The simple way to increase site usability

(InfoWorld) - IDG News Service recently had a chance to talk to site usability expert and consultant Steve Krug about best practices and major mistakes in Web design. Here is an edited transcript of the chat with Krug, who runs a one-man consulting firm called Advanced Common Sense in Boston, has a Web site called Sensible.com, and wrote a book titled Don't Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability. IDGNS: What are some major Web site usability best practices? Krug: The main one is to make sure you've done some user testing. Bring people in and have them use the thing while you watch. That's the best practice. Do that throughout the design cycle. Start doing it early. Don't wait until you have a finished new design. As a designer, you know too much about the site. You have to bring in people who don't know anything about the site and have them try and use it. That's my single best practice. IDGNS: How is user-generated content affecting design and usability decisions? What's the right way to incorporate those features into your design? Krug: It has become one of those things which everyone now feels compelled [to include on their sites]. You can imagine the conversations in boardrooms with bosses saying, "We've got to have social networking on our site." Because it's worked well for some people, there's a rush for everyone to incorporate it, and that's usually not a good thing. You don't want to have an attitude of "we've got to have it whether or not it makes sense for our organization." I don't think there are as many usability issues as there are tactical or strategic decisions related to whether incorporating social networking into your site is going to help or hurt. The usability and design issues aren't nearly as important as the issues of whether it's appropriate for the organization and whether you're going to be willing to put the resources into it to manage it. It takes an awful lot of work. IDGNS: Video has become very popular in the past year. How does it affect design decisions? Krug: For years, very often the reaction you'd get whenever people would open up a page that had video, was, "Oh, it's interesting, but I wouldn't use it because that stuff never works for me." The general reactions were that the video was either not going to load, be painfully slow to load, or would require a plug-in users didn't have. YouTube changed that, because it just works. It plays the video right away, it's not jerky or start-and-stop, and that turned people around. It's not that people suddenly realized they wanted to spend time watching short videos. It was like Amazon, which succeeded because it worked, and Google as well. So if you're going to implement video, do it as well as YouTube does it or don't do it at all. IDGNS: Are corporate sites today doing a good job of making their sites usable? Krug: They are certainly doing a much better job than they were five years ago. You can still go to almost any site and find one or two major problems off the bat. But that's the nature of the game with design: There's always going to be issues. When you go to a site, you usually run into usability problems pretty quickly. They're not hidden. They're not complicated. They're not baffling. They were in the design or crept into the design. That's why I go around advocating that companies do user testing. If you do that, you dramatically increase your chances of getting rid of all the serious problems in the site. IDGNS: What are some persistent, common problems you run into time and again? Krug: One I harp on a lot is this bashfulness about telling people what the site is on the home page. When you open a site and go to the home page, you should be able to tell right away who is publishing this, what's it for, and what kind of content is here. The entity has to identify itself.... A tagline or some kind of identifier up in the header space that travels on every page is useful from that regard. The assumption organizations make is that everyone knows who they are and they don't need to tell them. If you can't fit it in the header [on every page] you want to have a little blurb near the top of the home page at the beginning of the content space. People say, "We don't need to do that on the home page because most people now get here through a Google search and they don't pass through the home page." But the truth is that after people get to a page from a Google search, the next thing they do is go to that site's home page to figure out what this site is. IDGNS: Should you set an ROI (return on investment) goal for a site usability redesign? Krug: I find that difficult because it tends to be hard to calculate. Clearly, people proposing the redesign should have specific objectives for what they think will improve as a result of it. They should be able to make some kind of convincing case that this is going to produce some kind of result that will be worth the effort. It's not that hard to come up with. After a site has been up for a couple of years, everyone has a pretty good idea of what's not working. The trick is to keep the redesign project focused on fixing the things that aren't working and not just to make the site look better and have a fresh look. There is a significant cost associated not only with the effort of doing the redesign, but you can also have a certain amount of pushback from people who by human nature don't want anything changed. So I don't know about setting an ROI target upfront, but I do know it's important how you introduce the redesign. You can't just spring it on people. You want to give your existing users a preview of what's going to happen, put up a link saying we're doing a redesign and let them click through some pages of the new design before it's launched. If people feel you are looking for their input instead of springing it on them, that soothes a lot of people's feelings. And by doing this, you can also get some valid points from people about why they don't like some things. By getting that feedback before you launch it, you can go in and tweak some things and avoid inadvertently ruining the way people were doing things.


New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer  said on Tuesday he was working "extraordinarily hard" to aid  troubled bond insurers, adding that he would do what is  appropriate for the bond market, and the municipal market in  particular.


Tony Blair's bid to revive one of the crowning achievements of his seven-year premiership - the Good Friday Agreement - failed yesterday.


U.S. blue chips rose slightly on  Tuesday on better-than-expected earnings from tech bellwethers  IBM Corp. IBM.N and Texas Instruments Inc. TXN.N and lower  oil prices but losses by health insurers kept a lid on gains.


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An Artist Sets Up House(s) at the Grand Palais

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W. Virginia 48 Oklahoma 28 GLENDALE, Ariz. - Rich who?


KABUL, Afghanistan -- The beat-up video camera was delivered to Afghanistan in a box and picked up by two clean-shaven Arabs posing as journalists. They met with Osama bin Laden before leaving on their mission: to kill mujahideen hero Ahmad Shah Massood.


Iraq, italiano rapito: UnitÃ  crisi attivata

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British Formula One driver Jenson Button should stay at BAR next season after a tribunal backed the team in a contract dispute with rivals Williams on Wednesday.


Radiation Is Questioned in Breast Cancer Surgery After Age 70

Radiation treatments routinely given after surgery to remove small breast tumors may not be necessary for women over age 70 if they are taking the cancer drug tamoxifen.


I won't walk away from Newcastle says Robson

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Udine, 14:15 - CALCIO, UDINESE; DE SANCTIS: USCITE GALEONE NON MI SONO PIACIUTE

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No More Room: Employees Fill Dell Center in Twin Falls

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Qurei condemns assassination of Hamas leader in Syria

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei condemned Monday the Israeli assassination of a leader of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas in a car bombing in Syrian capital Damascus.


Blog: Failure to file quarterly earnings reports while the company investigates potential refile over accounting errors has resulted in a repeat notice of possible Nasdaq delisting.


Digital commerce hits record high in '07

As physical CD sales continue their  free fall, digital downloads again reached record sales figures  for the year.


Genova, 22:25 - CALCIO, TIM CUP: L'EMPOLI ELIMINA IL GENOA

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Lebanese army attacks militants at refugee camp

NAHR AL-BARED, Lebanon  - Lebanese troops, backed by artillery, tanks and gunships, tightened their grip on al Qaeda-inspired militants at a Palestinian refugee camp on Sunday, the third day of a military assault to crush the gunmen.


Update 2 â Taiwan: strong earthquake injured several people

A quake in the Pacific Ocean has rocked the Taiwanâs capital Taipei during the lunch time. âThe quake damaged some houses and injured a few people, but there were no major losses or fatalitiesâ, the government's Disaster Recovery Centre said.


CBS News and anchorman Dan Rather have entered the journalistic equivalent of one of Danteâs circles of Hell, forced to live forever with a scandal they created.


Sources: FBI searches pro-Israel group's office

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The Food and Drug Administration told Merck & Co. that it would approve the company's successor drug to the now defunct pain reliever Vioxx if it provides further safety and efficacy data, the big pharmaceutical company announced Friday.


Silverstone, Fox Busy with 'Queen B' Pilot

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A group representing UK media companies calls on the BBC Trust not to allow adverts on its international websites.


Misdiagnosis of ADHD Leads to Depression

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"Dreamgirls" co-stars  Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson were the big winners Tuesday at the  BET Awards, an event honoring black actors, singers and sports  stars. The event was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los  Angeles, and broadcast on the BET cable channel.


Russian Dmitry Tursunov won his first Tour title on Monday when he defeated Czech world number 13 Tomas Berdych 6-3 4-6 7-6 in the rain-interrupted final of the inaugural Mumbai Open.


Apple Inc is expected to unveil new iPods this week, injecting fresh excitement into the product line at a time when defections by partners have shown cracks in its digital music dominance.


Eli Manning and the bumbling New York Giants were no match for a Baltimore defense eager to atone for two straight poor performances.


An Algerian asylum seeker with an axe injured the two pilots on a Norwegian internal flight yesterday before being dragged screaming from the cockpit by fellow passengers.


New Yorkers Still Apprehensive 5 Years after 9/11

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Some parts of the UK can expect more tropical-style rainfall in future, scientists at Newcastle University say.


Witherspoon makes a strong, sly Becky Sharp in Nair's upbeat ...

Vanity Fair: Comedy-drama. Starring Reese Witherspoon, James Purefoy, Romola Garai and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Directed by Mira Nair.


A lawsuit filed Friday by a former St. Louis Rams player and others seeks millions of dollars in damages from the alleged taping of Rams practices by the New England Patriots before the 2002 Super Bowl.


Egitto: strage di turisti israeliani, 19 morti 38 dispersi

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Paula Radcliffe believes she is ready in every respect to challenge for the ING New York City Marathon title on Sunday. Radcliffe insisted she is top shape after arriving in the Big Apple, and although her


US prof plans to send message back in time

Unaccountably fails to get DARPA funding A West Coast scientist who believes it may be possible to transmit information backwards through time has been funded by individual donations after established mad-scientist groups refused to cough up.â¦


Accolto in parte ricorso societa', respinto quello di Ttpc


Obama gains upper hand with victories over Clinton in Wisconsin and Hawaii ... McCain inches closer to delegate goal ... Candidate wives' spar over remarks ... Candidates comment on Castro announcement ...


Tony Blair Pays Surprise Visit to Baghdad

Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, right, shakes hands with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on his arrival in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004, in this image made from television.


The defending AFC North champs found their stride Sunday, and it had a lot to do with the broad-shouldered back who leaves tacklers wide-eyed and empty-handed.


