen virtualization software work better with Microsoft's server and desktop software, it said.Virtualization technologies separate the software on a computer from its underlying hardware, allowing it to be deployed in more flexible ways. Virtualization can allow multiple operating systems to run on one computer, for example, or allow application workloads to be shifted between computers more easily to improve hardware utilization.The technology has been around for decades but was popularized in server environments recently by VMware and others. More recently, Apple introduced virtualization for its Macintosh desktops so that users can run both the Mac OS and Windows on the same machine.Microsoft has not been a significant player in virtualization, but it hopes to change that with its announcements this week. It plans to discuss the changes at its Virtualization Deployment Summit, a two-day event for 300 of its customers and partners that starts Tuesday.It argued that the virtualization market remains open for newer players like itself.“Very few customers are able to reap the benefits of virtualization today,” Bob Muglia, senior vice present of Microsoft's Server and Tools Business, said in a statement. “We estimate that less than five percent of companies are utilizing virtualization technology because it is simply too cost-prohibitive and complex."Microsoft's strategy will be to offer a full range of virtualization products, including desktop, server and management software, and do so at a competitive price, Muglia said.Customers with the Home and Home Premium editions of Vista can now run them as a guest operating system on a virtual machine, the company said. Among other things, that should mean that Apple Mac users who want to run Vista alongside the Mac OS can now do so without having to buy a more expensive version of Windows.For businesses, customers who subscribe to Microsoft's Software Assurance maintenance program can now get an annual subscription to Microsoft's desktop virtualization software for $23 per desktop, the company said.Citrix is developing a software tool that will make it easier for customers to transfer virtual machines between Citrix XenServer and Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V. A test version of the tool will be available in the second quarter, and the final version will be released along with Hyper-V, Microsoft said.The technology from Calista aims to improve the experience for people who access their Windows desktops remotely from a server. It allows people to view multimedia content on a PC or thin client without the media player or software codecs they would normally need installed.Microsoft will add Calista's graphics technology to future virtualization products, it said. Calista, of San Jose, California, is now a Microsoft subsidiary.


Union officials tell The Associated Press Sen. Barack Obama is likely to be endorsed by the Service Employees International Union on Friday.


Sources: Paula Zahn Gripe Leads to Arrest

An advocate for two red-tailed hawks evicted last week from their nest at a luxury Manhattan apartment building was arrested Tuesday and charged with harassing CNN anchor Paula Zahn, who lives in the building, and her family, law enforcement sources said.


'Kevin' takes formula straight from bottle

UPN didn't set out to build a better mousetrap with its new drama "Kevin Hill.". It just made the cheese a lot more attractive.


Genova, 18:39 - CALCIO, GENOA; GASPERINI: NOI E NAPOLI IN A MERITATAMENTE

"Speravamo di ottenere la promozione direttamente, ci siamo riusciti tutti e due, meritatamente". Gi...


Roy Jones Jr., 39, prances and punches his way to a unanimous victory over Felix Trinidad on Saturday night, dominating a 170-pound bout between iconic figured past their primes.


Eagles Coach Andy Reid and his wife break their silence about their sons' problems and vow their support in a magazine interview.


RIYADH, 31 December 2004 - Two terrorists in Saudi Arabia appearing on the 26 most wanted list were killed in Wednesdayâs raid on a terrorist hide-out shortly after two car bombs exploded in Riyadh, a statement from the Ministry of Interior said


Nikkei -0,41%, euro si rafforza su dollaro e yen


New England manager Fabio Capello spoke Saturday of his joy at being presented with the greatest challenge of his career.


Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, has thyroid cancer and is undergoing treatment at Bethesda Naval Hospital, two senior government officials told CNN.


Branson unveils deal for first commercial space flights

The Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson announced his company has signed an agreement potentially worth Â£14 million to secure the world's first commercial flights to space.


Groups Holds Northern Ireland Peace Talks

A deal taking shape Friday in negotiations on Northern Ireland's future would require the outlawed Irish Republican Army to resume disarmament and issue a new statement that, for the first time, would definitively renounce violence.


John Salmons has 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as Sacramento rallies in the fourth quarter for a 116-113 win over Memphis.


Il caso dell'imprenditore iracheno che viveva in Italia

La richiesta Ã¨ di due parlamentari dell'Ulivo. Â«Palazzo Chigi adesso faccia di tutto per riavere il corpoÂ». ROMA - Ci sarÃ  polemica e forse il clima da concordia nazionale innescato dalla liberazione delle due Simone subirÃ  dei contraccolpi.


