For Oracle, one obstacle removed but many await

Oracle Corp can celebrate a ruling by a US judge that it can take over archrival PeopleSoft Inc, but analysts say the world's second biggest software maker has a battery of other barriers to overcome before a deal is clinched.


French Consumers Drive Economy, Trade Gap

The French economy surged ahead in the fourth quarter of 2004 but missed the government's growth target, and high oil prices and consumer demand for imports pushed trade into the red for the first time in four years.


Jenson Button believes that Michael Schumacher will not wear the Formula One crown forever and intends to challenge the German for the Drivers' title next season.


Description: Efforts are under way to arrange a ceasefire in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City, where militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been battling US forces.


Hawaii residents choose between liberal five-term incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka and nervy challenger Rep. Ed Case in Saturday's Democratic primary.


Three British nationals, believed to be  civilians, were snatched by gunmen from a house in central  Baghdad early on Thursday, Iraq's Interior Ministry said.


Landis extends American streak in France

The craziest Tour de France in memory ended Sunday the same way the last seven had: with an American wearing the yellow jersey, this time with a Landis instead of a Lance.


Suspected pro-Taliban  militants shot dead two Pakistani tribesmen near the Afghan  border after accusing them of being U.S. informers, government  officials and witnesses said.


Oman's 84-member advisory Shura Council will have no women members after 21 female candidates failed to win seats in Saturday's election.


High court judge to rule on divorce terms after parties fail to reach agreement


The U.S. Copyright Office says it should be legal for you to crack lockout codes that keep you from porting your cell-phone to another carrier. And retro-gamers will be able to crack copy protection on abandoned titles -- for "archival" purposes. In Gear Factor.


TURKEYâS prime minister said admitting his Muslim-majority country to the European Union would contribute to "reconciliation between civilisations".


Struggling Alcatel-Lucent to handle AT&T's 3G expansion

Quickly following up the announcement by AT&T earlier this month that it would be expanding its 3G network by 80 cities to nearly 350 US Markets, Alcatel-Lucent announced today that it will be in charge of supplying it.


Final Harry Potter book gets record Amazon orders

Amazon.com Inc.  said on  Friday first-day advance orders for "Harry Potter and the  Deathly Hallows," the seventh and last installment of J.K.  Rowling's successful book series, were 547 percent higher than  for its predecessor.


A day before President Bush's war address, Senate Democrats rejected a four-star general's recommendation to keep some 130,000 troops in Iraq through next summer and sought legislation that would limit the mission of U.S. forces.


LOS ANGELES -- Ayinde Ubaka scored eight of his career-high 29 points in overtime and California stunned fourth-ranked UCLA 76-69 in the Pac-10 tournament quarterfinals Thursday night. UCLA's second straight loss dealt a serious blow to its hopes of being a No. 1 seed in next week's NCAA tournament.


Smaller, faster, cooler, more efficient: The 2007 mobile CPU road map

Intel's new Centrino platform and 45nm fabrication process, AMD's innovative new CPU design and hints from both companies about quad-core mobile CPUs mean the mobile chip wars are hotter than ever.


The Olympic hosts are winning rave reviews after the first week of the Athens Games, with foreign visitors expressing delight with the friendly, clean and well-organised Greek capital.


NEW YORK -- Worries about the job market chipped away at Americans' confidence in the economy in November, a private research group said Tuesday, boosting concerns about the important holiday shopping season.


9 'courageous firefighters' die in warehouse blaze

An inferno raced through a Charleston, South Carolina, furniture warehouse collapsing its roof and killing nine firefighters in a tragedy that the city's mayor described as "difficult to fathom." "They lost their lives fighting for the safety of our citizens," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. said.


Two months after Democrats took control of Congress, there isn't much to show for the switch in power — despite feverish efforts to weigh in on meaty matters, such as the war in Iraq.


ANN ARBOR, Mich.  -- Ryan Mallett has left the Michigan football program, and the quarterback might be reunited with his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.


Danone is in talks to sell its biscuit and cereal unit to the world's biggest biscuit maker, Kraft Foods.


Indonesian quakes trigger tsunami alerts

Indonesia was shaken Thursday by the third powerful earthquake in less than 24 hours, and survivors described watching in horror as the ocean retreated and raced back to shore as a 10-foot-high tsunami.


African twig brushes offer all-day dental care

Brush your teeth every day, dentists say. In Africa, that can mean keeping your toothbrush in your mouth all day long.


Even before the dust had settled from the $10 million Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight, the sand was being kicked up for another, potentially more lucrative space race: the


The recent problems of Dominoâs Pizza speak volumes about the challenges facing both companies and consumers in the year ahead.


Private sector leaders analyzed changes in business environment, call on WTO to strengthen guidance

The lV Leadership Forum, held from 24-25 September in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, gathered leading personalities from the private sector to analyze the current situation in international tourism.


Chilean Judge Charges Pinochet in Rights Case

By Ignacio Badal SANTIAGO, Chile  - A Chilean judge on Mondayformally charged Augusto Pinochet with homicide and kidnappingin one of many pending cases related to human rights abusescommitted during his 17-year rule, and ordered house arrest forthe former dictator.


MANCHESTER, N.H., Aug. 25 -- A Democratic president would raise taxes and ravage the economy, Republican candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani said Saturday, while he would lower taxes, make permanent President Bush's tax cuts and eliminate inheritance taxes.


Business Models Generate Winning Investments

Find winning investments looking beyond just the products they sell.


A UN mission goes to Darfur to see if Sudan's government is  keeping promises to improve security.


Fur-Filled Show Likely to Ruffle Feathers

Expect fur to fly at the newest  exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.


Bill Richardson — governor, presidential candidate, hunter — is a good shot, and he has the prey to prove it.


ORLANDO, Fla. - President Bush and John Kerry, shifting away from the sharp debate over war and terrorism, return to bread-and-butter economic issues in campaign stops in two closely divided states...


China says Jan-May trade surplus $85.72 bln

China had a trade surplus of $85.72 billion in the first five months of 2007, up more than 80 percent from the same period a year before, a commerce ministry official said on Saturday.


Blast traps 162 as death toll soars in China's coal mines

A massive gas explosion left up to 162 coal miners trapped underground in Shaanxi province in central China yesterday, in one of the worst mining disasters in four years.


Courtney Love has been ordered to stand trial for an assault charge on November 10th.  Apparently she is accused of assaulting Kristin King, whom she found sleeping on the couch of Love's ex-boyfriend, Jim Barber.  Love is accused of pouring a bottle o...


U.S. Seeks to Deport Accused Nazi Demjanjuk

The U.S. government said on Friday  it had asked an immigration judge to deport John Demjanjuk, a  Ukrainian immigrant and retired auto-worker who is accused of  working as a guard at several Nazi camps.


A County in California Allows Merrill to Come Back

Orange Countyâs board of supervisors put the investment bank on its list of firms qualified to provide it with underwriting services.


UK's Charles to Marry Camilla Parker Bowles

Britain's heir-to-the throne Prince Charles is to marry his longtime lover Camilla Parker Bowles, his office announced on Thursday.


Tim Henman will play Mikhail Youzhny for the first time today on what both men have reason to regard as a court of dreams here at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy.


Server operators sued in bid to stymie online file-sharing

Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of computer servers that help relay digital movie files across online file-sharing networks.


3 buddies' river trip reveals heart of dorkiness

Without a Paddle: Comedy. Starring Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Dax Shepard. Directed by Steven Brill. Written by Jay Leggett, Mitch Rouse, Fred Wolf, Harris Goldberg and Tom Nursall. (PG-13. 98 minutes. At Bay Area theaters).


Trial of Ex-Chief of HealthSouth Is Set to Open

The trial of Richard Scrushy, the former chief executive of HealthSouth, the chain of rehabilitation hospitals, on fraud charges opens next week.


BRUSSELS/SAO PAULO  - Shareholders gave their  blessing on Friday for Belgium's Interbrew INTB.BR to buy  Brazil's AmBev AMBV4.SA in a $9.7 billion deal that  will create the world's largest brewer.


E-commerce sales to boom for next 5 years

Analyst firms Jupiter Research and Forrester, in separate reports,  said they expect online retail sales to soar to $215 billion to $335 billion by 2012.


Microsoft renews bid despite Yahoo rejection

Yahoo's rejection Monday of Microsoft's buyout offer sets the stage for the US software giant to up the ante or attempt a coup by ousting the Internet firm's board of directors.


For Lobbyists, the Hottest Parties Fall Outside the Official Lineup

Small, private events will give lobbyists a chance to build the relationships essential to advancing their clients' interests.


The pound slumped to a low against the dollar with investors looking ahead to Wednesday's release of the minutes to the December Monetary Policy Committee meeting.


Former "Sopranos" star Michael Imperioli said he was at a loss to guess why someone left a pipe bomb that detonated outside a theater he owns.


PATTANI, Thailand -- Thailand's prime minister has said security forces made mistakes handling a group of Muslim rioters and has expressed regret that nearly 80 people died of suffocation while in custody.


Iraqi baby returning home after treatment

A 14-month-old Iraqi girl who received free treatment in the United States for a possibly fatal growth in her neck began the trip home Tuesday, about six months after her parents brought her to a U.S. military ...


This oil company has the chops to make a good investment.


China Sentences Man to Death in Ant Case

BEIJING - A Chinese business executive was sentenced to death for swindling $385 million from investors in a bogus ant-breeding scheme, a court official said Thursday.


Could a Republican-controlled Congress, pass a bill to protect the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance from court challenges?


Some psoriasis linked to higher death rates: study

People who suffer from severe psoriasis die younger than people with mild cases or without the disease, for reasons that are unclear, researchers said on Monday.


Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, a strong proponent of gun control during his years as New York mayor, told a Southern audience Friday that he supports the constitutional right to bear arms.


Londra, 11:56 - F1, GP MALESIA: PRONTI PER GARA NOTTURNA DAL 2009

Dal 2009 Sepang sarà in grado di organizzare un Gp di Malesia in versione notturna. Mokhzani ...


S.Korea has first female justice in Supreme Court

South Korean National Assembly Monday approved the appointment of the nation's first female Supreme Court justice, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency.


They are quarterbacks for a new age, transcending racial stereotypes and tossing aside the accepted notions of how the job should be done once the ball is snapped.


Donald Trump expands from the boardroom into booze

Real estate mogul Donald Trump is using his evocative image to travel from the top floor to the top shelf.


AC Milan sign Brazilian striker Ronaldo from Real Madrid for Â£4.95m.