LIVERPOOL hero Steven Gerrard admitted even he thought the Reds might be going out of the Champions League - before he produced the late goal to carry them into the last 16 at the expense of Olympiakos.


Hurricane center's projection on Charley not far off, data show

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - Despite criticism that it should have better anticipated Hurricane Charley's rapid intensification and quick turn, the National Hurricane Center's forecast wasn't that far off, a preliminary post-mortem shows.


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Palm Inc , the maker of Treo smartphones, posted a quarterly loss on Tuesday after a delay of a key new product.


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


Italy police defuse a  bomb  near Silvio Berlusconi's holiday villa, hours after a visit by the UK's Tony Blair.


Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Kerry Collins threw for 339 yards and four touchdowns and Langston Walker blocked a field goal in the waning seconds to preserve the Oakland Raiders' 25-24 victory over the Denver Broncos at a snow-covered Invesco Field.


MODENA, Italy  - Thousands of mourners filed past the open coffin of Luciano Pavarotti in the cathedral of his Italian hometown on Friday, in an emotional farewell to the singer whose death prompted tributes from around the world.


Nella campagna per avvicinare giovani alla religione


Secondo il presidente della Lombardia "e' pessimo segnale"


MANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson has called on the Football Association (FA) to punish Arsenal's Thierry Henry for an incident involving Gabriel Heinze.


Il dato e' corretto per giorni lavorativi


Saudi prince in BAE Systems case denies backhanders

Prince Bandar bin Sultan -- at the centre of media reports that he received a huge commission for a multi-billion-dollar arms deal -- insists all the funds went to the Saudi government.


A new crop of superstars is growing in our Foolish fields.


Turkish PM pledges more democracy, EU reforms

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged Friday to draft a new, liberal constitution and focus on reforms to strengthen both the economy and Ankara's bid to join the European Union.


Pulling the Plug, the Ultimate Family Quarrel

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Seven Blasts Reported in Spain After ETA Threats

Seven explosions hit Spain on Monday,  wounding at least two or three people, after the Basque  separatist group ETA threatened to set off a series of bombs,  Spanish officials and media said.


Notes, Quotes From 2004 Campaign in Wis.

The last Republican presidential candidate to win Wisconsin was Ronald Reagan in 1984, but the state grows more GOP-friendly every year.


AMERICA/ARGENTINA - ÂMadre, abbiamo bisogno di vivere come fratelliÂ: il Pellegrinaggio dei giovani alla Vergine di LujÃ¡n sarÃ  caratterizzato questÂanno da Âun gesto per la vitaÂ Buenos Aires (Agenzia Fides) - ÂMadre, abbiamo bisogno di vivere come fratelliÂ Ã¨ lo slogan del XXXII Pellegrinaggio Giovanile a piedi alla Basilica di Nostra Signora di LujÃ¡n (60 km dalla capitale Bueno Aires) che avrÃ  luogo nel prossimo fine settim...


Tiger Woods's fall from No. 1 to No. 2 in the World Ranking may have been deserved, but his drop to No. 3 last week came as a bit of a shock.


Zapatero Says Aznar Deceived Spain Over Train Bombs

Spain's prime minister accused the  previous government of deceiving the public about who carried  out the March 11 train bombings and of erasing computer records  for the crucial three days between then and elections.


Hobbit-sized Humans Called Homo floresiensis Discovered by ...

Long live the real Bilbo Baggins, the first Little People of the World, Homo floresiensis and Homo sapien archeologists Michael Morwood, Peter Brown and Professor Soejono!


Honeypot project shows more than adult sites contain malicious threats.


Yahoo Adds Conference Calling to Messenger Yahoo continues to beef up its Yahoo Messenger Voice offering with the addition of VoIP conference calling from a partnership with Vapps ConfreeCall. Red Herring reports: “It will let you select people from your buddy list and start a conference instantly with them or schedule one for later via email,” said Vapps [...]


Tension grows between France's Sarkozy and media

President Nicolas Sarkozy's chief of staff chided French media on Tuesday in the latest sign of a growing rift between Sarkozy and journalists who have picked over the details of his very public love life.


President Bush says the U.S. military will pull out of Iraq "as quickly as possible," but he is not endorsing Secretary of State Colin Powell's statement that troops could begin returning home this year.


Plans are under way for a scheme aimed at encouraging people to inform on others who have a gun illegally.


After another slow start, Serena Williams got her grass-court game back on track. The two-time champion rallied from 4-1 down in the first set and beat Australia's Alicia Molik 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the third round of Wimbledon on another day of rain delays at the All England Club.


If Simon Rosenberg decides to run for Democratic Party chairman, he won't be able to count on much support from Iowa and New Hampshire.


The waning moments against the Angels on Monday had all the elements of another memorable night in what has proved to be an unforgettable season for the Rangers.


Sifford celebrates historic entry into Hall of Fame

With an emotion-charged speech that had people in the audience alternately laughing and wiping tears from their eyes, Charlie Sifford made his long overdue entrance into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Monday night.


President Bush declared yesterday that he remains "relevant" despite his political troubles, and he derided Democrats for running a do-nothing Congress that has failed to address critical domestic, economic and security issues in the nine months since they took control of Capitol Hill.


Iowa City, Ia. - Kirk Ferentz had a chance to talk about someone else being mentioned for a coaching position in the National Football League on Monday.


This is the first in a series of articles on SSH in-depth. We start with looking at standard SSH host keys by examining the verification process to ensure you have not been the victim of an attack.


FDA reviews when Bayer revealed drug risks

In a move that could lead to a criminal investigation, the government is checking its records to determine if drug maker Bayer AG was forthcoming about safety concerns with


Il capoluogo pugliese diventa capitale del 'Fashion Sea'


Sciopero Fiat, Ã¨ stata a Termini adesione maggiore

Si Ã¨ registrata nello stabilimento di Termini, secondo i dati resi noti dall'azienda, la partecipazione piÃ¹ alta dei lavoratori, alle quattro ore di sciopero nazionale di questa mattina. Negli altri stabilimenti


Al 31' della ripresa, grande affondo di Serginho e gol dell'ucraino che cosÃ¬ festeggia la nascita del primogenito Jordan. Il Milan accordia sulla Juve. GENOVA, 30 ottobre 2004 - Ne ha segnati tanti, questo


Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has said that the election result "has to be accepted", but has still not stated that she has lost.


Bhutto Expects Musharraf to Quit as Military Chief

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Albie Morkel hit three massive sixes off successive balls and then took two wickets as South Africa beat England by 19 runs in a World Twenty20 Super Eights match at Newlands on Sunday.


Severn Trent lifts dividend as US business suffers

Severn Trent, the UK environmental services group, said it intended to raise its interim dividend by 2.5 per cent to 18.21p despite a 10 per cent fall in pre-tax profits to Â£126.2m ($239m) for the six months to 30 September.


Googleâs Buses Help Its Workers Beat the Rush

The sheer scale of Googleâs new shuttle program for its employees befits the companyâs oversize ambitions.


A man pleaded guilty to murder Tuesday, admitting he left his 3-year-old foster son bound up in a closet where he died and then burned his body and threw the remains into the Ohio River.


The US military's outgoing top commander says he opposed plans to replace him at the end of his term.


India's Hetero takes anti-AIDS drugs off WHO list

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Iraqi President Calls U.S. Security Training a Failure

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A Brazilian judge has canceled Saturday's Live Earth concert in Rio because police said they do not have enough officers to guarantee crowd safety.


Taking a swipe at a potential GOP presidential rival, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday criticized Fred Thompson for suggesting illegal Cuban immigrants pose a terrorist threat.


Pope sorry his Islam speech found offensive

The Vatican said on Saturday the   Pope was sorry Muslims had been offended by a speech whose   meaning had been misconstrued, but Morocco withdrew its   ambassador as anger at his words flared on.


German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, hit by a spate of midterm election defeats over his cutbacks in social welfare spending, is regaining his popularity in opinion polls after the re-election of President ...


Slumping Fox News celebrating 1st decade

Fox News Channel will mark its 10th anniversary this week in an unusual position: knocked back on its heels.


Aereo precipita in cina, 55 morti L'incidente dopo il decollo

PECHINO - E' di almeno 55 morti il bilancio di una sciagura aerea avvenuta all'alba di oggi nella provincia nord-occidentale cinese della Mongolia Interna, ove un Bombardier Crj200 della compagnia 'Yunnan' si Ã¨ incendiato poco dopo il decollo ed Ã¨


The man found guilty of murdering teacher Jane Longhurst is to appeal against his conviction and sentence.


Israel army trains U.N. in bomb disposal for Lebanon

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MONACO Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, said Tuesday that it would begin selling a touch-screen hand-held device, a move that was seen as its first foray into the market for PDAs, or personal digital assistants.


Cashback Sun and Unisys are going after South Korean memory chip maker Hynix for damages related to its role in a price-fixing cartel.â¦


Returns cost retailers, manufacturers billions

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The candidates shared personal stories at the gathering of Christian conservative activists.


A car bomb exploded on Sunday outside a  Baghdad cafe used by Iraqi police killing seven people and  wounding 20, the U.S. military said.


Rice visits Beirut in surprise Mideast tour

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought to buttress Lebanon's fragile democratic government Monday after nearly two weeks of warfare, making this stricken capital a surprise first stop on a high-stakes Mideast diplomatic mission.


Bin Laden tape puts war on terror in spotlight

Sen. John Kerry and President Bush returned to their arguments over who is the tougher leader for a dangerous age Saturday, sharpened by a new subtext


LA MAMMA DELLA PARI: ''ASPETTO LE DUE SIMONE''

Rimini, 15 set. (Adnkronos) - ''Aspetto le due Simone''. La prima e sola battuta di Donatella Rossi. La mamma di Simona Pari rompe il silenzio in cui si e' chiusa dal giorno del sequestro della figlia, lo scorso 7 settembre.


Australians are calling for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, less than a week before a general election.


