eBay pirates plead guilty to selling $6m software for pennies

Jail-time beckons Two Americans pleaded guilty today to selling $6m worth of counterfeit software over eBay.â¦


Why Harry Potter will not be a NYT bestseller

New book will be on the children's list, not the best sellers.


The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that current smog standards don't sufficiently protect public health and proposed tightening them for the first time in a decade.


The Miami Herald Ana Menendez Column: Floridians May See Justice for Lost Loves -- Trees

By Ana Menendez, The Miami Herald  Feb. 14--My father's love affair with citrus trees goes back further than I can remember. Other dads played golf; mine spent his weekends pruning, watering, pampering. And wherever we lived, our backyard was always filled with the sweet scent of orange.


A growing number of top economists believe that the U.S. economy has now toppled into recession.


With EBay Auctions, Theaters Bid On a New Brand Of Fundraising

Arena Stage auctioned off a silk kimono from "M. Butterfly" on eBay last week for $637.76. It also unloaded two hand-carved thrones from "Camelot," getting $152.50 for the pair.


Pamela Anderson plans divorce, then scraps it

Former "Baywatch" star and Playboy model Pamela Anderson has apparently reconciled with her third husband just three days after filing for divorce to end their two-month marriage.


Russian prosecutors' investigators raided the accounting division of Yukos, the country's largest oil producer, and seized boxes of bookkeeping records concerning activities for 2003 and 2004, the Interfax news agency reported.


Tropical Storm Isaac became the fifth hurricane of the Atlantic season on Saturday but remained far out in the Atlantic Ocean and was no immediate threat to any land.


Microsoft declares its support for a scheme that aims to make it easier to maintain online identities.


Gli impianti rimarranno chiusi dal 27 febbraio al 2 marzo


Books of The Times: The Dictator as a Young Poet-Thug

This meticulously researched, authoritative biography offers a detailed picture of Stalinâs childhood and youth, his shadowy career as a revolutionary in Georgia and his critical role during the October Revolution.


Uh-Oh! That Mad Scientist May Unlock the Underworld!

This horror film, spun off from an old Atari video game, is so inept on every level you wonder why the distributor didn't toss it directly into the trash.


Utility group AWG backs consortium takeover

Utility firm AWG says it has agreed a consortium takeover worth 2.213 billion pounds -- but has also received approaches from other bidders.


MIAMI -- Every year it's the same -- the relentless refrains of "Santa Baby" and "Silver Bells," those saccharine lyrics that seem to fill every radio frequency, not to mention every speaker in stores and restaurants and offices. By the time Christmas is over, Terri Lynn says she feels saturated.


Panthers' Testaverde Goes Out With a Win

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay resting most of its starters for the playoffs didn't stop Carolina from treating its season finale as a meaningful game and giving Vinny Testaverde a nice send-off.


FDA OKs Kit Used with Hemophilia Therapy

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals said on Monday it  received U.S. regulatory approval for a kit designed to help  patients with the blood disorder hemophilia get regular  treatments more quickly and safely.


Adam Gilchrist scores the second fastest Test century as Australia take complete control of the third Test.


Director David Lynch accepts a lifetime achievement award while opening his new film at the Venice festival.


By SEAN WHALEY and MOLLY BALL  By SEAN WHALEY and MOLLY BALL  REVIEW-JOURNAL  CARSON CITY - Voters in November will be allowed to weigh in on government's authority to seize private property, but not its ability to tax and spend.


Over 250 sick after eating at Indiana Olive Garden

More than 250 people have reported becoming sick after eating at an Olive Garden restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana, a county health official said on Friday, a day after an outbreak of E.coli at Taco Bell restaurants was declared over.


End to governor's race first step in recovery

For the Democrats, the shifting fortunes of Christine Gregoire may seem to justify the pursuit of a hand recount of statewide ballots.


ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey  - Miss Alabama Deidre  Downs was crowned Miss America Saturday, winning a scholarship  worth $50,000.


Japan claimed gold in the women's marathon Sunday. Battling extreme heat and a difficult 42.195 kilometer course through historic Athens, Mizuki Noguchi passed the finish line in two hours, 26.


Conn. Church Focuses on Precise Weddings

VOLUNTOWN, Conn. - Couples with cold feet can back out of a wedding in one step at a Connecticut church...


Without a clear path for acquiring another company, Qwest Communications has to gauge whether it can grow on its own or whether it must fix itself up to be sold.


Palermo, 18:39 - CALCIO, KAKA': FUTURO? SPERO DI GIOCARE NEL MILAN

''Dove giocherÃ² il prossimo anno? Lascio a voi queste scommesse. Come ho detto spero che il mio futu...


Detainee Found Dead Trained With U.S. Forces

A detainee found dead in his cell at Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday was a Saudi army veteran who trained with U.S. forces before fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to military hearing records.


Disaster Strikes Vacationers in Thailand

Thousands of European tourists were beginning their day with breakfast or by sunning themselves on Thailand's white sand beaches when massive waves triggered by an earthquake swept people, bungalows, boats and cars out to sea.


A preliminary hearing for polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was postponed Monday at the request of one of his newly hired lawyers.


AFRICA/COSTA DÂAVORIO - Centro Don Orione di Anyama: 700 parti e 6.000 visite in 7 mesi di attivitÃ  dellÂospedale ostetrico-ginecologico Anyama (Agenzia Fides) - Settecento parti, seimila visite e centinaia di ecografie. Cifre che testimoniano quanto fatto, nel cuore  dell'Africa, da un'equipe di medici italiani, che stanno sostenendo il ''Progetto Afrique'' ad Anyama, in Costa d'Avor...


Kyiv won't change foreign policy after elections - minister

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryschenko said that Kyiv's foreign policy will not change after the presidential elections.


Npower raises electricity prices by 12.7% and gas bills by 17.2%, blaming higher wholesale costs.


Four Palestinians Killed in Violence After Arafat Dies

Israeli soldiers killed four Palestinians  in violent confrontations that erupted following the death of  Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in a French hospital on  Thursday, Palestinians medics said.


Breastfeeding Not the Key to Quick Fat Loss

For new mothers trying to lose those extra pounds, breastfeeding may not be the surefire answer that many women consider it to be, according to two Cincinnati researchers.


With less than 24 hours to go for the second cricket Test match between India and Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, cricket fever has gripped the city, literally.


Airbus postpones a key decision on a major overhaul of the business, amid disagreement between its various European partners.


A high voltage entertainer with good performances from Darshan and Navya Nair. Music is the highlight of this Kannada entertainer. Worth a watch.


Some states offer clues to how votes will fall nationwide

As Americans go to the polls today, they'll bring down the curtain on an election more passionately and tightly contested than ever before - with the possible exception, of course, of the one just four years ago.


Borland, VMware team on testing for virtualization

(InfoWorld) - With virtualization growing in popularity, Borland Software and VMWare are partnering to accommodate the unique application testing needs presented by this paradigm. Both companies are introducing product upgrades that can function with each other. Borland is announcing its SilkCentral Test Manager 2007 software testing package while VMware is offering VMware Lab Manager 2.5, which is an image library management and provisioning system for virtual machine images. SilkCentral Test Manager 2007 features UI-level integration with Lab Manager 2.5. With the integration of the two products, applications can be tested across multiple configurations, Borland said. Users can assign individual tests to run on many different configurations or platforms without having to maintain multiple hardware configurations that otherwise would be needed for testing. "We've integrated with Lab Manager so that when a quality engineer using SilkCentral Test Manager as their test management interface wants to deploy a test on multiple configurations, they can do so with their virtualized environment by leveraging Lab Manager integration," said Brad Johnson, Borland director of product marketing for lifecycle quality management products. "They don't have to leave the SilkCentral Test Manager interface. "What Lab Manager does is it sets up the environment for the test automatically and SilkCentral can perform the tests," said James Phillips, senior director of software lifecycle automation at VMware. Johnson pointed out the necessity of testing applications based on each platform. "When QA organizations test applications, they have to test multiple configurations," Johnson said. It is expensive to maintain separate hardware stacks for configuration testing, he said. With the Borland-VMware combination, tests can be provisioned in minutes rather than days, according to Borland. "You can run tests on different virtualized configurations just as if they were physical configurations," Johnson said. The value of virtualization, he said, is users can have different environments deployed on one virtualized server. "We're embracing the fact that virtualization is quite ubiquitous in IT shops today," Johnson said. Virtual test lab management presents an "incredible opportunity for developers and testers alike," said Carey Schwaber, senior analyst at Forrester Research. "Testers understand that they have a problem, and they often spend upwards of a third of their time trying to manage test environments," Schwaber said. "Dabbling with virtual machines here and there doesn't get you nearly the savings that you can accrue with a virtual test lab management solution. The opportunity for developers is different. Most of them don't even know that they could be building in a production-like environment." Also new in SilkCentral Test Manager 2007 is enhanced requirements testing tied to business requirements. New features in Lab Manager 2.5 include support for iSCSI and NFS storage as well as administration capabilities for cleaning up a storage library. VMware also is offering an ROI calculator to calculate return on investment from using the product. Silk Central Test Manager 2007 pricing starts at $1,700 per seat license for named users. Availability is anticipated in the third quarter of 2007. Lab Manager 2.5, which ships on Monday, starts in price at $15,000. Pricing for a bundle of Lab Manager 2.5 and VMware Infrastructure 3 starts at $35,000. Infrastructure 3 is VMware's core technology for slicing up a server into virtual machines.


Cancer patients are facing unfair dismissal and discrimination at work, a BBC investigation has revealed.


Termometri in picchiata. Piano anti-neve da Autostrade

Gelo in aumento sul nord, sia in montagna che in pianura. Bora a Trieste, con punte di 111 km/h. A Tarvisio 11 gradi sotto zero, -10 a Belluno. Investiti 35 milioni di euro per evitare il blocco del traffico.


China Executes Former Head of Food, Drug Safety

BEIJING, July 10 -- Moving to address mounting concerns about the safety of its exports, China announced Tuesday that it had executed the former head of its food and drug safety agency for accepting bribes in exchange for approving substandard medicines.


Fred Ebb, who wrote the lyrics for such hit Broadway musicals as "Chicago" and "Cabaret" as well as the big-city anthem "New York, New York," has died of a heart attack.


The tech-driven Nasdaq Composite Index got a 1 percent boost on Thursday on gains in the semiconductor sector, but the blue-chip Dow ended down slightly after Caterpillar Inc.


Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 19 to either accept or reject. Players who reject arbitration may sign with former club until Jan. 8 (or after May 1).


Tom Watson made four straight birdies on his way to shooting a 6-under-par 66 in the second round of the U.S. Senior Open on Friday, moving to 8 under for the tournament and taking a three-shot lead over five players.