Thai police expand probe into murder of Russians

PATTAYA, Thailand  - Thai police are looking into the possibility an unemployed Thai who confessed to murdering two Russian women in the resort city of Pattaya had not acted alone, the national police chief said on Saturday.


Sudanese foreign minister: Darfur crisis `tribal conflict,' not ...

Sudan's foreign minister on Thursday dismissed claims by the United Nations that his country's Darfur region is experiencing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, saying instead


Moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln  Chafee, a frequent foe of President George W. Bush's policies,  beat a conservative primary challenger on Tuesday in a race  crucial to Republican hopes of retaining Senate control in  November's election.


Five Days: China Makes a U.S. Deal, but Itâs Not With Washington

The United States and China ended talks with unfinished business, as China took a $3 billion stake in the Blackstone Group.


AT&T says plans to participate in wireless auction

AT&T Inc  said on Friday it  plans to participate in an upcoming government auction of  airwaves in the 700-Megahertz spectrum band, but it is still  deciding whether to bid for a portion of the spectrum reserved  for open access.


Nursing Home Owners Acquitted in Katrina Deaths

ST. FRANCISVILLE, La., Sept. 7 -- The day before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, Sal and Mabel Mangano waffled, then decided against evacuating the mom-and-pop nursing home they owned.


Four Indians chosen for Italian state award

The award, instituted by the Italian government in 1997 to recognise eminent Italians and foreign nationals residing outside Italy, would be given away by Ambassador Antonio Armellini on October 18.


When Tony Cooper and Lisa Kingscott left their four-seater light plane parked in a field to have lunch with friends nearby, they paid little attention to the cows quietly grazing nearby.


Flickr upload tool turns 3.0, goes open-source

Let the porting begin: Uploadr 3.0 is not only out of beta, it's also governed by the GPL now.


Anche se a guardare l'andamento del giorno per giorno magari non Ã¨ sembrato cosÃ¬, eppure il 2004 Ã¨ stato l'anno delle Borse e soprattutto di Milano, incoronata Â«regina d'EuropaÂ». Per il 2005 gli esperti


Dopo scoperta di 2 errori in test utilizzati in tutt'Italia


USDA Backs Production of Rice With Human Genes

The Agriculture Department has given a preliminary green light for the first commercial production of a food crop engineered to contain human genes, reigniting fears that biomedically potent substances in high-tech plants could escape and turn up in other foods.


Vienna, 11:43 - F1, RED BULL: DOORNBOS AL POSTO DI KLIEN NEGLI ULTIMI 3 GP

L'olandese Robert Doornbos sostituirà l'austriaco Christian Klien al volante della Red Bull n...


An operating system for smart phones might make up for a rough quarter and Microsoft nipping at its heels.


Tom Lehman takes a one-stroke lead in to Sunday's final round at the $4 million Michelin Championship. Lehman, Dicky Pride, Andre Stolz and Greg Chalmers - each of whom


Australia nuclear plant plot trial opens in Paris

A French Muslim convert suspected of  plotting to attack an Australian nuclear power station went on  trial on terrorism charges in a Paris court on Wednesday.


Violence mars Chelsea win; Arsenal, Fulham, Middlesbrough win in ...

Mateja Kezman scored his first goal for Chelsea on Wednesday as the Blues beat West Ham 1-0 in a League Cup match marred by crowd violence.


The My Yahoo service will soon get a significant upgrade, the company's chief executive officer said today.


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.


Some of the real estate coveted most by the Internet giants isn't on the Internet at all. It's on your computer hard drive.


Secret CIA prisons confirmed by Polish and Romanian officials

The CIA operated secret prisons in Europe where terrorism suspects could be interrogated and were allegedly tortured, inquiry concludes.


By PULLAR-STRECKER Tom  TELECOM will install ADSL2+ Internet access equipment in 120 exchanges in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin by the end of the year, tripling the maximum download speed of its copper broadband network.


From Cleaners to Cleanup: Site Gets EPA's OK

By Gavin Off, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio  Jun. 11--The design of the Lane Avenue Shopping Center changed over the  years, but there was one constant: Some stores sat on toxic soil and water.


A rib bone and a piece of cloth supposedly recovered after Joan of Arc was burned at the stake are probably not hers, according to experts trying to unravel one of the mysteries surrounding the 15th century French heroine.


Processo si terra' a Milano il 22 gennaio


U.S. Existing Home Sales Fall in December

Sales of existing homes in the United States fell by 3.3 percent in December from a record November high, a trade association report showed on Tuesday.


A British military helicopter crashes in the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Defence says, with six feared killed.


Mentre il sindaco raggiunge Roma per parlare con Sodano


Dell recalls 4.4 million notebook adapters

Dell has voluntarily recalled 4.4 million AC adapters for its notebooks after receiving seven reports of the adapters overheating, posing a risk of fire or electrical shock for users.


A more cautious Food and Drug Administration dealt Procter & Gamble a setback in its bid to be first to market a drug to improve women's sex drive.


Aston Villa are reprimanded by the FA Premier League for making an illegal approach for James Beattie.


Ramon Ortiz pitched four-hit ball for eight stellar innings and led the Anaheim Angels over the New York Yankees, 5-0, on Friday.


Minnesota's 34-13 loss to the Giants last week ended a four-game win streak and shrunk its division lead to one game over the Lions and Packers.


More questions than answers for Redskins

FOXBOROUGH - It was more of a math problem than a moral one for Redskins defensive lineman Phillip Daniels.


A state panel investigating the Virginia Tech shootings obtained a tape recording and transcripts of gunman Seung-Hui Cho's mental health hearing by court order Tuesday.


Art Reviews: Ashcan Views of New Yorkers, Warts, High Spirits and All

The Ashcan artists were a lively bunch of provincial rebels who created Americaâs first true avant-garde, and their chapter in the book of art history is still fascinating.


Briefs: Tulsans Invited to Attend Citywide Planning Meetings

By Staff Reports  City of Tulsa and Mayor Kathy Taylor are inviting interested Tulsans to take part in citywide planning meetings.  The planning meetings derive from the city's comprehensive plan, called "Planitulsa: Our Plan. Our Future," according to a media release.


Napoli batte il Lecce, la Juventus lascia i tre punti a Bari


When it comes to health care reform, Hillary Rodham Clinton epitomizes the old adage, "once burned, twice shy."


Pope Beatifies Emperor, Nun, Three Others

VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II on Sunday honored two figures linked to controversy, beatifying a German mystic whose violent visions of Christ's suffering helped inspire Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and an Austrian emperor whose troops used poison gas.    Beatification is the last formal step in the Catholic Church before the possible conferring of sainthood, and John Paul has now beatified a record 1,338 faithful in his quest to give believers new models of sanctity...


Reds outfielder Freel exits on stretcher

Cincinnati Reds center fielder Ryan Freel was injured after colliding with right fielder Norris Hopper on Monday and placed on a stretcher before taken by ambulance to a hospital.


Phones, flat-panel TVs spark LG's profit

LG Electronics said Thursday its fourth-quarter net profit was more than 12 times greater than earnings in the same period a year ago amid record mobile phone sales and a turnaround in its flat panel subsidiary.


Iraq PM calls on Saddam officers to return to army

Iraq's Shi'ite prime minister called on Saturday for the return of all officers of Saddam Hussein's disbanded army in a political overture to disaffected Sunni Arabs aimed at reducing sectarian violence.


Toll Brothers Inc. , which builds luxury homes, reported lower quarterly earnings on Tuesday amid a slowdown in the U.S. housing market, sending its shares down more than 3 percent before the market opened.


Roger Federer dangled, Andy Roddick got mangled, and the nerves of 6,510 devotees were tangled and jangled during a breezy, bleak afternoon


Il gruppo ha facolta' di acquistare il 6,079%


LA jury rejects malpractice claim against Botox manufacturer

LOS ANGELES A jury has rejected claims that Botox treatments caused health problems in the wife of a former movie studio executive.


The NCAA turned down Cincinnati quarterback Ben Mauk's request for another season of eligibility, a major setback for the up-and-coming Big East team that finished with a No. 17 ranking.


Register to win a $2,400 scholarship for you or a family member. Simply fill out the 3-step form for additional information from any of our colleges and you will automatically be entered.


Abraham May Have Violated Terms of Treatment Program

Jets defensive end John Abraham has apparently violated the terms of his substance abuse treatment program with the NFL after test results showed high levels


Seoul Journal: Tracking an Online Trend, and a Route to Suicide

There is a disturbing trend in South Korea: people using the Web to trade tips about suicide and, in some cases, to form suicide pacts.


The swearing-in of New Jersey's next governor caps a tumultuous transition period that began with Gov. James E. McGreevey's stunning disclosure that he would resign because of a gay sex scandal.


Beirut rally piles pressure on U.S.-backed govt

Hundreds of thousands of chanting protesters swamped Beirut on Sunday in a Hezbollah-led rally that marked a leap forward in the opposition's drive to unseat Lebanon's Western-backed government.


To DJ Scotty Boy, nothing feels or sounds quite like vinylâvelvety and tactile, warm and analog. LPs also weigh a ton, cost a fortune and scratch at the worst possible times. So the deejayâs ditched his disks for a Mac notebook, iTunes and some powerful deejay software called Rane Serato Scratch Live, giving him the convenience of digital files and the tangible feel of vinyl.


Italian officials said Wednesday they were tracing the movements of an American man infected with a rare and dangerous form of tuberculosis who honeymooned in Rome for two days despite being told to turn himself in to health authorities.


Two gun firms agree to pay more than $2m to the families of victims of the US sniper shootings in 2002.


The head of China's central bank said on Sunday Beijing's efforts to curb excessive credit growth were bearing fruit, increasing chances the country's booming economy would achieve a "soft landing.


Iphtashu Fitz writes "CNet News is reporting that 4 major internet providers - AOL, Earthlink, Microsoft, and Yahoo, have filed another bunch of lawsuits against spammers.


Bush backpedals too late from Swift Boaters

A flop. Now a flip. President Bush watched silently as a member of his campaign committee and one of his biggest financial supporters created a smear machine known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.


Mexico Opposition Fights to Hold Veracruz Bastion

Mexico's main opposition party fought to hold on to one of its oldest electoral bastions ahead of 2006 presidential elections, in a close governor's race on Sunday in Veracruz state.


The future king of the oil-rich sultanate of Brunei married a 17-year-old half-Swiss commoner Thursday at a wedding attended by royalty and dignitaries from around the world.


A brother and sister who sent junk e-mail to millions of America Online customers were convicted in the nation's first felony prosecution of internet spam distributors.


