Bogdanovich retells Rose story in 'Hustle'

Peter Bogdanovich confesses he may be an unlikely person to direct a baseball movie. After all, he's only been to two Major League games in his life.


New Radio Station Starts Broadcasts in East Afghanistan

Text of report by Afghan state TV on 6 February  [Presenter] A radio station called Saday-e Azad Nejrab [Free Voice of Nejrab] has started operating in Kapisa Province.


Nine U.S. soldiers were killed in two bomb attacks north of Baghdad, the military said on Tuesday, in the deadliest day for U.S. forces since they launched a security crackdown in the capital three weeks ago.


Australia rejects role for Britain's Prince William

Australian leaders on Friday ruled out Britain's Prince William becoming the country's governor-general, with one commenting that the best place for British royals was half-a-world away in the United Kingdom.


A special effects technician working on the new Batman film dies when a 4x4 truck crashes on a stunt test run.


MOJAVE, Calif., Oct. 4--The PM.Zone was on the scene again today to watch aeronautical engineer and designer Burt Rutan and his crew at Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif.


Rapper-producers Kanye West and Lil Jon each took home three prizes at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards on Sunday.


JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 -- President Bush, on the first visit here of his administration, demanded Wednesday that Israelis shut down unauthorized settler outposts on Palestinian territory, called on Palestinian authorities to take steps to halt rocket attacks against Israel and issued a sharp warning t...


Auto contro alberi nel Salento, un altro e' gravissimo


NAJAF, Iraq - U.S. tanks and troops rolled back into the center of Najaf and battled with Shiite militants Sunday, reigniting violence in the holy city just as delegates in Baghdad opened a conference meant to be a landmark in the country's movement toward democracy...


By JOE STINEBAKER HOUSTON - An astronaut from the space shuttle Atlantis collapsed twice Friday during a welcome home ceremony, a wobbly return that officials attributed to the adjustment from 12 days at zero gravity.


About 166 miners remain trapped deep in a mine in central China, with all communications lost.


They can't find Osama bin Laden, but they've saved us from Cat Stevens. They can appoint Daniel Pipes, the notorious Muslim basher, to the US Institute of Peace; but they won't let Tariq Ramadan, a renowned


"As The World Turns" star Benjamin Hendrickson, who played Hal Munson on the soap for 21 years, passed away in his home over the weekend. He died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Family members say Henrickson had become deeply dep...


Microsoft sharpens interoperability focus

InfoWorld - Microsoft says it will focus on four key areas to improve interoperability between its own software and other vendors' products.


Obama, Clinton mark infamous civil rights clash

The top two Democratic presidential contenders fought Sunday for the support of African-American voters in a place infamous for a bloody clash between voting rights protesters and police.


Gandhi's Grandson Urges Palestinians to March Home

The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi urged Palestinian refugees Sunday to march home from Jordan en masse, even if the Israelis "kill 200 people," to shock the world into taking notice.


Are You Really Taking a Day Off From Work?

By Nancy Dahlberg, The Miami Herald  May 28--Enjoying your Memorial Day weekend? Good for you.   Consider this from a recent poll by Yahoo! HotJobs: Nearly half of U.S.


Federal Scientists Search for Lost H-Bomb

The U.S. government is sending a team of 20 scientists to check out a report of unusual radiation readings that could be coming from a hydrogen bomb that was lost off the Georgia coast in 1958.


Kim portraits still in place, North Korea says

BEIJING - North Korea has denied reports that portraits of leader Kim Jong Il have been disappearing from public places in the capital, Pyongyang.


2X Software Announces Expansion Into USA and Canada

2X Software Ltd., a leading developer of server based computing and thin client computing software, today announced that it has opened an office in Dallas, Texas.


A total ban on smacking in England and Wales is rejected by ministers, after a review suggests parents oppose it.


Iran readies uranium for enrichment, UN watches

VIENNA, OCTOBER 6: Iran began processing uranium more than a week ago to prepare it for enrichment - a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons â-n defiance of the United Nationsâ nuclear watchdog, a diplomat said on Wednesday.


German Far-Right Profits from Anger Over Reforms

DRESDEN, Germany  - German far-right parties  surged in eastern state elections Sunday, riding public anger  against government welfare cuts and fanning fears among  mainstream parties that the country's image could suffer.


La societa' teme infiltrazioni mafiose in forniture edili


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


Beijing takes part in a workshop with 30 other countries

Long shunned as a player in US-led international space ventures, China has been admitted to talks with NASA about helping to accomplish President Bush's goals for exploring the moon and Mars.


Sentencing Tops Justices' Agenda as Term Begins

The Supreme Court opens its new term on Monday faced with urgent business and looming uncertainty.


Tunisia's President Ben Ali Wins Re-Election

Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was re-elected in a widely expected landslide, Sunday. Ursula Lindsey reports from Cairo.


President Bush and his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, both have plans to lower rising health care costs and broaden health insurance coverage for Americans, but their visions would take health care in two different directions.


Gaza Clean-Up Operation after Israeli Withdrawal

Palestinians retrieved belongings from the rubble of dozens of homes and work crews patched up roads and water pipes today - the aftermath of Israelâs 17-day military offensive, the deadliest in the Gaza Strip in four years of fighting.


A massive car bomb exploded on the outskirts of Fallujah on Monday killing and wounding several U.S. Marines, a U.S. military official said on condition of anonymity.


The British and Irish prime ministers made a new push Wednesday to secure a power-sharing deal between the two largest and most hard-line parties in Northern Ireland and declared a decision must be made within days.


Google Inc. is making it easier for Webloggers to earn extra cash, while expanding the reach of its search-based advertising. Its Blogger service this week put out a call to bloggers to share in advertising


Australia decrees a nationwide replacement of incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient flourescents, one step, it says, in the battle against global warming. By the Associated Press.


Rodriguezâs Departure Leaves Void, but Girardi Will Have Options

As the Yankees move forward by picking Joe Girardi as their next manager, the team has options to replace Alex Rodriguez, who has almost certainly played his final game in pinstripes.


Light-hitting David Ross hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 11th inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 4-2 Thursday night to clinch no worse than a tie for the NL West title.


Boys' Behavior Linked to Prenatal Cocaine Exposure

Boys who were repeatedly exposed to cocaine while in their mother's womb are more likely than girls or non-exposed children to be hyperactive or have other problem behaviors at six or seven years of age, new study findings show.


Study identifies target for preventing sexual transmission of HIV

Researchers have shown that it may be possible to block male to female HIV transmission in heterosexual intercourse and have identified the target for blocking that transmission, according to an article from the Oct.


Aspirin Underused by People with Diabetes

NEW YORK  - Daily aspirin is usually recommended for people at increased risk for heart disease, and people with diabetes come into that category.


Car Bomb Near Embassy in Indonesia Kills 7

JAKARTA, Indonesia - A powerful car bomb exploded outside the gates of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, killing seven people and wounding nearly 100 in an attack police blamed on al-Qaida-linked terrorists.    The blast flattened the embassy's gate, mangled cars on the busy commercial street and shattered the windows of nearby high-rise buildings...


Oil Scales New High as Norway Strike Hits

LONDON -- Oil scaled a new high above $55 a barrel Monday as a threat by Norwegian ship owners to halt production from the world's third biggest exporter stoked fears of a winter supply crunch.


Patients put off by meals served in hospital

A third of hospital patients are unhappy with the 'disgusting' food served to them in hospital, according to research by a consumer charity published today


Firenze, 18:54 - CALCIO, FIORENTINA: FREY: COMPETITIVI ANCHE SENZA TONI

Dal ritiro di Castelrotto, il portiere della Fiorentina Sebastian Frey mostra notevole fiducia nella...


A spokesperson for Kim Clijsters has insisted that the Belgian star intends to play in January's Australian Open. Tournament director Paul McNamee said on Wednesday that the former world number one would miss


The Philadelphia Phillies' 48th come-from-behind victory was much easier on the nerves than many of the other 47. Home runs from Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell had the NL East title chasers back in front before the third inning was done.


Intel gears up to deliver movie download service

UK service starts Monday Intel is teaming up with a new digital download portal firm, Coolroom.com, to release downloads of Hollywood films at the same time as their UK DVD release.â¦


A teenage boy was one of several Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in separate incidents on Wednesday. 16-year-old Jihad Hassan Barhoum died after being shot in the chest near the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip late on Wednesday.


Two US firms pay $2m after staging a "guerrilla" advertising stunt that sparked bomb scares in Boston.


Diverticulitis Showing Up in Young, Obese Adults

SUNDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Acute diverticulitis -- a disease of the colon traditionally seen in  people over age 50 -- is now being diagnosed in obese younger adults, a University of Maryland Medical Center study finds.


Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops could get the blowout victory his Sooners need Saturday without any regrettable decisions. No. 2 Oklahoma has never lost to Baylor, winning the last five years by an average margin of 38 points. They will need to do that — and maybe more — to make a good impression on the poll voters.


Closing ceremony curtailed in respect to victims

Athens: An hour-long no-frills closing ceremony dedicated to the victims of this week's school bus crash brought to an end the Paralympic Games in Athens yesterday.


The Marsh & McLennan Companies said its profit fell 62 percent in the fourth quarter as competition reduced the commissions the insurance broker charged.


Playing the San Diego Chargers on the road figures to be difficult enough for the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's why coach Bill Cowher doesn't want them thinking about the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, too.


Il premier: 'Spesso non abbiamo seguito suo insegnamento'


'Ho grandissimo rispetto per chi lavora in fabbrica'


NATICK - Martin + Osa could have opened its first Massachusetts store in Boston or any number of locations in the state, but instead it chose a mall off the Massachusetts Turnpike.


Cop Says Gun Search at Pickton Farm Suspended After Women's Belongings Found

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) - A investigator with the Missing Women's Task Force says he tagged along for a search of Robert Pickton's farm for guns in 2002 but didn't expect to get involved.  Sgt.


Indian minister says IT outsourcing raked in $12.5 billion

Indian officials today disclosed details on revenues from IT outsourcing for the last year.


Bombs killed 20 people in Iraq on Saturday, including 15 in Baghdad, police said, as U.S. President George W. Bush said his resolve to press on with the job of stabilizing Iraq was as strong as ever.


The EU's enlargement commissioner urges Germany and France not to set a new deadline on Turkey over Cyprus.


BEIRUT, Lebanon -- A car bomb exploded Friday in central Beirut, wounding a former Lebanese Cabinet minister and killing his driver, officials said.


Metal detectors are to be installed at hundreds of schools in England in an effort to curb knife crime.