Carter, Wellstone push mental health act

Rosalynn Carter teamed up with the son of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on Tuesday to push for mental health insurance legislation, with the former first lady saying the goal has never been closer to realization.


10 September 2004 -- A US jet fired missiles at an insurgent stronghold in Al-Fallujah today, the fourth straight day of attacks in the Sunni city west of Baghdad.


The Minnesota Twins were forced to take another frustrating step back, thanks to Magglio Ordonez's mastery of Johan Santana and the relentless Detroit Tigers.


Microsoft antitrust deal earns mixed grades

Justice Department deems soon-to-expire agreement a "success," but unimpressed prosecutors representing California and other state plaintiffs urge lengthier oversight period.


Have you read these pieces, which feature many stocks to buy and stocks to sell?


Iraq revokes security contractor license after shootout

Iraq announced on Monday it had withdrawn the license of a U.S. security firm and would prosecute employees it said were involved in a Baghdad shooting in which 11 people were killed.


Space shuttle Discovery blasts off from Florida

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - The U.S. space shuttle Discovery blasted off atop a cloud of smoke on Tuesday, soaring above Florida marshlands toward a rendezvous in two days with the International Space Station.


At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco yesterday, Intel President Paul Otellini provided further details of the chip giantâs plans to bring multicore processors to servers and desktop PCs, starting with a dual-core server chip in the second half


Back to School: Social Networks Get Schooled

Social networking has come a long way, but it's never been one to cut class.


Coastguard staff have voted to say they would, in principle, hold their first strike in 186 years in a dispute over pay.


Britain studio OK'd to rebuild 007 stage

Pinewood Shepperton PLC, the owner of the studios where films such as "Goldfinger" and "Alien" were filmed, said Thursday it received planning permission to rebuild the James Bond stage after a fire caused extensive damage in July.


Raiders' Brooks: 'What have I got into?'

When Aaron Brooks signed with the Oakland Raiders, he was looking forward to teaming with Randy Moss and Jerry Porter in what he hoped would be a revival season.


Small Audi models will debut in Europe this spring, and the company claims low CO2 emissions. Plus: DaimlerChrysler's Geneva Surprise In Autopia.


No. 18 Duke wins 4th straight since skid

Greg Paulus scored 19 points and DeMarcus Nelson added 14 points and seven rebounds to lead No. 18 Duke to a 67-50 victory over St. John's on Sunday. The victory was Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski's 775th, breaking a tie with Dean Smith for the most wins in 32 seasons.


World health officials warn of threat of global flu pandemic

SINGAPORE Health officials are warning today that the world is close to its next pandemic -- a powerful and highly contagious mix of avian influenza and flu virus that would likely be centered in Asia.


Infineon Execs Plead Guilty in DRAM Price-Fixing, Face Jail Time

Four executives at Infineon Technologies AG and its US subsidiary, Infineon Technologies North America Corp., are to plead guilty to participating in an international conspiracy to fix prices in the DRAM market, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said


Police are awaiting laboratory results after scouring bomb blast sites in a tense west Indian town to try to identify the group behind attacks on Muslim worshippers that killed 31.


Futures si attestano a 46,95 dollari al barile


Hitachi sees smaller fall in plasma TV prices

Hitachi Ltd. said on Tuesday it   expects prices of its plasma display TVs to fall by about 20   percent in the business year to next March, less than its   previous forecast for a decline of 30 percent.


NYSE-Euronext shareholders to judge trans-Atlantic marriage

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


Plan would force some hedge funds to register with US

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter is circulating draft legislation, designed to prevent illegal insider trading, that would require hedge funds that accept pension fund money to register with federal regulators.


Doctors urge Scots to vote for smoking ban

The British Medical Association called on Scottish ministers to show "political courage" and ban smoking in public places.


Harman to Move District Staff to Connecticut

Harman International Industries, the multibillion-dollar manufacturer of high-end audio equipment and electronic systems, will move its District headquarters staff to Connecticut by the end of the year, the company said yesterday.


Francia chiede deroga, vincoli con molte eccezioni


Grande festa alla mezzanotte nella capitale Valletta


Rapper Jay-Z stepping down as Def Jam president

Universal Music Group said on Monday  that Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is stepping down as president of its  Def Jam Records unit, effective by the end of the year.


San Paolo, 15:12 - CALCIO, SAN PAOLO A ADRIANO: DAL 7 GENNAIO NIENTE FESTE

Vacanze agli sgoccioli per Adriano. I dirigenti del San Paolo, il club che ha preso in prestito l'at...


Determined to surpass all the obstacles and embrace new technology, the Iraqi LUG held its first installfest.


Yushenko in netto vantaggio Yanukovich: 'Dura opposizione'

Kiev, 27 dicembre 2004 - Sono giÃ  in 50.000 a festeggiare l'affermazione di Viktor Yushenko alle presidenziali ucraine. Mentre arrivano i primi risultati parziali del ballottaggio di ieri: percentuali favorevoli


Libbyâs Lawyers Question Reporterâs Memory

A lawyer for I. Lewis Libby Jr. tried to portray a former Times reporter as having a âfuzzyâ memory of her conversations with I. Lewis Libby about a C.I.A. agent.


Hopes Dim for Son of NBC Exec Ebersol After Crash

MONTROSE, Colo.  - Colorado officials held out  little hope on Monday that the 14-year-old son of NBC Sports  Chairman Dick Ebersol had survived a fiery plane crash in  western Colorado.


Chappelle OK after brief hospitalization

Dave Chappelle was hospitalized over the weekend for exhaustion, his publicist said Tuesday. The 33-year-old comedian checked into an emergency room on Saturday and was released a few hours later, publicist Carla Sims said.


Both Candidates Use McCain in Campaign Ads

NEW YORK Aug. 29, 2004 - Republican maverick John McCain campaigns with President Bush. He's good friends with Democrat John Kerry.


WPP, the advertising and marketing group, reported a sharp rise in interim profits, boosted by the European football championships, the Olympic Games and the US presidential elections.


'Harry Potter' and 'HairSpray' appear at Google Video.

Blog: Watchdog group notes a big week for YouTube's siter site: three high-profile movies, including one that has yet to debut in theaters, all appeared at Google Video on Monday.


Bush approves 4,400 more troops for Iraq

President George W. Bush has approved adding 4,400 more U.S. troops to a force buildup already ordered to try to bring security to Iraq, the White House said on Saturday.


At least one Iraqi has been killed apparently heeding a top cleric's call to march to Najaf, where clashes go on between US-led forces and Shia militia.


A British soldier has been killed while on patrol in southern Iraq, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.


Nell'ambito del nuovo polo bancario Intesa-San Paolo


A team looking into the problems encountered at the Scottish Parliament election in May is due to report.


Talks between the London Stock Exchange  and the heads of two European bourses are set to resume next week.


Injured Machado Still Stuck in Venezuela

Less than five weeks before they open training camp, the Cincinnati Reds have no idea whether shortstop Anderson Machado has a serious knee injury that could sideline him for the start of the season.


Alitalia's talks with unions look set to continue into the weekend, as management struggle to reach a deal with cabin crew.


Can NBC Do for âQuarterlifeâ What YouTube Could Not?

Some episodes of âQuarterlife,â a drama about a group of good-looking people in their 20s, have yet to attract 100,000 video views.


Schwab Cuts Trading Fees Again, Stock Off

Charles Schwab Corp. SCH.N the  biggest U.S. discount brokerage, on Monday said it would cut  trading fees for the second time since June in a bid to  outmaneuver rivals amid fierce competition.


Channel 4 will show photos of Princess Diana's death, despite the pleas of Princes William and Harry.


After four years of dramatic foreign policy ventures, President Bush has turned his attention to domestic policy, seeking to leave historic stamps on the graduated tax code, the health


Real Madrid Faces Champions League Decider in Empty Stadium

Real Madrid's all-star soccer team will play its sixth and final Champions League group game in an empty Rome stadium next month facing the prospect of first-round elimination for the first time in eight seasons.


U.S. senators urge Ukraine to conduct fair presidential election

We are concerned that it will be a fair and open process, and the campaign will be free of government interference, intimidation or even violence, Sen.


The problem of preserving digital photos and other electronic records for future decades confounds even the experts.


Police investigating the murders of five women stop and question drivers in Ipswich's red light district.


Home remedies for soothing mild burns run the gamut, from aloe vera gel to butter, but how does honey fare?


Stonehenge Settlement Found: Builders' Homes, "Cult Houses"

The village was home to the ancient British monument's builders and the site of mass rituals that may link Stonehenge with another "henge," archaeologists announced.


Il leader di Forza Italia, ci sono dubbi su missione


VATICANO - Cammino di preghiera per la Quaresima -  La VI stazione della Via Crucis: la Veronica asciuga il volto di GesÃ¹ CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - Proponiamo alla riflessione ed alla meditazione, la VI stazione della Via Crucis secondo lo schema usato il 25 marzo 2005, VenerdÃ¬ Santo, per il rito celebrato al Colosseo.   V/. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedic...


BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Several US Marines have been killed or wounded in a massive car-bomb explosion Monday on the outskirts of the Iraqi city of Fallujah.


Jewish community leaders in southern Ukraine asked Thursday for control over the land where a mass grave believed to contain thousands of Holocaust victims was found.


Wolves have ruled Gary Megson out of the running to take over as manager at Molineux. The former Albion boss applied for the vacant manager's job at Wolves as a condition of his departure from The Hawthorns.


Londra, 11:10 - CALCIO, FERGUSON: BECKHAM ROVINATO DA MATRIMONIO

Secondo Sir Alex Ferguson, manager del Manchester United, dopo il matrimonio con Victoria Adams, Dav...


HUNTSVILLE, Texas  - A former oilfield worker who  abducted a woman from a car wash and then murdered her was put  to death by lethal injection on Thursday in the 20th execution  this year in Texas.


Some BBC executives are likely to be suspended while reviews are held into fake phone-ins.


Yushchenko prepares for inauguration as poll panel rejects Yanukovych appeal

KYIV, Ukraine (CP) - Election officials Thursday rejected Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's voluminous challenge to results showing he lost this week's presidential revote, saying he did not prove any widespread violations.


LOS ANGELES - Janet Leigh, the wholesome beauty whose shocking murder in the classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller "Psycho" was credited with making generations of film fans think twice about stepping into a motel room shower, has died. She was 77...


Reagan Daughter Sues Charity in Stem Cell Row

Author Patti Davis, the daughter of  the late President Ronald Reagan, has sued the Salvation Army  for breach of contract, saying the religious group reneged on a  $15,000 speaking engagement because she supports stem cell  research.