Tale of the Tapes Continues With New Evidence

After meeting with N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, Senator Arlen Specter said that he was âmore determinedâ to continue probing the videotaping controversy that has entangled the league.


UK scientists have developed two tests for avian flu to safeguard against an outbreak.


Google comes up trumps in AdWords dispute

'Internal use' not trademark violation A New York district court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Rescuecom, a computer repair firm, that accused Google of trademark infringement by selling its brand as a search term.â¦


British police arrest 8 on terror charges

British police arrested eight people in a major anti-terrorism swoop on Wednesday which media reports said had thwarted a plot to kidnap a young man and carry out an " Iraq-style" execution.Comment


American Michael Phelps swam an Olympic-record time of 1 minute, 57.14 seconds in the 200-meter individual medley Thursday night.


LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. -- Three-time major champion Lindsay Davenport is pregnant and will miss at least the start of the 2007 tennis season.


Colorado AD Resigns After Turbulent Year

DENVER (Sports Network) - Colorado athletic director Dick  Tharp resigned Monday, the latest development in a year that  saw the university's football team embroiled in a scandal  involving alleged recruiting violations.


Chiedono rimpatrio in base a convenzione giudiziaria paesi


Oprah Winfrey Surprises Audience With New Cars

_ In addition to advice, encouragement and inspiration, Oprah Winfrey had a special gift for every member of her audience _ a $28,000 car.


In India, Complaints About a U.S. Nuclear Deal

An agreeement to allow India to import nuclear fuel from the U.S. arouses protests at both ends of India's political spectrum


US Stocks Rise; S&P 500 Has Best Three-Week Rally Since 2002

US stocks rose, capping the Standard & Poor's 500 Index's best three-week rally in two years, as better-than-expected reports on retail sales and consumer confidence suggested the economy may accelerate.


The restoration of a blind woman's sight using foetal tissues is likely to spark ethical debate, say scientists.


'Exorcist' Scares Up No. 1 Slot at Box Office

"Exorcist: The Beginning," a film that had to be re-shot with a new director because the first version was not scary enough, led the North American box office over the weekend, as moviegoers once again flocked to the resurrection of an aging franchise.


A fresh round of talks is due to begin in NI in an effort to unblock the political impasse and restore devolution.


Terna, martedi' 27 toccato il record storico


Gold Coast, 10:14 - TENNIS, WTA GOLD COAST: FUORI SCHIAVONE E PENNETTA

Francesca Schiavone e Flavia Pennetta sono state eliminate al secondo turno del torneo Wta di Gold C...


Three sent for UK radiological tests after spy death

Three people have been sent to a special clinic for radiological tests following the death of a former Russian spy in London, a spokeswoman for Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) said on Monday.


Bill Clinton's presidential library raised more than 10 percent of the cost of its $165 million facility from foreign sources, with the most generous overseas donation coming from Saudi Arabia, according to interviews yesterday.


A 20-year-old white man convicted of beating a black man with a baseball bat was sentenced to 15 years behind bars, with the victim calling him a "wretched person."


Inflammation in the brain is clearly a feature of autism, according to a new study published November 15, 2004, in online edition of Annals of Neurology (http://www.


Colombia Taking Control of Pharmacy Chain

Colombia's government launched a three-day operation to seize control of the country's largest pharmacy chain over alleged links to the Cali cocaine cartel.


Judge to Decide if French Trader Remains Free

JÃ©rÃ´me Kerviel, the SociÃ©tÃ© GÃ©nÃ©rale trader accused of losing $7.1 billion in illegal trades, could spend months in a jail while an investigation runs its course.


Fishing Just for Fun Damages Stocks, Study Finds

WASHINGTON - People fishing for sport are doing far more damage to US marine fish stocks than anyone thought, accounting for nearly a quarter of the catch from overfished species, researchers said.


ANAHEIM, Calif. There's a chance John Smoltz could return to the Atlanta Braves' rotation if the team finds another closer.


The Pentagon announces charges against six Guantanamo Bay inmates over the 9/11 attacks.


Accessible Playground Still $150,000 Short

By Amanda O'Toole, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.  Feb. 1--A red and yellow sign heralding a new playground stands at the northern entrance of Sedgwick County Park.


South-Central L.A. Hospital in Critical Condition

LOS ANGELES -- Activists who fought hard to bring a hospital to south-central Los Angeles after the 1965 Watts riots are in mourning since the announcement that their beloved but deeply troubled hospital failed a crucial federal inspection and will lose more than half its funding.


California court bars unmasking of Web critic

A California appeals court on  Wednesday said an anonymous Internet poster does not have to  reveal his identity after being sued for making "scathing  verbal attacks" against executives at a Florida company on a  Yahoo! Inc  message board.


WASHINGTON -- The economy rebounded with a good head of steam in the spring before a credit crisis raised new fears about longer-term business health.


Nanotechnology is reshaping the world of textiles.


Anisotropy--there's a word you don't hear everyday. It's the focus of IBM research published this week that could result in incredibly tiny computers.


Painting a Rosy Picture of a Costly Fighter Jet

Lockheed Martinâs $600 billion Joint Strike Fighter program is only now moving off the drawing board and into first flight.


Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein will be online to discuss his latest column, which looks at the Bush administration's plans for Social Security and health care.


Japanese bank battle a break from the past

In the old days in Japan, a merger between two banks would have been quietly brokered behind closed doors. But the current clash between two major Japanese banks over competing


I say somehow because Sunday was a virtual wipeout, between trick-or-treating and a Steelers game that started at 4:15 pm and plowed into the start of the moviegoing evening.


The dancing and celebrating behind him, new Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal moves into office with a slate of hefty promises to clean up the state's corrupt image, rebuild after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and reverse what he called "decades of failure in government."


Miguel Tejada homered twice and drove in five runs, rookie Daniel Cabrera threw six strong innings, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins, 12-3, yesterday in Minneapolis.


Rwanda Sends Troops to Protect Truce Monitors in Sudan

Dozens of Rwandan soldiers flew into Sudan's troubled Darfur region Sunday, the first foreign armed forces deployed in the area since Arab militiamen began a rampage against black African farmers, killing tens of thousands.


Honda expansion plans: 100 new jobs will be created with $70 ...

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama continues a pattern of growth with an announcement Tuesday of a multi-million dollar expansion project.


Car bomb explodes outside outside the gates of Abu Ghraib prison

A car bomb exploded outside the Abu Ghraib prison on Sunday, killing one militant, the military said. The attack occurred at 6:30 am when a vehicle tried to crash through the prison's protective gate, said Lt.


Prospetto quotazione '96 non preciso.Gruppo: tutto veritiero


Prodi dials up trouble over Telecom Italia restructuring

Italy's new leftist government under Romano Prodi was shaken in the first test of its industrial policy involving telecommunications giant Telecom Italia.


On Nov. 2, GOP Got More Bang For Its Billion, Analysis Shows

In the most expensive presidential contest in the nation's history, John F. Kerry and his Democratic supporters nearly matched President Bush and the Republicans, who outspent them by just $60 million, $1.14 billion to $1.08 billion.


Wall Street slid in early trading after a profit warning from Capital One raised concerns about a spread of the turmoil in the credit markets.


Starbucks raising U.S. drinks prices next week

Starbucks Corp will raise U.S. prices on coffee, lattes and other drinks by an average of 9 cents a cup next week to help offset soaring costs for milk and other commodities, a spokesman said on Monday.


Israel frees scores of Palestinian prisoners

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Israel freed more than 250 Palestinian prisoners on Friday as part of a U.S.-backed deal to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas Islamists took over the Gaza Strip last month.


U.S. stock futures inched higher on Wednesday as investors scoured for beaten-down shares a day after Wall Street suffered its worst slide in three weeks.


The Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai has been clubbed in the head by riot police officers. She has been denounced as a subversive.


Judge OKs Cuts for UAL Pilots, Attendants

UAL Corp. on Monday won court approval  for wage cuts for United Airlines' pilots and flight attendants  worth $311 million annually, clearing a hurdle in its bid to  exit bankruptcy protection by the year-end.  The rulings by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Eugene Wedoff move  United UALAQ.OB a step closer to achieving $725 million  in  annual labor savings it says it needs to exit Chapter 11.


NHL Assault Victim Said Ambushed by Court Hearing

Nearly a year after he was the victim of a brutal on-ice attack, National Hockey League player Steve Moore said on Thursday he still cannot lead a normal life and his lawyer


Yes friends, you read correctly. Inside:  I find it very hard to get a good coffee Chinos are more versatile than I previously thought I discover the mother of all MacBook mods


Holy Saturno! It's old hat for the pope again

Pope Benedict on Wednesday showed once more that he has a thing for old hats.


Zarqawi Group Posts Video of Attack on UK Troops

A group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab  al-Zarqawi posted an Internet video on Sunday of a suicide car  bombing which killed three British troops in Iraq.


Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic won the right Monday to defend himself at his trial for genocide and war crimes at The Hague, the BBC reported.


Microsoft Corp.'s planned release of its long-awaited Vista operating system on Jan. 30 is scrambling the calculations of computer makers, retailers, and shoppers in the final week before Christmas.


HP unveils 25 fresh consumer electronics products

Hewlett-Packard on Friday will launch 25 consumer products, part of its push toward digital entertainment as some of its other units struggle.


Sorry, E.T., but Parcel Post May Beat Phoning Home

A physicist and an electrical engineer claim it is more efficient to send a long message as a physical package, a cosmic FedEx, than as radio wave or laser pulse.


Too many maths tests from the age of seven are damaging pupils' enthusiasm and knowledge, a report says.


IBM Puts on Demand Spotlight on Content Management

IBM Corp has expanded its on Demand initiative with new products and services aimed at its content management business.  The Armonk, New York-based IT giant debuted its new FileNet P8 4.0, a content management and records management system based on its recent acquisition of FileNet Corp.


Bolton manager Sam Allardyce says striker Wayne Rooney should have been given his marching orders during Manchester United's 2-0 win.


National Perspectives: How Solid a Line Against Development?

The future of the Urban Development Boundary is up for grabs in Miami-Dade County as farmers and environmentalists face off about new construction.


Udine, 19:48 - CALCIO, INTER; MANCINI: PAGATA L'INFERIORITA' NUMERICA

Roberto Mancini giustifica il misero pareggio della sua Inter contro l'Udinese. "Sicuramente abbiamo...


Adozione internazionale non va demonizzata, oggi fuori luogo


Several key Republicans urged Gov. Rick Perry on Monday to rescind his executive order making Texas the first state to require girls to be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.