Philadelphia Orchestra Face Likely Strike

Musicians have walked out of what they called one-sided contract talks with Philadelphia Orchestra officials, increasing the likelihood of a strike that could echo the 1996 walkout that stretched on for nine weeks.


Cassini Sending Back Data on Saturn Moon

A radar image of the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, taken Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, by the spacecraft Cassini, is seen in this photo courtesy of NASA.


Discovery Communications Inc. said yesterday that it will go public, giving the cable television company access to more money but placing its performance under Wall Street scrutiny for the first time.


Oil Prices Fall on Signs of Rising Supply

World oil prices eased on Thursday as  signs of strong supply on physical crude markets encouraged  dealers to take profits from a bounce in the previous session.


Girl, 12, loses fight to wear full-face veil at school

London's High Court on Wednesday refused permission for the father of a 12-year-old Muslim girl to challenge a school's ban on her wearing the full-face veil, or niqab, during lessons.


Nationalists ahead in Bosnia's local elections

SARAJEVO : Bosnia's ruling Croat, Muslim and Serb nationalists, who led the Balkans country throughout its 1992-95 inter-ethnic war, confirmed their dominance in local elections over the weekend, first partial results showed.


Manchester United have ruled out making an immediate move for Everton's teenage star Wayne Rooney, with United chief executive David Gill claiming it would be bad for business.


Yankees' Rivera Could Return Within a Week

Mariano Rivera threw 26 pitches in a bullpen session yesterday, the first time since Aug. 31 the Yankees' closer worked off a mound.


US mortgage giant Countrywide Financial sees more than $1bn in quarterly losses - but improved forecasts send shares surging.


Il cadavere non e' stato ancora identificato


'Team America ' pokes fun at sorry state of world

TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, directed by Trey Parker, written by Pam Brady, Parker and Matt Stone, 98 minutes, rated R. The new puppet satire, "Team America: World Police," opens in Paris with a cell of turbaned


Man convicted by drawings is cleared by DNA

A man whose murder conviction was based on gruesome sketches he made as a 15-year-old boy was freed from prison on Tuesday after DNA evidence from the body was found to match the victim's ex-boyfriend and not the convicted man.


Montreal man sentenced to two years in prison in Jewish school firebombing

MONTREAL (CP) - A 19-year-old man was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to firebombing a Jewish elementary school last year.


Dell officially re-entered the blade-server market Monday with a long-rumored product the company says helps address costs and thermal issues needed to further propel the growth of blades.


A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb in a commercial district of western Baghdad today, killing at least six people and injuring 54, authorities said.


Colloquio-intervista domani in edicola su 'Grazia'


Dodgy buns put 260 Chinese children in hospital

An outbreak of food poisoning has put 260 kindergarten children in hospital in China, the offending meal most likely a breakfast of buns and porridge, Xinhua news agency said on Friday.


Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says Jesus would be appalled at how the United States has ignored the plight of the suffering, and that he believes children should have private time to pray at school.


Algerian gov't cuts deal with leaders from restive Kabylie

The Algerian government in Algeria has reached an agreement with tribal leaders from the restive Kabylie region, where hostility to Algiers authorities erupted into bloody unrest in 2001, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia revealed.


Germany Says Thwarts Attack on Iraq PM, 3 Arrested

German police arrested three Iraqis in a series of raids on Friday and the federal prosecutor said he believed they were planning an attack on visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.


Not the end of the world, but certainly no rose garden.


Mike Slabaugh doesn't have a stomach. Neither do his 10 cousins. Growing up, they watched helplessly as a rare hereditary stomach cancer killed their grandmother and some of their parents, aunts and uncles.


bodyguards in attacks north of Baghdad that take the toll from three days of violence to more than 70. Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit on Sunday.


Dell debuts XPS computers for gaming, entertainment

Dell Inc.  on Wednesday  rolled out three new personal computers aimed at consumers who  are willing to pay a premium for machines they use to play  games, music and video.


BAGHDAD - An American civilian, a Nepalese man and at least two Arabs were abducted Monday by a band of gunmen who stormed a Baghdad home with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and a machine gun mounted atop a pickup truck.


Coldiretti, 'Per carovita piu' pollo e uova, frena pane'


Briton Will Flee If He's Allowed Bail, Judge Told

A British man accused of murdering his American wife and baby should not be released on bail because of fears he might flee before his trial, prosecutors told a US court yesterday.


Superhero sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer becomes the most popular film in North America.


The online auction giant announced Friday that it has agreed to acquire Rent.com, a leading listing service on the Internet for rental housing.


Kyoto treaty becomes global law, flaws and all

The Kyoto Protocol on curbing global warming has been in limbo since 2001, when the United States rejected it outright, for valid reasons.


Gamers hit stores for release of "PlayStation Portable"

Computer-game enthusiasts flocked to software retailers across the country to buy "PlayStation Portable" (PSP) that hit store shelves Sunday.


The Mozilla Foundation is back at it. Following its recent launch of its Firefox 1.0 browser that ignited heavy interest, the organization this week launched the Thunderbird open-source e-mail client.


British TV journalist Martin Bashir asks not to give evidence at pop star Michael Jackson's child abuse trial.


For the first 56 minutes of last night's game at Virginia Tech, it appeared Boston College's dreams of dancing to Bourbon Street for a shot at the national championship were going to die.


Russian billionaire buys blocking stake in Arsenal

The future of English Premier League club Arsenal looks bright, according to Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov who announced Friday he had increased his shareholding in the club.


Apple to pay $100 mln to Creative in settlement

Apple Computer Inc. said on  Wednesday it will pay $100 million to Creative Technology Ltd.  to settle all patent litigation over Apple's popular iPod music  player.


Routine operation but more evidence of heart trouble

Tony Blair will undergo a catheter ablation operation which will correct his heart's abnormal rhythm - a condition the Prime Minister has suffered from in the past.


Gellar's 'Grudge' Delivers a Shock at the Box Office

Sarah Michelle Gellar's low-budget horror movie 'The Grudge' has provided a box office upset, by racing to the top with takings of $40 million.


Gazprom is about to become the world's largest energy company but is controlled by the Russian government, and therein lies the potential and risks for investors.


Two key US figures in Iraq face a second day of testimony in Congress about the war strategy.


FTSE joins global rally after fed pledge pleases

London equities were higher on Thursday, joining a global rally inspired by the US Federal Reserve's pledge to protect the economy from turbulence on world credit markets.


MPs staging secret inquiry into Iranian hostage crisis: report

A parliamentary committee is holding a wide-ranging secret inquiry into the capture of 15 British troops by Iran earlier this year, The Independent reported Monday.


South Boston honors its fallen Vietnam heroes

As South Boston remembered 25 neighborhood heroes killed in the Vietnam War, local veterans yesterday weighed in on the ongoing war record battle between John Kerry [related, bio] and President George W. Bush.


A military spokesman said seven people were killed in Monday morning's crash of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in Central Texas.


JM Smucker Co. said on Monday it is selling its US industrial business and realigning its distribution operations as part of a wider strategy to focus on the food company's main businesses.


US Launches Third Strike Against Fallujah, Iraq

The US this evening launched a third ``precision'' strike on suspected terrorists in Fallujah in a 24-hour period, and at least 53 people died in violence across Iraq today, the US military and the Iraqi Health Ministry said.


Even though tax money pays for voting machines, the three companies that certify the nation's voting technologies operate in secret. The reason? Their contracts with the voting machine makers specify secrecy.


The England international has been charged with violent conduct following his Boxing Day clash with Bolton Wanderers defender Tal Ben Haim, who has also been charged with improper conduct.


Police in France and Spain arrested 21 suspected members of the armed Basque separatist group Eta today in a series of raids that authorities described as a blow to the organisationâs logistics unit.


David Beckham will visit every Major League Soccer city after his U.S. arrival in mid-July, and television viewers will see lots of him.


Outspoken Sudan vice president to visit China

Sudan's second-ranking leader, who has called for foreign peacekeepers to be sent to Darfur, will visit China next week for talks that will include the troubled region's future, Beijing said Thursday.


Temporary control zones set up around two farms outside Surrey have been lifted after animals tested negative for foot and mouth disease, Defra said today.


Fred Thompson's expected entry into the tight Republican presidential race is drawing crucial strength from conservatives and older men, vaulting him into the thick of the nomination fight, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll says.


A Greek weightlifter who lost his bronze medal in the Athens Olympics after testing positive for unnaturally high testosterone levels was charged yesterday with use of the illegal performance-enhancing drug.


ICO issues data protection guidance for SMEs

It's just run of the mill business Small companies should try to answer data protection queries in the normal course of business rather than treat them as formal requests, according to advice published by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).â¦


Before the Call: Kicking the Bear out of Bear Stearns

What do CAPS players have to say about this investment banking giant?


Israelis Fire Missile at Gaza Refugee Camp

An Israeli aircraft fired a missile Sunday at a Palestinian target in Gaza's Jebaliya refugee camp, witnesses said. Ambulances rushed to the scene, but it was not


China sees economic cooperation as pillar of relations with Sweden

China observed with great satisfaction that a rapidly growing trade and economic cooperationhas become an important pillar of the relations between China and Sweden, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said here on ...


Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss will not play for the first time in his NFL career on Monday night with a slight tear in his right hamstring.


A Fund Plans to Offer a Rival Slate of Directors for the ApplebeeÂs Chain

This is the first time the fund, Breeden Capital Management, has sought to wage a shareholder fight.


The two top officials running the CIA's clandestine service resigned this morning, following a series of clashes with director Porter J. Goss's chief of staff.


MS preps critical Vista patch for Tuesday

As Redmond unwraps 'comments disabled' vuln research blog Microsoft plans to issue two security patches next Tuesday, one of which earns the dreaded rating of critical, in this year's first edition of its regular Patch Tuesday update cycle.â¦


Burma's military dictators have freed a top dissident - second only to democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi - after 16 years in jail.


Nokia posts strong third quarter earnings

Nokia, the world's leading mobile phone maker, posted Thursday an 85 percent rise in third quarter net profit to 1.56 billion euros (2.22 billion dollars) even though mobile phone sales were only up by three percent.


British Columbia reports big increase in demand for flu shots

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Demand for flu vaccine for high-risk individuals in British Columbia has risen sharply, partly because of US citizens crossing the border for shots, health officials say.


Solar System Surprise: A New View of What's Out There

A fabled tenth planet out beyond Neptune, often referred to as Planet X, hasn't    been found despite years of searching. But astronomers involved in the hunt    are beginning to speculate that something like Planet X will be discovered,    along with Y and Z.


