(InfoWorld) - Google's Blogger service has been generating a steady stream of complaints from users this year, including hours-long outages, feature malfunctions, and data loss. The problems are particularly frustrating to users who migrated to the service's new version and expected to benefit from its more solid platform. Users contacted in recent days via e-mail report a variety of problems, including the disappearance of blog entries, an inability to post comments, failed migrations to the new service, kinks with the RSS feature, and unresponsiveness by Google to support requests. For its part, Google says that most bugs are isolated incidents affecting relatively few people at a time and that Blogger's stability will improve as the migration to the new platform progresses. "We know how important a service Blogger is to our users, so the highest priority for the Blogger team right now is monitoring the migration to the new platform, listening to feedback from people who've migrated, and tackling as fast as we can the little bugs that inevitably pop up here and there in a new product," saidÂ  Courtney Hohne, a Google spokeswoman. This isn't good enough for Chuck Croll, an independent network and security consultant in northern California who hosts several blogs on Blogger, including a work-related one called PChuck's Network and another one that tracks Blogger issues. "We were promised a more stable environment with New Blogger. That hasn't been one of the features provided," Croll wrote. GoogleÂ began testing this significantly revamped version of the service in August of last year and removed the beta, or test, label from it in December. The "new" Blogger offers new and enhanced features, and Google says it is built on a more powerful IT platform. The "old" version suffered fromÂ serious performance and availability problems the last three months of last year. In September, Blogger, which is free, ranked as the leading blog hosting and authoring service in the U.S. with 21 million unique visitors, according to comScore Networks. Google is taking a phased approach to offering users the option to migrate to the new Blogger precisely to nip bugs at the bud and limit their impact, Hohne says. Yet the impact to some users has been significant. Kim Meyer, from Greensboro, North Carolina, is on the new version and is disappointed with a smattering of bugs that have affected her blog, like photos not loading and an inability by visitors to post comments. "Lately, I've been having more problems with the service that I don't think I should be having,"Â said Meyer, a blogger user for almost two years. Laurie Jackson, who is on the old version, suddenly had archived posts disappear from her blog. She has been trying to get help from Blogger via multiple postings on the Blogger help forum and e-mail messages to the support team. She has received two generic e-mails that repeat information available in the help section of the Blogger site. "The biggest problem with Blogger is their lack of technical support/user service. Bloggers are largely left to their own devices when it comes to solving some of the problems that crop up from time to time," said Jackson, a New Jersey resident, echoing a common complaint. "So right now, I am rather annoyed with Blogger for not caring about us." Michael Brooks, a historian and writer in Toledo, Ohio, publishes several blogs in Blogger and has had mixed success migrating them to the new service. Two attempts to migrate his main site, for example, have failed, resulting each time in an eight-hour outage. "I am leery of my next attempt," he said. "While Blogger is a free platform, it is prone to outages and frequent errors. Most frustrating is when the site goes down in the middle of publishing a lengthy post with the result that I have lost work on occasion that cannot be recovered. It is also difficult to get in touch with Blogger techs, and e-mails generally are met with silence," Brooks said. Mary Shelton, from Riverside, California, switched her blog to the new platform and is frustrated about the hours-long outages and availability problems she has experienced. "The timing of the outages has been unfortunate because they were times when that was my free time to add to my blog," she said. Problems reported on the new Blogger have some users feeling reluctant to migrate. "I am on the old version and am afraid to change due to the problems I have seen on the [Blogger] forum," said Jens Rosenkrantz Jr., who uses Blogger for his business's blog. Still, the switch to the new platform has been positive for others who last year were about to give up on Blogger. That is the case of Robert Brinkmann, chair of the Geography Department at the University of South Florida in Tampa, who hosts several personal and work-related blogs on Blogger, including this one. "Generally, it has been doing well.Â Iâve noticed that it goes through periods where it is a bit 'off,' but overall, it is fine," he said. Others are more tolerant of the bugs. Laurie Kelley of Forsyth, Montana, has encountered problems with photos and comments on her blog but characterizes them as "more frustrating than disruptive" and says Blogger has been working "fairly well" since she started using it in March of last year. Google is confident that as the migration advances and eventually ends, the incidence of bugs will diminish significantly, Hohne said. At this point, however, Google doesn't have a specific timetable for wrapping up the migration. It plans to continue doing it slowly and in relatively small groups, because that way, if an unforeseen bug emerges, it will only affect a limited number of users. Hohne declined to say what percentage of users are on the new platform now. Bugs related to the migration are probably one-time events that, once addressed and solved, will not recur, she said. Overall, the feedback Google has gathered on the new Blogger is overwhelmingly positive, she said. Â


New video game "The Shivah" is first to star Rabbi

While Christian games like the  newly released "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" gain mainstream  attention, Manifesto Games in New York City is billing "The  Shivah" as the first to star the leader of a Jewish  congregation.


French-Arab Slum Youths Joined Insurgency

The two teenage friends hardly seemed like Islamic radicals. They smoked marijuana, drank beer, listened to rap and wore jeans.


Asian Ardor in Question as Sex Rate Lags Again

Europeans, especially the French,  like to do it at least twice a week, preferably with plenty of  foreplay. Americans are also active in the bedroom, but many  Asians can only manage to make love about once a week.


Times Company in Group Investing in Blog Publisher

Automattic, the commercial arm of the WordPress blog platform, has received $29.5 million in financing from four companies, including The New York Times Company.


Keanu Reeves, who is best known from The Matrix series, Speed and A Walk in the Clouds was given a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday.  His star happens to be located near where some scenes from Speed were filmed.  This was ...


Cycling: 'Ruined' Landis eyes retirement

Disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis admits his cycling career may be over after his positive dope test.


Barry Bonds told a judge Friday that he wants two top-notch Bay Area defense lawyers to lead his legal team even though they previously represented potential witnesses against the slugger.


China online game market to hit $1.3 bln in 2007: CS

China's online game market is seen  growing 35 percent to hit $1.3 billion this year, according to  Credit Suisse, amid strong growth in Internet users, launches  of high-quality games and appreciation of the yuan currency.


Leinart throws for 400 yards and No. 1 USC defeats Notre Dame 41 ...

For one quarter, Notre Dame was better than No. 1 Southern California. Then the Trojans got serious and the Fighting Irish had no chance.


JAPANESE GIANT Sharp has pulled the plug on its Linux-based PDAs in the United States as no-one seems to want them. The company said that it will continue to sell them in Japan where they sell like hot cakes


A Virgin train has derailed and slid down an embankment in Cumbria, while en route from London to Glasgow.


Helsinki, 10:12 - NUOTO, EUROPEI VASCA CORTA; 200 MISTI UOMINI: TUMIOTTO IN FINALE

Leonardo Tumiotto ha conquistato l'accesso alla finale dei 200 misti uomini agli Europei di nuoto in...


After 10 years, Yahoo CTO calls it quits

(InfoWorld) - Yahoo's CTO, Farzad Nazem, is stepping down. Farzad has been with the company since 1996 and had served as CTO for the past decade, overseeing Yahoo's engineering and product development. He also served as head of Yahoo's Technology Group. He leaves as the company is struggling to compete with Google, the leader in the Internet advertising and search space. "After spending the last 26 years in this fast-paced technology industry, I've finally decided it's time to slow down," Nazem wrote Wednesday in a posting to the company's blog. No replacement for Nazem has been announced, but Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang "will be acting as the interim executive sponsor of the Technology Group until we identify my permanent replacement," Nazem said. Nazem's resignation was disclosed in a company filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, made Wednesday. His resignation is effective June 8, the filing states.


MySpace and most states agree on Web safety steps

Popular online teen hangout MySpace and 49 U.S. state attorneys general said on Monday they had agreed on a broad set of guidelines for protecting youths on the Internet.


In his Christmas eve encounters with U.S. military commanders and hundreds of their troops, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld heard — and said — little about armor or troop shortages, issues that have made him a political target in Washington among both Democrats and Republicans.


Strong Quake, Tsunami Hit Southern Asia, 650 Killed

A huge earthquake hit southern Asia on  Sunday, setting off a tsunami that drowned hundreds in Sri  Lanka and India, sent Indonesians rushing to high ground and  washed away bathers on the Thai tourist island of Phuket.


Bacon tied to greater bladder cancer risk

NEW YORK  - Indulging in bacon too frequently may be hazardous to your health, a new study suggests, while taking the skin off your chicken before you cook it might not be so good for you either.


Ferito un uomo, si ipotizza sia scoppiata bombola del gas


Police in Pakistan say two police guards have been charged with helping Briton Rashid Rauf escape custody.


Risks of economic downturn rise: IMF's Rato

The global economy continues  to grow briskly but the risks of an economic downturn have  increased since April, the head of the International Monetary  Fund Rodrigo Rato said on Friday.


In the past week, Steven Groves has informed the online world that he spent a weekend camping, shopped for trees at Home Depot, saw "Pirates of the Caribbean" and worked on a presentation.


Saturn has a newly discovered ring,  a faint trail of particles just visible in between some of its  better-known rings, NASA said on Tuesday.


Active air search for adventurer Fossett ending

Authorities will stop actively searching for missing U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett but will keep air crews on standby to fly to possible crash sites, a spokesman for Nevada's public safety department said on Wednesday.


Microsoft Updates Open XML Mac File Converter Beta

Microsoft has published a new beta of its Open XML File Format Converter for Mac.


A Muslim teaching assistant suspended for wearing a veil in class is dismissed by her local authority.


Serena Williams was left feeling "cheated and robbed" after a highly dubious overrule by the umpire in her defeat to Jennifer Capriati at the US Open.


Senate Iraq Bill May Focus on Mission Transition

Senate Democrats hope to lure more Republican votes for a policy shift in Iraq by giving emphasis to a change of mission for U.S. troops there.


Now that a Chadian court has handed down their conviction, the transfer of the six back to France to serve their sentences appears to be just a matter of time. Mending the damaged relations between France and Chad could take far longer


Lead poisoning in pets is decreasing as lead paint grows more rare. But if your pet shows symptoms of lead poisoning, you should be tested as well.


By David Robinson, The Buffalo News, N.Y.  Sep. 21--Computer Task Group has taken the interim tag off of Brendan M.  Harrington's title as chief financial officer.


Update 1: BNP Paribas Profits Rise in 3rd Quarter

French bank BNP Paribas SA posted a 13.5 percent increase in net profit in the third quarter on Thursday, saying lower provisions for bad loans and tight cost controls had more than offset slower growth and choppy equity markets in Europe.