Actor Daniel Baldwin in hospital after crash

Actor Daniel Baldwin was  hospitalized with back and neck injuries and faced charges  including reckless driving on Wednesday after crashing his car  on a busy Los Angeles street, police said.


Oregon launches data center, virtualization initiatives

The goal is to save money by going to a shared-services architecture and by standardizing network and other components.


ISLAMBAD: Ditmar Staffelt, German deputy minister for economy, called on Dr Salman Shah, advisor to prime minister on finance, on Monday along with a delegation of German businessmen.


CIA ran secret prisons in Europe, report claims

The CIA ran secret prisons in Poland and Romania from 2003 to 2005 to interrogate terror suspects under a programme authorized by the countries' presidents, a report by a European investigator said Friday.


Her Name Already in Lights, a Star Seeks Fashion Credibility

Jennifer Lopez's hands-on commitment to her fashion line will be on display at her first runway show during New York Fashion Week.


Myanmar Frees Prominent Political Prisoners

Myanmar's junta freed at least two dozen members of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's political party Friday during a mass release of 4,000 people detained "inappropriately


She was once Pamela Anderson Lee. Now actress Pamela Anderson is Mrs. Kid Rock. The former "Baywatch" babe wed the rock star Saturday in St. Tropez, Anderson's spokeswoman, Ann Gurrola, told The Associated Press. She said more details on the wedding would be available Monday.


EU approves Carphone Warehouse bid for AOL UK internet arm

The European Commission has given the green light for the Carphone Warehouse Group to buy AOL's British Internet arm, saying the deal would not significantly impede effective competition in Europe.


Jason Robinson marks his first match as England captain with a dazzling hat-trick as Canada are put to the sword.


22-year-old Briton survives eventful Canadian race to claim his first ever Formula one win.


UN Calls on N.Korea to Scrap Its Atomic Arsenal

The United Nations nuclear watchdog Friday called on North Korea to give up any nuclear weapons it may have and allow UN inspectors to return to verify that the country's atomic program is peaceful.


China announces the funeral of purged Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang is to be held on Saturday.


Companies, including I.B.M. and Cisco Systems, announced plans for a vast network that will be the largest of a new breed of wireless networks being built across the country.


Actor Vinay talks about his mentor, who died on June 25.


Abbas office says no conference invites yet

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's office issued a statement on Sunday to underline that the United States has yet to issue invitations to a Middle East peace conference planned for later this year.


Nice comps report. Too bad about the CEO.


Dow Jones +0,04%, Nasdaq +0,34%.Euro in rialzo a 1,2702 dlr


Zagabria, 12:03 - CALCIO, JUVE: KOVAC ALLA DINAMO ZAGABRIA

Robert Kovac torna in patria. La Dinamo Zagabria ha annunciato l'arrivo del 33enne difensore della J...


Harry Potter faces evil, teen angst in 'Phoenix'

Schoolboy wizard Harry Potter battles for recognition as a grown man in the latest movie of the blockbuster series, in which he finds himself torn between good and evil -- and experiences his first on-screen kiss.


Iniziativa lanciata dalla Puglia con finanziamenti Ue


The founder of Vanguard warns returns will continue to lag the 9.5% that 20th-century investors grew accustomed to.


UK standards authority tells MS to drop 'misleading' Linux ads

An ad running in the UK that implied running a Linux operating system is ten times more expensive than running a Windows operating system has been oficially condemned as misleading by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), after public complaints


Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is donating to charity a $5,000 contribution to his 2004 Senate campaign from an indicted former Illinois official, a spokesman said Friday.


But is a buyback enough to keep the telecom company's investors happy?


Comedian George Carlin Enters Rehab Program

Comedian George Carlin, who became a counter-culture hero in the 1970s with routines about drugs and dirty words, said on Monday he was voluntarily entering a drug and alcohol treatment program.


Iraq war protests greet Cheney's Australia trip

Anti-Iraq war protesters briefly scuffled with police in Sydney on Thursday before the arrival of Vice President Dick Cheney, underlining divisions within one of Washington's firmest allies over the unpopular war.


Square Feet: An Inventive Solution to Save Home of Bell Labs

Online buzz from scientists around the world has turned to thoughts on how to save the legendary Holmdel, N.J., building Â or at least part of it.


The situation in the flood-ravaged Haitian city of Gonaives "remains critical", the UN peacekeeping chief on the island has warned.


Paul McCartney to Headline Halftime Show

Paul McCartney will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 6 as the NFL goes mainstream after the controversy over last February's show.


Heading Into His Stretch Run, An Old Horse Leads the Way

With mandatory retirement near and 23 victories this year, the pacer Air Albert is making is clear that he is not ready to be put out to pasture.


A court in India convicts 14 Hindus of killing Muslims during bloody religious riots nearly 20 years ago.


My father-in-law, Irving "Sheik" Karelis, was born in 1920 in New England, the very year the Red Sox sent Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.


Bono, Hirst auction combines art and charity

The contemporary art world's brightest stars, including Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst, have aligned to provide AIDS relief in Africa with a special auction in New York conceived by Hirst and rock star Bono.


Former Spanish prime minister defends handling of Madrid train ...

Lawmakers investigating the Madrid train bombings censured the previous government's handling of the attack, while former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar insisted Monday the Socialists might not have ousted his party were it not for Spain's worst


Bush Has Three-Point Lead on Kerry -Reuters Poll

President Bush holds a three-point  national lead over Democratic rival John Kerry and has  one-point leads on Kerry in the key states of Ohio and Florida,  according to Reuters/Zogby polls released on Monday.


In 'The Science of Sleep,' a dreamer retreats into a fantasyland. Things go swimmingly until he wakes up.


Raytheon to protest U.S. award to rivals: WSJ

Raytheon Co.  on Saturday filed  a protest with the U.S. government over its award of a U.S.  cargo contract to rival contractors, the Wall Street Journal  reported in its online edition.


INTERNATIONAL health authorities have warned that the world is overdue for a major influenza pandemic, which could strike Australia and kill thousands.


Complaints: A television commercial featuring a wild-driving youngster at the wheel angers auto-safety advocates. DETROIT - General Motors Corp.


Brescia, 19:47 - CALCIO, BRESCIA: CAVASIN PREPARA NOVITA' DI BIAGIO E SCULLI

Il Brescia prepara la sfida casalinga al Cagliari. Nella prima partitella in famiglia della gestione...


Books of the Times: Coming of Age Upstate: To Grow but Not Change?

The big contours of âBridge of Sighsâ are richly evocative and beautifully wrought, delivered with deceptive ease.


H. J. Heinz Co. said Friday its fiscal first-quarter earnings grew 6 percent, driven by double-digit growth in ketchup, beans, soups and Smart Ones meals, and the ketchup maker raised its outlook for the full year.


Citigroup could write down up to $24 billion: report

Citigroup Inc.  could make as much as $24 billion in writedowns and lay off 20,000 workers as part of a plan to cut costs and boost capital, CNBC said on its Website in a report dated on Sunday.


Scientists May Use Drugs to Stop Addiction

Can Prozac help you kick cocaine? Can Ritalin? How about a blood pressure pill or medicine for muscle spasms? If you're an alcoholic, could you get help staying sober by taking an anti-nausea drug used by cancer patients?


Movie Review | 'Rolling Like a Stone': Reflections in Super 8

While âRolling Like a Stoneâ has poignant and funny moments, itâs a serious film about mortality, success and the ephemeral nature of experience and memory.


Andrew Flintoff has been ruled out of the second Test after failing a fitness test on his troublesome ankle.


THE British soldier killed in Iraq on Monday was named yesterday as 27-year-old Private Pita Tukutukuwaqa of the 1st Battalion the Black Watch.


Firenze, 19:13 - CALCIO, 2-0 AL MONZA: IL PISA PROMOSSO IN SERIE B

Grazie al successo per 2-0 sul Monza (ai supplementari) nel ritorno dei playoff di C1.Il Pisa &egrav...


ASIA/CINA - I giovani cinesi si mobilitano per partecipare alla GMG 2008 di Sydney Roma (Agenzia Fides) - Dal continente ad Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao e alle comunitÃ  della diaspora, il mondo dei giovani cinesi si sta mobilitando attivamente per la partecipazione alla GMG 2008 che si terra a Sydney, in Australia, a luglio prossimo. S...


Cuba frees poet Raul Rivero, the latest political prisoner to be freed in recent days after last year's  crackdown.


ARSENAL have contrived many ridiculous misadventures in Europe, but two red cards was a new one even for ArsÃ¨ne Wengerâs team of inexplicably uneasy travellers.


In Russia, parents could win a car for having a baby

ULYANOVSK, Russia - Make a baby, win a car. Do not be surprised if the streets are empty and curtains drawn in this central Russian region today as residents take up an offer by the regional governor to help stem Russia's demographic crisis.


John A. Boardman, the head of the local hotel union, stood in front of about 80 union members who had gathered at the Prince Hall Masonic Temple on U Street NW yesterday evening.


Air operations by a Russian naval task force sailing from the North Atlantic to the Mediterranean represent a potential threat to the safety of civilian flights in the area, an international pilots' group warned Friday.


Kerry: 'W' in Bush's Name Stands for Wrong

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry unveiled a new tack against President Bush this week, arguing that the W. in George W. Bush stands for "wrong."


Complacency Could Cost us Election -UK's Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair will warn Labour Party supporters on Sunday that complacency could cost them a third term in power as he sends the strongest signal yet that he will call an election for May.


Coca-Cola (KO) is expected to settle soon, perhaps as early as Tuesday, a five-year investigation by the European Union into allegations that the soft-drink company abused


Patrimonio gestito in aumento del 6% a 129,6 mld


Germany hunting 10 more suspects in Islamist bomb plot

German police have launched an international hunt for 10 accomplices of the three men held over a foiled Islamist plot to blow up airports and US installations in Germany, a top official said Thursday.


November sales data raised retailers' spirits Monday, as the government reported better results than expected after the holiday season had so far been viewed with some disappointment.


Russian oil group YUKOS has filed for  bankruptcy protection in a U.S. court in an attempt to stop  Russia's government from auctioning off its main production  unit on Dec. 19, it said on Wednesday.


Palestinian Power-Sharing Deal Complicates Rice's Mideast Trip

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that the formation of a Palestinian unity government that includes the Hamas militant group complicates her high-profile peace mission this weekend, strongly suggesting that the new government falls short of standards that would allow a resumption...


Bids Total $2.78 Billion in Opening Day of Auction for Airwaves

The Federal Communications Commissionâs auction of federally owned airwaves is eventually expected to bring the government at least $10 billion.