Roma, 20:51 - CALCIO, LAZIO; ROSSI: NON SIAMO BELLI MA ORA CONTANO PUNTI

Delio Rossi si gode i successi ottenuti su Chievo e Atalanta: "Non saremo belli, ma al momento i pu...


Herpes outbreak triggers wrestling ban in Minnesota

An outbreak of a contagious rash called herpes gladiatorum among Minnesota high school wrestlers led the state to suspend matches and halt contact practices, authorities said on Wednesday.


Danish ISP may fight order to fence in The Pirate Bay

One of Denmark's largest ISPs is considering fighting a court order to shut off its subscribers' access to The Pirate Bay, the embattled file-sharing search engine.Tele2 was ordered to shut off access last week after the court concluded The Pirate Bay facilitates the trading of copyright material without the permission of rights holders, according to a translation by the Danish Pirate Party, a digital rights activist group.Tele2 complied, but plans to meet on Monday with other telecommunications companies on whether it should challenge the ruling, said Nicholai Pfeiffer, chief of regulations for Tele2, on Wednesday. So far, other Danish ISPs (Internet service providers) have not shut off access."In this case, we think it is needed to have a clarification of the legal grounds, and that is why we are discussing this with the other companies," Pfeiffer said.The court's ruling was hailed by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which along with other industry groups, are lobbying governments to force ISPs to undertake stronger measures against piracy, such as content filtering.This latest legal move in Denmark has a precedent. Last year, a Danish court order ISPs within the country to block AllofMP3.com, the Russia-based Web site that sold albums for download well below market prices. The ISPs complied. Record industry groups charged the site was a fraud and was not paying royalties for the music it sold.But concerns abound over whether ISPs should be forced to take responsibility for content that goes across their networks. In a statement released Wednesday, Tele2 said that discussions over copyright issues should take place between those who have the rights to the content and those who are hosting it, not network operators.The situation in Denmark is just the latest fracas involving The Pirate Bay, which is based in Sweden. Last week, Swedish authorities charged four people affiliated with the BitTorrent search engine for facilitating copyright violations.The Pirate Bay's owners say they do not host illegal content on their servers but merely allow people to find torrents, or small information files that coordinate the download of content from computers around the world via P-to-P (peer-to-peer) sharing. After a police raid, the site's servers are now located outside of Sweden.The Pirate Bay quickly moved this week to restore service to Tele2 subscribers by setting up a new Web site. Tele2 subscribers who trying to visit The Pirate Bay can go to The Jesper Bay , according to the TorrentFreak blog . The site gives instructions on how to get access to The Pirate Bay.(Rune Pedersen of Computerworld Denmark contributed to this report.)


Bomb Blasts in Baghdad Kill at Least 16 -Police

Insurgents detonated at least two bombs  near a U.S. military convoy in southern Baghdad on Thursday,  killing at least 16 people, while a suicide bomber killed two  Iraqi police and a U.S. soldier west of the capital.


Ucraina, campagna elettorale chiude con ultime tensioni

L'ultima giornata della campagna elettorale si Ã¨ chiusa in Ucrania ancora con qualche tensione. Il ballottaggio presidenziale bis di domenica 26 dicembre tra i due Viktor, l'oppositore filo occidentale Yushenko


Viewpoint: So she gave the dog to another family. Is this any reason for a talk-show host to get America in an uproar?


A murder inquiry is launched into the "violent" death of a Polish student whose body was found inside a church.


Maryland's elections chief says polls in the state's primary will stay open an extra 90 minutes because of icy weather that has created traffic gridlock.


Escobar: "Rispetteremo il patrimonio storico e artistico"


Let's see. Real Salt Lake soccer has never shown a profit. Last year it lost $10 million. It is asking Salt Lake taxpayers for $45 million but will still need an additional $10 million (which it does not have) to start the stadium.


Right after two Minnesota teammates hit back-to-back home runs, Torii Hunter tried to be the hero.


Nel 2008 previsto +2,3%, a 87,8 barili al giorno


Laptop Computers Pose Fertility Risk For Men

If you're a man, you may want to place your laptop computer on a desk instead of your lap, because a new study warns that the heat generated from a laptop may impair male fertility.


DES MOINES, Iowa  - Barack Obama took the first step to winning the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday with a victory in Iowa, while Mike Huckabee capped a stunning political rise to beat Republican rival Mitt Romney.


Nasce grande distretto per competere con colossi stranieri


A Palestinian refugee plotted the coordinated bombings targeting Israeli tourists at resorts in the Sinai and accidentally killed himself during the deadliest attack, Egyptian authorities said yesterday.


Russia Launches Supplies to Astronauts in Orbit

A Russian spaceship blasted off on Friday carrying vital food and water to two astronauts whose supplies have been rationed because they were running so low.


Public Library to Expand Hours and Services, and Restructure Branches

The additional hours restore some but not all of the cuts in service caused by reductions in the city's budget after the terrorist attacks in 2001.


The suspected kingpin of one of Mexico's oldest and most notorious drug cartels ordered the murder of Tijuana's deputy police chief and the beheadings of three police officers, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.


No detassare aumenti contrattuali legati a produttivita'


WASHINGTON - The number of Americans living in poverty increased by 1.3 million last year, while the ranks of the uninsured swelled by 1.4 million, the Census Bureau reported Thursday.    It was the third straight annual increase for both categories...


London: After setting many a hearts flutter by his theatrics on the football field England soccer captain David Beckham is all set to take a plunge in tinsel town by acting in 'Goal!


Rich Marcello sees a brighter future as Hewlett-Packard gets a new model of the Intel chip for its Integrity servers.


West Indies captain Brian Lara should be fit to lead his side in the ICC Champions Trophy final against England on Saturday. Lara has been cleared of serious injury after being struck on the neck by a Shoaib


Londra, 12:39 - CALCIO, WEST BROMWICH ALBION: ESONERATO BRYAN ROBSON

Il West Bromwich Albion, club di serie B inglese, ha esonerato il tecnico Bryan Robson, in carica da...


Serbia's President Boris Tadic survives an apparent assassination attempt when a car tries to ram his motorcade.


Ruby on Rails hands on: What's so hot about Rails?

Why all the buzz around this development framework? Because creating database-driven Web apps can be faster and simpler. See how Rails works, complete with introductory code, in this excerpt from O'Reilly Media's Ruby on Rails: Up and Running.


Sale del 10,6% a 45,8 mld euro, lo rende noto l'Acri


European Press Review: Farewell, Democracy?

European editorialists on Tuesday commented on the plans by Russian President Vladimir Putin to change the countryâs political system and the continuing violence in Iraq.


Al Qaeda is present along the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan and is encouraging Afghan insurgents to disrupt presidential elections scheduled in just two weeks, on Oct.


Hundreds of thousands of techno music fans revel in the streets of Rotterdam, Holland, for the Fast Forward Dance Parade.


Looking to make a start? Boy, are you in luck.


After missing the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, Northborough's Sarah Callaghan has returned to the Tufts University women's soccer team.


Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat Dies at 75

Yasser Arafat, the leader for decades of a fight for Palestinian independence from Israel, has died at a military hospital in Paris, according to news reports.


Shuttle crew returns to Florida for new liftoff

The crew of the U.S.  space shuttle Atlantis returned to Florida on Saturday to  prepare for a new launch attempt on NASA's first International  Space Station assembly mission in nearly four years.


Influential movie Svengali in the spotlight

It is hard to  imagine the hugely successful career trajectories of either  Jane Campion or Clint Eastwood without the crucial involvement  of Pierre Rissient, the most important person in the film  business you have never heard of.


One militant of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) was killed in a gunbattle with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Nablus Monday morning, witnesses said.


Ken Burns's in-your-face documentary on World War II revisits the battlefield and home front of yesteryear. But for viewers, the subtext will inevitably be todayâand Iraq.


Before we get to the major order of business, I invite you to ponder the following pitching lines.


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


Kennedy Scion Accused in Lawsuit of Sexual Assault

Sen. Edward Kennedy's nephew William  Kennedy Smith, acquitted of rape in Florida in 1991, has been  accused of sexually assaulting his former personal assistant  five years ago in a lawsuit filed by the woman.


Struggling doughnut chain Krispy  Kreme Doughnuts Inc. KKD.N said on Tuesday it is slashing 25  percent of its staff outside retail outlets and needs to secure  new funding by the end of March.


NEW YORK - Andy Roddick scuffed his hand, scuffled with the chair umpire and barely shook hands with Rafael Nadal when the match was over. A tough night for the defending U.S...


CBS anchor Couric not worried by poor ratings

"CBS Evening News" anchor  Katie Couric says she tries not to worry about ratings, even  though her third-placed newscast has failed to gain much ground  in the six months since she took the job.


Czech Republic now destination for people-trafficking-La Strada

PRAGUE- The Czech Republic has become a destination for the trade in women forced into prostitution, with the victims primarily from Ukraine, Moldavia, Belarus, Russia, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, representatives ...


Paparazzo quits in protest at Britney 'hounding'

Â· Chasing pack are out of control says photographer  Â· Singer is in hospital again for psychiatric evaluation


Forget "Fahrenheit 9/11." "Team America: World Police" is easily the most riveting political satire of the year, if not the most entertaining, silliest and dirtiest.


CDC Identifies Two New Norovirus Strains

ATLANTA -- A 90-year-old nursing home patient died from the stomach flu last year, marking the first time U.S. health officials confirmed that the highly contagious bug is sometimes fatal.


Russia and India strive to restore old, robust ties

NEW DELHI  - Russian President Vladimir Putin headed Saturday to India's vibrant software hub of Bangalore in hopes of expanding ties in information technology, a day after vowing to deepen strategic co-operation between the Cold War-era allies with deals in defence, space and energy.


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.


Pirates' Bay, A's Crosby Selected as Baseball's Top Rookies

Left fielder Jason Bay received 25 of 32 first-places votes in the National League. Shortstop Bobby Crosby was just a vote shy of being a unanimous pick for the A.L. honor.


US Forces Bomb Iraq's Falluja, Seize Zarqawi Aide

U.S. planes bombed targets in Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja, killing two people, and the U.S. military said it had captured a lieutenant of its deadliest Islamist enemy in Iraq in a raid early on Saturday.


Capitals, Helped by Ovechkinâs 4 Goals, Hold Off Senators

Alexander Ovechkin had four goals and an assist and Michael Nylander scored twice for the Washington Capitals in an 8-6 victory Saturday over the Senators in Ottawa.


Rolls-Royce wins $1.3 billion contract with aircraft leasing group

Engine maker Rolls-Royce said Monday that it has won a contract worth 1.3 billion dollars (954 million euros) with the biggest aircraft leasing company in the United States.