What looked to be a stinker of a series turned classic as quickly as David Ortiz turns on a waist-high, extra-inning fastball. A sprint turned into a double marathon.


Curry shows mettle against "Godfather" O'Neal

Knicks coach Isiah Thomas considered it a rite of passage when his beefy young center Eddy Curry stood tall this week against the NBA's "Godfather" of big men, Shaquille O'Neal.


Oklahoma Oil and Gas Drilling Activity: COMPLETIONS

By Tulsa World, Okla.  Jun. 19--Atoka: Antero Resources Corp., Carr Estate No. 12-1H Well, SW/4 NE/4 NW/4 NE/4 (SL) of 12-02S-10E, 1,983 MCFPD, TD 11,443 feet.   Beaver: Apache Corp., Lamaster No. 2-35 Well, C NE/4 of 35-04N-28E, 150 MCFPD, TD 7,575 feet.


Russia to shut down Svobodny space centre

Russia's Svobodny space centre, used in recent years to launch US and Israeli satellites, will be shut down Russian media reported on Wednesday.


Rotten Tomatoes, the  online movie site that aggregates critics' reviews, tossed out  its ninth annual Golden Tomato Awards on Monday, hailing  "Ratatouille" as its best-reviewed wide-release movie of 2007.


Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to three NFC championship games before Terrell Owens came to Philadelphia. He can do it again without the talented-but-troublesome receiver.


Grenade attack on Dhaka political rally kills 18

DHAKA: Bangladesh was in turmoil last night after co-ordinated grenade attacks targeting a senior opposition leader killed at least 18 people and wounded hundreds.


ESPN acquired national TV rights to the Arena Football League on Tuesday and also will have a minority stake in the 19-team indoor league.


Greek Bus Hijackers Had Croissants Not Dynamite

Greece's freed hijack hostages on  Thursday portrayed their Albanian captors as bungling criminals  just after money who were easily manipulated and armed with  croissants, not dynamite.


Top fashion houses leave e-tailing to pros

Top fashion houses are carving out a growing presence in the world of e-tailing, even if they have to cede a percentage to the experts who know their way around the Internet marketplace.


Airline pilots would be allowed to fly until they turn 65 instead of the current mandatory retirement age of 60 under new rules proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. At least one member of a flight crew would still have to be under 60 under the proposal announced Tuesday by agency administrator Marion Blakey.


People power brings Athens finale to halt

An extraordinary display of "people power" brought pandemonium to the final evening of Olympic gymnastics. The crowd's gasps of awe turned into howls of fury on Monday night when the score flashed up on the


Cambodia needs international help in erecting defences against terrorism or it could become a safe haven for al Qaeda and similar groups, Chile's UN ambassador has warned.


Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - According to a broadcast report, the NBA has suspended Indiana's Ron Artest for 30 games and teammates Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal 20 games apiece for their part in a brawl between the Pacers and the Pistons on


Argentina asks Iran to help in 1994 bombing probe

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner on Saturday asked Iran to answer petitions for arrests and information in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center, state news agency Telam reported.


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- US Airways Group asked its bankruptcy judge Friday to reject labor contracts with three of its unions representing flight attendants, reservation agents, mechanics, and ramp workers.


Get an online quote to resolve IRS tax debts, fast. Release levy, stop garnishment, end collection and potentially settle tax debts for pennies on the dollar.


American Express Sets CEO Compensation Standard

Attention, CEOs around the globe: The gold standard has been set.


Roma, 11:33 - CALCIO, LEGALI JUVE: APPREZZATA DISPONIBILITA' FIGC-CONI

''La Juve ha apprezzato la disponibilità di Figc e Coni per esaminare la sua posizione all'ar...


PLOT THICKENS: HARRY POTTER COHORT TO DIE

October 9, 2004 -- LONDON - Someone's going to die in the next Harry Potter book, author JK Rowling said yesterday â-ut readers won't know who until the next volume in the series about the young wizard hits the shelves.


Dow soars nearly 300 points as banks rally

Stocks snapped a five-day losing streak on Wednesday, with the Dow surging nearly 300 points on optimism that a government plan to rescue ailing bond insurers is taking shape and could prevent billions more in credit losses.


A new debate is emerging over whether breast implants constitute the kind of annuity medicine that will entail regular surgical tuneups, exposing patients to increased medical risk and out-of-pocket expenses.


Doha, 14:01 - CICLISMO, GIRO DEL QATAR: TRIONFA BOONEN

Tom Boonen ha vinto il Giro del Qatar. Il belga della Quick Step si è infatti aggiudicato la ...


Gabetti, entro fine del 2007 flessione 5% su compravendite


The Brazilian city of Sao Paulo prepares to host its Gay Pride rally, with an estimated three million to attend.


POLL: Kerry Keeps Slim One-Point Lead Over Bush

Democratic challenger John Kerry held on to a slim one-point lead over President Bush after Friday's second debate between the White House rivals, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Sunday.


Giants Beat Astros to Keep Wild Card Lead

Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants can reach the playoffs two ways. They certainly boosted both chances Tuesday night...


It Can Be Bigger to Turn the Other Cheek

By Denise Robertson  The Mumsnet website is a boon to thousands of mothers.   They can swap gossip, share tips and rail together against the difficulties of bringing up children.


(90 sec.) Winning Best Actress cursed many a leading lady. Will it happen again this year?


Sam Rockwell and  Anjelica Huston are starring in "Choke," an adaptation of a  Chuck Palahniuk novel that marks the directorial debut of actor  Clark Gregg, who also wrote the adaptation.


Analysis: The U.S. president may have had noble aims, but his administration's policies have helped push the region toward catastrophe


Cheney, Edwards Clash Up Close in Debate

CLEVELAND - In a debate at close quarters, Democratic Sen. John Edwards bluntly accused Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday night of "not being straight with the American people" when it comes to Iraq...


Omega European Masters leader Sergio Garcia claims that results before the Ryder Cup will not count for much when the trans-Atlantic showdown gets underway in Detroit later this month.


Several new or evolving plans recognize that the usual airline loyalty programs may not be enough for the extreme air traveler.


Factbox on Spanish cyclist Roberto Heras, who won the Tour of Spain for the third time in his career on Sunday. Took up cycling at the age of 13 after his father promised him a bike if he beat him in a game of tennis.


Smentite con una nota le indiscrezioni di stampa


GIs Who Refused Job Had Unarmored Trucks

The U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who refused orders to drive a dangerous route were members of one of a few supply units whose trucks are still unarmored, their commanding general said Sunday.


U.S., developing nations accept Iran aid cut plan

Western and developing nations broadly accept a U.N. nuclear agency plan to cut almost half its aid projects in Iran, diplomats say, easing fears of a row over how strictly to apply U.N. sanctions against Tehran.


Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane said he still plans to offer Roger Clemens a personal services contract when the pitcher retires, barring hard evidence that the Rocket took steroids.


ISS says sweetened Icahn Lear buyout not enough

Influential advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that shareholders vote against billionaire Carl Icahn's sweetened $3 billion buyout offer for Lear Corp.


Britain marked 25 years since its last colonial war on Sunday, with ex-premier Margaret Thatcher present and Prince Andrew prominent among veterans of the Falklands conflict with Argentina.


US Plans Year-End Drive to Take Iraqi Rebel Areas

Faced with a growing insurgency and a January deadline for national elections, American commanders in Iraq say they are preparing operations to open up rebel-held


Four rescued after 10 days buried in Philippines rubble

TEN days after a stream of mud and rocks destroyed their building, four survivors of the Philippines typhoon disaster, including a three-year-old girl, were yesterday pulled alive from the ruins.


Blair's wife wanted Brown sacked: Channel 4 documentary

Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife urged him on several occasions to sack his successor Gordon Brown, a family friend of the Blairs told a documentary to be broadcast Saturday, with the programme set to reveal other details of the powerful pair's relationship.


Infopia to Release eCommerce 2.0 Handbook at eBay Live! 2007

SALT LAKE CITY, June 11  /PRNewswire/ -- Infopia, the leader in multi- channel online selling solutions, announced today that it will release its new eCommerce 2.0 Handbook at eBay Live! in Boston, June 14-16.


iPhone Unlocker Swaps Phone for 'Sweet' Car

A hacker who figured out how to unlock the iPhone has traded an unlocked phone for a new car.


New Abbas Palestinian government opens door to aid

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in an emergency government on Sunday in a move that could bolster him in his power struggle with Islamist Hamas rivals by ending a U.S.-led aid embargo.


CIA Has Run Secret Prison at Guantanamo -- Wash Post

The Central Intelligence Agency has  run a secret prison for valuable al Qaeda captives within the  Pentagon's detention complex at the U.S. naval base in  Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, The Washington Post reported on Friday.


Roberto Luongo wasn't worried about a personal slump against Colorado on Saturday night. He just wanted to end the Canucks' skid.


Experts try to determine the source of an outbreak of bird flu as a mass cull of turkeys nears its end.


At least 26 dead following fire at wooden apartment building in Siberia

MOSCOW  - The death toll from a devastating fire stood at 26 after emergency workers finished clearing up the ruins of a wooden apartment building that burned to the ground in Siberia, officials said Saturday.


Roma, 22:36 - CALCIO, CATANIA-INTER: FARINA SALTA IL TERZO TEMPO

Al termine di Catania-Inter, l'arbitro Farina non ha partecipato al terzo tempo. Il direttore di gar...


In Europe, Rising Euro Gathers Much Angst

Europe is in the midst of another bout of angst about its currency, amid signs the Bush administration will tolerate a prolonged weakness in the dollar.


Rival factions in Congo are forcibly recruiting hundreds of children and sending them to fight on the front lines of an escalating conflict in the east of the country, the United Nations said Friday.


POLICE defused a bomb yesterday in a Sardinian coastal town near where Tony Blair had been enjoying the hospitality of the Italian premier, Silvio Berlusconi, only hours earlier.


Tye Gunn to Start As Quarterback for TCU

The competition to be TCU's starting quarterback came down to a Tye. Coach Gary Patterson had to choose from one of his two quarterbacks that have a combined 15-2 record as starters. Junior Tye Gunn will start Thursday night's season opener against Northwestern.


Soccer chief wonders if Beckham effect will last

U.S. Soccer Federation chief Sunil Gulati says the impending arrival of David Beckham to Major League Soccer has given the sport a huge boost in the United States but the jury is out on any long-term effect.