High lead levels linked to high blood pressure

NEW YORK  - High levels of lead in the   blood and in bone seem to raise the likelihood of developing   high blood pressure, but this may be related in part to low   levels of calcium in the diet, according to two studies.


Could the fate of some of June's hot IPOs be an ill omen for today's IPO hotties?


Ex numero due della Rice favorito per succedere a Wolfowitz


US, N. Korea start nuclear talks in Geneva

The United States and North Korea began face-to-face talks in Geneva on Saturday aimed at reaching an agreement on how to proceed with Pyongyang's denuclearisation pledge.


Human Skin is a Zoo of Bacteria, Scientists Say ; HOME

By Steve Connor  The first detailed survey of the microbial "zoo" living on the human body has found far more species than expected - and a significant proportion are new to science.


IAAF chief calls for end to 'A' test leaks

STUTTGART, Germany  - Athletics chiefs will look   for ways to prevent news of positive doping tests being leaked   before they are confirmed by a 'B' sample, IAAF president   Lamine Diack said on Friday.


Two Palestinians injured as Israel presses raid in southern Gaza

GAZA CITY : Israeli troops pressed ahead with a raid in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis in a bid to stop an increasing flow of mortar shells fired by Palestinian militants ahead of a planned Israeli withdrawal from the territory.


Gear Test | Rechargeable Battery and Solar Panel Units: With a Little Help From the Sun

The Tishman family tests three rechargeable battery and solar panel units on their seven-day climb and an eight-day safari, recharging various iPod nanos, cellphones, and BlackBerries.


IBM tailors SOA lineup for specific industries

Big Blue melds consulting services and assessment tools as it expands its services-oriented architecture business.


Frustrated by Republican efforts to block votes on bringing American combat troops home from Iraq, Senate Democratic leaders were preparing to roll out sleeping cots Tuesday for an all-night debate on the war.


War veterans need more mental help: study

Almost one-third of U.S. soldiers seeking government health care after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are diagnosed with a mental problem, researchers said on Monday in a study calling for more emphasis on the mental wounds of war.


Filmmaker Sidney Lumet to receive honorary Oscar

LOS ANGELES : US filmmaker Sidney Lumet, who directed the 1970s classics "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Network," is to receive an honorary Oscar at next year's Academy Awards, organisers said Wednesday.


Indice Nikkei a -0,28%, euro si indebolisce su dollaro e yen


Everton 'considering' increased Rooney bid

Wayne Rooney will not be in the stands at Old Trafford when Everton meet Manchester United tomorrow - the day before the transfer window closes.


No shortage of public flu vaccine: Butler-Jones

Canada's chief public health officer is urging Canadians not to worry about shortages of the flu vaccine, despite increased interest from the United States.


Blair should keep quiet about kidnapped aid chief: Iraqi husband

LONDON, Oct 22  - The Iraqi husband of the kidnapped Baghdad head of international relief agency CARE criticized British Prime Minister Tony Blair for commenting on his wife's abduction, saying it could put her in even greater danger, in an interview


HP pressured to sell PC business after IBM

SEATTLE, DEC 9: Hewlett-Packard Co will be under pressure to sell its personal computer business after IBM's decision to sell its PC operations to China's top PC manufacturer, but analysts said the No 2 computer maker would hold on to its $25 billion PC


Italian court drops murder case against U.S. soldier

An Italian court dropped a murder case against a U.S. soldier who killed an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Iraq on the grounds that it did not have jurisdiction, lawyers said on Thursday.


Vendors seek unity on identity protocols

Unthinkable a year ago, perhaps, but there are currently indications that Microsoft is starting to think about identity management systems in terms of interoperability. A meeting  later this month with vendors and other organizations such as the Liberty Alliance promises to be productive.


Uno degli aggrediti, anziano, e' in condizioni critiche


Caribbean Casts Wary Eye on Hurricane Frances

The small islands of the northern  Caribbean were on alert on Monday for a close encounter with  powerful Hurricane Frances, while the remnants of Tropical  Storm Gaston limped through North Carolina.


A UN-appointed commission arrives in Sudan to investigate whether genocide has taken place in the region of Darfur.


Physicists have carried out successful teleportation with particles of light over a distance of 600m across the River Danube in Austria.


Afghan President Holds First Cabinet Meeting

27 December 2004 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai held his first cabinet meeting today in Kabul, at which he urged ministers to work together for the future of the country.


Spacewalking astronauts replace worn-out piece of cooling ...

Leaving their orbiting outpost unmanned, the international space station's two astronauts floated outside on a spacewalk Friday and plugged in new antennas and replaced a worn-out piece of cooling equipment.


PluggedIn: Foreclosure Web sites expand audience

Foreclosures were once the turf of the  most aggressive investors, but these days ordinary home buyers  can hunt for fire-sale house prices on a wealth of Internet  sites.


Shares of SuperGen Inc.  dropped 17 percent before the bell on Monday after the company said it withdrew an application to market its pancreatic cancer treatment in the United States due to insufficient data.


Il presidente russo: no all'ingresso dell'Ucraina


Slideshow: Entwistle Case Timeline CAMBRIDGE Neil Entwistle won't be going home for the holidays.Comment


Russia central banker fights for life after attack

The first deputy chairman of Russia's   central bank was fighting for his life in hospital on Thursday   after gunmen with automatic weapons attacked him outside a   Moscow sports stadium and killed his driver.


AFRICA/CONGO RD - Sempre nuovi profughi a causa delle violenze nel nord Kivu Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides)- Nelle ultime settimane sono oltre 30mila le persone in fuga dalle violenze nel nord Kivu, nellÂest della Repubblica Democratica del Congo. Lo denunciano le agenzie dellÂONU, in particolare lÂAlto Commissariato delle Nazioni ...


U.S. Navy attacks al Qaeda suspect in Somalia: CNN

BOSSASSO, Somalia  - A U.S. Navy warship attacked a suspected al Qaeda target in northern Somalia, CNN reported, and residents said on Saturday missiles had pounded hills where foreign jihadists fled after clashing with locals.


Little-known Texas MP3 TechnologiesÂ is taking on Apple, Samsung Electronics, and Sandisk with a patent-infringement lawsuit.


AMERICA - Lettera di ringraziamento del CELAM ai contemplativi per la loro preghiera durante la V Conferenza Generale: continuate a pregare "affinchÃ© tutta la Chiesa pellegrina in America Latina e nei Caraibi si senta  fortemente interpellata dalla chiamata alla missione" BogotÃ  (Agenzia Fides) - La Presidenza del CELAM ha inviato una lettera a tutti i fratelli e sorelle di vita monastica e contemplativa ringraziandoli per aver accompagnato con la preghiera i lavori della V Conferenza Generale di Aparecida. "Non dubit...


Poor sanitation kills 5,000 children a day: report

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


Saudi police have killed seven people they describe as militants after two car bombs exploded in the centre of Riyadh on Wednesday evening.


Two Russian passenger planes crashed  almost simultaneously, killing all 89 people on board in what  investigators said on Wednesday might have been a terrorist  attack or simply a mysterious coincidence.


The home-furnishings retailer reports lower earnings but beats expectations.


Shed no tears for Rulon Gardner. Yes, that really was Gardner, the only man brave enough to not just stand up to the invincible Alexander Karelin but to beat him, nearly


Chuck Langpaul Jr. has been in the custom home business for more than a decade, so he thought he knew a thing or two about groundbreaking ceremonies: Hoist a shovel, snap a picture and it's done.


Craig Bellamy scores a brace and forces an own goal as Wales produce a fine win away in Trnava.


Referendums Wrong Way to Decide Turkey's Fate, Leader Says

The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, touring Europe to gain support for Turkey's proposed membership in the European Union, sharply objected Thursday to plans by several countries to let domestic ...


(Corrected) Toshiba, Others Codevelop Eco-Friendly Chip Resist Removing Tech

(2nd para corrected)  Tokyo, Feb. 19 (Jiji Press)--Toshiba Corp.  has developed an environmentally friendly technology to strip semiconductor resist jointly with two other firms, the major electronics maker said Monday.  The two are Shibaura Mechatronics Corp.


A 35-year-old County Tyrone man appears in court accused of having drugs said to be worth Â£1.5m.


3,000 jobs in store in Sainsbury's recovery plan

British store Sainsburyâs today pledged to recruit 3,000 shop floor staff as part of a strategy aimed at growing sales by Â£2.5bn (â¬3.


French troops in Ivory Coast pull back from some of their positions at the main airport in the largest city, Abidjan.


Delay of Intelligence Overhaul Endangers US Lives, Kean Says

The US will be at a greater risk of a terrorist attack if Congress further delays legislation to reorganize the nation's intelligence services, said Thomas Kean, chairman of the commission that recommended the overhaul.


Arts, Briefly: Change the World? Well, Maybe Not

Neil Young said on Friday that he had lost all hope that music can change the world, as he presented a documentary about 2006 antiwar concert tour by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at the Berlin film festival, Agence France-Presse reported. âI know that the time when music could change the world is past,â Mr. Young said. âI really doubt that a single song can make a difference. It is a reality.â Mr. Young made no distinction between the Vietnam War, during which Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young earned a reputation for political activism, and the war in Iraq, which their tour condemned with songs like âLetâs Impeach the President.â âIt is all the same war, and it hurts everybody,â he said. âItâs a wrong way to solve a problem,â he said, adding that Americans were deluded if they thought they were liberating Iraq.


Hurricane Helene nears peak power over Atlantic

Hurricane Helene neared what was expected  to be its peak intensity on Monday with winds of 125 miles per  hour (205 km per hour) as it churned over the open Atlantic on  a path toward Bermuda, U.S. forecasters said.


NBA Game Summary - San Antonio at Toronto

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Lamond Murray scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, including a clutch three-pointer down the stretch, as the Toronto Raptors ended San Antonio's six-game winning streak with a 96-91 win at the Air Canada Centre


Bush seeks to bolster close U.S. ally Colombia

President George W. Bush's made a quick visit to Colombia on Sunday to show support for his closest South American ally as it fights a decades-old insurgency and drugs war with the help of billions of dollars in U.S. aid.


The director's cut: Soundtracks filmmakers love

Indian film music is  big draw with some Western filmmakers.


Hungry Golovin determined to fulfil her talent

PERTH, Australia  - France's Tatiana Golovin believes she is ready to break into the world's top 10, providing she can stay clear of the injuries that have halted her progress over the past four years.


IBM signs Cigna to 7-year deal worth $723 million

Health insurer Cigna Corp.  has agreed to a seven-year deal worth roughly $100 million a year for the computer services arm of IBM  to build and run its key business systems, IBM said on Wednesday.


Honduran children hunting rabbits who were running from a burning sugarcane field were caught in the blaze themselves. Thirteen youngsters were killed, and a man and a 14th child were severely burned.