Thousands of Cheering Fans Greet Patriots

The New England Patriots were exhausted after winning their third Super Bowl title in four years, but they got a second wind Monday when they arrived at Gillette Stadium and saw a throng of about 2,000 screaming fans.


The Sri Lankan army says it has moved into Tamil Tiger-held areas in the north, after fighting kills 33 soldiers.


Crews were fighting a large fire at an oil tank facility in Slovag, across a fjord from Norway's largest refinery in Mongstad.  We are trying to get an overview now.


TV Review | 'Welcome to the Captain': Apartments for Rent: Loopy Hollywood Types O.K.

If you have just about lost your tolerance for portrayals of Los Angeles involving the oversexed and underappreciated, âWelcome to the Captainâ could send you to the nearest virologist.


Prc, governo c'e' ma si faccia verifica in Parlamento


Si chiama 'Francisella tularensis' e causa la tularemia


LA Opera to Present Nazi-Suppressed Works

By The Associated Press  The Los Angeles Opera has received a $4 million donation for a multiyear "Recovered Voices" project that will produce music the Nazis tried to silence.


World Business Briefing: India: Expansion at Two-Decade High

Indiaâs economy grew at the fastest rate in almost 20 years in its last fiscal year as companies lifted production to meet surging consumer demand. The economy expanded 9.4 percent in the year, which ended March 31, the biggest gain since 1989 and more than the governmentâs initial estimate of 9.2 percent, the Central Statistical Organization said. Indiaâs economy grew 9.1 percent in the three months to March 31, according to the report, averaging a quarterly pace of 8.8 percent in the last two years compared with 5.7 percent in the 1990s. Manufacturing gained 12.4 percent while mining rose 7.1 percent and electricity output climbed 6.9 percent in the quarter. Agriculture, which accounts for a fifth of the economy, grew 3.8 percent.


Forbes lists 400 Americans with most billions, millions

The Bay Area's super rich had mixed financial results over the past year with the exception of Google's top executives, whose wealth soared thanks to their company's recent initial public offering.


Kiwi bowlers toil away as Aussies build innings towards 600

Australia amassed a first-innings 533 for six late on day two of the second and last cricket Test against New Zealand at Adelaide Oval.


Matsushita, Hitachi in talks on major panel deals: source

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co   and Hitachi Ltd  are discussing multi-billion  dollar deals on flat panels that could reshape an industry hit  by fierce competition, a source familiar with the matter said.


Heading for the Hills Ahead of the Field

After two days of sprint finishes by a largely intact peloton, the Tour of California will receive a sharp jolt Wednesday, when the route includes two significant climbs.


Adventurer Steve Fossett is set to fly an experimental jet around the world without stopping or refuelling.


UK tourists held by Eritreans: Ethiopian official

A senior Ethiopian official accused Eritrean forces on Saturday of kidnapping five Britons and 13 Ethiopians and taking them to a military camp in neighboring Eritrea.


Amazon.com Inc.  shares fell  to a more than three-year low on Wednesday a day after the  retailer reported lower second-quarter earnings and cut its  outlook for the year, citing stepped-up investment in its toy  business and lower prices on many products.


German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has   sought to bolster ties with the United States since she took   office, rebuked Washington on Saturday for sanctioning secret   CIA prisons used to interrogate terror suspects.


U.S. lawmakers opened their own investigation on Thursday of the cybersex scandal involving a Republican congressman who sent lewd messages to young aides, and will interview dozens of officials just weeks before the November 7 elections, imperiling Republican control of Congress.


ST. LOUIS, Missouri This was for the believers. For Ted Williams and for Yaz and all the others who spent a career beneath a boulder that kept rolling down a hill.


We all have a string of ''F''s on our records, whether we acknowledge them or not.


A major drugs firm has been named and shamed over "serious breaches" of the industry's code of conduct.


St. Helens eruption imminent, experts say

Scientists closely monitoring Mount St. Helens say they are convinced the Washington state volcano is getting ready to erupt at any time.


The three-man crew of a fishing vessel are rescued off the Pembrokeshire coast, after their boat caught fire.


A fossil dinosaur caught sleeping with its head tucked under its forearm has been discovered by Chinese scientists.


Secondo Azimi tra gli insorti ci sono 89 morti


President Bush will announce plans on Friday to help homeowners with sub-prime mortgages avoid defaulting.


Australia is to sell uranium to Russia as long as the substance, used to generate nuclear power, is not resold to Iran.


Sexualised images of girls in advertising and the media harms their mental and physical health, experts warn.


Launch Date Set for Cosmos 1, The World's First Solar Sail ...

The Cosmos 1 team announced today that the worldâs first solar sail spacecraft will be set for launch on March 1, 2005 from a submerged submarine in the Barents Sea.


BRUSSELS: The European Commission said its antitrust case against Microsoft will move full speed ahead despite Microsoft settlements on Monday with Novell and an embattled trade group.


Nigeria's oil rebels fuel fears of global shortage

A revolt in the African state is threatening to disrupt the country's most important export. Christian Allen Purefoy reports from Lagos on the latest conflict driving up the price of crude.


Shiite leader rejects conference on Iraq

A senior Iraqi Shiite leader who is meeting President Bush next week on Saturday rejected a suggestion by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to hold an international conference on Iraq.


La procura di Milano insieme all'ex capo del Sismi vuole processare anche sei agentiGli altri provvedimenti riguardano 007 della Cia e il giornalista Renato Farina                                            Abu Omar, chiesto rinvio a giudizio per Pollari e altre 34 persone                                                                                Per trentadue indagati l'accusa Ã¨ di concorso in sequestro di personaProposta l'archiviazione per tre funzionari dell'intelligence e un cronista di Libero


U.S. Forces Keep Sh'ite Militants Guessing

NAJAF, Iraq  - U.S. forces appeared to keep Sh'ite  militants guessing in the city of Najaf overnight, firing off  sporadic rounds as a military aircraft flew overhead.


Tentative Alaska Land Swap Raises Drilling Fears

U.S. officials on Wednesday announced a tentative land swap that they say would enlarge an Alaska wildlife refuge but that critics charge would open up the area to oil and gas development.


Su tagli previsti per la scuola, Prodi mostrato sensibilita'


Convocata dal Tesoro, all'ordine del giorno crisi e mercati


Tully Banta-Cain was in the midst of giving an ans . . . whoa!


Iran Says It Has No Secret Nuclear Activities

Iran denied an exiled opposition group's  allegations it was secretly seeking material to build an atomic  bomb, a senior official said on Thursday.


Glonass navigation system satellites delivered to near-earth orbit ...

The DM-type Space Upper Stage delivered three Russian satellites of the Glonass navigation system (two Glonass satellites and one Glonass-M satellite) to near-earth orbit.


It's all in how you return money to shareholders.


Big Powers Urge Iran to Heed UN Nuke Freeze Demand

The United States, the European Union and Russia urged Iran Monday to comply with the U.N. nuclear watchdog's demand that it halt all activities linked to uranium enrichment, after Tehran rejected the call.


According to an Internet study, a team's first-quarter winning percentage has a stronger correlation to its overall winning percentage than any other quarter.


Passerella multimediale col clone virtuale di Renzo Rosso


The Senate approved and sent to the White House pension legislation to give millions of Americans a better chance of getting the retirement benefits they've earned while sparing taxpayers from possibly paying for failed pension plans.


Court to Decide Johnnie Cochran Protester Case

The U.S. Supreme Court said on  Tuesday that it would decide whether barring a dissatisfied  former client of high-profile attorney Johnnie Cochran from  picketing at his law firm or making any statements about him  violated the man's constitutional free-speech rights.


London - British sports minister Richard Caborn wants Chelsea's Romanian striker Adrian Mutu banned for two years after failing a drugs test.


Un uomo di 39 anni aveva gia' scontato 21 mesi di carcere


(InfoWorld) - In a sign ofÂ China's growing importanceÂ as a center of semiconductor manufacturing, Chinese chip makers will spend more than ever before on cutting-edge factories over the next two years. Chinese spending on chip plants will top $9.8 billion between 2006 and 2008, with most of these funds going towards the construction of factories that produce chips on 300-millimeter wafers, industry group SEMI said. If realized, this spending forecast will top combined Chinese spending on chip plants over the last five years, which amounted to $8.7 billion, it said. Around 70 percent of the money that will be spent on new Chinese plants will go towards factories that use 300-millimeter wafers, which will result in an annual increase in production capacity of 16 percent by 2008, SEMI said. At least five new 300-millimeter plants are expected to come online by 2008, it said. While the fast growth of China's market presents opportunities for established chip makers as well as new entrants, established players -- especially those with Chinese government backing and overseas funding -- will fare better over the long term, SEMI said. Leading China's charge forward in chip production is Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., the country's largest chip maker. Among a string of production plants across China, SMIC has one 300-millimeter plant in production and another two under construction in Beijing. The company has also signed an agreement to manage the operations of other plants, including a 300-millimeter fab to be constructed in Wuhan. That agreement helpedÂ spark a lawsuitÂ by rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., which said the deal violated the terms of a 2005 settlement agreement that ended a patent infringement lawsuit brought against SMIC by TSMC. The latest lawsuit is currently pending in a California state court.


Golfer Tiger Woods went scuba diving Tuesday off a yacht reported to hold Swedish fiancÃ©e Elin Nordegren and guests, while Barbados' ritziest resort, Sandy Lane Hotel and Golf Club, prepared pagodas for a lavish celebration overlooking the Caribbean Sea.


Official Defends Bank of Englandâs Response to Crisis

The bankâs governor said Thursday that the bank had to walk a fine line between preserving financial stability and taking steps that could encourage reckless behavior in the future.


An Australian court issues a control order for former Guantanamo detainee David Hicks, ahead of his release.


US farmers will see their exports slip 10% in 2005, a government report says, bringing to an end 50 years of being a net exporter of food.


SEATTLE Oct 28, 2004 - A ferry service that has been offering scenic cruises to Canada plus a flu shot ended the package deal Thursday.


Clemens Faces Dangers of Spin in Steroid Case

Accused by his former personal trainer of taking steroids, Roger Clemens has begun a furious public relations effort.


Fed seen holding rates steady despite worries

U.S. Federal Reserve officials are   expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, but they   are also seen renewing an inflation warning even while taking   stock of cooler economic growth.


YouTube signs partnership with Warner Music

Music videos from Madonna, Red Hot  Chili Peppers and Sean Paul will be legally available for the  first time on YouTube, the online video sharing site, which  signed its first commercial partnership with Warner Music Group  Corp. on Monday.


