Spectrum of ideas aired for 700MHz auction

(InfoWorld) - Within weeks, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is expected to set conditions for the auction of the most valuable wireless spectrum still available in the United States. The spectrum, in the 700MHz band, is highly coveted by a range of broadband providers, tech vendors, and wireless voice providers for the ability of signals to broadcast long distances and penetrate buildings and other obstacles. With no other auctions of large spectrum blocks on the horizon, many organizations have pitched a range of conflicting ideas and auction conditions to the FCC. "This particular spectrum ... is the single biggest and most valuable block of spectrum I can ever remember, and I've been in this for close to 40 years," said Morgan O'Brien, co-founder of Nextel and author of a much-debated spectrum proposal. "It's unbelievable spectrum, and of course, there's a lot of intense interest in it." Advocacy groups such as Public Knowledge and Consumers Union say this auction represents the best and last opportunity for large portions of the United States to have a third broadband provider that competes with the cable and telecom giants. These groups are asking the FCC to require that part of the auctioned spectrum be sold with so-called open-access rules attached -- meaning the winner of the auction would have to sell wholesale access to the network to any company that wants it. At the same time, large broadband and wireless providers argue that placing heavy conditions on the spectrum would decrease its value and would hamper their efforts to create next-generation services. While the FCC has often set some conditions for auctions, rules on how the spectrum can be used would decrease the number of bidders, suggest critics of open-access requirements. The U.S. Congress has set a goal of raising $10 billion, with about half going to reduce the U.S. government's budget deficit, but some observers expect the auction to raise billions more, if the FCC sets the right conditions. Part of the spectrum, now used by U.S. television stations for over-the-air broadcasts, is targeted for public safety agencies such as police and fire departments. During the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, emergency responders found they couldn't talk to each other because they were operating a variety of incompatible communication devices in different areas of the spectrum. In early 2006, after more than a decade of debate, the U.S. Congress voted to require television stations to move to digital broadcasts and abandon the 700MHz band between channels 51 and 69 by Feb. 17, 2009. The move to digital television, or DTV, will free up about 84MHz of spectrum, with 24MHz set aside for public safety. The remaining 60MHz is set to be auctioned by early 2008. Here are some of the ideas for the 700MHz spectrum auction: Cyren Call: One of the earliest proposals seeking changes to the congressional plan for the spectrum came from startup Cyren Call Communications, founded by Morgan O'Brien. His plan, announced in April 2006, would take an additional 30MHz of spectrum for public safety, in addition to the 24MHz assigned by Congress. The spectrum would be controlled through a public safety broadband trust at the FCC and would be available for commercial uses after public safety agency needs are met. Public safety officials embraced O'Brien's plan early, saying it offered them the spectrum they need. The plan found a cool reception in Congress, however, mostly because it would cost billions of dollars in lost auction proceeds. While Congress has not moved to make the necessary changes to the digital television transition legislation that the Cyren Call plan would require, O'Brien said he's optimistic the FCC will adopt the "essence" of his plan. Frontline Wireless, another startup founded by a group of tech and FCC veterans, made a similar proposal in February. The Frontline plan has generated significant debate in Congress and in the broadband industry. O'Brien said the Frontline plan would accomplish many of the same goals, but he still believes his plan is better. "We were building ... as much pressure as we could to get the relief we were looking for," O'Brien said. "When [Frontline] introduced their proposal, it relieved some of that pressure by diverting to a different model." Frontline: Frontline's plan would marry 10MHz of spectrum from the chunk to be auctioned with 12MHz assigned to public safety. That 22MHz would be auctioned, with the winner required to build a network that gives priority to public safety agencies. After public safety needs are met, the network could be used for commercial services, although Frontline has called on the FCC to require wholesale access for other providers. Frontline has assembled a team of tech and wireless industry heavyweights, including CEO Haynes Griffin, founder of Vanguard Cellular Systems; Chairwoman Janice Obuchowski, former assistant secretary for communications and information at the U.S. Department of Commerce; James Barksdale, former CEO of Netscape; and L. John Doerr, a partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The Frontline plan gives public safety the best chance for an interoperable, next-generation network, said Reed Hundt, Frontline's vice chairman and a former chairman of the FCC. The difference between the Frontline and Cyren Call proposals is that Cyren Call asked for a "government handout" of spectrum and money, while Frontline relies on private money to build the public safety network, Hundt said. Verizon Wireless has opposed Frontline's plan, particularly its call for open-access rules. Such rules would drive down the cost of the auction, said Dick Lynch, Verizon Wireless' executive vice president and chief technical officer, during a Senate hearing in June. But Verizon wants an auction that favors large providers, Hundt countered. "The way to get a really low price for the treasury is to say Verizon can have it all, because nobody will bid," he said. "Verizon wanted to buy all the spectrum and put it in the bottom left-hand drawer. It's an effort to monopolize." Verizon: Verizon has generally declined to comment about the 700MHz auction, but Lynch, in his June testimony, called on the FCC to auction a 20MHz block of spectrum that can be used across the United States. This would allow the United States to "lead the world" in fourth-generation wireless deployment, he said. Verizon also opposes open-access rules, similar to net neutrality rules proposed by some consumer and advocacy groups for existing broadband networks. "The auction needs to make the spectrum available in ways that will promote, not cripple, broadband," Lynch said. "The commission should set auction rules that allow for full and fair competition by qualified bidders, without artificial and unwarranted constraints." Past competition auctions without such conditions have created a competitive wireless marketplace offering a "broad range of digital offerings," Lynch added. Several conservative think tanks and advocacy groups have also opposed the Frontline plan. Public safety: Public safety groups are not united in their views on the 700MHz auction, particularly since it became clear that Congress would not support the Cyren Call plan. However, some public safety groups have warmed to the Frontline proposal. Frontline has recently embraced the idea of a public safety board that would oversee the network to be built, said Charles Werner, fire chief in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Communications Committee. The Frontline proposal represents "a perfect storm" that represents the best chance of a national broadband network for public safety, he said. "It also builds off a commercial model, which means you have this ever-evolving network that gives public safety ... all those technology advances that they otherwise would never have." Without something like the Frontline plan, a public safety network may never get built, Werner said. Congress, with many other priorities, doesn't have the political will to build and maintain a national network, he said. "We do not want a national broadband network built and funded by the government," he said. "This is something that's going to have to be maintained from this point on. You can't have that kind of network based on decisions that are going to change." Other public safety officials have opposed the Frontline plan, saying it takes away local control of the network. Save Our Spectrum Coalition: Leading the charge for open-access rules are a group of consumer and advocacy organizations, including Public Knowledge, Consumers Union, and the Consumer Federation of America. The Ad Hoc Public Interest Spectrum Coalition has asked the FCC to include open-access rules with 30MHz of the auctioned spectrum. The coalition has also asked the FCC to require anonymous bidding, instead of its past practice of revealing bidders. Anonymous bidding would prevent auction participants from engaging in retaliatory bidder, the coalition argued. The FCC should act "both to ensure that new spectrum is offered on an open and nondiscriminatory basis and to bring in new entrants interested in challenging the current cozy wireless oligopoly and broadband duopoly," the coalition wrote in comments to the FCC. "The 700MHz auctions will not give birth to the much anticipated third pipe if the licenses are auctioned to the very same ... telephone and cable incumbents that dominate the wireline market." Google: Finally, Google has asked the FCC to allow what it calls "dynamic auctions" of spectrum. The Google proposal would allow, but not require, winners of the spectrum auction to create their own real-time auctions. Wireless and broadband providers and customers could bid in real-time auctions for the right to use a piece of spectrum for a given period of time. A customer could pay a few cents per minute to access the spectrum, Google said. These dynamic auctions would create a more competitive broadband and wireless marketplace, allowing customers to escape long service contracts, said Richard Whitt, Google's telecom and media counsel. "Maybe there's a different way of providing spectrum," Whitt said. "I think most people will believe this is the wave of the future. You have to provide the most compelling service, and users will come to your door."