ADV: Distance Learning Directory - Online Degrees

Bachelor, Master and Post-Grad degrees online from accredited colleges and universities. Business, Education, IT, Healthcare, more. Browse by degree or program. Request info and get started today.


Inflation jitters slam Wall Street at open

Stocks slid at the open on Friday as a stronger-than-expected reading in a gauge of consumer prices fueled uncertainty about prospects for further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.


Brazil to let U.S. pilots go home after crash probe

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil  - Two U.S. pilots should be allowed to go home after being forced to stay in Brazil for more than two months over their role in the country's worst air disaster, a Brazilian court ruled on Tuesday.


Passano Lazio e Parma L'Udinese vince ma Ã¨ fuori

ROMA, 30 SETTEMBRE 2004 - I risultati delle partite di Coppa Uefa disputate questa sera e le relative qualificazioni. UDINESE-PANIONIOS 1-0 - Non sempre il cuore va oltre l'ostacolo. Nel ritorno del primo


Udine, 17:45 - CALCIO, FLORO FLORES: DA CINQUE ANNI INSEGUIVO LA SERIE A

Toccherà a lui non far rimpiangere Iaquinta all'Udinese, ma Antonio Floro Flores, arrivato in...


Jose Maria Lopez equalled his best result of the year with a fine third place in a wet F3000 race at Spa.


US President Bush stops off in the Czech Republic on his latest European tour, amid growing tensions with Russia.


Complex skull operations were being performed as early as 960AD, remains of a body found at an archaeological dig show.


Cheney Blunder Lauded Anti-Bush Web Site

Vice President Dick Cheney probably did not intend to direct millions of television viewers to a Web site calling for President Bush's defeat but that's what a slip of the domain achieved.


Dutch stroke study urges greater anticoagulant use

Dutch doctors called on Sunday for greater use of oral anticoagulants to prevent strokes in people with a common heart arrhythmia.


Herbert S. Miller, a leading Washington retail developer, has proposed financing the new baseball stadium on the District's Anacostia waterfront partly by building a retail and residential complex anchored by stores such as Wal-Mart or Costco.


New Apple products, services on holiday horizon

DENVER (Billboard) - Not content to rest on its laurels,  Apple has unveiled its master plan to extend its digital music  dominance into the coming holiday season. Here is how the  latest developments shake out.


Taking the concept of mobile Internet beyond e-mail and sports scores, Nokia yesterday announced the N80 Internet Edition, an upgraded version of its Web-enabled cell phone. In addition to a fully-featured browser, 3-megapixel camera, music player and hard drive, the device even allows users to place wireless Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone calls.


Jobless claims down, productivity improves

The number of U.S. workers signing  up for jobless benefits fell by a bigger-than-expected 19,000  last week, and non-farm worker productivity was higher in the  second quarter than first reported, government reports showed  on Thursday.


Barnes & Noble: Anti-Kerry Book in Demand

Barnes & Noble Inc. said Monday it has been pinched by strong demand for a new book that questions the Vietnam-era actions of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.


Segretario di Stato Usa nega chiusura verso palestinesi


Formula One Racing: A surprise in Belgium: Schumacher is 2nd

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium One of the most predictable seasons in the history of Formula One threw up one of the most unpredictable of races on Sunday, when for the first time this year, Michael Schumacher finished a race in a position other than first.


Tens of Thousands of Iraqis May Have Missed Vote

Tens of thousands of Iraqis, notably in  restive Sunni Arab areas, may have been denied their right to  vote on Sunday because of insufficient ballots and polling  centers, officials said.


Roma, 14:13 - CALCIO, FIGC: GIACOMINI NEO PRESIDENTE SETTORE GIOVANILE

Massimo Giacomini è il nuovo responsabile del Settore giovanile e scolastico. Prende il posto...


Pedro Feliz scores from first base on Rich Aurilia's bloop single to give the Giants a 5-4 win over the Brewers, who have lost four in a row.


Palestinian Authority Prevents Voter Registration

Arab "Palestinians" launched a voter registration drive Saturday, a first step toward long-overdue elections, and Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization "Chairman of Terror" Yasser Arafat promised that voting for parliament and president


Microsoft TechFest provides glimpse of future

(InfoWorld) - What do cats and Internet security have in common? If you had attended Microsoft's TechFest 2007 on Tuesday in Redmond, Washington, you would know. At the event, which gave Microsoft Research a chance to demonstrate technologies that may one day turn up in Microsoft or third-party products, the research group out of Redmond, Washington, showed off Asirra (Animal Species Image Recognition for Restricting Access), a technology that uses the identification of photos of cats to ensure that humans, not interactive scripts, are accessing certain Web sites. The problem with human interactive proof (HIP) technologies used today is that they often ask Web users to identify characters, not images, said Jeremy Elson, who works in the Redmond lab of Microsoft Research. HIP technologies are used by Web sites to ensure someone signing up for a blog or for a service is human, not a software program that wants to spam other users of that service or site. Some of the most common ones display a word that appears slightly distorted. However, "it's easy for software to recognize characters" and pass for a human, Elson said. But the Microsoft Research team decided that a foolproof way to identify Web users as a humans versus software programs was to ask them to identify the difference between dogs and cats from images served up on a site. The group teamed with Petfinder to use its database of photos of dogs and cats as the test images. In return, under each photo, an "adopt me" link can take the user to the Petfinder.com site so they can actually look into adopting the animal they have chosen. Anyone interested in using Asirra can download it from this Web site and test the software, Elson said. Asirra was one of a host of technologies out of Microsoft Research on display at TechFest Tuesday. It was the first time the event was open to the public, and more than 300 attendees -- comprised of press, analysts, bloggers, and curiosity seekers -- spent the day on Microsoft's campus in Redmond hearing about and seeing firsthand the work of various research teams. While not every project the 800 researchers spread across five Microsoft Research centers worldwide make it into Microsoft commercial products, researchers and Microsoft product teams are constantly in touch to see how they can work together, said Andrew Herbert, a Microsoft distinguished engineer and director of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, England. "Technology transfer is a contact sport," he said. "You need a lot of contact [with product teams], and you make close contact." Although there are about five reviews of Microsoft Research projects per year by top Microsoft product leaders -- including Chairman Bill Gates -- sometimes it's "simply persistence" that gets technology created by Microsoft Research into a product, said Kevin Scofield, general manager of Microsoft Research. One of the technology areas that was of particular focus at Tuesday's event is one from Microsoft's front lines -- search engines. Microsoft Research demonstrated several projects that aim to improve Internet search, and at least one of those technologies -- which attempts to make searches more relevant -- will likely wind up in Windows Live Search. That technology, called Query Projections, was developed by the Adaptive System and Interaction team at Microsoft Research in Redmond. The technology, as demonstrated by Jurij Leskovec, a Carnegie Mellon computer science student who worked as an intern on the project, creates graphs that map the relationships between links served up when a Web user poses a search query. These graphs are used to see how many of the top search results are actually the most relevant ones for that query, he said. Dan Liegblig, who also worked on Query Projections, said his team talks daily with the Windows Live Search product team and hopes to use its work to improve the relevancy of results delivered by Microsoft's search engine. However, no timeline has been set for when that might happen, he said. Another search technology on display came out of the Integrated Systems Team in Cambridge. That project, called InSite Live, displays a visual graph of a Web site's site map and can show, using graphics of pushpins or by highlighting parts of the site, which areas of the site deliver information to search queries. This graph can be used to show Web site administrators what areas visitors are most interested in, so they might be able to provide better or more information on those pages, said Eduarda Mendes Rodrigues, one of the team's researchers. While Microsoft may be trying to cook up new search technologies toÂ compete with Google, one area in which the company surpasses the search leader is in its open-door policy that lets outsiders get a glimpse of corporate culture, said one TechFest attendee. Opening up TechFest to people outside the company for the first time is one example of that, said Brad Neuberg, an independent researcher in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Something that's really refreshing about Microsoft is their corporate culture has really opened up," he said. "The joke in the Bay Area is that if you're at a party with someone from Google and you ask them 'What are you working on?' they will say, 'I can't tell you.' You rarely encounter that with Microsoft and Yahoo." TechFest continues on Wednesday and Thursday, when it is open only to Microsoft employees.


Banking shares tumble on Northern Rock fallout

The FTSE 100 index of leading shares shed 1.56 percent of its value as nervous investors lost faith in banks after the value of troubled lender Northern Rock slumped by more than 30 percent for the second consecuetive day.


Insurers Object to New Provision in Medicare Law

Private insurers have told the Bush administration that they will not expand their role in Medicare if they have to serve large multistate regions.


Bryan Robson has revealed his determination to retain the adulation of the West Brom fans by avoiding being a flop in his new role as manager at The Hawthorns.


Greenspan Urges Look at Senior Benefit Costs

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan on Friday urged Washington policymakers to consider reducing future Social Security and Medicare benefits, saying that


Chinese FM discusses boosting links with Yemen

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing concluded a visit to Yemen after handing President Ali Abdullah Saleh a message from his Chinese counterpart proposing boosting political and economic links between the two countries, the official SABA news agency reported.


House panel OKs FDA bill without drug ad ban

Legislation meant to improve the  government's drug safety oversight cleared a U.S. House of  Representatives subcommittee on Tuesday without a controversial  limit on television advertisements.


Ledger had 6 types of prescription drugs

Six different types of prescription drugs were found in Heath Ledger's apartment Â including anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills Â though the cause of his death won't be known for several days after a preliminary autopsy Wednesday was inconclusive, authorities said.


Predictable mob humor leaves 'Shark Tale' with a stale taste

"Shark Tale" is a not-quite-fresh fish story. Fairly or not, it's bound to draw comparisons to last year's "Finding Nemo," another computer-animated comedy with quirky hijinks from denizens of the sea.


Kurd rebel ambush kills 16 Turkish soldiers

Separatist Kurdish rebels killed 16 Turkish soldiers and wounded 17 in an ambush Sunday in the mountainous southeast of the country, security sources said.


Right up until the time he took the field for his latest start, Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb was thinking about his friend and college roommate, Jon Hooker, searching the internet for more information about the plane crash that killed Hooker and his new bride.


Investors digested word today that Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has lowered its sales forecast for August, with the possibility that same-store sales may come in flat to up 2%.


Google to Let Workers Sell Options Online

Google has come up with yet another novel way to reward its employees.


Cuban embargo prevented attacks, U.S. official says

CORAL GABLES, Florida  - The U.S. economic embargo against Cuba has deprived its communist government of funds it might otherwise have used for military adventures, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said on Thursday.


The crisis in the US sub-prime mortgage market leads to losses at US consumer finance firm GMAC.