What Russia's pensioners want - and how they're starting to get it

Dissatisfied with Kremlin concessions, they plan a national 'day of protest' for February.


Corey Maggette hit an off-balance 23-footer with half a second left in the second overtime to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 114-112 victory over Miami on Friday night.


A new study finds that rising temperatures are in danger of wiping out the king penguins of Antarctica


Anti-Syrian MP killed in Beirut car bomb: sources

Anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem was killed in a car bomb explosion in the eastern part of Beirut on Wednesday, security sources said.


The EU welcomes Havana's ending of its "cocktail wars" with EU countries, but says more must be done.


Mondesi Says He Reached Deal With Braves

Raul Mondesi said he has agreed to terms with the Atlanta Braves on a one-year contract.


World Leaders Monday held a UN conference organized by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to fill the $50 billion hunger gap.


Republican Thompson says U.S. battling "evil"

Republican Fred Thompson,  making his first appearance since his late entry into the 2008  White House race, criticized the immigration pact in Congress  on Saturday and said the United States was battling threats  from "forces of evil."


La partnership tra i due musicisti dura da 10 anni


Trade union leaders in Nigeria vow to press on with a general strike despite government efforts to promote talks.


Entrepreneurs Fill a Niche By Keeping Ponds in Subdivisions Sparkling: Real Estate

By Brad Hem, Houston Chronicle  Jun. 21--Houston is built on flat land where ponds can become algae-covered breeding grounds for mosquitoes.   Or, with the right care and some dye, they can be crystal-blue lakes with flowers, fish and eye-grabbing fountains.


BitTorrent signs with with major studios

BitTorrent, the company that maintains the popular file-sharing system of the same name, announced several deals on Wednesday with major movie studios and content producers, moving its service still closer to mainstream acceptance.


Indonesia's president-elect condemns bombing outside Paris embassy

JAKARTA: Indonesia's president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned as "an act of violence" a bombing outside his country's embassy in Paris.


Sri Lankan military repulses rebel attack

The Sri Lankan military said it repulsed an attack by Tamil Tiger rebels on a navy base on Tuesday, amid increasingly bloody violence between government forces and the Tiger militants.


A bus plunged into a river in southwest China on Tuesday killing 19 people and injuring 13 others as millions of Chinese returned from their Lunar New Year holidays, state media reported.


Beloved author Pierre Berton dies at age 84 at Toronto hospital

TORONTO (CP) - Author and broadcaster Pierre Berton, "a great Canadian voice" whose numerous books on Canadian history and culture contributed to this country's collective identity, has died at age 84.


Rapidly, Buffett Secures a Deal for $4.5 Billion

Warren Buffettâs Berkshire Hathaway snapped up a 60 percent stake in Marmon Holdings, the Pritzker familyâs  sprawling industrial conglomerate.


JORDAN sent two helicopters to the West Bank this evening to transport ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to the kingdom en route for medical treatment in France, government spokeswoman Asma Khader said.


Borsa, apertura in ribasso per Piazza Affari: Mibtel -0,05%

Apertura in leggero ribasso per Piazza Affari: Mibtel -0,05%, Mib30 -0,06%, Midex -0,05% e Spmib -0,06%. In positivo il Numtel con +0,08%. Per quanto riguarda le altre principali Piazze europee, si registra


The United Nations launched a massive voluntary repatriation program Friday to return an estimated 340,000 Liberian refugees still scattered across West Africa after a long, brutal war that ended last year.


Singapore Airlines says it will not sweeten its bid to buy a stake in China Eastern Airlines as rival Air China promises to pay more.


Hiring is picking up and President Bush is on track to preside over job growth in his second term, shedding the Herbert Hoover label of being the first president since the Great Depression to lose jobs under his watch.


I am inclined to believe the young George W. Bush got into the Texas Air National Guard because he was the son of a rich and powerful man and somebody pulled strings to keep him out of the meat grinder of Vietnam.


ATLANTA - With the merger of AT&T Wireless complete, Cingular is making plans to cut its 68,000-person workforce by 10 percent, the companyâs CEO told The Associated Press on Tuesday.


Concern raised as scores die in Pakistan

Bombing attacks around Pakistan killed at least 32 people and wounded 47 more Thursday -- adding to the recent surge in violence rankling Pakistan, authorities said.


Albert Pujols hits a two-run homer that launches St. Louis to a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres in the opening game of the division series on Tuesday.


With the presidential election less than six weeks away, activists and security experts are ratcheting up concern over the use of touch-screen machines to cast votes.  -washingtonpost.com


One survivor, three dead in Panama plane crash

Rescue crews in Panama found an American girl on Tuesday who survived a plane crash that killed the other three people on board, including a wealthy California investor, authorities said.


She dashed to freedom the moment she got a chance, but reportedly wept inconsolably when told her "master" had thrown himself in front of a train. She had a tearful reunion with her parents, yet hasn't asked for them since.


Study revived this week ties cell phone use to sperm count

A study conducted in 2004-2005  of 361 men suggests that cell phone use can harm sperm quality and sperm count, and researchers will continue studying the issue.


By Newman, David; Snyder, Joel  Of the three exploits chosen for this test (the Cisco malformed SNMP vulnerability and the SOL Slammer and Witty worms), the SNMP one gave our IPS vendors the most trouble.


By San Jose Mercury News, Calif.  Jun. 27--How much a plan costs   Apple and AT&T announced Tuesday that the iPhone's wireless service plans will cost between $60 and $220 per month and include unlimited Internet and e-mail data, 200 text messages and at least 450 voice minutes.


Lamp makers: Tight supply of projector and RPTV lamps to persist ...

A tight supply of lamps for front projectors and rear-projection TVs (RPTVs) is likely to persist through 2005 as Taiwan-based projector makers are increasing their shipments of RPTV optical engines, said lamp makers Ushio, Royal Philips Electronics and


Serbia and Montenegro appoints a new head of its armed forces, in a move seen as a bid to move closer to joining NATO.


Tenor Roberto Alagna broke his contract by walking out of a performance of Franco Zeffirelli's "Aida" at La Scala after being booed, and he will not sing for the remaining scheduled performances, a spokesman for the opera house said Monday.


IMMIGRATI: ACCORDO CON LA LIBIA, DAL 5 OTTOBRE PATTUGLIAMENTO ...

(ASCA) - Roma, 27 set - Partira' agli inizi di ottobre il pattugliamento aereo-navale delle acque internazionali del Mediterraneo in chiave anti-clandestini. Lo ha detto il ministro dell'Interno Giuseppe Pisanu


Australia's wheat exporter AWB is to temporarily lose its monopoly over wheat exports after a report into bribes.


Bush and Kerry Step Up Fight Over US Security

President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry stepped up a fierce campaign fight over US security on Friday, with Kerry accusing Bush of irresponsible


Canada will wait until after an inquiry before considering whether to demand compensation from Britain for a submarine which caught fire, killing one crewman, Defence Minister Bill Graham says.


Bush Lead Narrows in CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll

President Bush's lead over Democratic nominee John Kerry narrowed to eight points in a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of likely voters released on Monday, compared with a 13-point lead in the poll conducted two weeks ago.


Ciber Buys Controlling Stake in Novasoft

Ciber Inc., a U.S. technology consulting company, said on Monday it agreed to buy a 67 percent stake in Novasoft AG from the German consultant's founders, entering the German marketplace for the first time.


MO: ISRAELE MINACCIA SIRIA PER ATTENTATI BEERSHEBA

(AGI/AFP) - Gerusalemme, 2 set. - La minaccia di un attacco militare contro la Siria e' stata profferita stamane dal vice-ministro della difesa isrealiano Zeev Biom, che ha accusato Damasco di essere direttamente


US Supreme Court upholds anti-competition rulings against Visa ...

NEW YORK : The US Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card groups had engaged in anti-competitive practices by banning member banks from issuing credit cards through rival providers owned by American Express and Morgan Stanley


NASA asked its orbiting astronauts Monday to take a closer look at the gears that control the international space station's solar wings to try to find out what's grinding inside and causing steel chips to clog the system.


Spirited rally lifts Eagles past Huskies

The game had more of a holiday reunion feel than crosstown rivalry. Start with Billy Coen, an assistant on Al Skinner's staff at Boston College and Rhode Island for 17 seasons, coming back to BC with his Northeastern team. Add another ex-Skinner assistant, Ed Cooley, now the coach at Fairfield, visiting before the game with some of his former co-workers ...


Even charming, chiseled-faced actors can have it tough.


Paris Hilton gets out of jail for medical reasons

The judge who sent Paris Hilton to jail called a hearing for Friday on why the hotel heiress was released early and placed under house arrest in a move swiftly challenged by prosecutors and local politicians.


Authorities in the state of Chhattisgarh say 11 Maoists have been killed in fighting with security forces.


The city opened nearly 300 cooling centers Monday as temperatures across much of the Northeast surpassed 90 degrees — the hottest in the metropolitan area since a heat wave last year that was blamed for 40 deaths.


Bombings at Two Buenos Aires Banks Kill 1

Homemade bombs exploded in two Buenos Aires banks before they opened Wednesday, killing a security guard, police said.


The Conservative Party leader Michael Howard asks the government to  appoint a minister for homeland security.


Indonesia's Aceh votes to decide life after war

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia  - Vote counting began on Monday in the once-rebellious Indonesian province of Aceh in a landmark election aimed at bolstering a peace deal between the government and separatists.


Legal challenge adds to Pakistani president's woes

Pakistan's Supreme Court began  hearing legal challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's rule  on Wednesday, adding to the woes the embattled U.S. ally faces  as he prepares to secure another term.


Romanian troops find hidden weapons cache in Afghanistan

Romanian troops operating in Afghanistan have discovered an important weapons cache near Kandahar, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.


Settlement talks send Marsh jury home early

ROME, Ga. -- Jurors hearing the federal lawsuit against former Tri-State Crematory operator Ray Brent Marsh were sent home early Wednesday to give lawyers an opportunity to discuss a possible settlement in the case.


Hi-tech criminals are stealing key business data and ransoming it back to the firms they stole it from, say police.


Developed nations needn't fear outsourcing: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has debunked fears of job losses in industrialised nations due to outsourcing of services to developing nations.


Once they were the outriders of the Russian empire, feared and fearless warriors who extended the Czar's authority as far as their horses would carry them.


Zagabria, 19:04 - PATTINAGGIO, EUROPEI: KOSTNER 1/A DOPO PROGRAMMA CORTO

Carolina Kostner, campionessa in carica, è in testa alla classifica degli Europei di pattinag...