McAfee Joins Anti-Microsoft Security Chorus

McAfee took a full-page advertisement in Monday's Financial Times to level charges that Microsoft is locking security companies out of the Vista kernel in an attempt to "hamstring" them. McAfee says it is the first time that Microsoft has made such a move.


Eddy Curry's agents said yesterday they are seeking a trade for the 7-footer, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer.


Blog: OpenMosix, an open-source project to let software run on clusters of interconnected Linux computers, will shut down on March 1, 2008.


Outfielder Ryan Freel rejoined the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, five weeks after he sustained a severe concussion from one of the scariest moments in the majors this season.


(Sports Network) -The Orlando Magic play the fifth contest of their season- high six-game road trip tonight, as they visit the streaking Phoenix Suns at America West Arena.


Vinkovci, 14:18 - JUDO, MONDIALI MILITARI: BRONZO ALL'ITALIA

L'Italia ha conquistato il bronzo ai Mondiali Militari di judo in corso a Vinkovci (Croazia). La for...


China's largest telecoms equipment firm, ZTE, plans to expand globally by targeting the markets of Africa and India.


Raid aerei nella notte, sganciati 35 ordigni


SAP AG, the German business management software maker, reported a 15-percent jump in third-quarter net profit Thursday to euro291 million (US$366 million), citing increased sales across the globe.


Keep Your  Money Working  Even When  You're Not

This is the kind of subject that requires knocking on wood at the same time you're tapping on the keyboard.


THIS year, Sarah Garcia, the chief executive of Signature Wines and Beverages, took on a difficult challenge: finding a hotel room in New York for less than $100 a night.


Seven Apparently Dead in Second Kentucky Plane Crash in Two Days

JACKSON, Ky., Aug. 28 -- A small plane carrying seven people crashed Monday in a wooded, mountainous area of southeastern Kentucky, about 100 miles from the site of Sunday's commuter-jet crash in Lexington, and authorities said no survivors had been found.


England's David Beckham, after scoring against Wales. He was later booked, prompting a suspension. Photo: Getty Images. Painkillers dulled the throb of his damaged ribs but a sense of


Walmart.com: $498 Laptop Breaks Price Barrier

Walmart.com is releasing the Balance notebook computer in conjunction with Linspire, which makes a Linux-based operating system designed for laptops.


Hard Labour Pays Off for World Number One Singh

If success is earned by those who work  the hardest, then newly crowned world number one Vijay Singh is  a shining example.


The 52nd Venice Biennale, the world's oldest art exhibition, opens to the public in northern Italy.


Simon GagnÃ© scored his second goal of the game 48 seconds into overtime and the Philadelphia Flyers won their fifth straight game, 3-2 over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes last night.


In vari ospedali la nuova politica Ã¨ giÃ  applicata. Applaudono anchei conservatori: "Basta sprechi". Ma c'Ã¨ chi insorge: "E' discriminazione"                                            Londra, niente mutua per obesi e fumatori                                                                                Il ministro della salute: "Inutile operarli se non cambiano stile di vita"dal nostro inviato CINZIA SASSO


PHILADELPHIA - Rock star Bruce Springsteen wore his political heart on his sleeve for the first time in a concert Friday, when he added his high-octane voice to the "Vote for Change" tour against President George W Bush.


Review: 'Fat Albert' Too Corny to Stomach

Hey, hey, hey! Fat Albert should have stayed away. The big-screen "Fat Albert," mostly a live-action update of Bill Cosby's Saturday morning cartoon series, is a hokey, insipid, outdated mess that even the most nostalgic of parents and the most gullible of kids will have trouble embracing.


One US soldier, one Iraqi killed in Baghdad blast as US planes ...

A US soldier and at least one Iraqi were killed when a bomb struck a patrol in southern Baghdad on Thursday, as US warplanes bombed the rebel-held city of Fallujah in a bid to crush a deadly insurgency.


Google launches literacy project to link resources

Google Inc. unveiled on Wednesday a  Web site dedicated to literacy, pulling together its books,  video, mapping and blogging services to help teachers and  educational organizations share reading resources.


A shaky cease-fire took effect on Monday between Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah after days of heavy fighting pushed the Gaza Strip to the brink of civil war.


Queenslander Rod Pampling battled his swing on the back nine to fall six strokes behind runaway leader Stewart Cink after the third round of the NEC Invitational yesterday.


Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson entered into the already-crowded online music store market on Tuesday by introducing M-BUZZ, a service aimed at promoting new and up-and-coming artists.


Bush looks to historic parallels for final legacy

In the Lincoln Bedroom, President George W. Bush likes to show off one of the most treasured historical artifacts in the White House, a handwritten copy of Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Gettysburg Address.


The BBC's Mark Duff visits rice farmers and chefs worried about the threat to Italian rice from free trade agreements.


EU's Barroso Battles to Avoid Parliament Rejection

European Commission President- designate Jose Barroso battled to save his commission from European Parliament rejection, pledging an anti-discrimination law to placate opponents of a disputed Italian nominee.


U.S.-India nuclear deal hits snag in Congress

Plans for the U.S. Congress to  approve a landmark deal that would allow India to buy U.S.  nuclear fuel and reactors hit a snag on Wednesday when  Republican leaders in the House of Representatives halted  action on the legislation, congressional sources said.


The suicide of a young man is not linked to others, says his father as it emerges that 13 youths have taken their own lives in one area.


American Express Suing Card Companies Over Antitrust Violations

American Express Co., the travel and financial services giant, on Monday sued Visa and MasterCard along with eight banks for damages stemming from anticompetitive practices that prevented American Express from issuing cards through U.S. banks.


Tasmania steps up a campaign to eradicate foxes despite little evidence of sightings.


Pepco Plans Average 18% Rise In Residential Rates in District

Pepco announced yesterday that it plans to increase residential rates for electricity in the District by an average of about 18 percent beginning Feb. 8. An average residential customer's payment


U.S. envoy warns of growing power of Iraqi militias

The U.S. military has succeeded in delivering a crippling blow to al Qaeda in Iraq, but this has only served to highlight "the other big problem" -- the power of Shi'ite militias, Washington's envoy to Iraq said on Thursday.


Despite US connections, Donald's a true Brit

If not for his softly lilting accent and politely reserved demeanor, it would be easy to forget Luke Donald is an Englishman and not a lifelong Chicagoan.


Pepsi Bottling Group , the largest bottler of Pepsi drinks, on Tuesday said quarterly net profit rose, helped by volume growth.


Forty-nine people were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger train packed with commuters and a goods train in Athens on Thursday morning, police said.


Life & style: Gallery: Bask in the sunshine (even if it's only in your imagination) in these summer dresses.


Judge Orders Martha Stewart to Surrender

NEW YORK -- A federal judge today ordered Martha Stewart to surrender for prison by October 8th, granting a request by the celebrity homemaker to begin serving her sentence for lying about a stock sale.


A UK foreign minister insists that Britain does not want its diplomatic dispute with Russia to go "any wider".


Ben Roethlisberger keeps his rookie magic rolling by leading a closing two-minute drill that results in Jeff Reed's game-winning field goal to give Pittsburgh a 17-16 win over Jacksonville.


Israeli forces detain senior Hamas militant

Israeli forces detained a senior leader of Hamas's military wing in the West Bank today during a night-time raid on his hideout, witnesses said.


Oprah Winfrey reality series headed to prime time

Talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey is venturing into prime-time television with two new reality series, at least one of which will feature Winfrey herself, the ABC network and producers said on Friday.


FBI Plans Initiative  To Profile Terrorists

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is developing a computer-profiling system that would enable investigators to target possible terror suspects, according to a Justice Department report submitted to Congress yesterday.


Air Force Coach Gets Five-Year Extension

Air Force football coach Fisher DeBerry agreed to a five-year contract extension Thursday.


'9/11 Commission Report' Sparks Two TV Miniseries

ABC and NBC are planning to turn  the best-selling "9/11 Commission Report" into miniseries  dramatizing the suicide hijackings that claimed nearly 3,000  lives and prompted the U.S. global war against terrorism.


CBS Radio Eyes Internet for Growth Opportunities

NEW YORK Two months ago, when wildfires scorched hundreds of square miles in Southern California, forcing the evacuation of a half-million people, listenership spiked on KNX Radio, the CBS-owned outlet in Los Angeles. But the uptick wasn't for the station's on-air signal; listeners had instead tuned into the station on the Internet.


Wall Street faces home sales data and more earnings reports this week, as it decides whether growth is strong enough to justify pushing the Dow Jones industrial average back above 14,000.


Rangersâ European adventure has come to a disappointingly early conclusion after the Scottish giants crashed to a 2-0 defeat at home to Auxerre tonight.


SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan  - Steeling for a spring offensive, the Taliban said on Wednesday they had sent 1,000 suicide bombers to relatively quiet northern Afghanistan, a day after a suicide blast targeted Vice President Dick Cheney.


LAHORE, Pakistan -- A bomb has exploded at a Shiite mosque in downtown Lahore, killing three people and wounding several others, police sources told CNN.


Microsoft overhauls its search site and Yahoo changes are coming, following site redesigns at Google and Ask.com in search version of duck, duck, goose.


An inquest hears the operators of a water falls have improved safety after a boy of nine drowned.


Illustrato il disegno di legge: "800 milioni di risparmi per lo stato, 500 per gli enti locali"Tagli ad auto blu, telefonini, immobili, riduzione del 20 per cento degli eletti: risultati in un ciclo di 5 anni                                            Costi politica, approvato il ddl Santagata "Risparmi per 1,3 miliardi di euro"


Roma, 16:43 - CALCIO, VIMINALE: STOP ALLE NOTTURNE AL PRIMO INCIDENTE

Per ora è ok, ma con gli occhi puntati addosso il direttore dell'Osservatorio Nazionale sulle...


Additional Drug Charge Filed Against Lewis

Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis, already facing federal drug conspiracy charges, was hit Tuesday with an extra charge of attempting to possess cocaine.


Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has called for a speedy resumption of peace efforts with Israel, a day after Yasser Arafat's burial in Ramallah.


Blair urges NATO unity amid Afghan friction

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday that NATO must challenge its enemies in Afghanistan firmly and in a united way, despite recent reports of friction among Western countries.


Dexia said Sunday that it had decided to formally terminate its plans to form an alliance with the Italian bank Sanpaolo IMI. The board of the French-Belgian bank "has noted unanimously that the conditions


Prince rocks London catwalk with surprise gig

U.S. pop star Prince had fashionistas dancing in the aisles at London Fashion Week on Wednesday when he staged a surprise performance at Matthew Williamson's catwalk show.