U.S. churches reach out with coffee and roller rinks

SonRise Community Church had been operating without a building for nearly a decade when Pastor Jeff Arington saw the perfect property: an old restaurant on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio.


KANSAS CITY, Kan. Â· Tony Stewart, who knows a thing or two about being in trouble with NASCAR, blistered the organization Saturday in defense of fellow driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.


Gary Pilgrim, once a poster boy for the hot-growth mutual fund mania and the cult surrounding their managers, and his partner Harold Baxter agreed yesterday to pay $80 million each to settle


Doctors Behind Bars: Treating Pain Is Now Risky Business

Dr. Frank Fisher's ordeal lingers as a cautionary tale of what can happen to doctors who treat pain aggressively.


Leading Mugabe critic forced to resign as archbishop but vows to keep up campaign

A leading critic of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has resigned as archbishop of Bulawayo after accusations of adultery appeared in state media but vowed to continue his campaign for democracy.


AT&T, MCI May Be Cheap, But No One Buying

Shares of long-distance phone companies AT&T Corp.  and MCI Inc.  have plunged about 20 percent this year, but potential buyers seem to be holding out for clearance sales.


Giants Seek 100 Yards Rushing at Detroit

Tiki Barber didn't have to be told about the Detroit Lions' success against the run this season.


Scientists Hope to Find More Tiny Indonesia Hominids

Australian scientists who found a new species of hobbit-sized humans who lived about 13,000 years ago on an Indonesian island said on Thursday they expect to discover more new species of hominids on neighboring islands.


UPDATE 1-Solberg wins inaugural Rally of Japan

Subaru's world champion Petter Solberg led from start to finish to win the inaugural Rally of Japan on Sunday. The Norwegian, roaring back from a big crash in Germany two weeks ago


Condoni: Berlusconi, "D'accordo con posizione Siniscalco

NAPOLI - "Non e' il momento di condoni. Dopo un periodo di condoni, abbiamo invece un periodo in cui dobbiamo far sapere che abbasseremo le tasse per tutti i cittadini". Lo ha detto il presidente del Consiglio


CA gives extension to financial examiner

The independent examiner overseeing CA Inc.'s financial reporting has been given a little more time to help the troubled software vendor.


Filmmaker exposes gay life, pollution in China

Documentary maker Ruby  Yang is laying bare some of China's thorniest issues --  HIV/AIDS, tobacco and the ravages of smoking, homosexuality and  the environment.


Saddam trial prosecution shows gas video

Prosecutors in Saddam Hussein's genocide trial showed chilling videos of gassed children lying in a field and villagers fleeing clouds of white smoke, arguing Tuesday that the former president and his regime used chemical weapons against the Kurds of northern Iraq in the late 1980s.


Fox launches new Christian home-video unit

Twentieth Century Fox launched a  Christian home-video label on Tuesday, becoming the first major  studio with a unit devoted to the church-going audience that  turned "The Passion of the Christ" into a blockbuster.


The UK was being warned to brace itself for icy weather with gales and rain also predicted to sweep the country.


Netflix Partners With LG to Bring Movies Straight to TV

Netflix, the DVD-by-mail company with more than 7 million customers, has a new strategy that may one day make those red envelopes obsolete.


The outlook for the global economy this year is decidedly dour, but leading economists at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland had mixed views Wednesday about the possibility of a global recession.


Bush proposes billions for Iraq, may seek more

President George W. Bush on Monday proposed more than $700 billion in new spending for the U.S. military -- much of it for the Iraq war -- in a budget that would curb domestic programs from health to education.


EEOC Moves to Stem Decline in Disabled Workforce

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission plans to sponsor educational events and seminars aimed at reversing the steady decline in the number of federal employees with severe disabilities.


The Delacour's langur monkey, which lives exclusively in Vietnam, is fighting for its existence, conservationists warn.


Eâ scontro duro tra Marco Follini e Marcello Pera. IAl segretario dellâUdc non sono piaciute le dichiarazioni del presidente del Senato sul taglio delle tasse. E cosÃ¬ ha replicato: ''Ho letto che siamo


Firenze, 14:51 - CALCIO, SERIE C1/B: TERNANA-SALERNITANA 0-3 A TAVOLINO

Il Giudice sportivo della serie C Pasquale Marino ha comunicato che la partita Ternana-Salernitana e...


When president Leonid Kuchma created the Ukrainian Supreme Court in 1996, he expected it - like all of the country's institutions â-o be an instrument of his will.


Ipotesi inquirenti su convivente marocchino pregiudicato


OSAF Announces Funding and Personnel Shakeup

Lotus Development founder Mitchell Kapor will begin to phase out his involvement and investment in the Open Source Applications Foundation.


Pavano Meets With Red Sox, and Schilling Makes a Pitch

The free agent right-hander Carl Pavano, who will meet with the Yankees soon, spent two hours at Curt Schilling's home in Medfield, Mass., on Thursday.


Enjoy Thanksgiving Meals, They Can Be Good for You

NEW YORK  - Here's another reason to give  thanks this holiday season: the succulent turkey, cranberry  sauce and sweet potatoes included in many Thanksgiving day  meals may not only look and taste good, but may also be good  for you.


New Bridget Jones movie reads like same diary, different ink ...

"Another year, another diary," Renee Zellweger intones in her now flawless British accent at the start of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.


Red Hat hopes to solidify lead with new Linux

Red Hat hopes its latest release will lock in its position as the Linux leader as more companies vie for a piece of the competitive market.


Italy reacts with horror at hostage killing in Iraq

ROME - Italy reacted with horror Friday at the killing of an Italian hostage in Iraq, while the Italian government insisted it would stay the course in the Middle Eastern country.


Breathing Room Gone, Mickelson Maintains Lead

Phil Mickelson holed a critical 7-foot putt for par on the final hole Saturday to cling to a one-stroke lead over Jeff Quinney at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.


Blogger Influence Raises Ethical Questions

When Jerome Armstrong began consulting for Howard Dean's presidential campaign, he thought the ethical thing to do was to suspend the Web journal where he opined on politics.


Ministro Interno, ingressi degli immigrati tramite 'sponsor'


Crude Oil Falls After US Supplies Rise More Than Expected

Crude oil futures fell after a US Energy Department report showed rising imports boosted inventories by three times the amount analysts forecast.


Tara Cole, who had been living on the streets of Nashville for more than three years, spent her last night alive sleeping on a boat ramp along the Cumberland River. She was killed in the early hours of Aug. 11, when two males pushed her into the river, according to witnesses. Other homeless people couldn't save her.


The Supreme Court limited workers' ability to sue for pay discrimination Tuesday, ruling against a Goodyear employee who earned thousands of dollars less than her male counterparts but waited too long to complain


Editors frontman Tom Smith  contemplates the huge anticipation surrounding the British  band's imminent sophomore set, "An End Has a Start," and  shivers. "I get nervous thinking about it," he says.


A Habsburg heir is hoping someone will take a bite of his offer Monday to sell "Dracula's Castle" in Translyvania.


Feb. 14, 1929: Al Capone's .45 Caliber Valentine

"Bugs" Moran tries to muscle in on Al Capone, and seven of his boys pay the ultimate price in the most spectacular rub-out in mob history -- brought to you courtesy of the Thompson submachine gun.


One-two punch of Charley, Frances could approach record losses

In just 24 days, Charley and Frances have produced the most disruptive hurricane season in Florida history, affecting the lives and livelihoods


Stock futures fell on Thursday,  indicating another drop on Wall Street after renewed worries  about the outlook for the financial sector overshadowed a rate  cut from the Federal Reserve.


Israeli Coalition on Verge of Collapse Over Budget

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's  coalition reeled toward collapse on Wednesday over a budget  vote likely to force him to remake his government or call  elections that would imperil his Gaza withdrawal plan.


Red Hat beats Q2 expectations with Linux sales

Revenue up 28%, net income up 64% Red Hat posted today a sharp rise in earnings during its fiscal second quarter, spurred by (you guessed it) an increase in Linux sales.â¦


For Mark Botwin, itâs always been a vision thing. As an undergraduate psychology major, he was fascinated by the study of visual perception in children. As a young optometry school graduate, his instincts lured him away from traditional practice. But throughout his career, the Mac has been his computer of choice: âitâs a lifelong commitment.â


The Miami Dolphins, having lost all seven  of their games this season, suffered a fresh blow on Monday  when running back Ronnie Brown and safety Renaldo Hill were  ruled out for the season.


Roma, 12:51 - CALCIO, JUVE; DEL PIERO: VITTORIA CON LIVORNO CI DA MORALE

Consueto commento post campionato sul sito di Alessandro Del Piero. "Dopo i due pareggi in campionat...


If you're looking for hard data about the world of search engine marketing, arguably the best single source of metrics is MarketingSherpa's annual


Liverpool storm back on night of high drama

IN THE most dramatic fashion imaginable, Liverpool last night extended their participation in this seasonâs Champions League. No one at Anfield to witness this triumph would dare question the meaning to Steven Gerrard.


Police in Sardinia are investigating further bomb threats, two days after police defused a device near where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is on holiday.


Maroni e Calderoli a Palazzo Chigi per colloqui con Premier


US President George Bush praised former President Bill Clinton Thursday as an able and talented American who led the nation with optimism.


Wilkens quits as vice chairman of Seattle SuperSonics

Lenny Wilkens resigned as vice chairman of the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday, a day after P.J. Carlesimo was appointed the NBA team's new head coach.


Argentine first lady claims presidential win

Argentine first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner declared victory Sunday night as election returns showed her leading all rivals in her bid to succeed her husband and become the country's first female president.


Roger Federer Wins Easily in the Opening Round at Rotterdam

Top-ranked Roger Federer beat Bohdan Ulihrach 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday in the opening round of the ABN Amro tournament.


Iran Acknowledges Talks on Renewed Nuclear Freeze

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator  acknowledged on Wednesday that Tehran was in talks to renew its  freeze of some sensitive nuclear activities.


Re della fusion tra rock, blues e musica latina


Bandiere e slogan: 'vergogna, Vicenza non e' in vendita'


HARRY Redknapp admitted he might as well have been reading a detailed job description as he watched his new charges at Southampton blow a two-goal lead against Middlesbrough.


More than 100 prisoners escaped from a state penitentiary early Friday after hundreds of inmates overpowered guards with knives and bats. Police quickly recaptured most of the men.


The center of Tropical Storm Ernesto   moved over land late on Thursday near Long Beach, North   Carolina, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.


Sixth Man Due in Birmingham Court Over Terror Plot

Five others appeared in London yesterday.One - Parviz Khan - is accused of plotting to kidnap and kill a British soldier.Police have revealed they have seized over four-and-a-half thousand exhibits - including computers and mobile phones.  (c) 2007 Belfast Telegraph.