V.C. Nation: Subprime Fallout Could Help Venture Capitalists

Could the subprime problems that have fouled the public market be a mixed blessing for Silicon Valleyâs high-technology investors?


The actress has become very famous after her Biss Brother win.


Russia said on Thursday it would expel four British diplomats from Moscow, retaliating for Britain's decision earlier this week to send home four Russian diplomats.


It is a compelling issue that has the potential to motivate voters on Nov. 2: Prescription drugs will cost Americans an estimated $210 billion this year.


Dementia of Parkinson's Similar to Alzheimer's

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It's time for Rivers to get into the flow

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Ruling party conservative Felipe   Calderon finally won Mexico's presidency on Tuesday, ending a   two-month legal battle over fraud claims at a July election   that has plunged the nation into a crisis.


Retail Sales Fall 0.3% in August While Trade Gap Expands

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Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is suffering from pneumonia, his office confirms.


AMSTERDAM -- For years, W.B. Kranendonk was a lone ranger in Dutch politics -- the editor of an orthodox Christian newspaper in a nation that has legalized prostitution, euthanasia, abortion, and same-sex marriage, and allows the personal use of marijuana.


ALBANY, N.Y. -- Hard to believe it was only 2002 when the Nets and Celtics faced each other in the Eastern Conference finals. Last night at the Pepsi Arena, two teams in the midst of rebuilding took the floor.


It will take some doing for Formula One to trade in its gas-guzzling, cash-devouring image for something leaner, greener and altogether more planet-friendly.


The Pakistan Cricket Board is set to reject any compensation claim by its England counterpart for the forfeited Oval Test.


A US army investigation finds no evidence of guards beating detainees at Guantanamo Bay, the US military says.


An important new study shows that teaching kids about contraception doesn't necessarily change their sexual habits


Start-up Zink has come up with a way to print photographs or documents without ink or an ink cartridges.


Maine entered last night's tussle with New Hampshire looking to turn around its tailspin, having lost four of six contests. The Black Bears were facing a daunting weekend getaway, with a pair of games against the top-ranked Wildcats.


Yokohama, 10:57 - CALCIO, MONDIALE CLUB; MILAN-URAWA: KALADZE PER MALDINI

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Irish PM issues ultimatum to IRA over criminal activities

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Barcellona, 13:10 - MOTO, GP CATALOGNA: VITTORIA DI LORENZO NELLA 250

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Pop culture has glamorized the role of fashion designer, and nowadays many teenagers nurture the hope of parading their own work on the catwalk.


Arsene Wenger is told by Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood he can say whatever he wants about Man Utd.


Nextel Stock Pays Off for Legg Mason Fund

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Two fans charged for racial taunt of Yorke

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Cricket: Fired-up Australia end 35-year drought as India hit new ...

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NIGERIA: NIGERIA: Unions call off strike after 11th-hour govt ...

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EU antitrust ruling renews hope for developers

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Italy Train Crash Kills at Least 13, Many Injured

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FINANZIARIA: BERLUSCONI, ''BASTA PARLARE DI TAGLI E STANGATE''

(ASCA) - Roma, 22 set . ''Non voglio piu' sentir parlare di tagli e di stangate, che hanno un effetto negatico sulla fiducia dei cittadini''. Ha esordito cosi' il presidente del Consiglio, Silvio Berlusconi


Field Goal Puts Bengals Over Miami 16-13

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Complementare e non competitiva con Firenze e Milano


P&G Profit Up, Industry Issues Sink Stock

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High-level discussions begin in New York on how to help Iraq and to bolster the UN presence in the country.


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Buffett said his Berkshire Hathaway holding company made the offer of reinsurance on up to $800 billion in municipal bonds to Ambac, MBIA and FGIC.


The discovery of remains belonging to a tiny species of ancient human has been hailed as one of the most sensational finds of its type in decades.


CARACAS -- Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has not appeared in public since undergoing stomach surgery last year, said yesterday he was recovering and feeling stronger. "I am gaining ground," he said on a live Venezuelan radio show with President Hugo Chávez, adding he felt he had more "energy and more strength." It was the first time the Cuban leader ...


The energy bill President Bush signed last week mandating tougher fuel-economy standards sent a simple message to automakers: lighten up.


Weymouth: What made you decide to lead the country in a new direction and disengage from Gaza? Sharon: I believe we have to find a solution to the situation here.


Five years ago, after two NASA missions to Mars were doomed by elementary mistakes -- a software glitch and a mix-up between English and metric units -- the space agency devised more elaborate


Brisbane woman pipped for Miss World title

Miss Peru, Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, has been named as Miss World 2004, at the beauty pageant held in China. Miss Mantilla Garcia, 20, beat 14 other finalists which included 22-year-old Brisbane resident Sarah Davies.


Tra i 6,5 ed i 6,8 della scala Richter. L'epicentro a 225 km dalla capitale grecaLa gente si Ã¨ riversata nelle strade nel panico ma non si registrano vittime                                          Forte scossa di terremoto ad Atene e nel Peloponneso


Families issue pleas for 2 hostages in Iraq

BAGHDAD The families of an American and a British engineer being held hostage by a militant group pleaded Tuesday for officials to help get the men released hours after the group beheaded an American.


Unemployment Falls to Another Record Low

The jobless total fell by 67,000 to 1.38 million, the lowest since records began in 1984, the Office For National Statistics said.


CNN producer Riad Ali Ghanem, who was kidnapped at gunpoint in Gaza City on Monday, was released on Tuesday evening following an agreement reached between his abductors and the Palestinian Authority.


The militant Lebanese group Hezbollah has flown a reconnaissance drone over Israeli territory for the first time. A statement issued by Hezbollah said it came in response to repeated Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace.


Vodafone wins Hutch Essar auction with $19 bln bid

Vodafone Group Plc  has  won the battle for a controlling stake in Hutchison Essar,  India's No. 4 mobile operator, with a bid that values it at  around $19 billion including debt, a source and India's Essar  group said on Sunday.


Taiwan voters endorse opposition's China policy at weekend polls

Taiwan's opposition was basking in the support it garnered at parliamentary elections for its pledges to improve relations with China and remove fears of a cross-strait war.


Russia signals support for Iran 'time-out'

Russia signaled Thursday that it would support a proposal to hold off imposing U.N. sanctions on Iran if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.


Ma in prima serata vince il film di Canale 5


The cost of residential care for the elderly is set to double in the next 20 years, research suggests.


Avvicendamento a segretario di Stato tra Sodano e Bertone


Science & environment: Billionaire and former colleague donate $30m for telescope that can provide early warning of asteroid crash


Zarqawi Pledges Allegiance to Bin Laden -- Web Site

An Iraq-based group led by Abu Musab  al-Zarqawi has pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda  group in a move it said aimed to increase the "ire of infidels  and the fear of the enemies of Islam."


Where does that leave Mio? Mio parent Mitac has apparently acquired rival handheld GPS gadget maker Navman, but the deal will not necessarily boost the company's own GPS division.â¦


As death toll nears 1,000, more Kenyans are saying 'holy' president and his elite advisers are to blame


Kumar pleads not guilty fraud allegations:

[World News] New York, Sep 24, : Sanjay Kumar, former CEO of New York-based software giant Computer Associates, has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding investors by fudging records.


'Ambizione e coraggio per riforme strutturali a 360 gradi'


The agency issues a reminder that osteoporosis drugs can cause severe pain.


Premier italiano, completa identita' di fiducia tra paesi


Japan's Sony Corp  unveiled 15  new flat TVs and a new remote control for the domestic market  on Wednesday, as a part of a world-wide effort to win back  market share during the year-end shopping season.


Thai exit polls say pro-Thaksin PPP wins most seats

The People Power Party (PPP), a vehicle for supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won the most seats in Sunday's Thai election, two exit polls said.


County health officials yesterday reported the first case of flu in the region this season, but they were quick to say it was not a sign that San Diego County is headed for a severe flu season.


PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua  - Hurricane Felix weakened to a Category 3 storm as it battered Nicaragua on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.


Bats: Why Did the Yankees Let Clemens Pitch?

Itâs hard to understand why the Yankees let Roger Clemens pitch on Monday. They knew his elbow was bothering him. They had Mike Mussina rested and ready to take the start. They have off days coming up on Thursday and Monday. But instead of ordering Clemens to get an M.R.I. and rest the elbow, the Yankees [...].


Share prices closed broadly lower in Tokyo overnight, led by declines in commodity price-sensitive stocks. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell for the first time in four trading days, closing down 77.


Cagliari, 18:47 - CALCIO, CAGLIARI: PER GENOVA CONVOCATI NOVE PRIMAVERA

Quasi tutti i titolari a casa, nove Primavera convocati. E' questo il Cagliari che domani a Genova t...


AU force inadequate, U.N. must go into Darfur: Rice

African Union forces are not equal to  task of securing Darfur and Sudan must allow them to be  replaced by a bigger, better-funded U.N. peacekeeping mission,  U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday.


Le Paon Luminex Enlightened Coastal Capital

Bulgaria in Brief: 10 November 2004, Wednesday. Bulgaria's coastal capital Varna hosted for the first time a lights art festival.


Texas' largest Baptist group is taking a rare step into environmental advocacy, working to block Gov. Rick Perry's plan to speed the approval process for 18 new coal-fired power plants.


China Builds Trade Ties With South America

BUENOS AIRES -- Chinese President Hu Jintao ended a two-day visit to Argentina with the prize he had sought -- the coveted status of "market economy" -- and pledges of investment and trade, in a regional tour that highlights China's new outward-looking


Rimini. ''Ci eravamo gia' mossi in questi giorni per avere delle risposte attivando gli stessi canali che abbiamo usato nel precedente sequestro del nostri connazionali. Adesso aspettiamo le risposte e siamo fiduciosi''.