F.D.A. Plans to Post Inspectors Overseas

The F.D.A. intends to post inspectors to embassies and consulates in the developing world in hopes of improving the quality of imported food and medicines.


13 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Operations

JERUSALEM, June 27 -- In the largest military operation since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip two weeks ago, Israeli forces killed at least 13 Palestinians Wednesday and wounded more than 40 others in ground fighting backed by tanks and air support across the territory.


United Airlines will have its pension scheme for pilots underwritten by the  US agency created to protect worker's retirement rights.


A promising footballer is in a critical condition after falling in front of a Tube train that killed a student.


Dow Jones a +22 punti base, Nasdaq +3,5 e SP a +3,30


Break.Com Loves Britney! New Web Video Contest Supports Pop Diva By Enlisting Others to Shave Their Heads

Break.com, the premier online entertainment channel for men, today  announced that it is rallying support for Britney Spears by encouraging  its audience of 16,000,000 monthly unique visitors to shave their heads  in solidarity with her.


At the Ripe Old Age of 4, A Colt Keeps Improving

By insisting that the racehorse he owns a share in continues to compete, Ron Bamberger is giving racing enthusiasts a rare treat: seeing a horse improve with age.


The inventors and moguls of the infant space tourism industry predict there will be deaths along the way, but it's worth it so regular people can one day blast into outer space.


Bits: Will Toshiba Suspend Its HD DVD Campaign?

Toshiba still says it will fight on in the high definition disc race. But campaign sources tell the Hollywood Reporter that it is preparing to accept that HD DVD simply canât win.


A TIME correspondent is caught in a madrassah  just as the students defend their Islamic school against government forces


American author Bill Bryson, best known for his witty travel writing, is appointed an honorary OBE.


Baseball superstar Barry Bonds will rejoin the San Francisco Giants after signing a one-year contract with the team on Thursday, a team spokesman said.


Addetti alla pulizia stroncati dall'anidride carbonica


Amazon to Sell Warner Music Minus Copy Protection

The Warner Music Groupâs announcement is the recording industryâs latest move away from its reliance on digital locks to reduce piracy.


THOMASTOWN (Ireland) - The excuses have been coming in thick and fast with regard to the American Express World Golf Championship, which starts today.


Norway's biathlon queen lost more grip on her reign Thursday. The world's top biathlon athletes gathered in Oslo for World Cup competition due to last through the weekend.


Senegal Signs Peace Pact with Casamance Rebels

Senegal's government has signed a peace pact with rebels from the southern Casamance region, to end a more than two-decade low-level conflict.


Impegno formale a presentare risoluzione a settembre


Blueberries May Lower Blood Fat/Cholesterol

You already know blueberries are good for you. They're already touted as antioxidant-rich fruits that protect against the ravages of aging, heart disease, and cancer.


World Health Organisation figures show a suicide takes place somewhere in the world every 40 seconds.


L'operazione e' avvenuta lo scorso 14 novembre


Dow Chemical Co said on Friday that  there was no basis whatsoever in a BBC World report saying that  it had accepted responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster.


Just one day before Valentine's Day, Microsoft plans to release twelve patches fixing a variety of issues in Windows, Office, Visual Studio, and several other applications. At least five of these patches will be rated "critical."


Pop goes your waistline: Soda ups risk of diabetes, weight gain

Things don't go better with Coke. Or Pepsi. Or any sugar-sweetened soft drink. That's according to a new study that links significant weight gain and higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women who drink soda daily.


Manipur strike called off, protests to continue

Organisations in the restive Manipur on Saturday called off their month-long shutdown to press the demand for the withdrawal of a controversial anti-terror law.


A car bomb exploded next to an Iraqi police station just outside Baghdad's Green Zone on Saturday, causing an undetermined number of Iraqi casualties, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.


Crapped out: For casino customers, a rude awakening

Denise Kelly and her boyfriend were drinking beer and playing the slot machines at Bally's Atlantic City. At 6 am Friday, their cocktail server quit _ in mid-shift.


Dow ends at record on Fed chief's view and earnings

U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average to a record close, as investors were relieved by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments that inflation is poised to ease while the economy grows moderately.


Standing on a makeshift stage in front of a capacity crowd, the three Chaney Sisters are singing "God Bless America." They follow with a powerful rendition of the gospel hymn, "It is Well with My Soul.


ATHENS, Greece - A defrocked Irish priest bolted from the crowd and grabbed the marathon leader about three miles from the finish Sunday. The Brazilian runner wound up with the bronze - and a special award for sportsmanship - and the former priest was arrested...


AFTER a two-month delay, Apple has unveiled its new iMac desktop computer which integrates disk drives and processors into a flat display less than two inches (5cm) thick.


A German law that prevents a foreign takeover of carmaker Volkswagen is ruled illegal by a European court.


WASHINGTON - The FBI seized computers, software and equipment, including items at a Houston-area home in Bellaire, as part of an investigation into illegal sharing of copyright movies, music and games over an Internet peer-to-peer network, Attorney


Shares in Jardine Lloyd Thomas, the UK's largest insurance broker, have plunged 20 per cent after the company issued a profit warning for the year and chief executive Steve McGill quit.


Oracle Buys PeopleSoft for $10.3 Billion

PeopleSoft Inc. on Monday agreed  to a sweetened $10.3 billion buyout by rival software maker  Oracle Corp., relenting after a 18-month takeover saga marked  by personal insults, courtroom battles and the ouster of  PeopleSoft's chief executive.


Blames weak pound DCC Plc today scaled back its operating profit growth expectations for the year ended 31 March 2008, saying it had been hampered by weaker sterling.â¦


Iran wants centrifuges exempted from uranium enrichment freeze ...

Iran insisted Thursday it had a right to exempt some equipment from an agreement with the European Union committing it to freeze all parts of a program that can make nuclear weapons-grade uranium, a move that diplomats said


Genova, 19:59 - CALCIO, GENOA: MIGLIORANO FIGUEROA E ROSSI

Test contro la Beretti per il Genoa. In miglioramento Figueroa e Rossi, che si sono allenati perÃ² an...


Anadarko sells part of K2 Gulf of Mexico field

Independent oil and gas producer Anadarko Petroleum Corp.  said on Monday it will sell part of its stake in the K2 Unit offshore field in the Gulf of Mexico for $1.2 billion to two unnamed parties.


Australian nickel and copper miner WMC Resources has rejected aA$7.4 billion (3 billion pounds) takeover bid from Swiss-based Xstrata, but has left the door open for a higher offer.


World's fastest supercomputer can now be yours for only $1.5 million. Machine combines exotic and mainstream technology.


Hamilton confident of racing despite horror crash

World championship leader Lewis Hamilton survived a terrifying 260kph crash but insisted he is ready to race in Sunday's European Grand Prix.


Progress, But No Breakthrough, at N.Irish Talks

LEEDS CASTLE, England  - Northern Ireland's  feuding political leaders reported progress but no breakthrough  on Friday at talks aimed at brokering a deal which would see  the Irish Republican Army (IRA) effectively disband.


Matter-of-Fact Voices From the Family Mortuary

A memoir of Thomas Lynchâs experiences at Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors forms the basis of a âFrontlineâ documentary of the same name to be shown tonight on PBS.


Diversified manufacturer Honeywell International Inc  said on Friday profit rose 14.2 percent amid continued strong demand from the aerospace and commercial construction sectors, but results were slightly below Wall Street's expectations.


Hewlett-Packard packages services for blades

Blade servers are the future, HP says, rolling out new services targeted at users.


A minister orders an inquiry into an Islamic school which is accused of promoting religious intolerance.


In Italia nascono i primi corsi per aiutare le vittime delle molestiePerseguitare qualcuno a scopo "sentimentale" puÃ² costare una pena di 4 anni                                           Messaggini, email, minacce l'amore ossessione Ã¨ un'emergenza                                                                                di MARINA CAVALLIERI


Israel Sentences Palestinian in Bombings

An Israeli military court on Wednesday sentenced a Palestinian man to 35 consecutive life terms for his role in suicide bombings, including the deadliest attack in the four years of violence.


British Airways plane makes emergency landing in Montreal

A British Airways 747 en route from Phoenix, Arizona to London made an emergency landing in Montreal following a mechanical problem with the plane, a company spokesman told AFP.


PALM HARBOR Â· Vijay Singh joined Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Paul Runyan and Tiger Woods as the only players with at least nine wins in a year, but Singh became the first player to win $10 million in one season.


Lo ha annunciato il ministro del Lavoro Cesare Damiano


Microsoft agrees to comply with the European Commission's anti-monopoly ruling against it.


AUDIO From Medialink and Bank of America: Organizing Your Finances and Your Life

NEW YORK, Dec. 11  /PRNewswire/ -- No matter how you're doing financially, it's easy to feel buried by the constant onslaught of bills.  Here's more on new ways to use the Internet to get rid of the clutter and organize your financial life once and for all.


UK 'Suffering from Soaring HIV Epidemic'

Britain is âin the grip of a serious HIV epidemicâ as the number of people suffering from the infection continues to soar, figures showed today.


Toshiba has abandoned the HD DVD high-definition video disc format, it announced Tuesday.


EMC buys change-management vendor Voyence

EMC has acquired Voyence to help IT administrators keep track of both the changes made in their network and security devices and the problems that come up -- which, in some cases, are related.


The Media Equation: How the Grid Is Changing the Village

A broader popular culture that many residents of Corinth, N.Y. have rejected by leaving big cities now rides back toward them on the information super highway.


A disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart sent stocks mostly lower yesterday as investors worried that oil prices, which stabilized after last week's highs, would curb


Polish builders work in Norway's Arctic darkness

REINE, Norway  - "It's as if the Earth ends with these islands," says Bogumil Lewandowski, a Polish construction worker living on Norway's Lofoten Islands, north of the Arctic Circle.


JERUSALEM -- Gunmen of rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah sharply escalated their fight for supremacy yesterday, with Hamas taking over much of the northern Gaza Strip in what is beginning to look increasingly like a civil war.


Michael Gartenberg says IT needs to keep an eye on Google's mobile platform, even if its not yet ready for the large-scale business use.


Prestiti immobiliari, maxi perdita per colosso MGIC


By Ojala, Marydee  Before there were online and the Internet, libraries connoted books to most people. Yet books are one of the more overlooked research resources in an electronic-information environment.


An Indian court has granted bail to the chief of an auction website who is in jail in connection with the sale of a school sex video clip.