Leisure company Rank Group agrees to sell its Hard Rock Cafe chain to the Seminole tribe of Florida for $965m.


Marsh CEO says most of 3,000 layoffs due Wednesday

Marsh & McLennan Cos. (MMC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Chief Executive Michael Cherkasky on Tuesday said 90 percent of the 3,000 employees the company plans to lay off will be notified on Wednesday.


Aiming for Films of High Quality and Low Ecological Damage

After producing âAn Inconvenient Truth,â executives at Paramount Vantage decided that all the films made internally by the studio were going to be carbon neutral.


Dozens of Koreans separated for decades by the border dividing North and South exchanged video messages with their kin Tuesday under a new program


Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that imposing wide-ranging sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program would be "irresponsible."


Kevin Brown was picked over Orlando Hernandez to start for the New York Yankees in Friday's Game 3 of their first-round AL playoff series against Minnesota.


Tony Bennett is taking Washington State where the Cougars have never been before, right into the Pac-10 tournament semifinals.


Teheran, concessione titolo a scrittore e' atto provocatorio


Officials: More Than Half of Adult Diabetics Obese

An increasing number of American adults  diagnosed with diabetes are obese, making it more likely they  will suffer heart disease, vision damage and other health  problems, U.S. officials said on Thursday.


Hurricane science in the new century is a mix of growing skill and persistent uncertainty, of intuition and algorithms, satellites and erasers.


AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq  - President George W. Bush raised the prospect of troop cuts in Iraq after meeting top commanders at a desert air base on Monday but said any reduction must be made from a position of strength.


Sport: Mark Hughes has refused to rule himself out of contention for the Newcastle manager's job


Film and television studio  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc unveiled plans on Tuesday to launch a  high-definition television channel this fall on the DirecTV  satellite service with a mix of movies and original programs.


Poland would like NATO base, foreign minister says

Poland would like to host a major NATO military installation on its soil as part of a deeper security relationship with the United States, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Reuters on Thursday.


The UK needs to plan well ahead for the 2012 Olympics to ensure a lasting legacy, two leading think-tanks warn.


Trapped Lebanese flee city of Bint Jbail

Hundreds of Lebanese limped north to safety Monday after weeks spent trapped by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah — including the war's bloodiest ground battle. Some had survived on candy and dirty water. Two died on the road out.


North Korea strongly denied Tuesday that it has provided Syria with secret nuclear cooperation, claiming the charge was fabricated to block progress in the North's relations with the United States


In between years: innovation trends and snippets

Media out-forecast each other with predictions of consumer and marketing trends for 2008: consumer trends, advertising and marketing trends, brand trends, fashion trends, IT trends, marketing trends for small and medium-sized companies.


Senator Hillary Clinton vowed to end the Iraq war if she is elected president in 2008 and the war is still raging when she moves into the White House.


Anticipazione su relazione inaugurazione anno giudiziario


Al Gore Touts Promise of Stem-Cell Research

By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE     SEATTLE  -- Former Vice President Al Gore touted the promise of stem-cell research for curing debilitating and deadly diseases on Friday - using his pitch to stump for fellow Democrats Christine Gregoire and Dave Ross...


Ruling prince of Liechtenstein hands power to son

Prince Hans-Adam II formally handed over day-to-day governing powers to his son Crown Prince Alois on Sunday - and then invited all 33,000 of Liechtenstein's people to a garden party.


MSN adCenter Upgrades with Negative Keyword on Campaign Level

MSN adCenter made some upgrades on Saturday which include the ability to add negative keywords on the campaign level, which apply to all of the different ad groups being run in the campaign. Prior to the upgrade, the negative keyword option was only being run at the ad group level. Negative keywords are terms that will [...]


Mibtel +0,15%, SP/Mib +0,08%, positiva anche Francoforte


Londra, 19:42 - TENNIS, WIMBLEDON: HENIN IN SEMIFINALE

La belga Justine Henin, testa di serie numero 1, si è qualificata per la semifinale del torne...


In sentencing, the judge must find that the convicted Al Qaeda recruit aimed to influence a government. But his trial has scant record of motive.


Calif. seeks indictment of ex-HP chairman Dunn

California's attorney general filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday seeking indictments of former Hewlett-Packard Co. Chairman Patricia Dunn and four others for their roles in a probe into board leaks.


Racing Around the Globe, Solving a History Mystery

The hyperactive sequel âNational Treasure: Book of Secretsâ sends its archaeologist hero on a globetrotting quest that might have been devised after a long night of Wikipedia surfing.


N. Korea puts new demand, may delay nuclear shutdown

North Korea has said it wants to get promised shipments of oil before shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, delaying again a key obligation under a February nuclear agreement, U.S. officials said on Monday.


(InfoWorld) - Web 2.0 has come to search engine optimization. Or rather, search engine optimizers have discovered Web 2.0. That's according to experts who spoke on Monday at the Search Marketing Expo in Seattle. "We all go to Google and Yahoo and MSN and Ask.com and make them work for us, that's our job," said Rand Fishkin, CEO and co-founder of SEOmoz, an SEO (search engine optimization) consulting company. "Our job is now extended into this new realm." Fishkin and others said that they're carefully using social networking sites to improve traffic to their customers' sites and build their brands. By attracting more traffic and links, sites can improve their search rankings. Some of the social networking sites Fishkin likes to use are YouTube, Wikipedia, Yelp, MySpace, Flickr, and Technorati. Other sites, such as Digg, Del.icio.us, TechCrunch, and Reddit, can also be used to boost brands and awareness through viral marketing, he said. "Social media marketing is about going out to Web 2.0-style sites and approaching them with the mentality of 'I'm going to contribute to this community,'" Fishkin said. That's an important distinction because marketers that use Web 2.0 sites in ways that counter the community's accepted use can run into trouble. "If you break these rules, users get nasty," said Neil Patel, author of the Pronet Advertising blog andÂ CTO at ACS, a search engine optimization company. "They'll keep pestering you and really ruin your life." For instance, a company that submits lots of its own content, creates multiple accounts in order to vote repeatedly, adds biased content, and asks friends for votes will run afoul of most communities, he said. But Patel also had advice for how marketers make the sites work for them. For instance, he recommends working hard to grow your "friends" list. If a marketer submits content and a lot of people vote on it, that marketer should add those people to their friends list. "Or, if you vote on stories and others vote on the same, they probably have similar interests" and could also be added as friends, he said. Also, becoming a top user on one site can translate onto others. Patel is well known on Digg, and when he goes onto Netscape, people there recognize him and then "show me love," he said. MySpace can also be a good outlet to build a brand and improve a company's online presence, said Cindy Krum, senior SEO analyst at Blue Moon Works. Companies can have MySpace profiles for different brands or products or even for specific people at the company who may be well known. Videos, coupons for free stuff, games, and podcasts are all good content for attracting people to MySpace pages, she said. "It's especially powerful because [social networking sites] allow users to publicly affiliate themselves with a brand in a way that is highly visible to their peer set," she said. While some companies may think that their target customer doesn't fit with the demographic of people using many of these social networking sites, the experts say participating in the sites is still worth it. "It's a jump-off point," said Todd Malicoat, an Internet marketing consultant at Stuntdubl, an SEO consulting company. "It may not be my audience at Digg, but if they like what I have to say, it will get to Techmeme, and then I'll get in front of the demographic I really want to go after." They all agreed that social networking sites can really improve a company's online reputation, but only if used carefully. Patel's ultimate words of wisdom: "Do what is ethical, don't jeopardize your brand, think long term."


Woods Ends Season With Second Straight Title

Woods made a strong statement Sunday at the Target World Challenge, closing with a 5-under 66 for a two-shot victory over Padraig Harrington and heading into the short offseason with two straight stroke-play titles.


The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Developer Diary

Well, we started the project soon after Morrowind, and our team was split into two groups -- one working on technology for Oblivion, and one working on expansion packs.


Burt Rutan: Building 'Tomorrowland' One Launch at a Time

MOJAVE, California -- Nobody can claim that Burt  Rutan, the innovative aerospace designer, doesn't have his head in the  cloudsÂand his eyes focused on the stars.


Funeral held for anti-apartheid Afrikaner

The funeral has taken place of Dr Beyers Naude, one of the leading anti-apartheid campaigners in South Africa, who died earlier this month aged 89.


New aircraft can fly non-stop from UK to Australia

NON-STOP flights between Britain and Australia were made possible yesterday with the launch of the world - s newest passenger aircraft.


Pope John Paul II, recovered from the flu and respiratory problems that left him hospitalized for 10 days, is spending this week in a retreat for his traditional Lenten period of spiritual reflection.


A chain goes for the testosterone with big burgers and video games.


Newcastle boss Graeme Souness enjoyed mixed emotions after his sideâs 2-0 UEFA Cup victory over Dinamo Tbilisi. Goals either side of half-time from Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy


Oil prices back above $50 despite Saudi pledge

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Red-hot world oil prices simmered just above 50 dollars on Wednesday after a pledge by Saudi Arabia to lift output brought only fleeting respite to a market gripped by supply fears, analysts said.


The funeral of murdered Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh is set to take place in Amsterdam on Tuesday.


US presses NATO to prepare takeover of Afghanistan military ...

POIANA BRASOV, Romania : The United States pressed its NATO allies to begin military planning for possibly taking over command of operations in Afghanistan from US forces as early as next year.


The approved merger of Spanish toll road operator Abertis with Italian counterpart Autostrade is cancelled.


WTO Pushes More Farm Subsidies Reductions

Further reductions in European Union farm subsidies would significantly boost global commerce, the World Trade Organization said Wednesday.


Jackson to Throw Kids Holiday Party at Neverland

Michael Jackson is throwing the  gates of his Neverland Valley Ranch -- the place where he is  accused of molesting a young boy -- open to dozens of children  for a holiday party on Friday.


Pechino, 13:28 - BASKET, CINA: FEDERAZIONE RIDUCE CALENDARIO, YAO MING CRITICO

Per lasciare piÃ¹ spazio alla Nazionale in vista dei Giochi Asiatici di Doha e delle Olimpiadi del 20...


US gunship targets Shiite rebels in Najaf

NAJAF, IraqâUS forces launched a fresh assault on Shiite rebels in the city of Najaf today after talks on transferring control of the mosque at the centre of a two-week siege ran into difficulties.


Q&A: Microsoft's Fathi OK with number of Vista bugs so far

In an interview, Ben Fathi, the Microsoft executive in charge of Windows development, said he thinks Windows Vista is on track to meet his goal of the new OS having half the flaws that Windows XP did in its first year.