27 Dogs Removed From Feces-Infested Home

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A man had 27 dogs taken from his home after police said it was unfit for animals...


Xybernaut sews up bright-light mobile PC

The flat-panel Atigo T/HB, designed for use in bright outdoor lighting, works as a wearable computer or as a wireless display.


Iraqi PM promises 'new plans' to crush insurgents

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi says his government has "new plans" to crush the country's insurgency and restore security.


DataBank: Major Indexes Gain as Global Markets Rebound

Global stock markets bounced back last week, and on Wall Street the three major stock indexes posted healthy gains.


Ford to build new plant in Oakville: report

TORONTO - Ford Motor Co. is reported to be on the verge of announcing a $1-billion investment at its plant in Oakville, Ont. The company has decided to build a flexible manufacturing plant at the site, the Toronto Star reported Friday.


UPDATE 3-Sonic, Asbury cut earnings estimates, stocks fall

Shares of Sonic Automotive Inc. (SAH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (ABG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) fell sharply on Tuesday after both car dealership


Sony's Mylo messaging gadget gets update

Sony Corp.'s Mylo, a wireless messaging gadget largely ignored by its college-aged target audience, is being updated to address some of its shortcomings, the company announced Sunday.


Fox News Channel issued a second on-air apology Wednesday for mistakenly running tape of a different congressman while reporting on the indictment of Rep. William J. Jefferson on bribery charges.


Second seed Rafael Nadal reached his   first U.S. Open quarter-final on Monday and the Spaniard is   showing no signs that he intends to stop there.


Beatizzazioni e canonizzazioni saranno presto piÃ¹ complicateIl Papa varerÃ  regole improntate a "maggiore rigore e sobrietÃ "                                          Vaticano, "stretta" sui santi in arrivo norme piÃ¹ severe                                                                                Il cardinal Saraiva Martins: "Non si parli di fabbrica" di ORAZIO LA ROCCA


Sainsbury consortium plans Â£25m bid for Leeds

The turbulent story of Leeds United took another bizarre turn yesterday as Sebastian Sainsbury, a 41-year-old member of the supermarket dynasty, emerged as the frontman for an American-based


Tatyana Lebedeva led a Russian 1-2-3 in the Olympic women's long jump final as Marion Jones of the United States missed out on a medal.


IBM expands virtual resources for partners

IBM has announced virtual resources to help its business partners accelerate the building and deployment of on-demand business applications tailored to customer requirements across all vertical industries.


By RICHARD BURGESS  LAFAYETTE - Prosecutors are considering a push to shut down a grocery store and an apartment complex for allegedly not carrying through with agreements to install security cameras linked to the City Police Department.


Ukraine's Yushchenko Poisoned by Dioxin-Doctors

Ukrainian presidential hopeful Viktor Yushchenko was a victim of dioxin poisoning, but it remains unclear if it was the result of a deliberate act, Austrian doctors treating him said on Saturday.


Two German Automakers Report Mixed Earnings

Germany, with its high costs, reluctant consumers and restive auto workers, has become a major drag on the country's two largest carmakers, DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen, which both reported mixed earnings on ...


Making the most of second chances is second nature to Wisconsin senior Scott Starks.


Iraq says police kill dozens of al Qaeda in Anbar

Iraqi security forces killed dozens of al Qaeda militants who attacked a village in western Anbar province on Wednesday, during fierce clashes that lasted much of the day, police officials said on Thursday.


The number of mortgages approved by banks fell for the fourth month in a row in September, figures show.


Marathon Leader Pushed Off Road by Protester

Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil was pushed  off the road by a lone protester while leading the men's  Olympic marathon on Sunday.


New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady testified Friday that he watched his mentor Charlie Weis move in and out of consciousness after the Notre Dame coach's gastric bypass surgery.


SEC cracks down on spam-driven small stocks

The Securities and Exchange  Commission suspended trading on Thursday in the stocks of 35  small companies linked to spam e-mail campaigns urging small  investors to buy shares.


Gash found on vessel's cargo tank after Delaware spill

Divers found a six-foot gash in one of seven cargo tanks on the Greek-owned tanker that leaked 30,000 of crude oil into the Port of Philadelphia, spokesmen for the Coast Guard and the vessel's owner said Sunday.


Sidney Lumet, one of the group of directors who in the 1970s created some of America's greatest films, is finding he has some pretty big shoes to fill when he makes a movie these days -- his own.


Israel Hunts for Militants After Twin Bus Bombings

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the army to hunt down Palestinian militants after 16 people were killed in back-to-back suicide bombings by the militant Islamic Hamas group.


Vajayjay means exactly what you think it does.


Campaign: 'Net Reputation' Survey Gets People Talking - Technology

Alex Black  Campaign: What Does Your NetRep Say About You?  Client: Viadeo  PR team: Brands2Life  Timescale: March to April 2007 etc  Budget: pounds 8,000  Viadeo is an online business network with over a million members across Europe.


Bill Parcells had a bad first Thanksgiving Day experience as coach of the Dallas Cowboys but is hoping for a better one this year when the Chicago Bears visit Texas Stadium.


Counterfeiting is a dangerous and growing enterprise controlled by organized criminals who are exploiting the same trade routes used for trafficking drugs, arms and human beings, the United Nations said in a report released Friday.


The first day of the Davis Cup final between Spain and the United States made history as a record 27,200 spectators took their seats under the temporary roof in the Estadio Olimpico.


Hamid Karzai clinched a majority of the votes cast in Afghanistan's first presidential election, near-complete results showed Sunday, leaving him all but certain of becoming his war-wrecked nation's first democratically elected leader.


Iraqis and US forces targeted in stepped up insurgent campaign to ...

US troops fought a gunbattle with insurgents along a busy street in Baghdad on Monday, sending passers-by scurrying for cover, witnesses


For These Students, Much More Than the Year Is New

When Richard Montgomery High School students returned to classes this morning after their winter break, they walked into a state-of-the-art, high-tech building in which there are no chalkboards and the bathrooms are decorated in the school colors, black and gold.


Michael Jackson fails in his bid to have the man leading his child abuse prosecution thrown off the case.


If Yahooâs board resists the offer, Microsoft would have to pursue a proxy contest.


24-State Battle for Votes, Delegates and Momentum

There will be plenty of trends to track in Tuesdayâs free-for-all, as 43 contests in 24 states allocate 3,156 delegates on what could be the most significant night of the race to date.


Many of Europe's high-flying US listings seek stealth exits

Many European groups that staged high-profile share listings on Wall Street in the 1990s are now slipping out the back door, giving up a fleeting status that turned out to be expensive and restrictive.


The federal government and oil companies are trying to refine the process of turning oil shale into crude so that they can tap into an abundant supply on federal lands. In Autopia.


Iraq shuts borders, clamps down in Baghdad

Iraq closed its borders with Iran and Syria as U.S. and Iraqi troops tightened their grip on Baghdad on Thursday, setting up more checkpoints that stopped and searched even official convoys for weapons.


Radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will go on trial for killing nearly 200 people in the Bali bombings, after prosecutors lodged an indictment against him in a Jakarta court yesterday.


Sibling's Heart Problems Predict Yours Best -- Study

Does your brother or sister have heart disease? That may be a better predictor of whether you are at risk that your parents' health history, researchers said on Monday.


Mary Cheney, the openly gay daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney and wife Lynne, is pregnant, according to a published report.


Obiettivo e' favorire trasporto rotaia per ridurre CO2


BRITISH Prime Minster Tony Blair called for new efforts to revive the Middle East peace process today after the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and just hours before he sets off to visit US President George W. Bush.


Baristi minacciano di non vendere piu' la bibita


Rocker Smith seeks cure for writers' block

Thirty years in the music business is no prevention for writers' block.


Per la passata decisione di non arrestare Delfino


US election rivals warn of result delays

The Democratic and Republican parties have warned that it could take weeks to decide the November 2 election and have hired teams of attorneys and observers for the contest.


Sudan Arrests 14 Islamists for Sabotage Plot

Sudanese authorities have arrested 14  members of an opposition Islamist party for plotting sabotage  after soliciting help from abroad, party officials and security  sources said on Wednesday.


Fresno State Upends No. 18 Virginia 37-34

Paul Pinegar threw five touchdown passes, including the game-winning 25-yard strike to Stephen Spach in overtime, as Fresno State came back to beat No. 18 Virginia 37-34 in the MPC Computers Bowl on Monday.


'Il leader sono io: non conta l'eta' ma le idee'


Consequences sought for Con Ed in blackout

With thousands of city residents facing their second week without power, some political leaders turned their focus to the utility they said was at fault in the outage.


Roma, 15:02 - CALCIO, TAVECCHIO: MIO OPERATO SEMPRE TRASPARENTE

Tirano in ballo anche lui le nuove intercettazioni di Luciano Moggi pubblicate oggi su tutti i quoti...


Violence will lead Haiti's pro-Aristide party nowhere: premier

PORT-AU-PRINCE  - Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue warned members of exiled president Jean Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas party that "violence would lead them nowhere," and invited them to "join the electoral process which would be scrupulously


Questions about Iraq, Iran and Russia await President Bush as he prepares to hold his first news conference since Dec. 20.


Britain risks cuts as public borrowing hits highest level in decade

British government departments risk having to make spending cuts in the runup to elections expected next May as public borrowing hit its highest level in a decade, a newspaper reported.


About three weeks ahead of its release date, a copy of the much anticipated Xbox game Halo 2 has been leaked onto the Internet. The leak, reportedly a European French-language version, came just days after


Lâidea di Bush (e Kerry): truppe irachene contro i terroristi ...

Tre province fuori controllo. La sicurezza manca, il processo politico avanza. Ovazione bipartisan per Allawi. New York. Chiunque vinca le elezioni americane del 2 novembre si troverÃ  ben aperto sulla scrivania il dossier iracheno.


ANDRE AGASSI's chances of qualifying for the season-ending Masters Cup suffered a setback in Stockholm today. The No.1 seed lost 3-6 6-3 7-6 to Thomas Johansson in the ($1.


Singer Robert Goulet is in fight for his life

Singer Robert Goulet, who shot to  stardom by playing Sir Lancelot in the original stage version  of "Camelot," is fighting for his life at a Los Angeles  hospital, his wife Vera said on Tuesday.


Kerry scores badly needed points in debate

Democrat John Kerry stood his ground with President George W. Bush in their first televised debate, delivering a strong performance that could put him back into the election race after weeks on the ropes, analysts said.