There are fears that a loyalist feud in Carrickfergus is spreading up the County Antrim coast to Larne.


Growing Rift?: Division Widens in Magic Valley's Dairy Industry

By Matt Christensen, The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho  Feb. 11--JEROME -- For decades, small and large dairy owners have banded together to protect their industry, but those days might be over.


Welders Show Elevated Rate of Parkinson Symptoms

NEW YORK  - Welders may have a  higher-than-average rate of Parkinson's disease symptoms, the  results of a new study suggest.


Japan economy recovering but oil prices cause for concern: bank chief

Japan's economic recovery is on track as structural reforms take root but soaring global oil prices pose a question mark, the central bank chief says.


By gregstanmar@insightbb.com;Greg Stanmar  STREATOR - The idea of giving the entire town free access to high- speed Internet connection is being proposed for LaSalle and Livingston county municipalities by Streator City Manager John Kolata.


GOP Figure Contracted to Deliver E-Voting Machines in Maryland

The former head of the Maryland Republican Party runs the firm tasked with delivering most of the Diebold voting machines during this year's primary and general elections. He says there's no conflict of interest, but voting rights activists aren't so sure.


California wildfires force 250,000 to evacuate

Fast-moving wildfires raged across Southern California on Monday, forcing at least 250,000 people to flee their homes and destroying hundreds of buildings as desperate fire officials called for help from other states.


Lagos - Oil majors in Nigeria said on Tuesday they were undeterred by the threat of an armed group fighting government troops in the Niger Delta to attack oil facilities and personnel.


Vijay Singh does not recall the PGA Tour being this strong, with a record five rookies winning this year. One of them, Ryan Palmer, held off the No.


Computer giant Dell sees profits rise 25%despite slowing momentum in the PC market, as laptop sales soar.


Roma, 16:42 - ATLETICA, PIU' SERIE DEL PREVISTO CONDIZIONI DI SDIRI

Salim Sdiri, il saltatore in lungo francese colpito da un giavellotto venerdÃ¬ sera nel corso del Gol...


Iraq aims to end immunity of security firms

Iraq wants to tighten control over security contractors after a deadly shooting incident involving the U.S. firm Blackwater, ending their long immunity from Iraqi prosecution, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.


Libya rejects criticism over death sentences passed on a group of foreign medics for infecting children with HIV.


Some reveling in victory, others reeling in defeat, Delaware politicians gathered in this rural crossroads to bury the hatchet.


2004 worldwide commemoration focuses on women, girls, HIV, AIDS

World AIDS Day, sponsored by the United Nations, the World Health Organization and various other government and civil associations, was commemorated Dec. 1. Instituted 1988 by the World Health Organization


Climate change is here, now, say scientists

YELLOWKNIFE - The most comprehensive study of Arctic climate change ever made has some dramatic news for Canada's North. The report, which will be released next week, says that the most rapid climate change on earth is happening in the Arctic.


Mid-American Conference championship at Detroit

Points: Since suffering its only conference loss to Miami 23-16 on election night, Toledo set up this rematch with victories against Northern Illinois and Bowling Green.


U.S. forces say free eight Iranians held in Iraq

U.S. forces said on Wednesday they had detained eight Iranians overnight and seized a suitcase full of money from their central Baghdad hotel but later freed them after consultations with the Iraqi government.


TV sports boss appointed as Football Association chief executive

England's Football Association appointed television boss Brian Barwick as its new chief executive late Thursday, three months after a sex scandal forced out his predecessor.


Oil price surge 'threatens global growth'

The German finance minister, Hans Eichel, today warned that global growth would be at risk if oil prices remained at their current levels.


Shares in Blackberry-maker RIM touch new highs on talk that Microsoft is contemplating a bid for the firm.


Ex-Westlife Star McFadden Tops UK Pop Charts

Former Westlife singer Brian McFadden  has shot to the peak of the British pop charts with his first  solo release since leaving the Irish boy band, the Official UK  Charts Company said Sunday.


OTTAWA - Canada has exceeded its target for mad cow testing this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. All tests have come back negative for the brain-wasting disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the agency says.


"Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints" (Pantheon Books. 524 Pages. $30) — Joan Acocella: While culling essays for her new collection, "Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints," Joan Acocella discovered a loose theme: the hardships that come with creation, and how various artists dealt with these obstacles — or did not. The humbler virtues of perseverance, she came to see, are as important, and as laudable, as talent.