(Source: Imprivata)  The banking and credit card industry established the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) to provide organizations and IT departments with the tools they need to combat growing security threats. This paper examines the requirements of the new standard and discusses the technology solutions available to help organizations comply with these regulations in an efficient and cost-effective manner.


Each pilot who retires early takes another bite out of Delta's pension assets.


(CBS/AP) Prime Minister Tony Blair faced a revolt by lawmakers Wednesday over a US request to redeploy some British troops closer to Baghdad.


Nigerian oil unions to meet president over unrest

Nigeria's main oil workers unions will meet with President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abuja to try to end the unrest threatening oil companies in the Niger Delta, labour leaders said.


Police hunting a letter bomber say 26 suspect packages have been sent across three counties in the east of England.


Dollar lower against yen in Asia trading

The dollar fell against the yen in Asian trading Tuesday as short-term focused Japanese and overseas players sold the dollar amid speculation that U.S. retail sales data might prove disappointing.


Golden Globes give little clarity to Oscar race

Hollywood's Golden Globe nominations did little to define leaders in the Oscar race as experts on Friday said the sweepstakes for the world's top film honors remained confined to a narrow list of contenders.


U.S. general paints candid picture of Iraq army, police

Iraqi security forces should be in a position to take control of 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces by year's end, although they will not be ready to fight on their own for some time, a top U.S. general said on Sunday.


Alemanno contro gli speculatori 'Controlli delle Fiamme Gialle'

Roma, 26 agosto 2004 - Accordi volontari con la grande distribuzione, come avviene in Francia, e controlli stringenti impiegando la Guardia di Finanza. Sono i provvedimenti che indica il ministro per le Politiche


VeriSign Security Risk Profiling Demo for Proactive Risk Management

Read this guide, "Five Questions for Every CISO: Managing Your Risk Exposure" now and learn how you can better identify, visualize, and quantify information security risks in order to optimize security investments. Find out how the VeriSign Security Risk Profiling Service enables you to dynamically generate a risk score for your organization - including threats, vulnerabilities, network access policies and financial impacts.


New releases from Janet Jackson, Ludacris, Scissor Sisters and Los Lobos.


The economy is issue one in job-needy Michigan, where rivals in next week's Republican primary seek support from some of the very voters who are feeling threatened by international trade agreements the presidential contenders embrace.


Three people are trapped and 30 hurt after seating collapses in a tent at a religious festival in Lincolnshire.


Apple Computer Inc. said on   Tuesday it will begin selling movie downloads from Walt Disney   Co.'s film studios, aiming to turn its iTunes online music   store into a one-stop shop for digital entertainment.


TOKYO -- Yes, the greatest pitcher ever to wear a Red Sox uniform was happy to see his former team finally win a World Series.


A rare edition of "The Grapes of Wrath," John Steinbeck's epic 1939 tale of Depression-era poverty, sold at auction for $47,800.


Minor Sensation Makes Major Contribution

Minor league sensation Brandon Watson goes 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to help the Nationals beat the Cleveland Indians, 4-1, on Friday.


Il provvedimento preso dalla procura di Napoli in seguito alle denunce dei cittadiniL'inchiesta vuole accertare se c'Ã¨ un nesso tra la discarica e l'incidenza di gravi malattie                                          "Epidemia e disastro colposo" Pianura finisce sotto sequestro


A greek demonstrator puts fire on a banner reading in Greek "Powell out", 27 August 2004 in front of the parliament, central of Athens.


DeveloperTutorials.com: Scraping Links With PHP

The Developer Tutorials site has posted a new article covering the creation of a small application that can help you scrape content from a remote page and pull it into your script.   In this tutorial you will learn how to build a PHP script that scrapes links from any web page.   You'll learn to use cURL, the DOM functions, XPath and a bit of MySQL to get the job done. It's nice to see that they also include a section looking at one of the more touchy aspects of web page scraping - "is it legal?"


FCC Probes Commentator's Promotion of Bush Plan

Federal communications regulators  have opened an investigation into whether conservative  commentator Armstrong Williams violated a ban on "payola" in  promoting the Bush administration's education plan.


Stocks Open Lower; Inflation Data Weighs

US stocks opened lower on Tuesday after a government report showing a much larger-than-expected rise in US producer prices in October raised inflation concerns.


Ex-grad student gets 2 years for killing

A former Harvard graduate student was sentenced to two years in prison Friday after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for stabbing to death a teenager who made fun of him.


Tycho:  If my earlier experiences with the co-operative campaign had not endured so, there would be no question - fifteen dollars is quite simply not a value that men of reason would associate with the GRAW Map Pack.  But, drawing on that idea, let us move forward as though the powerful fraternal bonds forged in Campaign One were sufficient to assuage price related suffering to some degree.  I realize that this moves our narrative into the realm of fiction.


U.S. investigates United/Delta near miss in Florida

U.S. safety officials said on Friday they were investigating a runway incident in Florida this week in which two jetliners -- one landing and another that wandered into its path -- missed each other by less than 100 feet.


Kiev gets 3-0 forfeit win over Roma after ref hit by object from ...

Dynamo Kiev was given a 3-0 forfeit victory over AS Roma on Tuesday by European soccer's governing body, which also ordered the Italian team to play two homes games in an empty stadium because a referee was hurt by an object thrown from the stands during


Evangelical Body Stays Course on Warming

Rebuffing Christian radio commentator James C. Dobson, the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals reaffirmed its position that environmental protection, which it calls "creation care," is an important moral issue.


Politicians must start to bear responsibility for the spiralling violence in Iraq, the country's prime minister says.


PHP-GTK Community Site: Using GtkSourceview to build a php editor with syntax highlighting

There's a new tutorial posted on the PHP-GTK Community site today - a quick one showing how to use GtkSourceview to create a simple PHP editor with syntax highlighting.   This widget is nearly usable as a real php-gtk IDE. It extends GtkSourceView widget and internally manages both a text buffer and language object classes.   They provide the code, but not too much in the way of explanation for it. Thankfully, most of it is pretty straight-forward. There are a few things that the script has to manage to make the it work - a text buffer for the data, a viewer (window), and the syntax highlighting component. For the view, there are a few handy functions already built in so you won't have to create them - undos, the syntax highlighting, line numbering, markers, and bracket highlighting.


After Attacks Changed the World,  The Recovery Changed a City

NEW YORK -- You're sitting in the center of the fabulousness. The stinky old Fulton Fish Market is gone, and cobblestone streets are lined with boutiques and $1 million condos with floor-to-ceiling windows, and the sky is that razor blue.


Fans of the Who left a Tampa amphitheater disappointed after lead singer Roger Daltrey walked off the stage during the band's first song.


NATO Considers How to Raise Forces Faster

Struggling to muster more troops for Afghanistan and take on an expanded training mission in Iraq, NATO defense ministers will aim this week to advance reforms that would let the alliance mobilize faster for far-flung operations.


AMERICA/MESSICO - ÂLe famiglie hanno una missione rilevante nella ricostruzione della giustizia, dello sviluppo integrale e della pace a cui tanto anela OaxacaÂ afferma l'Arcivescovo di Oaxaca Oaxaca (Agenzia Fides) - ÂOaxaca ha bisogno di famiglie unite e con valori che proiettino nei fatti le loro convinzioni e spingano la nostra societÃ  verso una nuova tappa. Non lasciamo passare l'opportunitÃ  di trasformare OaxacaÂ: Ã¨ l'appello lanciat...


Federer gunning for Borg's Wimbledon record

World number one Roger Federer begins his pursuit of Bjorn Borg's record five successive Wimbledon titles on Monday, six years after wrecking Pete Sampras's dreams of achieving the feat.


(InfoWorld) - With shares of major technology companies trading as high as they have ever done in the post dot-com era, IT investors this week are scrutinizing quarterly results from the world's biggest vendors to judge how the market will hold up for the rest of the year. Market analysis firms started off the year predicting an overall global annual IT spending increase of about 6.5 percent, so no one was expecting technology vendors to experience growth at the heady rates of the late 1990s. But even as competition squeezes profit margins, results overall point to a healthy 2007. In the hard-fought Internet services arena, product development and customer acquisition costs remain high, but Google continues to show skyrocketing growth. Thursday, it reported thatÂ second quarter net income rose 28 percentÂ from a year earlier to hit $925.1 million as revenue, minus traffic acquisition costs, surged by 63 percent to reach $2.72 billion, above the average forecast of $2.68 billion by analysts polled by Thomson Financial. In the chip sector, Intel reported Tuesday that even though gross margins on product sales shrank,Â profit for the second quarter increasedÂ 45 percent from last year to $1.3 billion. Company officials said that revenue for the third quarter would be $9.0 billion to $9.6 billion, beating its previous forecast. IBM also raised its earnings forecast for the rest of the year Wednesday and reported thatÂ second quarter results were its best in six years. Net profit was $2.3 billion, up 11.8 percent increase from a year earlier, on revenue of $23.8 billion, up 9 percent. In software, Microsoft was upbeat about its core business Thursday. Though it faces a mature market for its cash-cow products, it said sales of operating systems, server software and tools fueled a 7.3 percent rise in net income asÂ revenue rose 13 percent to $13.38 billion. Both profit and sales beat Wall Street estimates. However, companies like Motorola reminded investors that in an era of moderate growth, not everyone can win big. Two days after announcing it would restructure operations, the handset maker Thursday reported that disappointing sales of mobile devices led to aÂ second-quarter loss of $28 million, down from net income of $1.38 million a year earlier. Product design has become a crucial issue as the North American and European markets mature. Yahoo, meanwhile, suffered in the Internet services market,Â reporting Tuesday thatÂ net income for the quarter was $161 million, down from $164 million one year earlier. Yahoo also lowered its earnings guidance for the rest of the year. Despite disappointing results in some of the harder-fought areas of IT, overall earnings news and guidance for the rest of the year, coupled with the latest reports on customer spending, suggest that 2007 could end up being one of the brightest years in the wake of the dot-com bust. The tech-heavy Nasdaq stock market index hit six-and-half year highs this week and last, and customer spending seems to be exceeding forecasts. Results of the quarterly CIO Magazine Tech Poll published earlier this month, for example, indicate improved IT spending forecasts with respondents predicting increases of 7.2 percent over the next 12 months, versus estimates earlier this year of an average 5.1 percent increase.


The U.N. chief got little satisfaction Sunday at the close of his trip to Tehran, snubbed by Iran's leader over international demands to stop enriching uranium and ignored in warnings not to incite hatred by questioning the Holocaust.