Commuting Libby's Sentence 'Fair,' Bush Says

President Bush  acknowledged for the first time yesterday that "somebody" in his administration leaked the name of an undercover intelligence officer but declined to say whether he was disappointed in such an action and contended that it  is time to move on.


Pleasure Without Guilt: Green Hotels With Comfort

A selection of California hotels balance luxury and sincerity in their environmental friendliness.


Londra, 16:23 - CALCIO, PREMIER LEAGUE: READING-ASTON VILLA 2-0

Nell'incontro che ha aperto la 27/a giornata del campionato inglese, il Reading ha battuto l'Aston V...


Tendulkar out of one-day series against England

Sachin Tendulkar will miss India's upcoming one-day series against England after failing a fitness test here.


Flogging cheap mobiles is easy Nokia's swallowed an estimated 39 per cent of the global mobile phone market in its third quarter, sending profits rocketing 85 per cent.â¦


Lo si apprende da partecipazioni rilevanti Consob


A UK soldier dies and five others are injured in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan, the MoD says.


Defending champion Andy Murray won his second career title, neutralizing Ivo Karlovic's big serve to win a thrilling SAP Open final 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Sunday.


Japan appeals for international help over Iraq hostage

Japan has been appealing for international help to secure the release of a Japanese man kidnapped by Islamic militants in Iraq and threatened with death.


French surgeons prep for zero-grav surgery

Benign tumour faces weightless extraction French surgeons will today board a modified Airbus A300, dubbed "Zero-G", to carry out the world's first weightless surgery on a human, the BBC reports.â¦


Our prayers with Arafat in Paris hospital

The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, is undergoing emergency treatment in a Paris hospital since being evacuated from his Israeli-besieged home apparently in serious health condition.


Your Call (and Rants on Hold) Will Be Monitored

The message, "This call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes," is so common that many callers assume no one is listening. But they would be wrong.


Scientists produce their biggest 3D map yet of the "local" Universe.


News Briefs Nov-24-2004 By Catholic News Service Judges set filing...

Federal bankruptcy judges in Portland and in Tucson, Ariz., have set April 2005 deadlines for victims of childhood sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in those dioceses to submit claims.


Facing a Thursday deadline, lawyers neared an agreement that would lead to a meeting between Jason Giambi and steroids investigator George Mitchell.


Movie Review | 'The Guardian': Costner Is Back in the Water, and HeÂs Stoically Swimming to Save Everybody

"The Guardian" is an action movie, a basic training movie, a swaggering sea adventure, a home front melodrama and an inspiring tough-love heroic teacher fable.


Group threatens to kill kidnapped relatives of Iraqi PM

BAGHDAD - The Islamist group Ansar al-Jihad is threatening to behead three kidnapped relatives of Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.


NFL Suspends Lewis Two Games for Drug Case

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was suspended for two games without pay by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy, one day after pleading guilty to trying to set up a drug deal four years ago...


Kerry Pounces on Bremer's Remarks on Iraq

TIPTON, Iowa  - Democratic White House challenger  John Kerry accused President Bush and Vice President Dick  Cheney of mismanaging the war in Iraq after a former top aide  said the U.S. paid the price for not deploying enough troops  after last year's invasion.


Halifax-to-Bank of Scotland group HBOS has said it has pulled out of a potential takeover battle for Abbey National. The announcement that it will not be bidding clears the way for Spain's Santander Central


Japan's jobless rate falls, deflation shows signs of easing

Japan's jobless rate improved in September as pressure on companies to cut costs eased, while other key data on consumer spending and prices were generally postive, giving further signs that the decade old problem of deflation may be easing, official data showed.


About 11.6 million doses of flu vaccine remain to be distributed nationwide, and federal health officials said they are working with state public health officials to ensure that dwindling supplies reach people most in need.


Schools in most of Kenya re-open after holidays were extended for a week following post-election violence.


WHILE Valentino Rossi coasted into his familiar position at the head of the pack for the Australian Motorcycle grand prix today, rival Sete Gibernau warned: "Don't write me off.


The European Union yesterday said it would lift trade sanctions that are damaging American exporters after President Bush last week signed a bill to revamp the corporate tax code and end an illegal export subsidy.


The European Parliament's industry committee backs proposals to sharply cut CO2 emissions from cars.


New Quake Rattles Northern Japan, Felt in Tokyo

NAGAOKA, Japan  - A strong earthquake with a  magnitude of 6.1 jolted northern Japan on Wednesday in the same  region where the country's deadliest quake in a decade killed  at least 31 people and injured more than 3,400 five days ago.


Bear cubs take the train through Canadian parks

Three bear cubs have taken to riding the rails in Canada's Rocky Mountains in search of an easy, but dangerous, meal, a national park official said on Wednesday.


Pixsy to launch photo, video search engine

Gossip and entertainment  news junkies have a new way to get their fix. Pixsy Corp. is  set to launch Friday http://www.StarHabit.com, a photo and  video search engine that gives priority to the freshest  celebrity content on the Internet.


6 years after 9/11, New York inspires singer Vega

Just as New York is rebuilding from the World Trade Center attacks, so too is singer Suzanne Vega, whose comeback album recalls the pain and resilience of the city she calls home.


ADB raises RP growth forecasts for 2004, 2005

The Asian Development Bank has raised its growth forecast for Philippine economy to between 4.7 percent and 5.7 percent both for 2004 and 2005, higher than the 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent growth projection it made in April.


A greater proportion of silver discs go to UK acts on independent labels than ever before, an industry body claims.


Forty years later, Carrie Mae Snapp is still aglow over her brush with The Beatles. Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' improbable, clandestine arrival in Walnut Ridge, population 4,925, and Monday marks 40 years since a throng — including a teenage Snapp — got wind of their visit and surrounded the British megastars as they left for a concert in New York.


The Claim: If Possible, Avoid Hospitals on Weekends

Many public services are less reliable on weekends. But does that apply to medicine as well?


Airbus A380 - the first passenger flight

Travel: In pictures: The world's biggest passenger plane makes its first commercial voyage.


Pace-setters Cardiff maintain their momentum

Cardiff moved five points clear at the top of the English Championship with a 4-0 rout of Wolverhampton.


The Senate on Sunday removed the last major hurdle stalling passage of the most sweeping overhaul of corporate taxes in nearly two decades.


Brendan Kingman's sixth-inning RBI single sent Australia to a stunning 1-0 victory yesterday over Japan, putting the Aussies in today's gold medal game against Cuba.


Twelve UN Agencies Warn of Deep Crisis in Gaza

Twelve United Nations agencies working in Gaza today stated that the ongoing violence on top of the sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation this year is pushing the Palestinian population into a deep crisis.


Arroyo says Asian region safe with security pact

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said on Friday the Philippines' new security pact with Australia would make the Southeast Asian region safer and more secure from Islamic militants.


Auditor KPMG says it isn't ready. Struggling IT services giant is also probing its bonus plan.


Britain's prime minister participated Saturday in a memorial service for murdered Iraqi hostage Kenneth Bigley, at the request of Bigley's family.


Bravo has acquired  TelevisionWithoutPity.com, a site catering to hard-core TV  fans, the NBC Universal-owned cable network said Tuesday.


His father made him a Cardinals fan forever

All these years I have been around sports, and I still don't really understand how a person becomes a fan. And I'ma fan -- of the St.


THE body of a Caucasian woman with long blonde hair was found in Fallujah today, marines said, adding that her arms and legs had been cut off and her throat slit.


NEW YORK  - A computer program that  improves one type of memory appears to help kids with  attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new study  findings suggest.


Mayor of DC Signs Legislation to Bring Back Baseball

Washington DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed legislation into law today that will provide funding for a new stadium and to guartantee the return of Major League Baseball to our nation's capital for the first time since 1971.


National Academies news: Gulf War and Health

The available evidence is too sparse or of insufficient quality to determine whether the majority of health problems that may be experienced by Gulf War veterans could be associated with exposures to fuels for military vehicles, propellents in Scud


Eight shot dead in Beirut opposition protests

Eight Lebanese opposition supporters were shot dead in Beirut on Sunday in some of the worst street violence since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, raising tensions in a country gripped by political conflict.


Online DVD rental service Netflix Inc. and television recording technology company TiVo Inc. on Thursday said that they had agreed to develop a joint entertainment offering.


City's smokers escape ban after council mix-up

Smokers bemoaning the new ban on lighting up in pubs and other indoor public spaces in England have a new sanctuary: Stoke-on-Trent.


President Bush will announce his  nominee to replace Ann Veneman as secretary of agriculture on  Thursday.


Verona, 16:54 - CALCIO, CHIEVO: OGGI DOPPIA SEDUTA, MIGLIORANO SCURTO E D'ANNA

Il Chievo ha oggi sostenuto una doppia seduta di allenamento nel centro sportivo di Veronello. Al ma...


Taiwan Defies U.S., Seeks U.N. Membership Under Debated Name

BEIJING, July 21 -- Brushing aside warnings from the Bush administration, the Taiwanese government of President Chen Shui-bian announced Friday that it has applied for U.N. membership under the name Taiwan.


Holiday e-tail sales up, satisfaction down

hoAs the holiday season wound down, U.S. residents kept on shopping significantly more than they did in 2006, particularly on the day after Christmas, but they also reported being less satisfied with e-tailers, according to a pair of studies.


Canada tells Roche to include Tamiflu warning

Canada has asked Swiss drug maker Roche AG to warn consumers of possible health risks linked to its influenza drug Tamiflu, the health department said on Wednesday.


The incursions into Iraqi Kurdistan have the U.S. military and the Baghdad government walking on tightropes


Bode Miller won the combined title for the slalom and downhill Sunday, setting a U.S. record with his 28th World Cup victory.


The Los Angeles Times reported the Angels have signed veteran center fielder Steve Finley, who helped key the Los Angeles Dodgers' run to the National League West Division title last season.


The BBC's correspondents report from across the Middle East as Iraqis go to the polls to elect a transitional Iraqi assembly.


US Forces Overrun Baghdad's Sadr City District, Reuters Says

Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- US forces with tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles have overrun Baghdad's Sadr city district, where coalition troops have repeatedly clashed with insurgents since last year's invasion, Reuters reported today, citing witnesses.


Sir Tom Stoppard's epic The Coast of Utopia and musical Spring Awakening dominate New York's Tony awards.


Eighteen people go on trial in Istanbul over the murder of  Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.


Deutsche Bank Boosts Profit Through Cuts

Deutsche Bank AG, Germnany's largest bank, said Friday it increased its net profit by 18 percent in the third quarter by clamping down on costs and bad loans while increasing profit from trading securities.