Conn. governor asks Congress to probe natgas price

Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell on Thursday  said she had asked the U.S. Congress to investigate whether  domestic producers of natural gas tried to pump up prices by  shutting badly needed production.


Ruthless Federer shows no mercy to set up Nadal repeat

Sport: Men's singles: Roger Federer will meet Rafael Nadal in tomorrow's final after the pair won through their semis.


Indian leader Sonia Gandhi hails a "milestone" in India-China relations as she arrives in Beijing on a five-day visit.


Redskinsâ Gibbs Retires After a Trying Season

Joe Gibbs, who twice built the Washington Redskins into a playoff team, ended his toughest season as a coach by retiring for a second time.


Stocks Likely to Fall on Intel Shortfall

Wall Street readied for a second straight day of losses after technology leader Intel announced disappointing earnings and a dim outlook.


Fires die down as Greeks protest weak response

Greek firefighters started to get to grips with countrywide forest fires on Wednesday after six devastating days, but warned that a coming heatwave could reignite the flames that have killed at least 63 people.


The breakdowns Yankees-Twins Division Series

Twins strengths: The best defensive team in baseball, they give you nothing. Their outfielders, Shannon Stewart, Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones are a show unto themselves.


Conservative Groups Denounce 'Kinsey' Film

Indignant conservative groups are protesting this week's opening of the film "Kinsey," denouncing it as propaganda seeking to glorify the researcher they blame for inspiring the sexual revolution.


Dell is slashing prices on corporate IT solutions by up to 22%, but only for US customers. The cuts come on the back of impressive trading figures and lower component costs for Dell, and cover enterprise servers, desktops and laptops.


So, how kinky was "Kinsey"? "It wasn'ta nightly orgy at the Kinsey house. That's the misconception," director Bill Condon says.


Calif. gov. vetoes universal health bill

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a universal health care bill Friday, saying it would create a "vast new bureaucracy."


Richard Branson pays tribute to a lost adventurer, who soared to new heights and took us along for the ride


Ivory Coast Peace Push May Be Last Chance, UN Envoy Says

Mediation efforts by South African  President Thabo Mbeki may be the last chance to stop Ivory  Coast falling into a deeper crisis, the outgoing head of the  U.N. mission in the West African country said on Tuesday.


Halliburton (HAL:NYSE - news - research) named Andrew Lane chief operating officer as it prepares to make a decision on its Kellogg Brown & Root unit.


Bin Laden Alive, Releases Audio Tape -- Web Site

An audio recording purportedly by Osama  bin Laden, praising gunmen who carried out a Dec. 6 attack in  Saudi Arabia, was posted on the Internet on Thursday,  suggesting the al Qaeda leader is still alive.


Episcopal bishop awaiting report on role of gays and lesbians

FARGO, ND - A report expected Monday should provide a plan to move the worldwide Anglican Communion through internal divisions following the appointment of an openly gay bishop, North Dakota's Episcopal bishop said.


Palestinian militants who captured an Israeli soldier exactly a year ago said Monday that he is in good health and being treated well.


"Ocean's Thirteen" brings series to spirited close

Rolling the dice for a third  time in "Ocean's Thirteen," Steven Soderbergh and his team beat  the odds. Final chapters of trilogies invariably suffer from  lameness. This, of course, already transpired in "Ocean's  Twelve," where subplots misfired and the script resorted to all  sorts of sleight-of-hand trickery.


Fedossova Upsets Shaughnessy at Japan Open

Fifth-seeded Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States was upset 7-5, 7-6 (5) by Youlia Fedossova, a French teen ranked 448th, in the first round of the Japan Open on Tuesday.


U.S. Best Seller, Thanks to Rave by Latin Leftist

Ever since Hugo ChÃ¡vez held up a copy of Noam ChomskyÂs ÂHegemony or SurvivalÂ during a speech at the U.N., sales have climbed best-seller lists.


Elderly Woman Nabbed at Airport With Gun

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A 79-year-old woman was arrested at Fort Lauderdale International Airport on Tuesday when security screeners found an unloaded gun in her carry-on bag, sheriff's officials said.


Varsavia, 13:28 - VOLLEY, LOZANO NUOVO CT POLONIA: PRESTO TRA PRIME DEL MONDO

Raul Lozano, ex tecnico argentino della Lube Macerata, esonerato dopo 16 anni di lavoro in Italia, Ã¨...


School vending machines are stocked with fewer high-calorie soft drinks today because some states have banned the sale of sodas on campus and the beverage industry is phasing in healthier drinks, according to an industry report.