Licensing organization files patent suit against Intel

Intel was hit with a lawsuit by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation on Wednesday, alleging that the chipmaker used a WARF invention in its processor architectures, including the popular Core 2 Duo.


Gabe: Pokemon League is tonight. Congrats to everyone that got their first gym badge at the last meeting. We're starting a new season tonight so I hope everyone worked on getting any illegal cards out of their decks. You can find the current modified legal card list here. I believe we're entering the Pastoria City season which means we'll all be playing for our Fen badges. If you have not registered on Go-Pokemon.com yet, be sure and do that so you can start earning points towards your badge. We'll try to get the matches started as close to six as possible. If you'd like to show up early to trade feel free. See you all tonight.  -Gabe out


Mexico alert for results of Mad Cow Disease tests in US

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico is keeping watch on US tests for a possible case of mad cow disease, the Agriculture Department said Friday.


Oil prices are holding near historic highs over $53 a barrel, with global supplies hounded by outages that were thwarting efforts to build US heating oil inventories ahead of the winter.


Plastic surgery patients want Angelina's lips

Eyes like Katie Holmes, the sultry pout of Angelina Jolie and a body like Jessica Biel make the perfect woman -- at least in the opinion of plastic surgery patients in Beverly Hills.


Arafat in Hospital Near Paris for Treatment of Mystery Illness

Yasir Arafat, the ailing Palestinian leader, arrived in France today as the guest of the French government and was immediately taken to a military hospital for treatment of what is being called a mysterious ailment.


Hundreds of militants in north-west Pakistan attack a paramilitary fort, killing or kidnapping many troops, officials say.


The police step up security patrols because of an increased threat from dissident republicans.


Not even a World Series win helped. New England's outlook turned decidedly gloomy over the last year as consumer confidence plunged farther than any other part of the country, according to data released today. The Conference Board, a nonprofit economic research group in New York, said its index of consumer confidence for New England dove to 77.9 in November, down ...


Property stocks came under pressure on Friday after a leading broker warned clients that now was not the time to venture back into the sector.


The Claim: If Possible, Avoid Hospitals on Weekends

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


Blockbuster is offering lower-priced plans for online movie rentals to compete with Netflix.


At least five people were killed and a dozen were injured Monday after an unfinished wall collapsed during construction of a multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Dubai International Airport, airport authorities said.


TV bounty hunter's hearing to be Dec. 22

A court hearing in Mexico that could drop charges against TV bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman or order his criminal case to proceed has been rescheduled to Dec. 22.


ADV: IRS Tax Help - We Solve IRS Problems

Our expert team of ex-IRS agents, tax attorneys and accountants negotiate with the IRS to reduce your back taxes. Settle debt for pennies on the dollar. Get help now!


Turkish engineer's body found in Afghanistan:

[World News]: Kabul, Dec.16 : The body of a kidnapped Turkish construction engineer was found in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday.


Essay: The Coastline Is Retreating. Should the Montauk Lighthouse Stand Its Ground?

The decision to save a lighthouse can become a statement about how we intend to live with our eroding coasts.


Five EU countries sign a deal to link their power grids and make it easier to trade electricity across their borders.


Hoax: 11th Grader Gets Detention for Using Firefox

Update: A little digging shows the Pennsylvania high schooler in detention is in the doghouse for mouthing off, not for using Firefox, as reported on the web. Turns out the kid altered the scanned detention report, sparking the "punished for using Firefox" story. Look for a retraction from the culprit.


Suns beat Nets in wild shootout, 161-157

Steve Nash scored nine of his career-high 42 points in the second overtime and Boris Diaw hit a go-ahead shot in the lane with 14 seconds left to lead the Phoenix Suns to their eighth straight victory, a 161-157 decision over the New Jersey Nets on Thursday night.


Lingering hopes that the U.S. economy might avert a recession withered Tuesday after the nation's service sector Â its banks, travel companies, contractors and stores, among others Â shrank for the first time in five years.


Coroner: Renfro OD'd on heroin, morphine

The death last month of troubled 25-year-old actor Brad Renfro was caused by a heroin and morphine overdose, according to the coroner's report released Friday.


Spain has called off the two-day search for some 50 African migrants whose crowded boat capsized in rough seas off the Canary Islands, officials said Saturday.


Phelps Captures Fifth Gold, Seventh Medal

Michael Phelps clinched his fifth gold  medal and became the first man since Mark Spitz to hold four  individual Olympic swimming titles when he won the 100 meter  butterfly final Friday.


Britain's public broadcaster, the BBC,  announced one of the biggest shake-ups in its 82-year history  Tuesday, with plans to axe at least 2,900 jobs, or 10 percent  of its workforce, and trim $624 million in costs.


Unemployed to sterilize monkeys in India

A northern Indian state said Thursday it planned to use unemployed youths to sterilize monkeys to try to combat aggressive primates who have been raiding farms. The idea drew immediate condemnation from conservationists, who said the plan was unscientific and would likely worsen the problem.


Auto Repair Race Nets College Cash: Students Use Technical Finesse in Competition

By Darrell Hughes, Detroit Free Press  Jun. 27--One hundred high school students raced Tuesday to repair identically bugged 2007 Ford Fusions, with problems ranging from brake light malfunctions to faulty sensors, in hopes of winning college scholarships.


Medical teams in south India vaccinate thousands of tsunami survivors to try to prevent diseases spreading.


US propped up Suharto despite rights abuses: documents

The United States declassified documents Monday detailing how Washington propped up ex-Indonesian leader Suharto, who died at the weekend, at the expense of democracy and human rights.


A federal judge has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit a Minneapolis singer-songwriter filed against Beyonce, ruling the songs were "substantially dissimilar."


Two aid workers are shot dead in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, an aid agency says.


Chechen capital empties ahead of election to replace slain leader

Chechnya's capital Grozny emptied as residents fearing rebel raids fled a day before an election to replace their slain pro-Moscow leader.


Government 'lost' DNA data on 2,000 criminal suspects

More crimes committed before disc found The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the latest government institution facing humiliation over its inability to properly deal with sensitive data.â¦


Libya's assurances to the United States that it will complete a disarmament program could lead to a Libyan payment next week of more than $1 billion to families of Pan Am 103 victims, a State Department official said Friday.


US envoy Christopher Hill says he had good discussions on his first visit to North Korea, Chinese media report.


Prodi: e' splendida, al di la' di ogni immaginazione


Japan PM Reshuffles Cabinet, Keeps Some Ministers

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro reshuffled his cabinet Monday to try to boost his popularity and give impetus to reform -- particularly postal privatisation -- but the mix


Roughly 28,000 tons of Las Vegas history collapses in a spectacle of fireworks and explosives. By Steve Friess.


Alcoa's profit warning a thorn in industrials' side. Nasdaq up with PeopleSoft, extended tech rally. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Alcoa's profit warning bruised the Dow Friday, while the broader market inched higher


WASHINGTON - Army Reserve payroll procedures are so convoluted that mistakes occurred in 95 percent of the cases examined by congressional auditors, the Government Accountability Office said yesterday.


In the final days of a close campaign, likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa report receiving phone calls providing unflattering information about all three of the party's major presidential hopefuls.


Russia says Europe risks "Pandora's box" in Kosovo

Europe risks opening a  "Pandora's box" if it recognizes Kosovo's independence despite  Serbian objections, a top Russian official said on Sunday.


India, Pakistan Fail to Agree on Restarting Kashmir Bus Link

India and Pakistan have ended two days of talks on a popular proposal to start a bus service linking the capitals of divided Kashmir.


US stockpiles of crude oil fell over the past week but supplies of gasoline and refined products were higher, the Department of Energy said.


Health insurer Humana Inc. reported a 36 percent increase Monday in third-quarter earnings, driven by solid performance in a number of the company's business lines.


By Hints from Heloise  Dear Heloise: I like your advice on using natural substances, such as baking soda and vinegar, for cleaning.


EU Says No Deal, No Breakdown on Fusion Reactor

Talks on where to build the world's  first nuclear fusion reactor ended without a deal on Tuesday  but the European Union said Japan and the United States no  longer firmly opposed its bid to put the plant in France.


$150,000 mortgage for only $550/month. Lower your mortgage - free quotes.


Amazon.com Inc. said Thursday it has agreed to buy Joyo.com Ltd., China's largest online retailer of books, music and videos, for $72 million.


Art Review | 'Tintoretto': Lights! Darks! Action! Cut! Maestro of Mise-en-ScÃ¨ne

The Jacopo Tintoretto show at the Prado Museum in Madrid is a model of connoisseurship and smart editing.


Investors are taking a long walk off this Pier.


The CEO who drove Nissan into the fast lane

If you want to grasp how Nissan rediscovered itself, "Shift" is the ticket. But if you expect a read as zippy as the styling of Nissan's latest automotive fleet, you'll be disappointed.


Sen. John McCain made it official on Wednesday that he is seeking the 2008 Republican presidential nomination and said he plans a formal announcement in April.


Fannie Mae's regulator has asked the  mortgage finance company to take immediate remedial action to  correct pervasive accounting problems, agency officials said on  Thursday.


Iran opens conference questioning the Holocaust

Iran opened a conference on Monday to examine the Holocaust and question whether Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill Jews, drawing condemnation in the West and criticism from Iran's Jewish community.


Spain and Morocco have taken further steps to jointly combat terrorism and illegal immigration by appointing judges to work in each other's country.


Scorsese shares spotlight as he finally wins Oscar

Martin Scorsese, the creator of "Raging Bull" and "Taxi Driver", finally won Oscar recognition on Sunday but he had to share the spotlight with politician Al Gore, regal actress Helen Mirren and Cinderella story Jennifer Hudson.


Conrad Black found guilty of criminal fraud

A U.S. jury on Friday found former media mogul Conrad Black guilty of multiple counts of criminal fraud and a single count of obstruction of justice but acquitted him of a racketeering charge.


A new fossil discovery from China shows that a tiny squirrel-like creature glided through the air during the age of dinosaurs, more than 75 million years earlier than scientists had documented that ability in a mammal.


Forget the stereotypes, say Mark Richt and Barry Alvarez. Southeastern Conference football is more than a test of speed, and the Big Ten is about more than pure power.


BAGHDAD, Sept 30  - At least 41 people were killed, most of them children, and scores wounded after three car bombs exploded in western Baghdad on Thursday, the latest in a string of bloody bombings in Iraq.


NY cleans up after asbestos-tainted explosion

Workers cleaned asbestos-tainted debris on Thursday from an explosion of a steam pipe that rocked Manhattan as some New Yorkers questioned official reassurances that the air was safe to breathe.