Autori Vari - ÂAGENDA BIBLICA MISSIONARIA 2007Â - Ed. EMI Roma (Agenzia Fides) - Questa iniziativa Ã¨ realizzata dalla EMI in collaborazione con Editoriale Verbo Divino. LÂAgenda Biblica Missionaria offre ogni giorno spunti di riflessione a partire dalle letture bibliche, dalla vita della Chiesa e diverse cu...


The Call Is Cheap. The Wiretap Is Extra.

t first glance, it might seem like the simple extension of a standard tool in the fight against the bad guys. But in fact, wiretapping Internet phones to monitor criminals and terrorists is costly


Moises Alou Joins Felipe in San Francisco

Outfielder Moises Alou signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants on Monday, reuniting him with his father Felipe -- the club's manager.


Statue of Nelson Mandela unveiled in London

Former South African president Nelson Mandela will watch as a statue of him is unveiled outside the Houses of Parliament in London Wednesday before dignitaries including Prime Minister Gordon Brown.


GLAMORGAN'S Michael Kasprowicz was again in the wickets as he and fellow pace bowler Glenn McGrath proved the telling factors in Australia's progression past New Zealand into the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals.


United Nations food convoys for 260,000 people in Sudan's western Darfur region are suspended after attacks.


A US jury dismisses claims from a man who said he helped create hit TV drama The Sopranos.


Thailand Officials Release Riot Detainees

The government on Saturday tried to ease tensions over the deaths of 85 accused Muslim rioters -- including 78 who died in military custody -- by freeing hundreds of detainees


Will it be a matter of "one-and-done" for Alan Greenspan & Co. at its Sept. 21 policy meeting? Since a quarter-point rate hike at the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on that date seems a fait accompli


Taking folic acid supplements late into pregnancy may increase a mother's risk of breast cancer, research suggests.


US group raises concern over Bangladesh election process

An international delegation of experts led by former US senator Tom Daschle voiced concern over the voting process in Bangladesh, but said it hoped next year's polls would be free and fair.


LSU is closing in on Southern California in the AP Top 25, and Appalachian State is getting some recognition — but not a ranking.


A lightning storm that swept through the Cascade Range and across eastern Washington sparked dozens of fires Friday, including a blaze that burned a home and several smaller structures.


PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks made a  big splash in the free-agent market on Thursday by signing  third baseman Troy Glaus to a four-year contract.


For the first time in two years, the guarantor of internet privacy abruptly terminates a company's right to display the TRUSTe seal -- without saying why. Privacy advocates say consumers deserve details.


Nicolas Sarkozy let it be known that his new companion is Carla Bruni, a singer and former top model.


House Republicans voted to abandon a party rule that requires a member of the leadership to step aside if indicted.


Yacht Nearly Capsizes in Race Across Ocean

The 60-foot yacht of a British sailor competing in an around-the-world race nearly capsized today in the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean.


Roma, 11:55 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS: INGLESE RILEY ARBITRO DI MILAN-BENFICA

Sarà l'inglese Mike Riley ad arbitrare Milan-Benfica, gara valida per la prima giornata della...


Nearly 80% of local authorities earn three-star or four-star grades in the Audit Commission's annual ratings of council services.


PLEASANTON, California The board of directors of PeopleSoft has rejected Oracle's $9.2 billion takeover bid, continuing its resistance a day after the company's own shareholders tendered more than 60 percent of stock to Oracle.


Finanziaria, Casini: ''Il voto di ieri Ã¨ valido''

Il voto di ieri sull'art.1 Ã¨ valido e la votazione non si puÃ² ripetere. Il presidente della Camera Pier Ferdinando Casini ha deciso di non concedere la ripetizione del voto, chiesta in Aula dalla Cdl, sull


U.S. cable channel The Weather Channel is to be put up for sale and could fetch more than $5 billion, The New York Times said in an online report on Thursday, quoting people briefed on the auction.


Drive for mobile TV and music hits games market

The European mobile phone games market  is coping with its first slowdown as telecoms carriers shift  advertising spending to mobile television or digital music, and  operators struggle to win new devotees.


Geena Davis has sued the owners of a Minnesota-based advocacy group for allegedly taking her idea for a charitable foundation and promoting it as their own.


The Police Federation says it is offering the home secretary an "olive branch" in the bitter row over police pay.


Sri Lanka: LTTE leader impatient with the government

In Sri Lanka the leader of the LTTE guerillas, Velupillai Prabhkaran, has threatened with resumption of the civil war unless the government agrees to new peace talks.


Orion delivers first 'personal cluster' workstation

There is something rather antiquated about many of the server clusters used today by engineers, scientists and media fiends. Their high-powered computing machines are often cobbled together over many days


The unpredictability of Marat Safinâs game is becoming a thing of the past. These days the tempestuous Russian is as strong and forceful opponent as it is possible to find on the opposing side of a tennis


Dato sulle scorte di benzina Usa deprime i prezzi


British filmmaker Paul Greengrass, who shot the summer hit "The Bourne Supremacy," is set to direct "The Watchmen," a project based on the seminal DC Comics limited series of the same name.


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


At Scientologyâs request, several Web sites took down a  video of Tom Cruise talking passionately about the church, but Gawker isnât budging.


Update 2: IMF Predicts Strongest Growth in 3 Decades

The world economy this year should post its best growth in three decades even though oil prices are up sharply and economic activity in the United States probably will be slower than previously thought.


Steady as she goes Education IT supplier RM has told an enthralled stock market it expects to meet expectations this year.â¦


Three Americans accused of torturing Afghans in a private jail were found guilty Wednesday by a three-judge panel and sentenced to 10 years in jail.


ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Sept. 20, 2004 - The spread of HIV/AIDS is fueling a massive tuberculosis crisis that could see one billion people infected in the next 20 years, the UN warned Monday.


Joy Divisionâs songs provide a harsh sound that lives up to the lyricsâ unflinching view of the human condition.


Jason Hanson's 37-yard field goal in overtime lifts Detroit to a 20-17 victory over Minnesota on Sunday and ends a 10-game losing streak in the series.


President Bush's pick to run the Justice Department is a talented and experienced lawyer. But does he have what it takes to turn around a badly damaged bureaucracy?


Pakistan's President Musharraf says he has no plans to resign, as the opposition seeks an alliance against him.


What to Do With Taboo News When Teenagers Are Your Readers

The news that Jamie Lynn Spears, the 16-year-old star of âZoey 101â on Nickelodeon and younger sister of Britney, is pregnant presented a dilemma for editors  of fan magazines aimed at teenagers.


Approva la relazione del governo sull'ampliamento


(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees try to move one step closer to their seventh consecutive American League East title when they welcome the Minnesota Twins to Yankee Stadium in a possible playoff preview.


A Complex and Hidden Life Behind FoleyÂs Public Persona

Mark Foley was extraordinarily adept at projecting a magnetic public persona while conducting a private life fraught with secrets.


A Rookie Back Says Heâll Score, and Does

Ahmad Bradshawâs 88-yard touchdown clinched a 38-21 victory and a wild-card berth in the playoffs for the Giants.


Margins continue to slide, and the growth rate does, too.


North Korean Nuclear Issue to Feature at Asia-Pacific Summit

Efforts to get North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons programs are expected to be high on the agenda when President Bush meets with other Asia-Pacific


Pritzker Heirs' Suit in Chicago to Proceed -- Judge

A judge on Wednesday ruled that lawsuits accusing the Pritzker family, owners of the Hyatt hotel chain, of emptying the trust funds of two heirs had merit and a trial could begin in a year.


LâUdinese supera 1-0 lâAtalanta nel primo dei due anticipi della quindicesima giornata del campionato di serie A. Il match tra i bergamaschi del neo tecnico Rossi e gli uomini di Spalletti regala emozioni


U.S. hopeful as North Korea talks open in China

The U.S. envoy was hopeful and his South Korean counterpart wary as delegates from six countries opened talks on Thursday aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program.


National Lampoon suits up for "Beach Party"

National Lampoon has  acquired theatrical and home video rights to International  Danger Alliance's post-apocalyptic comedy "Beach Party at the  Threshold of Hell."


Managers See Junk-Bond Rise Intact      (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - If bond mutual funds were an ice cream parfait, high-yield funds would be the cherry on top. But top junk-bond managers are changing their diet a bit.


Google and Intel are leading a consortium of companies in an effort to reduce the amount of power wasted by personal computers.


U.S. to Hire 12,000 Air Controllers Over 10 Years

The U.S. government said on Tuesday  it planned to hire more than 12,000 air controllers over 10  years to address a wave of upcoming retirements, but the  controllers union said the strategy is unrealistic.


Ariz. Waitresses Dress As Naughty Nurses

By AMANDA LEE MYERS TEMPE, Ariz. - The Heart Attack Grill - a theme restaurant whose specialties include the Quadruple Bypass Burger and Flatliner Fries, cooked in pure lard - is making health-care professionals' blood pressure rise, and not because of the menu.


Maryland Incumbents' Primary Defeats Put Partisan Twist on 'Change'

Two U.S. House incumbents, eight-term Democrat Al Wynn and nine-term Republican Wayne T. Gilchrest, were defeated in primary elections Tuesday in Maryland, as voters in their districts sent mixed messages that at once reflected and contradicted two of the main themes that have set the tone for the 2008 presidential campaign.


WASHINGTON -- In a diplomatic victory for the United States, NATO officials agreed yesterday to send hundreds of military advisers to Iraq this year to train local security forces as part of a new task force that could eventually grow to 3,000 personnel. Trainers from France, Germany, and other nations that bitterly opposed the US-led invasion are expected to join ...


She put dozens of prom queens on the runway, but Betsey Johnson was the belle of the ball at the preview of her spring collection during New York Fashion Week.


Four Dead, 30 Injured by Typhoon in Japan

TOKYO Aug. 30, 2004 - A powerful typhoon plowed into southern Japan on Monday, sweeping at least four people to their deaths and injuring 30 others.


There is no war yet in this Kurdish mountain village, which sits about one-third of a mile from the guns of a Turkish border post. But neither is there much peace.