The last thing the University of Houston wanted before playing fourth-ranked Miami was its star running back on crutches. But only five days after rushing for a career-high 282 yards, Anthony


NASA Delays Shuttle Landing Amid Safety Concerns

An unidentified object orbiting below and at the same speed as Atlantis may have been shaken loose from the space shuttle, leading NASA officials to scramble to find out whether the vehicle remains safe to make the descent back to Earth.


Connecticut 98, Seton Hall 86: Connecticut Continues Its Turnaround

The Huskies opened conference play on a high note Thursday night at the Prudential Center, in a game that turned into a mismatch in the second half.


President Bush and Advisers Arrive in Iraq

President Bush and his top national security advisers visited Iraq today, a week before Gen. David H. Petraeus is scheduled to deliver his assessment.


LSU-Auburn rivalry could get another chapter: The Hurricane Game

Auburn and LSU have played several nickname games in recent years: The Fire Game. The Interception Game. The Cigar Game. The latest entry might be The Hurricane Game.


INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - Police have charged a man with filing a false police report after he claimed someone tried to carve a slur on his forehead.


Delegates at a UN aid conference will be asked to give firm commitments on helping Asian tsunami victims.


American James Blake dominated top-seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-1 Sunday to win the Thailand Open final.


US says it will investigate reported disappearance of nuclear ...

The United States said Tuesday it will conduct ''a full investigation'' along with the Iraqi government of the reported disappearance


BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber attacked a police convoy in Baghdad yesterday as guerillas kept pressure on Iraq's security forces despite a bloody rout of insurgents in Fallujah.


U.S. to Lower Finance Terror Alert Status

The federal government will lower the terror alert status for financial institutions in New York, New Jersey and Washington, The Associated Press learned Wednesday.


Police in eastern Latvia were trying to determine what charges to bring against a drunken horse-and-buggy driver who caused a drunken motorist to crash into a ditch, flipping his car.


InfoWorld - As malware threats and regulatory compliance demands continue to grow more complex, IT will become increasingly dependent on SaaS (software as a service) offerings that let them respond to problems faster while also saving money, according to top executives at the world's largest anti-malware vendors.


James Scores 41 as Cavs Deny Bryant and Lakers

LeBron James won his personal matchup with Kobe Bryant in a duel of the N.B.A.âs leading scorers Sunday, tallying 14 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter.


Ministro scrive a gestori in vista sciopero 48 ore


CHECK out this animation of Bush, so says a message popping up in your MSN Messenger. And if you click on the link that follows to see the US President letting his hair down, you will unwittingly invite a worm to do some fast-paced moves inside your computer, according to MicroWorld Technologies.


Derick Rethans' Blog: 4th Major eZ Components release

Derick Rethans points out a milestone in the life of the eZ Components project - the release of their fourth major version:   Earlier today we, the eZ Components development team, put out our fourth major release. This new release comes with two new components (Authentication and Workflow) as well as more than 200 other updates.   He details what the two new components are all about and includes comments about the stability of the eZ Components libraries (due to the use of test-driven development) and mentions one component in particular - Mail.


'Eagle vs. Shark': Revenge of the New Zealand nerds

The scruffy microbudgeted film pairs two lovelorn geeks in an unlikely romantic comedy about 'little people' finding love.


DEEWANA, India  - Two homemade bombs exploded aboard a train bound from India to Pakistan sparking a fire that killed at least 66 passengers on Monday in what the Indian government called an "act of terrorism".


Norfolk Island murder trial struggles to select jury

Finding a jury for  the first murder trial in 150 years on Norfolk Island was never  going to be easy -- residents are mainly descendants of a small  band of 18th-century mutineers, related or know everyone.


Chad Shuts Down Capital as 1,000 Rebels March In

Rebels forced the city to close its airport. The fighting is spillover from the Darfur conflict in neighboring Sudan.


IT Forum: Exchange users to get more tools

Although Microsoft won't announce the release date of the next version of its Exchange Server until next year, users can expect more management tools for existing versions in the meantime.


Gunmen kill 2 soldiers at south Lebanon camp

AIN AL-HILWEH, Lebanon  - Islamist gunmen killed two Lebanese soldiers at a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon on Monday, the first fatal spillover from fighting between the army and al Qaeda-inspired fighters in the north.


The UN says it is optimistic that none of the survivors of the Asian tsunami will lose their lives due to hunger.


A study published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, indicates that elderly men who have been exposed to high levels of lead are 3.2 times morely likely to develop cataracts than those who have not had similar exposure.


The British drugmaker looks to regain momentum this year.


French President Nicolas Sarkozy's early days have been a masterwork of policy and public relations, but his real challenges lie ahead


Microsoft Corp. announced today the expansion of its end-user intellectual property (IP) protection policy to cover customers using a wide range of current and earlier versions of its software.


Problema diffusione notizie rapporti magistratura-Parlamento


Alzano Lombardo, 14:54 - CICLISMO DONNE, CARRARA ALLA SAFI-PASTA ZARA

Vera Carrara, campionessa del mondo in carica della corsa a punti su pista, correrà la prossi...


New Guatemala leader Colom vows to attack crime

Guatemala's new president, Alvaro Colom, pledged on Monday to fight violence and drug trafficking as he took power in a country racked by crime.


The U.S. economy has escaped a recent soft patch and seems to be picking up steam, Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan said on Wednesday in remarks economists saw as cementing a September rate rise.


Russian President Vladimir Putin appears on Ukrainian TV days before the election to praise the prime minister.


African environmentalist wins Nobel prize

Wangari Muta Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was honoured Friday for her efforts to help women, clean up the environment and battle corruption.


Rutshuru - A UN team was set to leave on Tuesday for the town of Kanyabayonga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to investigate two days of fighting there, a UN official said.


The pug in the corner of the Saints-Eagles football telecast on Fox looked familiar to Tracey Gaughran-Perez.


Siena, 19:47 - CALCIO, SIENA: STADIO CAMBIA NOME

Lo stadio di Siena non si chiamerà piÃ¹ soltanto 'Artemio Franchi' ma "Artemio Franchi Montepa...


Whole Foods renews its contract with United Natural Foods.


Six hikers are under investigation after they drowned a protected brown bear in the mountains of southern Poland, police said Tuesday.


The widow of Pc Ian Broadhurst says she "cried with relief" when his killer was sentenced.


A small bomb explodes at the airport on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza, after the airport was evacuated.


The Delhi High Court today granted bail to Baazee.Com CEO and US Citizen Avnish Bajaj, arrested in the obscene MMS case but asked him to surrender his passport and not to leave the country without permission of the trial court.


Soil Testing Proposed for Greenway to Find Reason for Odor, Colors

By MARY HURST  FERNANDINA BEACH - A University of Florida professor recommends soil testing be done immediately to determine whether discoloration and an unusual odor in the damaged Egans Creek Greenway are the result of toxins or simple vegetation decay.


French police arrest more than 30 people in raids near Paris, targeting the instigators of November's riots.


Scientists may be a step closer to uncovering the cause of certain types of debilitating migraine headaches.


Wayne Levi tied a tournament record with an 8-under 64 and held a one-shot lead over Rodger Davis after the first round of the Constellation Energy Classic on Friday.


SCH still expects to close Abbey takeover by year end

The Spanish bank Santander Central Hispano said it still expects to complete its acquisition of British home-loan specialist Abbey National by the end of this year.


Calif. Air Board Adopts Vehicle Emission Cuts

California air-quality regulators  on Friday adopted the nation's first-ever rules to reduce car  emissions linked to global warming, an action likely to prompt  tough pollution standards in other states and a legal challenge  by the auto industry.


Davenport rejects Kostanic in 40 minutes

NEW YORK -- If Lindsay had known of the joyous occasion, would she have given the young bride a wedding present?


Pressure on Brown rises as public service unions plan campaign to fight below-inflation pay offers.


Florida coach Urban Meyer has lectured his team about being tougher on the road.


Da 35 mesi attendono il rinnovo del contratto


THOUSANDS of construction workers and victims of asbestos were today making their way through central Sydney to rally outside a general meeting of James Hardie shareholders.


Life & style: Leaving patches of your garden to run wild creates a rich habitat for nesting bumblebees - and could help reverse the rapid decline in their population, writes Stephen Moss.


Huge effort urged to curb epidemic of obese kids

Washington -- To fight the epidemic of childhood obesity, the nation must enlist virtually every aspect of society to reduce the amount of junk food children eat and get them exercising more, the National Academy of Sciences said Thursday.


FIFA rejects Mexican club request to sign female player

Soccer's world governing body FIFA has stopped Mexico's leading female player from playing for a professional men's team.


Chad's president declared a nationwide state of emergency Thursday, telling citizens that tightened controls are needed to restore order after recent rebel attacks.


Multilabel CD Debuts at No. 1 on U.S. Charts

A CD featuring hits by Nelly, Keith Urban and others became the sixth in the "NOW That's What I Call Music" series of joint record-label collections to debut at No. 1 in the U.S. charts, sales trackers said on Wednesday.


New applications for U.S. home loans climbed last week, as most mortgage rates fell from the previous week, an industry group said on Wednesday.


A man says he broke into an apartment with a cavalry sword because he thought he heard a woman being raped, but the sound actually was from a pornographic movie his upstairs neighbor was watching.


Former guitarist for 1970s pop group Bread and Academy Award-winning songwriter Jimmy Griffin dies.


Sinn Fein claims a "sophisticated bugging device" has been found in a party member's house


Israel begins freeing some Palestinian prisoners

KITSIYOT, Israel  - Israel released dozens of Palestinian prisoners on Friday as part of a U.S.-backed deal to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas following the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas Islamists last month.


Uruguay's Vazquez Wins Presidency in 1st Round, Exit Polls Show

Uruguayan opposition candidate Tabare Vazquez captured enough votes to win the presidency in today's first-round vote, exit polls from the country's four-biggest pollsters showed.


Volvo gains as wider europe market stumbles

An upgrade from HSBC helped Swedish truckmaker Volvo (NASDAQ:VOLVY) buck a sharply lower European market Tuesday.


Roman Catholic Church officials asked for an investigation Thursday of two U.S. lawyers and an activist they claim are trying to extort money from the Mexican church with a lawsuit alleging Cardinal Norberto Rivera protected a pedophile priest.


More Options With Tomorrow's Cell Phones

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


In a step toward linking a person's thoughts to machines, Japanese automaker Honda said it has developed a technology that uses brain signals to control a robot's very simple moves.


Director Mike Leigh premieres a controversial film about abortion at Venice Film Festival.