Oil tanker spills 30,000 gallons into the Delaware

Times Staff and Wire reports TINICUM -- Globs of heavy crude oil were flowing down the Delaware River Saturday, covering boats docked along the river and threatening fish and waterfowl.


The father of a murdered British tourist is flying to Kenya to call for a new  inquiry into his daughter's 1988 death.


Ex French Polynesia prez on hunger strike

Oscar Temaru, the former president of French Polynesia who favors independence from France, has started a hunger strike to protest his ouster.


Pakistan accuses al Qaeda of killing Bhutto

Pakistan accused al Qaeda of killing  opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, whose assassination has  plunged the nuclear-armed country into crisis and triggered  bloody protests.


Users are being warned about a Windows virus that travels with a game of Tetris.


Belgrado, 14:40 - Basket, Europei: Italia con Germania, Russia e Ucraina

Sono stati effettuati oggi a Belgrado i sorteggi degli europei di basket in programma in Serbia dal ...


NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, who has led the US space program through one of its worst tragedies and into one of its most ambitious endeavors, will likely resign this week to take a $500,000


ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co., the world's largest beverage maker, said Thursday it has tapped its international operations chief to fill the company's vacant No. 2 position.


George Clooney Becomes UN Peace Activist

Actor George Clooney has been made a United Nations "messenger of peace" to promote the organisation's peacekeeping activities around the world.  The Hollywood star has campaigned to stop the conflict in Darfur, Sudan.   UN Secretary General Ban Ki-...


BRADLEY HUGHES returned to Huntingdale after a six-year hiatus to remind everyone why he was once considered the next big thing of Australian golf.


Internet radio stations rebuff pigopolists' 'compromise'

The future of online radio in jeopardy Internet radio stations have rejected a compromise proposal from the US music industry on higher music licence payments. It would allow small stations to keep the old fee structure, but stations claim the deal is designed to stunt net radio's growth.â¦


Each time Matt Cain has taken the mound against San Diego this season, the game has been meaningful. He has pitched well every outing — and his latest gem helped the Giants gain ground on their division rival in the wild card race. Cain carried a no-hit bid into the sixth on the way to his fourth straight victory, and San Francisco pulled within 2 1/2 games of the NL wild-card leading Padres with a 4-0 win Friday night.


A provisional agreement has been reached over Iran's nuclear program in talks conducted in Paris, but it must now be taken back to the capitals of Iran, Britain, Germany and France for confirmation, Iran and the EU said.


Israelis and Palestinians seek release of kidnapped journalist

JERUSALEM - Israel and the Palestinian Authority were engaged in intensive efforts Tuesday morning to secure the release of an Israeli Druze employee of CNN who was kidnapped by masked men in Gaza City.


Roddick admits mixed feelings over Agassi

Andy Roddick reached the U.S. Open   fourth round with a five-set win over big-hitting Spaniard   Fernando Verdasco on Sunday but the American's next opponent is   a surprise.


EU sanctions against Cuba leave ambassadors in limbo

Cuba has released five political prisoners, including poet and journalist Raul Rivero, in recent days, in an apparent attempt to improve ties with the European Union.


Il fidanzato di Chiara Poggi accusato di omicidio volontario


No-Till Conference to Be Hosted in January

By Greeley Tribune, Colo.  Dec. 17--The Colorado Conservation Tillage Association and the National Sunflower Association will host the 19th Annual High Plains No-Till Conference, Jan. 30-31 at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley.


Edwards says others can learn from her story

Elizabeth Edwards told NBC's Katie Couric on Thursday that she had not been as diligent about checking for breast cancer as she should have been.


Weak economic data and concerns about fallout from the assassination of the Pakistani opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, pushed shares lower on Thursday.


Antidepressant Helps Kids with Social Anxiety

A commonly used antidepressant appears to help kids with social anxiety disorder, which causes them to become extremely distressed by ordinary social situations, new research shows.


New federal numbers put the number of Americans infected with the AIDS virus each year close to 50 percent higher than previous estimates, activist groups and some media reported, but federal officials denied on Sunday that the data was finished yet.


Iraq. Visita a sorpresa di Rumsfeld a Mosul

Il segretario alla Difesa degli Stati Uniti Donald Rumsfeld a sorpresa a Mossul per una visita ai soldati americani alla vigilia del Natale. Rumsfeld Ã¨ arrivato questa mattina nel nord dell'Iraq, nella base


More flu vaccine due to arrive next week

About 440,000 doses of flu vaccine will be shipped to Florida during the next week, with 160,000 going straight to physicians and the rest to health departments, state health officials said on Friday.


The German auto group BMW will present its strategy for the future on Thursday, a source close the matter told AFP, with press reports saying it would focus on improved production and cleaner cars.


Oregon State kicker Alexis Serna didn't hide in embarrassment Tuesday over his three missed extra points against LSU. Instead, he was back at work.


Reggio Calabria, 18:52 - CALCIO, REGGINA: MISSIROLI UNICO INFORTUNATO

In casa Reggina Simone Missiroli è l'unico infortunato. Per lui distorsione alla caviglia. Le...


Blake's Behavior Unnatural After Murder - Witness

Actor Robert Blake's behavior  seemed unnatural on the night his wife was shot to death, a  witness testified at the "Baretta" star's murder trial on  Tuesday.


By MATTHEW DALY  WASHINGTON - Toxic fumes from gasoline, motor vehicles and fuel containers would be cut significantly under new federal rules the Bush administration developed under legal pressure from environmental groups.


Jolts of Electricity Reviving Coral Reef

As the late-afternoon sun bathes the beach with a soft warmth, gentle waves lap quietly at the shore — and strollers occasionally stumble over a thick wad of white cables embedded in the fine, black sand.


Too Little to Fly in Size-Obsessed America

LAUSANNE, Switzerland Small cars abound in this city along the shores of Lake Geneva. I chose to drive one of the smallest, the 2007 Chevrolet Matiz 0.8 SE.


Clinton, Obama seek to lock in key votes before Christmas

Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama battled Saturday to lock in votes in key states for the 2008 presidential nominations before the Christmas-New Year holiday.


Open for Debates: Help CQPolitics Track Those Candidate Forums

This document contains a compiled selection of debates and candidate forums that are scheduled to be held between now and Nov. 7 in a variety of key contests.


Oprah Unveils Latest Miracle and TV Show

On her program Monday, Oprah Winfrey and her design expert Nate Berkus unveil his latest miracle: building a dream house for a couple in order to give their three young daughters a second chance.  The segment is part of a preview for Winfrey and Berk...


Madison, MS (Sports Network) - Fred Funk fashioned an eight-under 64 on Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead through three rounds of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic.


In a presidential race where the Democratic candidates are competing as agents of change, Hillary Rodham Clinton's most reliable campaign prop is something of a political relic Â her husband.


Dallas Burn defender Cory Gibbs agreed to a 4 1/2-year contract with Feyenoord Rotterdam on Thursday.


MBIA ousts CEO Dunton, taps former chief Brown

MBIA Inc  ousted Chief Executive Gary Dunton and replaced him with former CEO Joseph "Jay" Brown as the bond insurer scrambles to overcome mortgage-related losses, maintain a top credit rating and restore market confidence.


U.S. still waiting for N.Korean nuclear inventory

North Korea said on Friday it had already accounted for its nuclear arms program as required under an international disarmament deal -- an assertion quickly rejected by the United States, which urged Pyongyang to produce a declaration soon.


Remembering Altman with a slew of tributes

NEW YORK  - It has been almost a year since Robert Altman stood on the stage of the Kodak Theater on March 5 to receive his long-overdue honorary Academy Award.


NEW YORK -- The 72-hour period of mourning for the Yankees is officially over, which means George Steinbrenner's revolving door is now officially open. So who's going and who's coming? Get out your checklists.


Fed policy on target, inflation to ebb: Yellen

Current U.S. interest rate policy should promote a further drop in inflation although risks are still skewed toward higher prices, San Francisco Federal Reserve President Janet Yellen said on Thursday.


Google Stock Falls as Share Total Doubles

Shares of Google Inc. GOOG.O  fell 6.67 percent on Tuesday, as selling restrictions were  lifted on 39 million shares held by employees and early  investors in the newly public Web search company.


Contatti tra i due colossi per la costruzione di un'auto


Cooling housing market takes pressure off Bank of England

The Bank of England is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.75 percent on Thursday after recent signs that a string of hikes have started to douse the red-hot housing market.


McDonald's to Pay $8.5 Million in Trans Fat Lawsuit

McDonald's has agreed to pay $8.5  million to settle a lawsuit over artery-clogging trans fats in  its cooking oils, the company said on Friday.


TJX settles with banks over credit card breach

Now it only has to worry about disgruntled punters Retailer TJX has reached a settlement with all but one of the seven banks and bankers' associations that sued it after a security breach put millions of customers' credit data at risk of fraud.â¦


Amy Winehouse's father-in-law urges the singer's fans to boycott her music until she seeks medical help.


Fatah Gunmen Threaten to Kill 3 Hamas Leaders

The Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades said they would be killed so Âthese filthy people can be made an example.Â


Computer-scouring software rivals Google tool

The Redmond, Washington-based software allows the user to quickly locate files on personal computers -- just like Google's two-month-old rival product.


Many Hispanics Fail to Notice N.F.L.âs Popularity

The N.F.L. might be more popular in Mexico than it is among Spanish-speaking people in the United States.


US allocates $300 million to help victims of violence in Sudan

US President George W. Bush signed a bill on Thursday, authorizing 300 million dollars to help victims of violence and support peace talks in Sudan, local mass media reported.


Today on the presidential campaign trail

Clinton and Obama offer different paths to White House ... Huckabee tells N.H. voters he takes the presidency seriously ... McCain tells N.H. voters to ignore money, negative ads ... Hoping to rebound, Clinton urges New Hampshire voters to vet and question candidates ... Obama reaches out to N.H. independents ... Kucinich, Hunter, Gravel cut from ABC News presidential debates set for Saturday ... Edwards puts Clinton back into the mix ... Loss behind him, Romney seeks rebound


A glitch at U.S. Airways yesterday affected self-serve kiosks used by about two-thirds of the airlines' customers, causing long lines and delays that affected air travel even today.


Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill had an MRI exam on his aching right wrist Wednesday, a day after he scored a season-low eight points on 4-for-14 shooting.


Rain, Rain, Come Again: Parched Conditions Caused By Lingering Drought Have Many Looking to the Sky

By Jessica Klipa, The Bradenton Herald, Fla.  Jun. 27--MANATEE -- With June rain levels well below normal, much-needed rain is expected this week, bringing relief, but not an end to parched conditions caused by the lingering drought.