Major League Baseball quotes, notes, and random facts

A World Series Moment: Rockies and Sox captured in numbers.            Presented By     From Dell? Home!        The new Dell? Inspiron? 1520 notebook with hi-def widescreen and long-range wireless for only $799. Add mobile broadband for $150. Limited time offer. Click here. www.dell.com    Ads by Pheedo


Study ties certain cancers, divorce rate

People who develop cervical or testicular cancer may face another harsh reality: they are more likely to get divorced than those without the disease, a new study says.


Antoine Walker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6:11 to beat the Houston Rockets 88-84 Tuesday night.


A rights group in Cuba says there are fewer political prisoners but widespread repression continues.


Insurgents Kill Three, Search Cars in Baghdad

Gunmen fired on a police car as it  drove through a violent neighborhood of central Baghdad on  Sunday, then dragged three passengers from the vehicle and shot  them dead, witnesses said.


QXL Ricardo, the UK's version of internet auction site eBay, agrees to let its management take the company private.


Online organ match raises ethical concerns

The nation's organ transplant officials are scrambling to try to develop rules to guide surgeons and hospitals coping with a new twist: organ donors and recipients who find each other on the Internet.


Uruguay strengthened South America's political tilt to the left, electing the country's first leftist president as part of a regional shift by voters disenchanted by US


Best of Boston? Charlestown, Burke decide today

It was at a faculty softball game four years ago that Matt O'Brien was offered the opportunity to take over the boys' soccer program at Charlestown High.


Automaker DaimlerChrysler AG said Friday it will charge 400 million euros ($492 million) against earnings in the third quarter to cover the cost of recalls and past quality problems at Japanese truckmaker Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp, which is 65 percent owned by DaimlerChrysler.


What the U.S. Federal Reserve is  taking away from the economy via higher interest rates, the  U.S. Treasury bond market may be giving back -- at least  partially.


Life & style: Zoe Williams: It's the biggest Vogue ever, this month's American issue. You cannot read this ludicrous publication, and it has no other uses. Poor trees!


Typo is Web Page's Windfall: Traffic Looking for E-Mail Service Gmail Winds Up at Gamil

By Ryan Teague Beckwith, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.  Dec. 16--RALEIGH -- To most people, a typo is an annoyance. To Aly Khalifa, it's a (key)stroke of luck.


BP salutes oil output feat at end of turbulent 2007

British energy giant BP has ended one of its most difficult years on a high after announcing Tuesday that it has begun production at the deepwater Atlantis oil and gas field in the Gulf of Mexico.


US blue chips ended lower on Monday as a disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) cast a pall over sentiment, overshadowing a two-session pullback in oil prices.


LONDON - British police charged eight terrorist suspects yesterday with conspiring to commit murder and use radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals or explosives to cause "fear or injury." ...


Justices Agree to Hear Case on Sharing of Music Files

The Supreme Court, accepting urgent pleas from the recording and film industries, agreed on Friday to decide whether the online services that enable copyrighted songs


A crush of 5,000 Palestinians trying to get through the newly opened Rafah border crossing from the Gaza Strip into Egypt on Thursday left an elderly man dead and seven people injured, Palestinian medics said.


The future suddenly looks shaky for online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. — a plucky home entertainment upstart that managed to hold its ground after retailing giants Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Blockbuster Inc. invaded its turf.


Olympic organizers pitch joint Korea bid

South Korea's Olympic bid organizers said the North's agreement to halt its nuclear program is a breakthrough in unifying the two Koreas and buoys hopes of hosting the 2014 Winter Games.


On the road and on the airwaves, President Bush is trying to paint this year's presidential race as a black-and-white decision for voters.


JEDDAH, 3 November 2004 - âLook at our true friends,â Sheikh Zayed ibn Sultan Al-Nahayan, the emir of Abu Dhabi, pointed from the window of the jeep in which we were making a tour of Al-Ain, an oasis that he loved all his life.


Report: Saddam Benefitted From U.N. Deals

NEW YORK - Suitcases full of cash, secret bank accounts, covert operatives, corrupt politicians on the take. A report detailing alleged illicit U.N...


U.S. special envoy heads to Brussels to talk Darfur

The U.S. special envoy to Sudan was  en route to Brussels to discuss the crisis in Darfur with top  European Union and NATO officials, the State Department said on  Thursday.


Market Place: Genzyme to Make Offer for AnorMed

In a rare hostile bid, Genzyme said it would make an offer for AnorMed, a Canadian company that had spurned previous acquisition approaches.


Flash floods kill at least four in north Texas

GAINESVILLE, Texas  - At least four people were killed by flash floods in north Texas on Monday and several were reported to be missing as the waters began to recede and weather forecasters saw a drying spell ahead.


By popular demand, Bridget Jones is back, and this time she's been pushed to the "Edge of Reason," which must lie somewhere near the Tropic of Cancer.


A Black Watch private who died in a suicide bombing did not think troops should be in Iraq, his brother says.


Online Dallas university that gave cat diploma sued for fraud

HARRISBURG, Pa. A Dallas area-based online university that supposedly granted a business degree to a cat was sued today for consumer fraud.


Creepy 'Grudge' has elements of a good nightmare

As a rule, nightmares don't usually make much sense. That's important to keep in mind when watching "The Grudge," a flamboyantly weird concoction from director Takashi Shimizu, who previously


6 Iraqi police recruits killed in Baghdad

Six Iraqis who had just signed to join the Iraqi National Guard were killed on Saturday, witnesses and hospital sources said. Gunmen in a sedan set with a machine gun opened


Student-loan probe widens to underwriting

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday he is widening a probe of the student-loan industry to target underwriting standards, prompting lawmakers at a U.S. Senate committee hearing to raise questions about possible discriminatory red-lining.


Winners in major categories at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards:


Car Bombs Detonated Near Saudi Security Buildings

Suicide bombers tried to storm Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry and a security unit in the capital Riyadh on Wednesday in what appeared to be the latest brazen strike by al Qaeda in the world's top oil exporter.


Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co.  on Wednesday said its restructuring will result in a fourth-quarter charge of 24 cents to 27 cents per share, above its previous estimate of 19 to 24 cents per share.


Doctors: 9/11 illnesses may not appear for decades

A patchwork of post-September 11 health screening programs will not detect increases in more serious, long-term illnesses like cancer, experts told Congress Wednesday.


With 56 Dead, Ivan Intensifies Off Jamaica

BULL BAY, Jamaica - Hurricane Ivan strengthened to a rare Category 5 storm capable of catastrophic damage, leaving Jamaica and aiming for the Cayman Islands with winds reaching 165 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Saturday...


Dopo sentenza Corte Giustizia Ue su detraibilita' aziendali


Dallas looks like Seattle as rain doesn't stop

Dallas is looking a lot like Seattle these days. Drenching rains pounded the city and north-central Texas again on Wednesday, forcing the precautionary evacuation of thousands of residents from several communities to the west of Fort Worth that were threatened with possible flooding.


In tsunami's wake, a peaceful Aceh holds first election

A trouble-free vote would be an important step forward in the peace process after three decades of conflict.


U.S. forces detain son of top Iraqi Shi'ite leader

KUT, Iraq  - U.S. troops detained the eldest son of Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, one of Iraq's most powerful Shi'ite leaders, at an Iraqi checkpoint on the Iranian border on Friday, Iraqi officials said.


Peruvian Police Station Hostages Released

More than 100 fighters belonging to an armed nationalist group that seized a remote Peruvian police station and took officers and soldiers hostage surrendered to authorities Tuesday and freed their 17 captives, officials said.


Bill France Jr., who transformed NASCAR from a small Southern sport into a billion-dollar conglomerate during his 31 years as chairman, died Monday. He was 74.


Home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc said on Monday that under a tender offer that expired on August 31, it agreed to buy 289.331 million shares of its common stock for a total value of $10.7 billion.


Cisse suffers double leg break; likely out for season

Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse will likely miss the rest of the season due to a broken leg. The French striker, who moved from Auxerre to Liverpool in the off-season, was injured


U.S.-Led UN Command to Move to N.Korea Border Zone

The U.S.-led United Nations Command plans to relocate its armistice team this month from Seoul to the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone border with North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.


Jason Bay homers twice and Jose Bautista scores the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch as Pittsburgh moves out of last place in the NL Central with a 6-5 win over Chicago.


Anna Nicole Smith's weepy judge retiring

The Florida judge noted for his unorthodox oversight of the Anna Nicole Smith case says he is retiring at the end of July.


This is turning out to be more like a game of snakes and ladders than anything else. Or perhaps an analogy with chess would be better.


Probe Set to Explore Mysterious Moon of Saturn

Titan, the largest of Saturn's 31 moons, has always been a source of wonder for scientists since it was discovered in 1655 by Christian Huygens, a Dutch astronomer.


After loss, Agassi ponders what may lie ahead

If this was Andre Agassi's last shot at another US Open title, it was like a lot of his shots in the fifth set against Roger Federer -- blowing in the wind.


Trattati i temi dell' anticlericalismo e la satira


PeopleSoft CEO Quits as Oracle Deal Nears

PeopleSoft Inc.  on Tuesday said Chief Executive and Chairman Dave Duffield has resigned from the business software maker, which agreed to a $10.3 billion buyout by rival Oracle Corp.  earlier this month.


U.S. stock futures pointed to a  flat-to-lower open on Friday as oil prices hovered above $44 a  barrel and inflation data showed consumer prices rose modestly  in November.


Scripting the Soaps Is the Hidden Drama of Strike-Plagued Daytime

The most sensational mystery in daytime may be how soap operas are being written at all, considering that nearly all of their writers are guild members on strike.


Notebook: Majerus-USC marriage just great ... unless

Rick Majerus is a basketball savant. Nobody questions that. He's a winner. Nobody questions that. He'll be a tremendous hire for Southern California.


As the Iraq Study Group criticizes the lack of progress in Arab-Israeli peace talks, Europe's role in the process is questioned.


'Due anni fa una tragedia, oggi giornata molto importante'


Community News: Latest PEAR Releases for 01.21.2008

Latest PEAR Releases:Net_LDAP 1.1.0a1Date_Holidays 0.17.3Date_Holidays 0.17.4HTML_CSS 1.5.0Structures_DataGrid_Renderer_HTMLTable 0.1.5PEAR_Info 1.7.1Console_CommandLine 1.0.0RC1Crypt_GPG 0.3.11Log 1.9.15Log 1.9.16PEAR_Frontend_Web 0.7.2Net_LDAP 1.1.0a2


Ascolti in calo e mancano attori, disapprovano tortura


X-Change Corporation Signs Agreement With Ubisense

X-Change Corporation (OTCBB: XCHC) today announced that its  wholly owned subsidiary, AirGATE Technologies, Inc., has signed a VAR  (value added reseller) Agreement with Ubisense.  Ubisense technology gives senses to computers - the sense of who, what  and where people and objects are.


Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who focused his bid for the Democratic nomination on helping the middle class, will withdraw from the presidential race in a speech later on Wednesday.


Schering-Plough to buy Akzo's Organon for $14.4 bln

Schering-Plough Corp  has agreed to buy Akzo Nobel NV's  drugs unit Organon BioSciences for 11 billion euros ($14.4 billion) in a bid to gain scale and diversify away from cholesterol medicine.


In Germany, 1st Fatal Magnet-Train Crash

LATHEN, Germany ÃÂ -- A high-speed magnetic train traveling at nearly 125 mph crashed in northwestern Germany on Friday, killing 15 of the 29 people aboard in the first fatal wreck involving the high-tech system.


VolontÃ© (Udc): "Vergognoso disinteresse della coalizione talebana"Il ministero degli Esteri: "Stiamo lavorando. Solo gratuite speculazioni"                                            "Padre Bossi, un rapito di serie B" La Cdl attacca, la Farnesina replica                                                                                Anche la sorella del sacerdote sequestrato nelle Filippine interviene"Il governo si dÃ  da fare. Le polemiche non servono. Crediamo nel dialogo"


WASHINGTON - The US pharmaceutical industry that exports billions of dollars worth of medicine around the world faced new scrutiny Friday after a survey revealed nearly one-fifth of its government overseers had experienced pressure to approve drugs they


Yahoo! next? It looks like Steve Ballmer is doing a little pre-spring cleaning.â¦


Bianconeri battuti per 3-1 dal gruppo Cosmi: tripletta di Serafinima restano in testa alla classifica grazie all'1-1 dei partenopei                                            Juve svagata travolta dal Brescia Per il Napoli solo un pari a Rimini                                                                                Bologna e Piacenza al terzo posto, pareggiano Genoa e MantovaIn coda vincono il Verona a Crotone e il Modena a Pescaradi JACOPO MANFREDI


Media & professional: An independent Bank of England has done wonders for the economy. It's time education followed suit. Jim O'Neill reports.


This season, Cubs fans have learned that there is no such thing as a comfortable lead in Major League Baseball.


Gateway's PCs, Notebooks Available at MicroCenter

PC maker Gateway Inc. said on Sunday its new line of notebooks, desktop personal computers and monitors aimed at retail markets will be available at Micro Center's 20 stores in the United States.


Oprah effect brings microlending to Main Street

The credit crisis may be fouling up billion-dollar takeover deals, but if you're a poor African seamstress who needs a loan for a new sewing machine, you could not ask for a better borrowing market to expand your business.


âOut of the Blue,â by the writer and director Robert Sarkies, dramatizes the terror of a day of massacre without exploiting it.


Software maker targets remote access market

Among new products from 3am Labs is a free tool for accessing a PC via any device with a browser.


AUSTRALIA'S Jana Pittman finished fifth in the women's 400m hurdles at the Athens Olympics overnight behind home-town hero Fani Halkia of Greece.


Russia mine toll reaches 25 as last bodies found

The final death toll from a fire at a   remote Russian gold mine reached 25 on Sunday as rescuers found   the bodies of four men, the last of the miners trapped deep   underground three days earlier.


Timo Poikolainen, vice president of technology marketing at Nokia, said "This is a natural step in our digital convergence strategy to adopt leading technologies to launch new, compelling mobile devices and services.


There has been a breakthrough agreement in Afghanistan's disputed elections, with the main rival to President Hamid Karzai saying he will accept the result, after an independent inquiry into charges of fraud.


New Zealand Builds a Nest Big Enough to Save Kiwis

Kiwi numbers have declined rapidly over the past century, as populations struggled with the twin threats of shrinking habitat and expanding legions of new predators.


Empoli, 21:02 - CALCIO, EMPOLI: COL CATANIA PROBABILE TURNOVER

Probabile turnover di Gigi Cagni domani sera al 'Massimino' di Catania. L'allenatore dell'Empoli que...


Accural method would show higher deficit

The federal budget deficit would have been 69 percent higher than the $162.8 billion reported two months ago if the government had used the same accounting methods as private companies, the Bush administration reported Monday.


Security in Sudan's Darfur a 'Farce' - Rights Group

Security in Sudan's Darfur region is a "farce" with the government engaged in ethnic cleansing and rebel groups looting and abducting civilians in violation of an April cease-fire, a rights group said on Monday.


An event steeped in civil rights symbolism offers rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama an opportunity to show unity with the black community while they spar over support from a crucial Democratic constituency.


Eleven firms are barred as part of action against scams which left dial-up net users in the UK with big bills.


A Democratic Party manual tells operatives in battleground states how to combat voter intimidation, but Republicans complained on Thursday that the guidelines encourage Democrats to use scare tactics.


MIAMI -- Brock Berlin threw for a career-best 361 yards and four touchdowns in just over a half, and No. 12 Miami stayed in contention for an Atlantic Coast Conference title yesterday by routing Wake Forest, 52-7.


French president appeals for liberation of hostages

French President Jacques Chirac issued a new appeal for the liberation of two French hostages held by militants in Iraq.


FALLUJA, TANK USA NELLA CITTA': PRESA STAZIONE FERROVIARIA

Il premier Allawi: ''Il tempo dei negoziati Ã¨ finito''. In un bilancio dei combattimenti parla di due marines e 42 insorti morti. Baghdad, 8 nov. (Adnkronos) - Tank Usa a Falluja. Nell'offensiva terrestre, i


Two Iraqi Ministers Survive Bomb Attacks, 5 Killed

Insurgents tried to assassinate Iraq's environment and education ministers in separate bombings on Tuesday that killed five of their bodyguards and wounded more than a dozen people, officials said.


Australia is to ban alcohol and pornography in the Northern Territory's Aboriginal areas in a bid to curb child sex abuse.


Israele, tre soldati egiziani colpiti per un errore. Fatale

La lotta contro le infiltrazioni palestinesi questa volta sbaglia il colpo. Tre soldati egiziani sono stati uccisi al confine di Gaza dai colpi di un carro armato israeliano, che li aveva scambiati per palestinesi trafficanti di armi.


The European Commission's cautious recommendation that Turkey begin membership negotiations puts the country a step closer to realizing its dream of joining Europe — but also sets tough conditions that underscore the gaping divide between this mostly poor and Muslim nation and the wealthy, largely Christian club it yearns to join.


Energy traders count the days to end of NYMEX floor

Floor trading of energy contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) is ending more quickly than anticipated, as screen-based trading brings to a close a way of life for many floor traders.


Hopes are mounting that French utility groups Suez and Gaz de France are on the brink of signing a merger deal.


Kidnappers Behead British Hostage in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Kidnappers beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley after twice releasing videos in which he wept and pleaded with Prime Minister Tony Blair for his life. One of Bigley's brothers blamed Blair, saying Friday the prime minister has "blood on his hands."   The 62-year-old civil engineer was at least the 28th hostage slain in Iraq...


A Canadian court approved Air Canada's plan of arrangement with its creditors on Monday, clearing the way for the airline to emerge from bankruptcy protection at the end of September.


Cancer Fight Goes Nuclear, With Heavy Price Tag

A push by medical centers to turn nuclear particle accelerators into weapons against cancer reflects the best and worst of Americaâs health system, experts say.


Microsoft's Ballmer repeats Linux patent claim

A REPORT said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has warned Asian governments contemplating using Linux that they risk being sued for using the operating system.


Roma, 14:34 - CALCIO, UEFA: PLATINI CONDIVIDE DECISIONE FIGC

Michel Platini, presidente dell'Uefa "ha espresso la sua solidarietà" al commissario straordi...


UN initiative falls apart as key rebel group confirms boycott of summit tomorrow.


Dow Jones cede lo 0,16%, Nasdaq lo 0,46%


Microsoft, Yahoo extend contract for Web ads

The move comes at a time when Microsoft is sharpening its own tools and expertise in the area.


DHS finds flaws in 180 open source software projects

The US Dept. of Homeland Security and two research partners have detected significant flaws in Samba, Python, Perl, and about 180 other open source projects -- but fixes are on the way.


Loudoun Land Deals Subject of U.S. Probe

Federal prosecutors have launched a far-reaching investigation into potential public corruption in Loudoun County, where officials have overseen billions of dollars' worth of development projects in one of the nation's fastest-growing areas.


Also: Windows worm travels with Tetris [News.com Extra]


Okla. gov., a Democrat, walks party lines

Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, a favorite for re-election to a second term, has found a way to maintain high popularity in one of the most conservative states: He stakes out Republican-like positions, builds consensus and keeps a low profile.


Response to Arctic climate report a modest victory ...

In a move environmentalists call a modest victory, the world's eight Arctic nations, including the United States, have agreed that climate change is threatening northern ecosystems and greenhouse gases must be limited.


NFL Wrap-Manning Near Record as Colts Beat Texans

Peyton Manning continued to close in  on the NFL record for single season touchdown passes on Sunday,  firing two TD strikes as the Indianapolis Colts eased past the  Houston Texans 23-14 to clinch the division title.


GASTRIC surgery is a more effective way to fight severe obesity than dieting, according to a Swedish study quoted today. The researchers found people who had surgery bypassing their large intestine were 23


Doctors without Borders decides to pull out of Iraq amid extreme risk for staff, escalating violence in country. GENEVA - The aid agency Doctors without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres - MSF) said Thursday


Pentagon Explores 'Human Fear' Chemicals

Military researchers are working to uncover and harness a "human fear" scent. The pheromone could lead to smell-based terrorist sensors and new means to harness "contagious" stress.


Mossa in risposta alle critiche dopo crisi dello scorso anno


New evidence confirms the damage toxic chemicals are causing to the health of polar bears, conservationists say.


Il presidente del Consiglio: "Operazione preventiva molto importante"Nel pomeriggio a Milano i primi interrogatori degli arrestati                                            Br, la soddisfazione di Prodi "Colpo fatale al terrorismo"


Tourists Bring Home Tales of Nature's Horror

Europe is reeling from the waves, not just because of the ever-rising death toll but because of the growing realization that among the dead could likely be several thousand tourists who had traveled to southern Asia for the holidays.


Per occupazione Prefettura Vicenza del 16 gennaio scorso


An auction of spare Concorde parts is to be held in Toulouse, France, on Friday.