GM Set to Cut About 10,000 Jobs - Source

General Motors will cut around 10,000 jobs in Europe in a drive to save some 500 million euros ($613.4 million) a year and return its loss-making operations there to profit, a company source said on Wednesday.


U.S. investigates report of Iraqi civilians killed

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


With Dwyane Wade around, the Miami Heat can afford the occasional off game from Shaquille O'Neal.


Germany Â Grudgingly Â to Join the Smoking Ban

A compromise proposal would ban smoking in public buildings Â but not in pubs, bars or under beer tents.


NYSE-Euronext shareholders to judge trans-Atlantic marriage

Shareholders in the New York Stock Exchange and the European stock market Euronext are to vote this week on a trans-Atlantic wedding in the face of some concern in Europe that the NYSE will be the dominant partner.


Stocks to watch on Friday: DELL INC. : The top personal computer maker's earnings on Thursday reflected slow sales in the consumer market, and its revenue missed analysts' estimates. Its forecast for the first quarter was also disappointing to Wall Street.


Ingham says New Westminster regrets consequences, not actions

Archbishop Robin Eames said his Lambeth Commission's report would "have teeth," but conservative Anglicans blasted it for not being tough enough on churches with liberal attitudes toward homosexuality and liberal Anglicans thought major areas were unfair


A disappointed Svetlana Kuznetsova barely looked up during her post-match news conference after she was sensationally dumped out of the Australian Open third round 6-3 6-4 on Saturday by Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.


He keeps an itinerary that has all the makings of a full-fledged presidential candidate: South Carolina this weekend, New Hampshire the one before.


Republican Mitt Romney said Wednesday that if elected president he and his wife will not embarrass the nation by their conduct in the White House as happened in "the Clinton years."


Exercise Before Fatty Meal May Curb Bad Effects

NEW YORK  - People gearing up for an  indulgent holiday feast may want to make time for some pre-meal  exercise. A small study out Monday suggests that a long walk  before a fatty meal can lessen the effects of high fat intake  on blood vessel function.


Description: Militiamen loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr leave the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, honoring a peace agreement brokered by Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.


World AIDS Day Focuses on Gender Inequalities - Increased Risk for ...

AIDS advocates and health workers on Wednesday marked World AIDS Day by focusing on gender inequalities that can lead to an increased risk of HIV infection among women and girls.. Nearly half of the 37.2 million


Music's heavy hitters turned out for the Grammy Awards' 50th anniversary ceremony Sunday in celebratory and respectful outfits. The fringe outfits were left to up-and-comers or those looking for some paparazzi shots.


Premier Foods, the firm behind Branston Pickle and Oxo stock, is to shut six factories, putting 1,000 jobs at risk.


United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Saturday he will visit tsunami-devastated Indonesia to work with regional leaders to help coordinate aid and relief efforts on the ground.


Monsanto bid for Delta could run into trouble: WSJ

Monsanto Co.'s  attempt to buy  southern seed giant Delta & Pine Land Co.  could be  running into trouble as an unusual backlash against the  proposed combination is taking root across the U.S. Farm Belt,  the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Monday.


Update 4: House Blocks New OT Rules; Dems Claim Win

A House vote to overturn new Bush administration rules on which workers qualify for overtime pay was hailed by Democrats trying to convince undecided voters they are the party that better protects worker rights.


Gulf Coast cities draw up new blueprints

Hurricane Katrina erased much of the Mississippi Gulf Coast's past, but the deadly storm also created a blank canvas and a historic opportunity for reinventing cities like this once-quaint beach community.


Blessing or Curse? Top Newspaper Editors Examine Blogs' Role in the '60 Minutes' Uproar

Editor and Publisher - NEW YORK The current controversy over the validity of documents pushed in large part by bloggers and purporting to prove that President Bush received special treatment in the National Guard shows that partisan Internet pundits are having a growing impact on mainstream press, for better or worse, according to several newspaper editors.


Did you ever write letters to Santa? Ever wonder what the North Pole was like? Did you lose that sense of wonder? Maybe you need a dose of Holiday cheer.


Pro-hunt campaigner Otis Ferry warns supporters will cause trouble in the run up to the general election in protest at the ban.


Liverpool striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle faces a long lay-off after tearing knee ligaments.


Hamas' Gaza takeover clouds dreams of statehood

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Divided more than ever after Hamas's armed takeover of Gaza, Palestinians are watching their dream of statehood turn into even more of a nightmare to achieve.


Japanese hostage in Iraq reportedly killed

TOKYO - There are conflicting reports about whether a Japanese man taken hostage in Iraq last week has been killed by his captors.


The Internet may have forever changed the music business, but online downloads will keep playing second fiddle to compact discs for at least the next five years.


Singer Mary J. Blige believes troubled British singer Amy Winehouse, who is struggling with drug problems, is a "perfect example" of creating good music.


Olympics: Cut It Out, Give It Back, Cool the Hype

Calls of "cut it out" and "give it back"  competed with a hot United States-vs.-China medals race  Thursday as the 28th Olympiad in Athens went into its final  days with some 80 medals still to be won.


Eye specialists will be able to issue prescriptions on the high street under government plans.


Motorists risk prison sentence for using their mobile phones

Motorists caught driving dangerously while using a mobile phone, sat-nav or an MP3 player could be jailed for two years, under new guidelines issued on Thursday.


Trentino e Alto Adige sfoglia il nuovo sito online

I tre quotidiani online cambiano look: nuova veste grafica e piÃ¹ spazio ai cittadini su Alto Adige, Trentino e Corriere delle Alpi


Aniston tops People magazine "best-dressed" list

Even in Hollywood -- land of breast  implants and botox -- natural counts for something. So says  People magazine, which on Wednesday said Jennifer Aniston  topped its list of best-dressed women of 2006 for her natural  fashion sense.


David Beckham says he has a "burning desire" to prove new England coach Steve McClaren was wrong to drop him.


Bush no-show sends "wrong signal" to SE Asia

President George W. Bush's decision to skip a Southeast Asian forum in September and a possible earlier no-show by his secretary of state sends "a wrong signal" to the region, a former Thai foreign minister says.


La societa' immobiliare raggiunge quota 59,5 milioni di euro


Pentagon plans to shoot down disabled satellite

The Pentagon plans to shoot down a disabled U.S. spy satellite before it enters the atmosphere to prevent a potentially deadly leak of toxic gas from the vehicle's fuel tank, officials said on Thursday.


Tamada blazes the track with fastest ever lap at Sepang

SEPANG: Japan's rising son of MotoGP racing Makoto Tamada stole the thunder from the championship contenders when he blazed to a new track record on the first day of qualifying of the Marlboro


Sara' consegnata dall'ambasciatore in Belgio Siggia


Lewinsky and Loos dish on kiss-and-tell after Clinton and Beckham

Kiss-and-tell queens Monica Lewinsky and Rebecca Loos, in a debate on media payments for interviews, came clean about dishing the dirt on Bill Clinton and David Beckham, but the former White House intern claimed her sex story sat on higher moral ground.


Army investigators on Thursday looked into the possible involvement of al-Qaida-inspired extremists in the bombing that killed a Lebanese general who had led a major offensive against Islamic militants.


(InfoWorld) - Hewlett-Packard has entered into mutual agreements with two former directors caught up in theÂ board spying scandalÂ not to file lawsuits over the dispute. The company disclosed the agreement in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday. In the same filing, HP said it has agreed to pay some of the directors' legal expenses in connection with the investigations. The SEC has asked for more information on the circumstances surroundingÂ Thomas Perkins' resignationÂ from HP's board of directors over the spying scandal, HP said in the filing. HP also revealed the terms under which Perkins and directorÂ George Keyworth left the board. They resigned after it was revealed that private investigators hired by HP may haveÂ used illegal methodsÂ to identify Keyworth as the source of leaks of board deliberations to the news media. Separately on Thursday, HP said chief executive officer Mark Hurd "has offered to appear" before a House subcommittee probing the scandal. Other HP executives, Chairman Patricia Dunn and others implicated in the scandal haveÂ accepted invitations to appearÂ at a Sept. 28 hearing. HP said in the SEC filing that it has entered into a "Mutual Release and Indemnification Agreement" with Perkins and Keyworth in which the two former directors agreed not to file claims against other directors, officers or employees of HP. In turn, the company agreed not file claims against them. HP will also pay legal fees Perkins and Keyworth may incur in cooperating with government investigations of the scandal. Besides the House inquiry, the California Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for Northern California are conducting probes. The SEC filing also said Perkins and Keyworth reserve the right to take legal action against private investigation companies that HP allegedly hired to probe the source of board leaks. HP told the SEC on Sept. 6 that it had discovered those outside firms engaged in a possibly illegal practice called "pretexting" while digging into the personal phone records of directors, HP employees and journalists. The investigators' probe identified Keyworth as the confidential source. He initially refused to resign when confronted by the board in May, but he quit on Sept. 12. HP also said in the filing that it is cooperating with an SEC request for additional information about the circumstances of Perkins' resignation in May. HP's SEC filing at that time noted Perkins' resignation without elaborating. Perkins, who said he resigned in protest of the way HP was conducting its investigation, later lobbied the company to amend its notice with more detail. Hurd is set to lead a news conference Friday at HP headquarters in Palo Alto, California, to reveal the results of a separate investigation of HP's leak probe. After the scandal broke and reports surfaced about how involved HP executives may have been in overseeing the private investigators' activities, HP brought in the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius to investigate. A representative of the firm will present its findings at the news conference. News reports in recent days have revealed Hurd, Dunn and other HP executives were moreÂ involved in the leak probeÂ than they had earlier indicated. Â


Cisco open $12m research center in Japan

Networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. have announced plans to open a new research and development center in Tokyo next year. The company will invest a cool $12 million in the project over five years.


Bush, Kerry Battle for Edge in Tight Race

President Bush evoked the Sept. 11,  2001, attacks on Friday in an emotional appeal for support in a  tight White House race, but Democratic rival John Kerry told  voters America needed a fresh start after Bush's "catastrophic  mismanagement."


Ultrasound images from the womb are increasingly being made not for medical purposes but by companies offering expectant parents a sort of prebirth viewing.


"Alexander" and "Catwoman" have been given leading places in the annual Golden Raspberry Awards which salutes the worst in Hollywood. Colin Farrell, Ben Stiller and Ben Affleck, along with President Bush who appeared in "Fahrenheit 9/11," are up for wo...