Attackers targeting Microsoft Office Excel

Software maker issues security advisory noting several versions of Office Excel contain vulnerabilities that attackers are targeting.


Iraq deaths down despite new Baghdad carnage

Violent deaths among civilians in Iraq   may have fallen by a quarter last month, statistics indicated   on Friday, despite a bloody week in Baghdad that ended with 70   dead in a series of explosions late on Thursday.


Knicks Make a So-So Climb Into First Place

The Atlantic Division may be mediocre, but the Knicks can claim a modest achievement early in their season - they are in first place.


FIRENZE - Iraq, Agliana al gip: "Non eravamo mercenari"

"E' l'ora di finirla con queste cose. Non conosco il provvedimento del Gip di Bari, ma se Ã¨ stato scritto questo prenderemo i provvedimenti del caso". Ha risposto cosÃ¬ Maurizio Agliana, una delle guardie


Thai warrant filed for pedophile suspect

Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a Canadian who is the subject of a global Interpol manhunt for the alleged sexual abuse of at least a dozen Cambodian and Vietnamese boys, some as young as 6, police said.


British cabinet set to approve troop redeployment in Iraq: press

The British government is expected to aceed to a US request to send hundreds of its troops to a high-risk zone south of Baghdad, a move that risks infuriating Labour's own backbench MPs.


Swapner Din: Major attraction in Toronto

Buddhadeb Dasgupta's film has a dream opening in Toronto.


Bryant, O'Neal can do it all - except get along

If ever there was a case of two people who didn't know their left feet from their right, two people who didn't know how good they had it on the basketball court, two people who, in the final analysis, got exactly what they deserved, it's the strange case


Investors give funding to storage company specializing in online user-generated media to expand B2B delivery service.


Roma, 11:03 - CALCIO, MELANDRI: SPERO CHE LEGA SI AUTOREGOLAMENTI SU DIRITTI TV

Il ministro dello Sport, Giovanna Melandri, ha parlato della nuova legge che regolamenta i diritti t...


The public no longer believe a word the Prime Minister says, top Tory Liam Fox will tell the party's annual conference in his opening speech at Bournemouth.


Feel like going to the doctor is a waste of time? With a little preparation, your next doctorâs visit can be a lot more productive.


Harvard drops religion course requirement

Harvard University said on Wednesday it had dropped a controversial proposal that would have required all undergraduates to study religion as part of the biggest overhaul of its curriculum in three decades.


Sunlight, Only Stronger: Rethinking Solar

The five-decade quest for cheap solar power has produced an alternative energy that's still about four times more expensive than conventional electricity. But a group of local physicists, engineers and astronomers hope to be the first to break the cost barrier of solar energy.


Gli incidenti probatori hanno confermato le dichiarazioni e i raccontidelle piccole vittime. L'uomo, 35 anni, opera anche come volontario in una associazione onlus                                            Verona, insegnante di scuola materna arrestato per abusi su bimbe di 5 e 6 anni                                                                                Trovati nella sua abitazione indumenti intimi e materiale pedopornografico


As the winner of the Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resorts walked up to the 18th green, a member of the gallery shouted ``Way to go Arnie!


Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman says the war in Iraq has bred "mistrust" between Labour and voters.


CIA dissenters aided secret prisons report: author

Dissident U.S. intelligence officers  angry at former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld helped a  European probe uncover details of secret CIA prisons in Europe,  the top investigator said on Tuesday.


BP's annual profits rise 26% to $16.2bn (Â£8.7bn) as the firm benefits from soaring oil prices.


A conference on natural disasters opens in Japan with calls on the world to learn from the Asian tsunami.


A portal for the loo, Gates gets his due

Looking at the steam coming off the mail in my inbox this week, I definitely need a place to lay low for a while. One reader kindly recommended Geek Cruises, where I could work on my tan and my Perl programming skills at the same time. He also thought it would help my love life but I'm not so sure. The brochures are full of guys with goatees and laptops -- not exactly my idea of The Love Boat.


Grenade Kills Two at Colombo Concert - Police

Two people were killed and 11 others  injured on Saturday when a grenade exploded at a concert led by  Indian film star Sharukh Khan, police said.


An explosion kills at least 11 people and injures more than 40 in an industrial suburb of Istanbul.


A Baghdad Book Mart Tries to Turn the Page

The booksellers in Baghdadâs ancient intellectual center are hoping to recover now that a curfew has been lifted.


ANALYSIS-Jaguar exit throws F1 deeper into turmoil

Formula One, already struggling to shape its future and put on a show, is staring into the abyss after Ford's decision to pull out and sell its Jaguar team.


Video: Seven Secrets To a Successful Retirement

(300 sec.) Follow these guidelines to help make your golden years productive and fulfilling.


U.S. hunted al Qaeda suspects from Ethiopia: paper

The U.S. military used bases inside Ethiopia last month to capture or kill top al Qaeda leaders in the Horn of Africa, The New York Times reported on its Web site on Thursday, citing U.S. officials.


The bonus attractions in Shaad Ali's Bunty aur Babli are just escalating....


Stabbing and petrol bombs highlight rise of racism in Ulster

Extra police are patrolling in Northern Ireland in an attempt to stem a tide of racist attacks on immigrants after more violence on Latvians and Filipinos.


Companies Struggling to Meet Deadline on Financial Controls

By Bloomberg News. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the third-largest accounting firm in the United States, said yesterday that 80 percent of the clients it surveyed were either struggling to meet


Californians Ask Feds to Return Their Marijuana

A group of 38 California medical  marijuana patients filed legal motions on Tuesday asking the  federal government to give them back their pot worth nearly a  million dollars.


Turkish winemakers look beyond tough home market

HOSKOY, Turkey  - As harvest arrives, Cem Cetintas tends lovingly to his vines, hoping they yield wine popular with foreign palates to boost his exports in the face of a harsh climate in the Turkish market.


(Source: Fluke Networks)  This whitepaper outlines the methods which will assist a network manager in the task of keeping the wireless network secure.


Student activism in 70s shaped Argentine first lady

LA PLATA, Argentina  - The political beliefs of Argentine presidential front-runner Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner were forged in the country's turbulent 1970s when she was a leftist activist and law student.


Bush Looking Anew for Alaska Oil Drilling

Republican gains in the Senate could give President Bush his best chance yet to achieve his No. 1 energy priority — opening an oil-rich but environmentally sensitive Alaska wildlife refuge to drilling.


Match-Play Event Brings Risks for Top 4 in Ranking

For the first time this year, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Ernie Els are playing at the same time â but all could be gone after one round.


Cairn India initial share sale oversubscribed 1.3 times

An initial share sale by the Indian unit of British oil firm Cairn Energy was oversubscribed 1.3 times near the lower end of its offer range, a banker and the Mumbai stock exchange has said.


Glaxo's Avandia study in jeopardy: official

Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline's medical director said the company's study of the heart risk associated with its Avandia diabetes treatment may be in jeopardy because patients have dropped out following reports of the drug's risks, The New York Times reported on Saturday.


Police in India warn people not to look for bounty stashed by the outlaw Veerappan, after his death earlier in the week.


Ailing Arafat Faces Days of Medical Tests

Yasser Arafat will undergo a battery of medical tests on Saturday as French doctors try to discover whether the ailing Palestinian leader is suffering from leukemia or some other blood disorder.


Rialzo tasso limitato, possibilita' di crescita sono forti


Scontro tra i Poli sul mancato tour nel caratteristico quartierePolemiche anche per la presenza di politici nel corteo di protesta                                          Salta la visita di Bush a Trastevere Berlusconi: "Mi vergogno dell'Italietta"                                                                                Cdl: quello di Prodi Ã¨ un governo schizofrenico e ridicolo


Michaels sees 3rd-qtr sales at high end of forecast

Michaels Stores Inc.  on  Wednesday said it expected its third-quarter same-store sales  to come in at the high end of its previously announced range,  which called for an increase of 1 percent to 3 percent from a  year earlier.


Thousands of university students scuffled with police and government supporters during a protest Tuesday against constitutional reforms that would let President Hugo Chavez run for re-election indefinitely.


Cisco Unveils Data Center Switching Product

The Nexus 7000 combines ethernet switching and storage capabilities into a single product.


Housing Bust Hits Hard Where Boom Was Biggest

Prices of existing homes dove in key metropolitan areas in October, most notably in Las Vegas, San Diego and Miami, where price increases outpaced those in other parts of the nation during the recent housing boom, according to a report released yesterday.


Hey, Bush, Kerry: Forget the zingers, try leveling with us

I confess. I'm one of those people scorned by political wonks and talk-radio types alike. In a world where everyone is so certain of their position, so sure that their candidate can cure what ails us, I'm the one on the fence.


Strong aftershocks are still shaking northern Japan after the country's deadliest earthquake in nine years killed at least 18 people.


Semmes, AL (Sports Network) - Heather Daly-Donofrio posted a two-under 70 on Sunday to cruise to victory at the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions.


Local Anesthetic May Speed Wound Healing

Continuous infusion of the local painkiller bupivacaine into surgical wounds appears to increase oxygenation to the site, which may in turn promote wound healing and prevent post-operative wound infections, new research shows.


Iraq Militant Group Kills Arbil Police Chief -Site

An Iraqi militant group said it had  assassinated the chief of police in the northern Iraqi city of  Arbil and threatened to kill Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani,  according to an Internet statement posted on Sunday.


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GCI offers commission-free online trading in shares, indices and major currencies. Register today for a free demo account - including charts, quotes and internet trading software.


Roma, 17:05 - BASKET, CASO TREVISO: PROCURA FEDERALE CONVOCA PRESIDENTE PRANDI

Il presidente della Lega di serie A, Enrico Prandi, è stato convocato dalla Procura Fip sabat...


ATHENS, Greece -- Justin Gatlin was the surprise winner of the men's 100 meter sprint final as he took the gold medal ahead of Portugal's Francis Obikwelu and favorite Maurice Green.