Can modern dance survive and develop, many wondered early on, without a core syllabus like balletâs? The same question might be asked of Butoh.


NAUDERO, Pakistan  - Benazir Bhutto was buried on Friday in her family mausoleum after the opposition leader's assassination plunged Pakistan into crisis and triggered violent protests across her native Sindh province.


In every emphatic way, President Bush has declared repeatedly that his immigration bill does not offer amnesty.


The war is over: Judith Regan, the publisher fired in the wake of her efforts to release O.J. Simpson's hypothetical "confession," has settled her $100 million lawsuit with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.


Stocks Higher Despite Volatile Oil Prices

NEW YORK - Stocks moved higher Tuesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average rising back above 10,000, as investors shrugged off volatile energy prices and a downbeat consumer confidence reading, focusing instead on good corporate news.    Light crude for November delivery surged above the psychologically important $50 milestone early in the session, but backed off that record high after Saudi Arabia indicated it would raise its output if necessary...


Injured Mickelsonâs Chances of Making Cut Were Fat or Slim

It was a trying week for Phil Mickelson, who, thanks in part to a nagging injury, missed the cut in the United States Open by one stroke.


Boston, 12:24 - CALCIO, GOLD CUP: USA E CANADA IN SEMIFINALE

Stati Uniti e Canada si sono qualificate per le semifinali della Gold Cup, il torneo della confedera...


Allure of Islam Signals a Shift Within Turkey

Turkey is navigating between the forces pulling it closer to Islam and the institutions that safeguard its secularism.


SAP beats analysts' expectations with third-quarter results

SAP, the world's leading maker of business software, said a strong performance of its European activities helped boost earnings in the third quarter, which came out higher than analysts' expectations.


Stocks drop on durable goods, risk worries

Stocks opened down on Wednesday after weaker-than-expected durable goods data added to uneasiness about growth in the economy and corporate profits.


Attenzione investitori rivolta a utili societari


One day after they matched the greatest comeback in franchise history, the Arizona Diamondbacks built a big lead and hung on. Chad Tracy and Eric Byrnes each hit a three-run homer, and Arizona defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-4 on Wednesday.


Chirac arrives for Anglo-French summit with Iraq still a sore point

French President Jacques Chirac began a two-day visit to London for an annual Anglo-French summit, with Iraq still a sore point in relations between the two European powers.


'Storm' Trojan horse taps into YouTube fever

The Storm Trojan horse is now spreading by way of e-mail that includes a link to what appears to be to a YouTube video, security researchers said.


Heavy rain flooded roads in the Southwest on Monday as the rapidly weakening remnants of Hurricane John spread across the border from Mexico, where up to 20 inches had fallen on parts of the Baja Peninsula.


Jury Selection Begins in Kobe Bryant Rape Case

Hundreds of prospective jurors in the high-profile Kobe Bryant rape case turned up on Friday for jury selection in a trial of the star athlete that lawyers said is shaping up to be full of rancor.


Baseball Jason Schmidt , the Dodgers' primary offseason pitching addition, will return from a nearly seven-week layoff because of an inflamed right shoulder to start Tuesday night in San Diego. The Dodgers made the decision to return Schmidt to their rotation after he threw six shutout innings last week in a rehabilitation start, then followed that with an impressive bullpen ...


Turks welcome a 'date with heavy conditions'

ISTANBUL Turks on Friday welcomed the European Union's decision to open membership talks next year, but some worried about the compromises Turkey would need to make to become the first Muslim nation in the bloc.


Futures flat as data offsets GE-led gain

Stock index futures were little changed on Friday after data showing a drop in retail sales and a gain in import prices in June revived worries about economic growth and inflation.


Readers chime in on the future of video games and the dehumanizing pace of modern life.


Amazon launches digital download service

Amazon.com on Thursday unveiled a   widely anticipated Internet service offering movie and   television shows that can be downloaded onto consumers'   personal computers.


Clinton: Time to digitize all Americans' medical records

In her first New Hampshire campaign stop after a third-place Iowa finish, the Democrat also calls for oil companies to fund research on alternative energy technology.


Disdaining environmentalism in the battle against global warming.


Google Lets Users Visualize Edits to Google Maps

Google's real-time viewer allows users to watch as other users around the world make changes to locations on maps.


Marvel Enterprises, IP guardian of The Hulk and untold other fictional freaks, is suing the creators of the hot online game "City of Heroes," claiming that characters in the game are virtually identical to Marvel characters. [Missing Links]


Osprey, an investment group including Canadian, Australian and British firms, said on Monday it was making a 2.2-billion-pound ($4.1 billion) offer for water firm AWG .


Overwhelmed users ditch broadband for dial-up

Also: Microsoft plans new BizTalk release for this year. [News.com Extra]


Being overweight can limit your health and your wealth, costing tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.


Australia Defends Anti-Terror Security Net

Australia defended a controversial maritime anti-terror plan on Friday after harsh words from neighboring Indonesia that it breached international law and Jakarta's sovereignty over its own waters.


Bruce Lee's family plans to produce a film on the late martial arts star, the first such movie it has actively supervised, the Chinese company making the motion picture said Sunday.


FDA resists calls to pull abortion pill off market

The government said yesterday a controversial abortion pill is safe enough to remain on the market, despite a third death and a grieving father's plea.


Suspension Reduced For Pacer Involved In Brawl

Jermaine O'Neal won a 10-game reduction Wednesday in his 25-game suspension for fighting with fans during the Nov. 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl, but an arbitrator upheld NBA commissioner David Stern's bans on Ron Artest and two other Indiana players.


A federal grand jury has subpoenaed a reporter for The New York Times in an apparent attempt to force him to disclose his sources in a 2006 book on the CIA, a lawyer for the reporter said.


Soft Cell singer Marc Almond is in hospital with serious head injuries after a motorcycle crash. The pop star is understood to have been riding pillion when the bike was in collision with a car yesterday.


Two Girls Accused of Serving Poisoned Cake

Two seventh-grade girls were arrested on charges that they served poisoned cake at their middle school cafeteria to about a dozen students who became ill and had to be taken to the hospital.


U.S. Open: Djokovic and Federer Roll Into the Menâs Final

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will face off for the Open title on Sunday, pitting the up-and-comer against the man trying to win his fourth Open in a row.


The same computer systems that crashed on space station are also incorporated into Europe's Columbus laboratory and its new cargo ship.


OSAKA, Japan  - Jamaica's Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay stayed on course for an epic 100 meters showdown by cruising through Saturday's heats at the world championships.


St. Louis County Circuit Court Rules St. Louis-Based Charity Defrauded, Misled Consumers

By Allison Retka  A St. Louis-based charity that sold raffle tickets for elaborate prizes in St. Charles and Kansas City has been ordered to pay more than $3.6 million in restitution and penalites.   St. Louis County Circuit Judge Steven H.


Defense rests case at Conrad Black trial

Lawyers defending Conrad Black and three former associates against criminal fraud charges wrapped up their case on Tuesday after the one-time media baron and three co-defendants turned down a last chance to take the stand in their own defense.


The action by the European bank eases conditions in credit markets that are grappling with a lending squeeze linked to the U.S. housing downturn and traditional year-end demands for cash.


Seepage Said Likely Didn't Cause Oil Spill

A mysterious oil spill that killed hundreds of birds on the Southern California coast was probably not caused by natural seepage from the ocean floor, investigators said.


Dry weather spread across the Plains Friday, while an intense heat wave continued to push temperatures into the triple digits in the West.


Papa Bouba Diop grabbed a sensational equaliser for Fulham to leave Manchester United nine points adrift of Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea after a 1-1 draw.


Controversial comedian Bernard Manning dies in a Manchester hospital aged 76 after a short illness.


Ukraine Protesters Blockade Official Buildings

Thousands of supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko blockaded official buildings in the Ukrainian capital Friday in a direct challenge to the Moscow-backed government's control of the country.


Police stun guns linked to 70 deaths in North America

Police use of stun guns must remain tightly controlled in Britain after more than 70 deaths were linked to the weapons in the United States and Canada, a human rights group said today.


The Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday tapped Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick as its chairwoman for the next two years, when black lawmakers will wield more power in Congress than ever.


Bernanke signals bold rate action to lift growth

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday said the U.S. central bank was ready to act aggressively to counter a deep housing slump and credit market strains that were putting economic growth at risk.


"Human Spiderman" climbs Moscow skyscraper

A Frenchman dubbed the "Human Spiderman" for climbing some of the world's tallest buildings without safety ropes scaled an uncompleted skyscraper in Moscow on Tuesday.


Kaplan eyes 'wildandcrazy' Belmont upset

It will be tough to tell who's more comfortable at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, trainer Bill Kaplan or his horse, Imawildandcrazyguy.


Bird flu "climate of fear" could hit Asia economies

Asia-Pacific health ministers said on Friday that a "climate of fear" that accompanies the outbreak of infectious diseases such as bird flu could have a devastating impact on Asia's economies.


Greco al classico, matematica allo scientifico


Tony Blair's reform agenda for schools, hospitals and other services will come under fire at the TUC Congress.


Dozens hurt as explosion rocks  Georgia sugar plant

Dozens of people were injured -- at least 30 of them critically -- in an explosion at a sugar refinery near Savannah, Georgia, tonight, a hospital official said. Ambulances were rushing the injured to area hospitals while rescuers searched for other victims.


Steinbeck's Calif. Birthplace to Close Its Libraries

The central California town of  Salinas, birthplace of Nobel prize-winning author John  Steinbeck who wrote "The Grapes of Wrath," will close its three  libraries next year as a cost-cutting move.


World Bank upbeat on record funds for poor nations

The World Bank's president said on Thursday he was confident it would raise record funds to aid


Elton John calls Taiwan media 'rude, vile pigs'

Taipei, September 23: British rock star Elton John, in Taipei for a concert, swore at reporters who swarmed around him at the airport on Thursday and called them "rude, vile pigs".


Typhoon Xangsane churned toward Vietnam   from the Philippines on Friday after causing at least 16 deaths   and leaving a trail of widespread destruction in its wake.


Snack food maker Kraft Foods Inc. on Wednesday said it agreed to sell its yogurt business to Canadian dessert maker CoolBrands International Inc.


Crude oil prices began their week higher after oil workers in Nigeria announced over the weekend they will launch an indefinite general strike later this month.


FCC Chief Says Cities Blocking Cable Competition: ; Agency to Vote on Measure That Makes Obtaining Franchises Easier

By JOHN DUNBAR  WASHINGTON - Cable television rates keep going up while prices for other communications services are going down, says the nation's chief communications regulator, and he blames local governments for blocking competition.