Iraqi security forces are arbitrarily arresting people and systematically torturing and abusing detainees, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Tuesday.


LOS ANGELES  - Art imitates life, and life imitates art, and sometimes it's hard to tell which is which. Take the little town of Marceline, Mo., a place so idyllic, so orderly, so utterly all-American that it seemed impossible to improve on. Marceline declined once the automobile came and the crowds started to roll in, but it is forever enshrined in the memories of several generations of Americans.


Garciaparra, Thome named comeback players of 2006

Nomar Garciaparra of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox's Jim Thome were named Comeback Players of the Year on Saturday.


Politicians of All Stripes Join the Line for Bon Jovi

The rocker Jon Bon Jovi, who has twice won People magazineâs award for sexiest rock star, can lay claim to an unofficial new title these days: the Garden Stateâs elder statesman.


Late valacyclovir for herpes yields greater response

NEW YORK  - Therapy with valacyclovir (Valtrex, GlaxoSmithKline), started within three months of infection with either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or HSV type 2 (HSV-2), reduces the rate of symptomatic outbreaks compared with placebo, Seattle investigators report in the Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.


The Motley Fool - If you've ever searched fruitlessly at a bricks-and-mortar retailer, only to find what you sought online at Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News) or eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY - News), you've experienced the Long Tail. If you've ever seen a great, obscure indie movie that Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX - News) recommended, you've experienced the Long Tail. If you've ever been a fan of hard-to-find content and knew you could find exactly what you wanted on Amazon or Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) iTunes, you're well aware of the ramifications of the Long Tail.


Hedgehogs and house sparrows are on an updated list of species and habitats which need protection.


Official: Tunnel plot suspect mulled arson

The Lebanese man accused of plotting to destroy and flood Hudson River train tunnels also discussed the possibility of setting wildfires in California to inflict harm on the U.S., a federal official said Monday.


A Land Securities, valore dell'operazione 711 mln euro


No security changes yet in wake of suspected suicide bombing

The US military didn't immediately tighten security across Iraq on Thursday in the aftermath of an apparent suicide bombing, but security


Del Piero breaks year-long scoring drought, leads Italy to win ...

Alessandro Del Piero scored his first goal for Italy in over a year as Marcello Lippi's side picked up its second straight win with a 1-0 away victory over Moldova in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Brutishness Begets Brutishness on the Road

âA Bloody Aria,â by the Korean director Won Shin-yun, is a sort of Asian âDeliverance.â


GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Ahead in Wash.

Democratic observer Noel Frame, second left, goes over the tally of recounted ballots from King County with Superintendent of Elections Bill Huennekens, at an elections tabulating center in Seattle Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004.


After an air passenger with bags of cocaine in her stomach dies, police arrest a man and take him to hospital.


Milano, 15:29 - CALCIO, INTER: VIEIRA INDISPONIBILE PER IL VALENCIA

Niente fa fare: Patrick Vieira è costretto a saltare Inter-Valencia, gara di Champions League...


Deadlines raise heart attack risk six fold

If you are on a tight deadline at work you are six times more likely to suffer from a heart attack during the next 24 hours, say Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institute.


Accounts of the bloody battle near Najaf have produced more questions than answers, raising doubts about Iraqi security forces' performance and concern over tensions within the majority Shiite community.


Palestinian Militant Shot to Death in West Bank

Israeli army officials say soldiers killed Mahmoud Hammad, a member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, as he tried to escape from a house in the village of Raba, close to the West Bank town of Jenin.


Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard praised Henrik Larsson's contribution as the striker scored on his return to Parkhead in the 3-1 win over Celtic.


Genetics pioneer Craig Venter has news from the frontiers of biology.


Veterans, Babies Head U.S. Flu Priority List

Veterans' hospitals,     pediatricians, nursing homes and the U.S. military head the  list of those getting flu vaccine first this year under a plan  to make up for the loss of half the country's supply, officials  said on Tuesday.


Russia says no progress on U.S. missile shield

Moscow and Washington are no closer to resolving their differences over U.S. plans for a missile shield in Europe despite talks on a compromise, a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday.


Broadway Gives Its Regards to Crystal, Tourists

Boosted by hits like Billy Crystal's new one-man play "700 Sundays" as well as an upswing in theatergoers visiting from foreign countries, Broadway saw a 3.2% increase in box office receipts this year over that of 2003, according to the League of American Theatres and Producers Inc.


Now with centralized management of their more than 1000 Mac, PC and UNIX computers, scientists at the University of Maryland’s College of Life Sciences have more freedom than ever to focus on their research. For many of them, the Mac platform is all they need. [Dec 16]


The telecommunications company announced on Tuesday a share buyback program worth nearly $16 billion and its biggest-ever dividend increase.


Northern Ireland's deputy first minister says Tyrone is in "shock" as a second young sportsman dies.


Swiss security lab opens secrets 'market' Software development costs could be increased by a new approach to security research. Swiss software security specialist WSLabi says the results of security research are falling into the wrong hands and has launched an online 'secrets' exchange to solve the problem.â¦


China's Olympic gold medallists visited Hong Kong this week generating adoring crowds and conveying an unspoken but unmistakable message -- vote for pro-Beijing candidates in Hong Kong's legislative election on Sunday.


Bangladeshi Child Star Hopes Life Will Mirror Art

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- At just 13, Shimu is arguably the most beautiful girl in her neighborhood, with her pitch-black eyes and silver nose ring. But her playful pixie smile belies her adult-size problems: Her grandmother wants her to quit seventh grade and get married, and older boys who loiter in...


Il presidente della Cei annuncia un documento scritto, "chiaro e vincolante"con cui i vescovi italiani ribadiranno la loro totale opposizione al ddl del governo                                            Dico, Ruini: "Presto una nota impegnativa per tutti i cattolici"


Ohio State quarterback gets chance at redemption

Troy Smith helped Ohio State get into the Alamo Bowl. Justin Zwick will have to help the Buckeyes win it. No. 24 Ohio State (7-4) won four of its last five games after Smith took over as quarterback.


New Icing Warning System for U.S. Airplanes Debuts

Beginning today U.S. pilots will have more reliable information about the threat of icing—an airborne condition that has caused hundreds of plane-crash fatalities.


As Sun reveals Solaris 10, users pleased

While Sun Microsystems on Monday held its official launch of the Solaris 10 operating system, the future of the operating system, and perhaps Sun itself, was being decided many miles away, at organizations such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and FedEx


Update 4: Russia to Sell Part of Yukos Unit

The yearlong, politically charged legal campaign against oil giant Yukos appeared to move nearer to a resolution Tuesday as the Justice Ministry filed to sell part of a key production subsidiary to pay a portion of a mounting bill for back taxes.


KMT to mull specific Taiwan pledge in party charter

Taiwan's main opposition party, which once ruled all of China, will mull a proposal to amend its charter to underline its commitment to the island as it competes for Taiwan-identity votes in upcoming elections.


Tommy Haas maintained his winning streak by beating Belgium's Olivier Rochus 6-0 6-2 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Dubai Open.


Apple: You can gab on that iPhone for eight hours

Blog: New specs released from Apple say that the much-anticipated handset's battery life is significantly better than expected.


Afghan police say more civilians have been killed by foreign forces, but Nato says it is not aware of civilian deaths.


Yankees rookie sensation Joba Chamberlain was suspended for two games and fined $1,000 Friday, a day after he threw two 98-99 mph pitches over the head of Boston's Kevin Youkilis.


Hospitalized Britney Spears loses child visitation

A family court suspended Britney Spears' visitation rights to her two young sons on Friday after the pop star was hospitalized in a fit of hysterics over their handover to ex-husband Kevin Federline.


Barak wins leadership of Israel's Labor Party

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak won the leadership of Israel's Labor Party on Wednesday, putting him in an influential position to decide the fate of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his coalition government.


Amazon.com Inc.'s   quarterly net profit halved due to higher taxes and investment  spending, but its shares rose 6 percent as it beat analysts'  expectations and gave 2007 forecasts above Wall Street  estimates.


Rain and snow fell over parts of the West, the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region on Monday, while the rest of the nation was mostly clear and sunny.


Britain Charges Eight Terrorist Suspects

LONDON - British police charged eight terrorist suspects Tuesday with conspiring to commit murder and use radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals or explosives to cause "fear or injury" in a case involving an alleged top al-Qaida operative at the center of a U.S. terror alert this month...


Thousands Remain Without Power in Eastern Canada

Hundreds of thousands of people in Eastern Canada could be without electricity until the end of the week, officials said on Monday, after an early winter blizzard downed power lines and crumpled transmission towers.


Japanese stocks rose by Monday afternoon  as the cheer over robust machinery orders data spilled over  into a second session, boosting optimism over the economy and  pushing up real estate firms such as Mitsubishi Estate Co.


Sassari, 11:55 - BASKET, LEGADUE: DAVID YOUNG A SASSARI

Il Banco di Sardegna Sassari (Legadue) ha ingaggiato lo statunitense David Young, guardia-ala di 195...


Prenotata quando era ancora nel 'pancione' e venduta appena nata per mille-duemila euro. E' accaduto ad Avezzano, dove il Gip ha fatto eseguire cinque misure cautelari di cui due in carcere per le persone


Family, colleagues mourn kidnapped British aid worker believed ...

A British aid worker kidnapped in Iraq has probably been killed, her family and officials said, in what would be the first known female


Milano, 15:51 - CALCIO, INTER: BURDISSO PROLUNGA FINO AL 2009

Nicolas Burdisso, difensore argentino dell'Inter, ha prolungato fino al 2009 il contratto che lo leg...


Colombo, Dec 27: The death toll in the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka reached 12,000, including at least 70 foreigners while many were reported still missing as rescuers today frantically searched for survivors and engaged in reaching aid and medical care


Doctors, Patients Just Don't Click Over Googling

Increasing numbers of us are Googling our own weird headaches, rashes and unexplained symptoms before heading to the doctor.  And although physicians are secretly Googling difficult medical situations, many aren't thrilled that we're doing the same thing.


Emmanuel Adebayor scores a hat-trick as Arsenal canter to victory over Derby.


Anybody who has seen a Geico commercial recently knows that cavemen have become the new talking gecko, but what they probably don't know is that they may be seeing more of these cavemen in the future. ABC said on Friday that they might make a sitcom, t...


UPDATE 2-Federer out of Basel event with thigh injury

World number one Roger Federer says he is hoping to be fit in time for next month's Tennis Masters Cup, after pulling out of the Swiss Indoors tournament with a ruptured thigh muscle.