Everton is sending Wayne Rooney football merchandise, worth Â£65,000, to needy soccer-mad youngsters in west Africa. All the unsold stock from the Rooney section of its shop is being sent to help children and youths in Liberia.


Against a backdrop of war and squalor, Chechens voted Sunday for a replacement for their assassinated president in a vote the Kremlin hopes will bring some stability to a region wracked by a decade of violence.


Neoview appliance in 'trial by fire' at Wal-Mart and HP

Hewlett-Packard officials shed more light on Wal-Mart's agreement to use its Neoview data warehouse appliance, including its plan to use feedback from the retailer to upgrade the product.


Libby has one final chance to beat perjury charge

A former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney will have a last chance to convince a jury he is not guilty of perjury on Tuesday as a trial that has exposed the inner workings of the White House draws to a close.


Il Cagliari supera 2-1 la Lazio Ã¨ la- scia incerto l'esito degli ottavi in attesa del ritorno del 12 gennaio all' Olimpico.Langella (35') sblocca la gara concludendo a rete dopo una bella di- scesa (Peruzzi non pare incolpevole); pari laziale con Antonio


WOLVERHAMPTON, Dec 7 (SW) - Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Glenn Hoddle has been named the new manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers, succeeding Dave Jones, who was sacked in November.


He wasn't tagged with the loss in the Red Sox' 6-5 defeat to the New York Yankees last night so his unblemished record (8-0) is still intact, but Josh Beckett still felt responsible for the runs he allowed in his 6 1/3 innings of work.


Intel shakes up multi-core chip branding

No more Duo, Quad, Pro, apparently So farewell then, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad: come 1 January 2008 you will be no more, leaked Intel presentation slides reveal. The Centrino Duo and Pro brands are out too, it seems.â¦


XL e i castelli animati invia il tuo cartoon

Partecipa all'iniziativa di Repubblica XL e Castelli animati e pubblica sul web il tuo cartoon. Il prescelto dalla giuria di qualità verrà premiato nel corso del festival


Russian Supply Spacecraft Docks With ISS

An unmanned cargo ship on a vital mission docked early Sunday at the international space station, carrying badly needed food for a U.S.-Russian crew that has been forced to ration dwindling supplies.


Nov 18, 2004 (CIDRAP News) - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said today it is running confirmatory tests on a possible new case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease.


THE Brazil women's team were the better team, dribbling and faking just like their more illustrious male counterparts. On the other hand, the US team looked slow, even disorganised.


Group of Eight leaders called Sunday for more AIDS funding to improve monitoring and to give more people access to treatment.


Route finders, once limited to executive autos, have become part of advanced handsets and are now being designed into mobile phones. New smartphones can load computer-like applications, adding mapping to their bag of tricks.


After attempting to hire a coach with a new approach, the U.S. Soccer Federation hires a man with similar credentials to his predecessor, Bob Bradley, as interim coach.


Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial

Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular  Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart  attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes  just weeks after Merck & Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug  due to heart safety risks.


Roma, 16 settembre 2004 - L'obiettivo di fondo del governo Ã¨ "la liberazione piena, rapida e sicura" delle due ragazze sequestrate il 7 settembre e quella dei due iracheni rapiti con loro. ''Sono andato in


Wall St set to open higher as Oracle and Nike gain

U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday after Nike  and Oracle  reported higher-than-expected financial results, but trading was likely to be volatile as equity derivative contracts expired.


An audit by international observers supported official election results that gave President Hugo ChÃ¡vez of Venezuela victory in a referendum to recall him, the secretary general of the Organisation of American States said.


Airport Delays Caused By A California Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration is now releasing new information as to what caused major delays for air travelers at several southern California airports.


A top House Republican on Tuesday called for Rep. Bob Ney to resign, days after the six-term GOP lawmaker agreed to plead guilty to federal corruption charges.


Using steroids to build bulging muscles can also trigger "catastrophic" loss of brain cells, research suggests.


Britain pledges 1,400 extra troops for Afghanistan

Britain will deploy nearly 1,400 extra troops to southern Afghanistan, where NATO forces are bracing for a Taliban spring offensive, Defence Secretary Des Browne said Monday.


Tom Cruise among the stars at Screen Actors Guild Awards rehearsal

LOS ANGELES  Â You're never too big to rehearse. Tom Cruise was among the stars who stopped by the Shrine Auditorium Saturday to run through lines for Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards Â the only show during Hollywood's strike-subdued awards season that's sure to have an A-list turnout.


Waterfall Audio to introduce glass speakers to American market

French company Waterfall Audio is showcasing its unique glass speakers at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.


NFL Game Summary - Washington at Philadelphia

Owens didn't catch a pass in the first half, the first time all season he has gone without a reception in any half. His 13 touchdowns tied a club record accomplished three other times, most recently by Mike


Childhood environment shapes risk for adult lung damage: study

Exposure to harmful factors in early childhood could play a bigger-than-expected role in shaping respiratory problems in adult life.


India protests Bangladeshi minister's remarks

India has lodged a protest over remarks by Bangladesh's foreign minister which it said could have a negative impact on relations between the neighbours.


Bergamo, 19:28 - CALCIO, ATALANTA: CON L'INTER SI TESTA ABEIJON

L'Atalanta riprenderà gli allenamenti domani in vista dell'amichevole di giovedÃ¬ con l'Inter....


UK monitoring five planes in radiation probe

Britain said on Thursday it was monitoring five planes for radiation and pledged to contact every country they had visited in a widening investigation into the poisoning of a former Russian spy.


UN Investigating Reports of Rwandan Rights Violations in Congo

The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating reports that Rwandan soldiers were responsible for violations of human rights in the east of the country last month.


Il colosso della ristorazione perde 711,7 milioni di dollari


IBM veteran becomes first woman to win the Turing Award

InfoWorld - The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has awarded the A.M. Turing Award to Frances Allen, a computer scientist at IBM and the first woman to receive the prestigious prize.


Is it bad etiquette to play two companies against each other?

Q I recently accepted a job with a national employer. But then I was contacted by their direct competitor about interviewing for a possible job with them. Is it bad etiquette to go to the interview, win a job offer, and then play the two firms against each other for higher pay than was originally offered?


The parents of Madeleine McCann on Thursday released an artist's impression of the man they believe abducted their daughter during a family vacation in Portugal.


Torre: No chance of any early Moose sightings

Unlike their red-stockinged rivals, the Yankees weren't going to use their next scheduled starter -- Mike Mussina -- to relieve if things went bad early last night.


Police investigated a possible threat against Kevin Federline earlier this year, but closed the case because of insufficient evidence, authorities said Monday. The Los Angeles Police Department probed the allegations in June, but later determined there was not enough information to keep the investigation active, LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said.


North Korea ready to stop making plutonium: Seoul

North Korea appears ready to abandon the source of its weapons-grade plutonium but there is a still a long way to go before Pyongyang scraps its entire nuclear arms program, a top South Korean nuclear envoy said on Friday.


French actor Depardieu to be feted by U.S. film society

French actor Gerard Depardieu will be  honored at this year's tribute of the Film Society of the  Lincoln Center which recognizes the extraordinary career of a  distinguished film artist each year.


Western Businesses Embrace Turkey as E.U.'s Resistance Grows

ISTANBUL -- Markus Lehto's Turkey is a futuristic shopping complex with aerial bridges linking skinny-jeans shops to designer bag boutiques. In the attached apartment building, a pied-ÃÂ -terre designed for the global jet-setter can cost up to $2 million.


A woman who approached Colin Farrell during a TV talk show is ordered to stay away from him for three years.


Pescara, 19:30 - CALCIO, PESCARA: TARDIOLI TORNA A LAVORARE IN GRUPPO

Doppio allenamento del Pescara in vista della gara di sabato prossimo contro il Napoli. Si è ...


Justice Dept. Seeks End to Its Detroit Terror Case

The Justice Department on Wednesday assailed its own legal strategy in the case that had brought its first courtroom victory in the war on terror.


To ban or not to ban the neo-Nazis; Germany ponders

The German political world is split over whether to ban the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party which is using the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II as a new electoral platform.


Will This Falcon Fly? ; Can't We Talk Rationally About Toll Road Plan?

Oh no, here we go again. We're sure we're not the only ones who had that reaction Tuesday morning, when we picked up the newspaper and saw what in some parts of Colorado are the two most dreaded words in the English language. No, not JonBenet Ramsey.


Views you can use to get clues on tomorrow's news.


"The Price Is Right" needs a host, and Rosie O'Donnell is interested. Very interested.


The world's biggest soccer star has arrived in Los Angeles, but the question remains just how excited the city, already jammed with celebrities, will be for soccer phenom David Beckham.


Having a screening of a big film 10 days before its theatrical release is unheard of in the film industry


New steel giant iSG, Ispat Inland joining mittal

Tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittalâs $4.5 billion purchase of International Steel Group will create a colossal powerhouse in the world steel industry with the capabilities of producing 70 million tons of steel annually.


Emotions are finally settling down in the entertainment industryâs bubbling cauldron of labor disputes.


Federal Reserve officials agreed at a meeting in September that they probably would keep raising their benchmark interest rate in coming quarters because of the likelihood of continued solid economic growth.


Accusing John Kerry of playing an "armchair general," Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday rejected the Democrat's criticism of the loss of hundreds of tons of explosives in Iraq, saying toppling Saddam Hussein took thousands of times that amount of potentially dangerous material out of the former dictator's hands.


Germany accepts its Holocaust guilt and stands side by side with Israel, its president tells the Israeli parliament.


The Associated Press asked the presidential candidates to identify misconceptions about them.


Sindacati, verso il finale di una grande farsa


A former British resident being held at GuantÃ¡namo is suing a subsidiary of the Boeing corporation which he alleges was involved in arranging for him to be taken to secret American prisons around the world.


Tour Company Stops Offering Flu Shot Cruises To Canada

A west coast ferry service offering US residents a short cruise to Canada to obtain much needed flu shots has ceased the popular service.