London man coughs to 172mph Porsche jaunt

Sets new UK record for illicit excess velocity A 33-year-old London man has pleaded guilty to driving a Porsche 911 at 172mph on the A420 in Oxfordshire, the BBC reports.â¦


Japanese say PM Abe staking job on wrong battle

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is girding for a showdown in parliament over naval back-up for U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan, but voters say they would rather he focused on pensions and healthcare.


DAMMAM: His Majesty King Hamad yesterday held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.They reviewed historic ties and expressed satisfaction with them, reiterating the strength of these relations.


Music groups launch test case against website

The music industry on Monday launched a test case against Kazaa, one of the world's largest file-sharing websites, in a bid to stem rampant internet piracy.


Symantec takes heat over Chinese compensation offer

Symantec is taking heat in the mainstream Chinese media over its compensation offer for a destructive software update.


Hornets sting Nuggets for ninth consecutive win

The red-hot New Orleans Hornets cruised to their ninth straight victory, crushing the Denver Nuggets 117-93 on Monday.


Their once minuscule discounts have widened enough to make them interesting again. We cull out the best of the bunch.


Naval Alumni Association Rejects Gay Group

The governing board of the Naval Academy Alumni Association on Thursday rejected a bid from graduates who sought to establish a predominantly gay and lesbian alumni chapter.


Arizona St. introduces Erickson as coach

Arizona State turned to a well-traveled coach Monday, introducing Dennis Erickson as the man to lead the Sun Devils' football program out of mediocrity.


A temporary worker at the Cabinet Office has been arrested on suspicion of theft after a Special Branch investigation into media leaks.


Human Viruses Cause Respiratory Outbreaks in Ivory Coast Chimps

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


Bin Laden: ''Questa Ã¨ la terza guerra mondiale''

''Questa Ã¨ la terza guerra mondiale, iniziata dai crociato-sionisti contro la nazione islamica. E la sua piÃ¹ grande metafora Ã¨ la guerra in Iraq''. E' quanto afferma il leader di Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden


Billy Bob Thornton has added another offspring to his brood.


A man is found guilty of killing his wife and dumping her body in a French lake.


Suspected Maoist guerrillas have set off two bombs in and around Nepal's capital, wounding two people as the commercial centre remained cut off for a third day by a rebel-imposed blockade.


China's largest personal computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) , said on Wednesday it is buying control of IBM's PC-making business for $1.25


Save the Bay Pitches in, Helps New Orleans

By Rachel Cohen  As the oldest organization to have success in San Francisco Bay shoreline restoration since starting in the 1960s, Oakland-based Save the Bay has strived to keep the tide of progress fresh.   This past week, three Save the Bay leaders met with guardians of other U.S.


The Dow industrials briefly turned positive on Thursday as an upbeat profit forecast felled gains in the shares of diversified manufacturer Honeywell Inc .


SANTA MARIA, Calif.  - Michael Jackson's lawyer  told a court on Monday he planned to call a star-studded list  of witnesses to defend the singer against child molestation  charges, including basketball's Kobe Bryant, actress Elizabeth  Taylor and "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno.


L.A. indie club marks 10 years; Seattle club closes

In the last month, two very  different West Coast live music venues have met two very  different fates.


Green Movement Grows in Area Suburbs: From Composting to Computer Disposal, Cities Embrace Options

By Jake Batsell, The Dallas Morning News  Feb. 12--PLANO -- Meet Michele Carey-Dave, suburban mom and self-proclaimed tree-hugger.   She rinses out Ziploc bags and reuses them. She hauls groceries in cloth sacks.


Significa evasione fiscale, lavoro nero, sfruttamento minori


Wal-Mart is to enter India's retail market after announcing a joint agreement with Indian firm Bharti Enterprises.


ABN Amro takeover hots up, as RBS bids record 71.14 billion euros

The Royal Bank of Scotland led a European consortium in a titanic attack against British rival Barclays on Tuesday with a record-breaking bid for Dutch target ABN Amro worth almost 100 billion dollars.


Il trimestre chiude con utili in calo del 36%


Egyptian 'spy for Israel' found dead outside  London flat

Ashraf Marwan was close to presidents Nasser and Sadat, and accused of being Mossad agent.


Antawn Jamison has in 22 points and 17 rebounds as the Wizards begin a tough stretch with a 102-98 overtime win against the Hawks.


U.S. court rejects appeal seeking unapproved drugs

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal on Monday by two advocacy groups arguing that dying patients have a constitutional right to access experimental drugs that have not received regulatory approval.


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


Putin Says Plane Crashes Involved Terrorists Linked to Al-Qaeda

Russian President Vladimir Putin today said the explosions that brought down two airliners in Russia a week ago were the work of terrorists linked to the al- Qaeda terrorist network.


Millions Mourn UAE Ruler, 'Sage of the Arab World'

Millions mourned on Wednesday the death of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, the ruler who transformed the United Arab Emirates from a desert country into one of the few development successes in the Arab world.


Car explodes at Scottish airport after London bombs

A four-wheel-drive vehicle rammed into Glasgow airport's main terminal on Saturday and exploded in flames in what police described as an attack, a day after a twin car-bomb plot was foiled in London.


Insider Profit Less with Bankers on Board

Companies which recruit  investment bankers to serve on their boards may not be doing their chief executives any favors.


ADV: Health Insurance for the Self-Employed!

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


The government failed to ensure that recipients of terrorism-recovery loans were actually hurt by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, allowing banks to spread more than $3.7 billion in aid to whomever they wanted, Senate investigators concluded Wednesday.


A Tory government would adopt a scheme to make the long-term unemployed work for their benefits.


Former Enron chief executive Jeffrey K. Skilling reported to a medium-security federal prison in Minnesota today to start serving a 24-year and six-month sentence for his role in one of history's biggest corporate scandals.


UN Council Ready to Adopt New Anti-Terror Measure

The U.N. Security Council was  set Friday to adopt a Russian-drafted resolution that seeks to  expand the prosecution and extradition of terrorist groups and  individuals, such as Chechen separatist leaders.


Libya on Friday denied that discussions in Washington between its foreign minister and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice broached the topic of human rights.


"Diddy" Combs sued for battery outside nightclub

Sean "Diddy" Combs is being sued by  a man who says the hip-hop impresario punched him in the face  outside a Hollywood nightclub last week, according to court  documents.


P2P tracking firm: Kazaa losing users to eDonkey

Kazaa's long-standing position as the most popular online file-sharing software appears to be over. Last month, the daily average of file-swappers on the FastTrack peer-to-peer network, which


Upen Patel and Tanisha's one crore dance

Kumar Mangat is leaving no stoned unturned for his new comedy film One Two Three starring Upen Patel and


Libya lists conditions for release of condemned Bulgarian nurses

Libya listed three conditions under which it is prepared to drop charges against five Bulgarian nurses condemned to death on suspect charges of spreading AIDS.


Schering-Plough Corp. swung to a profit in the third quarter from a loss a year ago, even as sales decline slightly in the period.


US considers Sunni role in Iraq government

PETER CAVE: The Bush administration is considering guaranteeing a role for Sunni Muslims in Iraq's first democratic government as a way of trying to quell dissent and future violence.


Viewers could receive rewards for watching TV as Sky makes its set-top boxes compatible with smartcards.


Australia's Eamon Sullivan breaks 50m record

Australia's Eamon Sullivan broke Alexander Popov's eight-year-old world record for 50 meters freestyle on Sunday, instantly inheriting the title as the fastest swimmer in history.


Jason Giambi has returned to the New York Yankees' clubhouse but is still clueless as to when he will be able to play again.


Airbus to open composites factory in Britain

European plane maker Airbus will announce plans to open a composites factory in Britain as part of a restructuring plan due to be unveiled Wednesday, the Financial Times reported.


Afghanistan: Karzai scampa a un attentato, a rischio le elezioni ...

Non se la passa affatto bene, il premier afgano Hamid Karzai. Sarebbe dovuto andare a fare una passeggiata elettorale nelle provincia di Gardez, nel sud-est del paese. Del resto in Afghanistan si vota il 9


London chiefs defend controversial Olympic logo

Organisers of the 2012 London Olympics on Tuesday defended its newly-unveiled logo following widespread public criticism that it was "hideous" and a waste of money.


Bill Gates is most "spammed" person in the world: Microsoft CEO

Internet junkies, take heart: Microsoft chairman  Bill Gates receives four million e-mails daily, most of them spam, and is probably the most "spammed" person in the world.


Republican presidential candidate John McCain has a message for critics of the immigration compromise he helped devise.


It turns out that you and your banker are not on the same page.


French court won't force Apple to open up iTunes

The French Competition Council has dismissed a case brought by Virgin's French arm against Apple Computer for alleged abuse of market dominance.


Scotland: Walter Smith faces his toughest challenge

It may still be considered an honour to be given the chance to manage your national football team, but in taking on that role with Scotland Walter Smith faces one of the most difficult challenges in world football.


GRAMMER, HEATON COMEDY LANDS AT FOX  Fox has given a 13-episode commitment to "Action News," a multi-camera comedy starring TV favorites Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.


Universal/BMG deal expected to affect future ventures

The battle was hard fought,  and some publishing gems were lost, but Universal Music Group  got the result it wanted when it finally secured European  Commission (EC) approval to take over BMG Music Publishing.


By Allen Thomas, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.  Mar. 1--Commercial fishery may begin on Tuesday in lower Columbia   Gillnet fishing for spring chinook salmon in the lower Columbia River will not start before Tuesday.


Clinton, Giuliani in dead heat in 2008 race: poll

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton still holds a 20-point lead over her rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination but she and Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani are in a dead heat, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released on Wednesday.


Nepal invites Maoists to resume pace talks

Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday invited Maoist rebels to resume negotiations that broke down over a year ago but said he would only offer a key concession if the guerrillas agreed to talk.


Prime Minister Tony Blair was recovering in hospital tonight after undergoing treatment for a recurring heart condition. Chancellor Gordon Brown said the


Chipmaker says glut in market will bring global slowdown

LONDON (CBS.MW) - Growth in global chip sales is likely to halve in 2005, Samsung Electronics said on Monday, according to reports.


Al-Zarqawi group claims allegiance to bin Laden

A statement attributed to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's militant group declared allegiance to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Sunday.


Butch Davis resigned as head coach in Cleveland after a nearly four-year tenure filled with unmet expectations.


Three prominent open-source software developers have urged the EU to reject a law that would codify the practice of granting software patents in Europe.


Sterling slipped against the euro in the wake of further evidence that the housing market boom is coming to an end, suggesting that interest rates are close to their peak.


LONDON British Airways said Wednesday that it would sell its stake in Qantas Airways and use the proceeds to strengthen its balance sheet for acquisitions in Europe.


Scambiato a 1,3047 dollari e a 135,65 yen


Roma, 14:28 - SUPERBIKE: BIAGGI LASCIA LA SUZUKI

Max Biaggi e l'Alstare Suzuki si separano. Lo ha annunciato oggi lo stesso team di Superbike. "In co...


Directors Reach Accord With Hollywood Studios

Movie and TV directors tentatively agreed to a new contract with production companies, sending a message to striking screenwriters.


Vodafone targets Japan with 3G offensive

Vodafone has unveiled plans for 10 new third-generation handsets for Christmas to help shore up its struggling Japanese unit. Vodafone VOD.


Liz Claiborne, Designer of Womenâs Clothes, Dies at 78

She defied the male-dominated ranks of the fashion industry and started her own hugely successful company.


Nascar's Competitive Spirit Spills Over to Victory Lane

PowerAde, a sports drink, is the official sponsor of Nascar's victory lane, where winning drivers are expected to spend time regardless of who sponsors them.


Second seed Rafael Nadal was knocked   out of the U.S. Open by an inspired Mikhail Youzhny, falling   6-3 5-7 7-6 6-1 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday under a   flurry of winners by the unseeded Russian.


U.S., Militants Battle in Central Baghdad

A gunbattle between U.S. forces and militants erupted in central Baghdad on Friday, witnesses said.


Electronic Data Systems Corp. reported a higher quarterly profit on Wednesday, boosted by a surge in new orders for its technology services.


Scotland's pubs and clubs are to take legal advice to see if they can challenge plans to ban smoking in public places.


Bush: "Better days" ahead two years after Katrina

President George W. Bush on Wednesday declared "better days" ahead for New Orleans despite complaints over slow rebuilding and amid lingering political fallout two years after Hurricane Katrina's destruction.


The opposition party of a Russian-born businessman takes the lead in Lithuania's general election, exit polls say.


Mets Talking to Delgado; Clark to D-Backs

The New York Mets were back in the bidding for Carlos Delgado on Monday, competing with Florida and Baltimore to sign the free-agent first baseman.


La decisione e' scaturita dopo riunione consiglio a Bologna


Il cantante romano chiede tutela per le sue canzoni


A US jury recommends the death penalty for a woman who killed an expectant mother and cut out her baby.


Nigerian state sues drugmaker Pfizer over tests

KANO, Nigeria  - The Nigerian state of Kano is suing drug maker Pfizer  for its alleged role in the deaths of children who received an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic in 1996, court papers showed on Wednesday.


'For the national interest and so the country does not go into crisis, we will respect the result of the election. But we also want the fraud to be made clear.


Some 600 prominent Palestinians, including top officials, cabinet ministers, legislators, intellectuals and poets, have called for an end to armed attacks on Israel and urged the Palestinian Authority to push for democratic reforms.


Palm Introduces Foleo 'Mobile Companion'

Palm has introduced a new "mobile companion" product for smartphones called the Foleo. It's shaped like a sub-notebook computer with a 10-inch display and full-sized keyboard.


Raul Castro launches Cuba-wide debate on future

At workplaces and in neighborhoods across Cuba, people are complaining about the state of their country in a national debate on economic reform opened by acting President Raul Castro.


National Foods Valuation A$6.11-A$6.65/Share -2-

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Stepping up its takeover defense from predator New Zealand Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd. (FCO.YY), Australian dairy target National Foods Ltd.


Oh, I Say -- Don't clap that double fault

Decorum reigns supreme at Wimbledon, a bastion of middle class gentility where the British stiff upper lip never trembles on the hallowed centre court.


Yushchenko Certain Victor in Ukraine Election

West-leaning opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko looked certain on Monday to become Ukraine's next president, but his opponent, the prime minister, refused to concede defeat in the bitterly fought contest.


S.African Oscar Nod Seen Boosting Local Film-Making

The first Oscar nomination for a South African film will boost the burgeoning industry and grab the attention of Hollywood, the film's director said on Tuesday.


Colpito da alcuni sicari a Secondigliano


Calm returns to global markets, with Asian shares down only slightly after Friday's sharp falls in the US.


Chirac, Blair Strive for Unity After Iraq

French President Jacques Chirac agreed  to disagree with Prime Minister Tony Blair over Iraq on  Thursday but pledged full cooperation, from Africa to the  Middle East, when Britain heads the G8 and European Union in  2005.


Medic on trial for refusing Iraq mission

WUERZBURG, Germany  - A U.S. Army medic and self-described conscientious objector goes before a court-martial in Germany on Tuesday for refusing to return to Iraq with his unit.


The US Food and Drug Administration has ordered Pfizer, Inc., to pull new advertisements for Viagra that depicted users of the anti-impotence pill as mischievous playboys.


UK-based advertising giant WPP is to buy US rival Grey Global in a deal worth $1.31bn . New York based Grey Global is the world's seventh largest advertising company and has a number of blue-chip clients, including Procter & Gamble, 3M and Warner Bros.


Prince Harry will receive no royal treatment when he joins the British army next year, the commander of his military college said.


National City Corp , one of the 10 largest U.S. banks, said on Wednesday it will cut its common stock dividend 49 percent and eliminate 900 jobs as it stops offering mortgages through brokers.


Roma: pizza e droga a domicilio, arrestato corriere espresso

ROMA - I carabinieri del Nucleo Operativo della Compagnia Roma Eur hanno arrestato un pizzaiolo che consegnava a domicilio pizze e droga. Lo spacciatore approfittava del suo lavoro di corriere espresso e, dopo


Balloon fiesta ends with dramatic accident

ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- The final day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta ended with high drama today when a balloon became entangled in a radio tower, forcing the pilot and two young passengers to shimmy most of the way down the nearly 700-foot


Car makers focus on fuel efficiency at autoshow

Car makers will show off their latest  efforts to fight pollution at Frankfurt's autoshow next week by  unveiling models with improvements rather than substitutes to  the standard internal combustion engine.


The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, is travelling to Paris this morning where he will undergo treatment for a blood disorder.


Beware perils of overreaching, GOP is warned

Chicago Tribune - Moving swiftly to consolidate their control over government in the wake of their big election triumph, President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress are facing a different kind of threat--themselves.


The United States is to resume its space shuttle program next year after the Columbia shuttle tragedy in 2003. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, announced


A baby girl is hurt and her father and another man are seriously injured when their car is shot at.


Primary schools and parents are to be given advice on how to help young children stay safe online.


At least 23 passengers killed in Honduran bus shooting

Unknown men assailed a public bus in northern Honduras on Thursday, killing at least 23 passengers, the Honduran La Prensa newspaper reported on its Web site.


Vodafone UK takes a shine to RIM's Pearl

Carrier starts pre-order round Vodafone has quietly begun offering Research in Motion's BlackBerry Pearl email phone to new customers. The carrier is currently taking pre-orders for the handset on its UK website.â¦


Abbas plans to decree new Palestinian election

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday he would shortly issue decrees calling for new Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections.


Launching the latest addition to a now-extensive line of smartphones, Nokia has unveiled the megapixel-enabled 6670 - better described as the serious cousin of the 7610.


Il ministro ribadisce l'importanza della manovra: "Sforzo che ci possiamo permettere"Soddisfazione per le maggiori entrate fiscali: "C'Ã¨ maggiore disciplina dei contribuenti"                                             Finanziaria, la difesa di Padoa Schioppa "Sbagliato parlare di lacrime e sangue"


Health insurer Aetna Inc. on Thursday  posted a sharp rise in third-quarter profit as it boosted  membership and benefited from a big tax refund from  discontinued operations.


In Forging Spot With Mets, a Pitcher Defies Age and Convention

Not much is conventional about Ambiorix Burgos: not his coiffure, not his first name and certainly not his crackling fastball.


âCharlie Wilsonâs Warâ may be more of a hoot than any picture dealing with the bloody, protracted fight between the Soviet Army and the Afghan mujahedeen has any right to be.


Senate Foes Daschle, Thune Swaps Barbs in Debate

Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, fighting for political survival, angrily rejected Republic challenger John Thune's claim on Sunday that he had emboldened the enemy in Iraq and undermined U.S. troop morale.


They know where we are - and it's for our own good... Mobile internet users can now prove their location to a website or remote network service, according to geolocation specialist Quova.â¦


Top UN official warns of risk of war between Sudan and Chad

A senior UN official on Friday warned that a reported proxy war between Sudan and Chad through rebel groups on each side of their border threatened to destabilize the region and could lead to a wider conflict.


N.F.L. Roundup: Drug Testers Sue League After Being Replaced

Nearly all of the National Football Leagueâs former drug-testing agents filed a federal lawsuit Friday, saying they were fired and effectively blacklisted because of a labor dispute.


Bridget Jones stars Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth will be gracing the red carpet for the sequel's premiere in Leicester Square.


that have hit the Niigata region, the Meteorological Agency said. A series of smaller quakes followed. No tsunami. hospital after being buried in a landslide and six people who were hurt slightly by parts of a wall that collapsed.


Finally, comfort for those who fly private

Blog: BMW design firm hired to glamorize Boeing's jets releases first concept drawings.


Flooding prompted evacuation orders Friday in the same neighborhood for the second time in a little more than a month, the mayor's office said.


Wildfires scorch Nev. fire academy grounds

Lightning-sparked wildfires burned across more than 50,000 acres of northern Nevada on Monday, closing Interstate 80 for a second day, forcing evacuations in some rural areas and even claiming most of the training grounds at a state fire academy.


Scientists say they have found new evidence that a Palestinian doctor and five Bulgarian nurses at a Libyan hospital did not deliberately infect hundreds of children with the AIDS virus.


Who should run the UK internet registry? Podcast Two spaces on the board of UK registry owner Nominet will be decided at the company's annual general meeting this Wednesday.â¦


An oil company controlled by the Russian government, Rosneft, said yesterday that it had bought the company that had won Sunday's auction for the largest subsidiary of the oil giant Yukos.


Roma, 21:00 - CALCIO, ROMA: GIOVEDI' UDIENZA PER OLIMPICO

GiovedÃ¬ la questione della doppia sanzione al campo di gioco, lunedÃ¬ la sentenza per Mexes. La Roma ...