Taxes in Developed Nations Reach 36% of Gross Domestic Product

The cost of government has risen about 20 percent since 1975, when taxes accounted for less than 30 percent of the gross domestic product of the O.E.C.D.âs member countries.


Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio calls an early general election to end "crisis of credibility".


Per distribuzione marchi Kappa e Robe di Kappa in Brasile


No. 24 Texas-El Paso Clinches Bowl Berth

Jordan Palmer threw for 339 yards and five touchdowns and No. 24 Texas-El Paso beat SMU 57-27 Saturday night to clinch a bowl berth in coach Mike Price's first season running the formerly downtrodden program.


British security co. sued over death of U.S. soldier

A British private security company is being sued in the United States over the death of a U.S. soldier hit by one of its convoys in Iraq, according to court documents.


The MoD is ready to pay Â£3m compensation to veterans of Porton Down nerve gas tests, the BBC learns.


Versamento chiude accertamenti per Magiste International


Two Japanese companies said Tuesday they have developed a DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition players, raising hopes for a smooth transition as more people dump old TV sets for better screens.


Di Luca terzo nella cronoscalata e conserva la maglia rosa


Kenya's main presidential contenders held huge rallies in the capital on Monday, a final push to win votes in a race deemed too close to call.


Peru Starts Offensive to Reclaim Siege Town

LIMA, Peru  - Peruvian police and troops on Monday  launched an offensive to retake a police station in a southern  Andean town and end a three-day siege by ex-soldiers demanding  the resignation of unpopular President Alejandro Toledo.


A police officer has been arrested on suspicion of the murder his wife on Teesside.


VALKENBURG, Netherlands  - The European Union will  draw up sanctions against Sudan, with a view to implementing  them if the United Nations calls for such measures, the Dutch  foreign minister said on Saturday.


Romania PM, Bucharest Mayor Battle for Presidency

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and popular Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu faced off in a tough presidential election on Sunday seen as key for the Balkan country's European Union accession path.


Unicef says there are huge regional differences on child mortality, with sub-Saharan Africa failing to progress.


Le pellicole aspirano a entrare nella storia e di culto


It's not just a cliche: Sex and drugs often do go together, says a survey of U.S. teenagers...


Smokers in Italy took their last puffs in smoky bars and trattorias Sunday, hours before the start of one of Europe's toughest laws against smoking in public places.


Swedenâs Annika Sorenstam has won the LPGA Tour Championship after Cristie Kerr made an untimely bogey on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff while Australian Karrie Webb finished tied for third.


WASHINGTON--Dogged by rumors that Ares I rocket would not be able to lift the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle if the booster was built as currently envisioned, NASA's Constellation program manager has shot back at unnamed critics in an e-mail missive he said he wrote to set the record straight.


NEW YORK - As Wall Street sifts through more than 300 third-quarter earnings reports this week, technology and pharmaceutical stocks will be getting some of the closest scrutiny.    The focus on drug companies results from a recent spate of bad news about Merck & Co...


Gli ultimi dati sulle immatricolazioni sono tutti di segno positivoE anche l'azienda torinese registra un aumento delle vendite                                          Auto, mercato in crescita in Europa Fiat: a novembre piÃ¹ 15,3%


Market falls on recession fears but Fed cut helps

Recession worries pushed U.S. stocks lower on Tuesday, but the decline was shallower than feared as an emergency interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve helped stabilize global markets after a two-day rout.


Sport: Carling Cup: Blues knock out Liverpool after goals from Lampard and  Shevchenko secure semi-final spot


Hungarian Parliament to Elect Premier on Sept. 6, Kovacs Says

Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Hungary's parliament will elect a new prime minister on Sept. 6 to succeed Peter Medgyessy, who is quitting after the junior coalition partner withdrew its confidence, outgoing Socialist Chairman Laszlo Kovacs said on state ...


Two girls fell out of their front row seats when "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken strode on stage at the school assembly.


Analysis: Bush, Blair seem subdued on Iraq

President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair looked less like cheerleaders for the latest milestone of democratic political progress in Iraq and more like world-weary leaders who had met their match.


Milano, 18:09 - CALCIO, LEGA: DOMANI CONSIGLIO PER NUOVO REGOLAMENTO

E' in programma domani alle 11 a Milano il Consiglio della Lega Calcio. Al centro dell'ordine del gi...


An apparent attack on a dining hall at a US military base in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul today killed 22 people and injured another 51, Pentagon officials said.


Obama, Clintons converge at civil rights event

SELMA, Alabama  - Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with former President Bill Clinton, take their high-voltage fight for the White House to a hallowed symbol of the U.S. civil rights movement on Sunday.


Vioxx's Removal May Not Affect Care Much

Patients taking Vioxx for pain relief have many alternatives, and the popular drug's withdrawal from worldwide markets yesterday should have little practical effect on clinical care, experts said.


A cigar factory in Cardiff is set to close after 100 years with the loss of 184 jobs because of a fall in sales.


Milano, 16:46 - CALCIO, MILAN; ANCELOTTI: CURIOSO DI VEDERE ALL'OPERA PATO

Carlo Ancelotti è curioso di vedere all'opera Pato. Il giovane attaccante brasiliano esordir&...


With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority.


Il presidente di Lega: "Lui mi telefonÃ² un mese e mezzo fa, dicendomi 'o mi fai avere un contratto da 30 milioni con Sky o ti romperÃ² le scatole'". MILANO, 16 ottobre 2004 - "La ricerca di un calcio piÃ¹


Indiana players could face charges after brawl with Detroit fans

The Indiana Pacers lost their cool on and off the court and brawled with unruly Detroit fans during a 97-82 victory over the Pistons in a chaotic game that was halted with less than a minute to go.


Car-Free, Solar City in Gulf Could Set a New Standard for Green Design

Masdar City, a nearly self-contained mini-municipality designed for up to 50,000 people, is intended to be a hub for research on nonpolluting energy technologies.


A leading opera house canceled a 3-year-old production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" that included a scene showing the severed head of the Prophet Muhammad, unleashing a furious debate over free speech.


"Eventuali soprusi non rientrano nella corretta gestione"


The Arizona Diamondbacks spent little time celebrating their 8-3 victory over Baltimore on Sunday, which gave them sole possession of first place in the NL West for the first time since April 30.


Blair in Ankara to confirm British support for Turkey's EU bid

Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived in Ankara on the first leg of a Middle East tour designed to advance the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process and discuss Turkey's bid to join the European Union.


Branson hopes Google images help find Fossett

RENO, Nevada  - The search for missing U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett resumed on Wednesday as his friend, British billionaire Richard Branson, tried to find him through a satellite mapping service offered by Internet data provider Google.


Venezuela is to take an audit of the vote which has kept President Chavez in office, after charges of fraud.


AMD delaying two Phenom chips, moving others forward

The latest road map change involves two of AMD's quad-core chips for desktops, and will result in the company focusing on triple-core chips and energy-efficient quad-cores in the first quarter.


Hit by the tax man and a soft jack-up market, Diamond Offshore's earnings softened.


Round 1: Vitali Klitschko opened his WBC heavyweight title defense with a diet of left jabs, cutting Danny williams' right eye early.


Severed heads and bodies found in Iraq field: police

Police found nine bodies and 10 severed heads in an abandoned field north of Baghdad on Tuesday, in a region where U.S. and Iraqi forces were pressing ahead with offensives against al Qaeda forces.


CHARLOTTE, NC -- The release of a video game a recreating the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy has caught the attention of local authorities who say such things desensitize people to violence.


Argentine flight delays spark passenger violence

Frustrated passengers smashed ticket counters and threw objects at airline staff at Argentina's main airport on Saturday after the country's flagship airline canceled international flights for a second day.


Beaver Creek - In a quiet moment the day before the first World Cup race this season, US Ski Team men's coach Phil McNichol scoffed at those who were predicting a duel for supremacy between the mighty Austrians and the upstart Americans.


Workers must also benefit from globalisation, EU tells Asian leaders

EU Commission President Portugala?'s Jose Manuel Barroso is welcomed by Finland's President Tarja Halonen and Finland's Prime Minister and Chairman of the meeting Matti Vanhanen upon his arrival at the Helsinki ...


No. 8 Georgia Holds Back No. 11 Stanford

No. 8 Georgia holds off No. 11 Stanford, 74-69, thanks to four free throws from Ashley Houts in the final 30 seconds Sunday.


Appeals court reverses itself, upholds validity of DNA Act

SAN FRANCISCO - A bitterly divided federal appeals court reversed itself Wednesday and upheld the constitutionality of a 4-year-old law requiring federal parolees to give blood samples for the FBI's DNA database - a law the same court declared an ...


Alpha killer Capellas dives into Silver Lake

Freshening up for next CEO run Admitted Alpha killer and professional golden parachute artist Mike Capellas has joined investment firm Silver Lake Partners.â¦


Review of Muslim officer ordered in London

The chief of London's Metropolitan Police on Thursday ordered an urgent review of a decision to excuse a Muslim police officer from guarding the Israeli Embassy.


China detains prominent intellectuals for criticism

China has detained three prominent intellectuals who criticized the government, sources said yesterday, in what some believe reflects a new crackdown on freedom of expression.


Report Slams Air Force on Academy Assaults

The Pentagon's inspector general on  Tuesday blamed leadership failures by top Air Force officials  for a decade of sexual assaults against female cadets at the  elite Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.


BetOnSports PLC removes CEO after arrest

Online gambling company BetOnSports PLC said Tuesday it had fired its chief executive following his arrest in the United States on racketeering charges.


Running Extra Mile Sets Humans Apart in Primates' World

If walking upright first set early human ancestors apart from their ape cousins, it may have been their eventual ability to run long distances with a springing step over the African savanna


Nicholson, Freeman star in `Bucket List'

Jack Nicholson says he drew on his own experience in the hospital for his new film, "The Bucket List."


South African police chief resigns as Interpol president

South African police chief Jackie Selebi has resigned as president of Interpol to fight corruption allegations, the world police organization said on Sunday.


This BCS business is getting out of hand

Enough of the Bowl Championship Series. Enough of coaches sounding like Oliver Stone scripting his latest movie project.


MARSH & McLENNAN, the worldâs biggest insurance broker, was last night facing a potentially crippling downgrade of its credit rating by Standard & Poorâs, after its borrowing power was all but frozen by its bankers.


Film on Mexicoâs Disputed â06 Election Stirs Emotions

A documentary about last yearâs disputed presidential election has drawn big crowds and generated controversy in Mexico.


Microsoft paid CCIA $19.75 million to settle

The Financial Times reported yesterday that Microsoft paid the Computer and Communications Industry Association $19.75 million earlier this month to settle an antitrust suit, and that the association's top official received $9.75 million of that amount.


IBM and Advanced Micro Devices have announced that they have produced a silicon chip with a marked improvement in speed by using strained silicon technology.


Admits to sending junk mail to 1.2m AOL subscribers A New York man who was snared in federal investigators' sting operation targeting senders of junk email pleaded guilty to spamming 1.2m AOL subscribers.â¦


Envoy dismissed for post tsunami duty negligence

Budapest (IANS) Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany Friday dismissed and recalled the ambassador to Thailand for failing to perform his duties in the aftermath of the Dec 26 tsunami.


Talks to stop violence in Sudan reach impasse

Abuja -- Peace talks on Sudan's violence-torn Darfur region are deadlocked, a mediator said yesterday, as the African Union's chief appealed to the Sudanese government and rebels to compromise.


Pensioni, ci sono i margini tecnici ma non quelli politici


Cairn plunges after drilling disappointment

Shares in Cairn Energy plummeted 20 per cent on Friday after the oil explorer announced it had failed to strike oil in a new field in the Indian state of Rajasthan.


BP's US safety record again in focus after trouble in Alaska

BP says it has a zero tolerance policy with respect to industrial accidents, but the British energy giant has been accused time and again of cutting safety corners in the United States.


Russians finish the year with three majors

With five of the top eight players in this week's $3 million WTA Championships hailing from the land of Lenin and Kournikova, Tour organizers should consider renaming this season-ending tournament the Russian Open.


FDA warns against cold drugs for kids under 2

Children under 2 years old should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines because they are too dangerous for that age group, U.S. health authorities advised on Thursday.


European equity markets gave back some of their recent gains on Tuesday as profit taking followed the previous session's run up to near four month highs.


Israel's Likud and Labour begin coalition talks

centrist Shinui party, bolted over a state budget dispute. He won approval from Likud's Central. Committee on Thursday to begin talks with Labour.


IDG's InfoWorld Launches Virtualization for Government Executive Forum

InfoWorld, the leading integrated media brand for IT solutions  management, today announced Virtualization for Government Executive  Forum, a one-day conference for senior technology decision-makers.


U.S. Pledges to Trim Budget Deficit as G-20 Sees Risks to World Growth

Treasury Secretary John Snow pledged to reduce the U.S. budget deficit, blamed by Europeans for the euro s gains against the dollar and cited as a risk to global growth by ministers from 20 industrial and ...


A Chinese developer has brought the delights of Paris to a housing estate on the outskirts of Shanghai, including the world's second-largest replica of the Eiffel Tower.


London and Central can now tune in ITV Local is now open for business in London and Central, after a year of trials in the Meridian region.â¦


Addicted to Food? Maybe It's All in Your Head.

Alcohol, nicotine and cocaine are a few of the substances known to be addictive. Now some scientists wonder whether food should be added to the list.


Iran Cited In Iraq's Decline in Violence

The Iranian government has decided "at the most senior levels" to rein in the violent Shiite militias it supports in Iraq, a move reflected in a sharp decrease in sophisticated roadside bomb attacks over the past several months, according to the State Department's top official on Iraq.


A powerful car bomb killed at least 47 people near a Baghdad police station Tuesday morning, bringing mass casualties to the Iraqi capital for the second time in three days.


Ronaldo, grave infortunio carriera a rischio?

Rottura del tendine rotuleo del ginocchio sinistro. Ã questa la diagnosi ufficiale comunicata dal Milan per l'incidente subÃ¬to dall'attaccante brasiliano. Il nostro fotoracconto


Rachel Ray back for seconds at Food Network

Rachael Ray has signed a  new two-year deal with Food Network.


Chaka Khan talks about her career, faith

R&amp;B diva Chaka Khan likens her more-than 35-year singing career to her timeless hit song "Through the Fire." The eight-time Grammy winner, who broke into the music industry in 1971 as the 17-year-old featured vocalist for the group Rufus, has overcome much since then, she notes.


Edwards Lifesciences Corp. EW.N on  Friday said it does not expect the U.S. Food and Drug  Administration to provide an answer on whether it can conduct a  clinical trial on its percutaneous aortic valve replacement  before the end of the year.


Milano, 12:37 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS; INTER: MORATTI DOMANI AD ANFIELD ROAD

Massimo Moratti seguirà da vicino l'Inter nella sfida di domani sera contro il Liverpool. ''C...


The Bush administration, long at odds with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, greeted the populist leader's landslide re-election victory by holding out the possibility of a more cooperative relationship.


Judge Sentences Jones to 6 Months in Prison

Marion Jones pleaded guilty in October to lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs.


N.H.L. Roundup: Nash Keeps a Goal Streak Going

Rick Nash scored a goal in his fifth consecutive game, on a shot between his legs, and Pascal Leclaire stopped 36 shots to lead the host Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-0 victory against the St. Louis Blues.


Audio technology company is marking time before the next generation of DVD players arrives.


New York Cityâs new rules for menu labels at chain restaurants have set off a food fight among the nationâs obesity experts.


White noise is intended to help you fall asleep. "White Noise" would never let you do that, though. It's far too interested in a cacophony of cheap scares: otherworldly screeches, deafening bursts from the radio and a nearly nonstop, buzzing din of television snow.


A foetus is found in a sewage drain, prompting a search for the mother by health officials and police.


Hamas to Boycott Palestinian Presidential Vote

The Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas said on Wednesday it would boycott a Jan. 9 presidential election for a successor to Yasser Arafat.


Australian paceman Shaun Tait will miss this month's tour of India due to an elbow injury, opening the way for swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus, Cricket Australia said.


Tennis: Sharapova Advances to Finals of Japan Open

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova has advanced to the finals of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo. The top-seeded Russian scored a 6-2, 6-3 win over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn.


Hewlett-Packard agrees to pay $14.5m to settle a lawsuit over its much-criticised probe into a boardroom leak.


Jon Lieber subdued Pedro MartÃnez and the mighty offense of the Boston Red Sox, leading the Yankees to a 3-1 victory.


Manufacturing Speeds Up as Consumers Spend Away

The outlook for U.S. manufacturing improved in November as factories hired more workers in response to a jump in new orders, a national survey published on Wednesday showed.


Tobacco and poverty drive cancer in developing world

Rising tobacco use and poverty will fuel cancer across the developing world, more than doubling the number of new cases to 27 million by 2050, experts predicted on Thursday.


Sinclair Says Won't Show Entire Anti-Kerry Film

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., the  nation's largest owner of TV stations, said on Tuesday it would  only air part of a documentary critical of Sen. John Kerry's  Vietnam war record, as critics demanded it cancel the broadcast  altogether or face legal action.


Two teenage girls shot dead in Birmingham were killed in error by feuding gang members, a court hears.


A fresh wave of national strikes by postal workers will be held by the end of the month unless a bitter row over pay and conditions is resolved, union leaders announced today.


Oscar Peterson, whose early talent, speedy fingers and musical genius made him one of the world's best known jazz pianists, has died. He was 82.


Broadcom, Verizon Wireless reach 3G phone deal

Broadcom goes straight to Qualcomm's customer to cut a licensing deal for its patents, which Qualcomm has been found to infringe.


Valley irrigators seek $500 million from Mexico

Saying diplomacy between the United States and Mexico hasnât worked, Rio Grande Valley irrigators told Mexico on Friday they plan to file a claim with international


Militants Threaten to Kill Iraq Hostages

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An al-Qaida linked group threatened in a videotape Saturday to behead two Americans and a Briton within two days, and insurgents carried out a new string of car bombings, killing at least 20 Iraqis and two American soldiers. The unrelenting violence has taken 300 lives in the past week...


More than 90% of 12-year-olds now have a mobile phone, a survey of 1,250 youngsters suggests.


Florida Court Strikes Down Law in Right-To-Die Case

The Florida Supreme Court struck down a hastily enacted law on Thursday that let the governor keep a severely brain-damaged woman on life support against the wishes of her husband and legal guardian.


Shhhh! Pretend You've Never Seen Those Styles

While most of the fashion press will see spring styles for the first time during Fashion Week, any store buyer worth his or her Palm organizer knows what is ahead.


Putin, Schroeder Seek to Resolve Chechnya Crisis on German Visit

Russian President Vladimir started off his two-day visit to Germany with a hint of a âbig Christmas presentâ in the form of repaying Russiaâs foreign debt, and told Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder he was open to suggestions on Chechnya .


Lille, 11:06 - CALCIO, MANCHESTER UTD: ROONEY IN CAMPO CONTRO IL LILLE

L'attaccante del Manchester United, Wayne Rooney, ha recuperato e domani sera sarà in campo c...


Iranian leader berates Bush on U.S. Mideast policy

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lambasted President George W. Bush's Middle East strategy on Wednesday at a time the U.S. leader has come under pressure to open direct contacts with Tehran.


SINGAPORE has extended the ban on the import of poultry and eggs from Malaysia, following a new outbreak of bird flu in Kelantan yesterday.


MARTINSVILLE, Virginia (Ticker) -- Unaware of a plane crash that apparently claimed the lives of a number of his Hendrick Motorsports race team members, Jimmie Johnson took the lead with 60 laps to go Sunday and held on for his second straight victory in