Taylor: U.S. Opposes UK Debt Relief Plan

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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi escaped a potentially devastating jail sentence when a Milan court cleared him of corruption charges after a four-year trial, a verdict which he hailed as "better late than never".


Black market in flu vaccine spurs a raid in Atlantic County

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PARIS - Conflicting reports emerged Tuesday about the seriousness of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's illness, as a fifth day of medical tests began at a French military hospital that specializes in blood disorders.


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MOBILE, Alabama  - An Alabama father was charged with four counts of murder on Wednesday after he confessed to throwing four young children into the water from a high-rise bridge after an argument with his wife, police said.


Gerald Wallace has 36 points and 14 rebounds, Jason Richardson, right, hits a three-pointer and four free throws in the final minute, as Charlotte rallies to stun Stan van Gundy, left, and Orlando, 99-93.


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Red Sox ace Curt Schilling said his right ankle isn't recovering from surgery as quickly as he expected and he doesn't think he'll be ready to pitch by Opening Day.


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The 11th Star Trek movie will be released on Christmas Day 2008, Paramount Pictures announces.


The U.N. humanitarian chief said a "dramatic deterioration" of the situation in Sudan's Darfur region has left four million people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.


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At an elegant faux French villa that is the latest hot spot for this city's young and beautiful, the bewitching hour has passed but the night rages on.


Jill McGill fired an eight-under 64 Friday for a tournament record 14-under 130 and a four-shot lead midway through the Wachovia LPGA Classic.


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Roma, 11:05 - CALCIO, AZZURRI; TOTTI: PRONTO PER SFIDE IMPORTANTI

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Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a surprise farewell visit to American troops in Iraq and told them U.S. forces must stay until the enemy is defeated.


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US stocks fell sharply as record oil prices and disappointing sales forecasts from Microsoft Corp. spurred losses in technology shares.


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A leading UN climate official welcomes US President George Bush's new climate change imitative.


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America Online (website - news - quote) reportedly is preparing to fire more than 700 employees in early December - mostly at the company's Northern Virginia headquarters.


Community News: Latest PHPClasses.org Releases for 01.30.2008

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Two Works by Picasso Are Stolen in Paris

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In pictures: German rescue workers catch baby thrown by parents during fire which killed nine people


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By the time Dan Wheldon took the checkered flag Sunday at the Firestone Indy 225, thousands in the crowd had already begun marching toward the exits.


Hewlett-Packard Is Still Pondering Chairwoman’s Fate

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Genova, 17:58 - CALCIO, SAMP; PALOMBO: PRIMA LA SALVEZZA, POI L'EUROPA

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U.K. Prime Minister's Speech Tackles Domestic Issues

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Bobby Bowden Prepares to Meet Former Team

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Pardoned ex-Philippines leader set to walk free

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A south Belfast DUP assembly member has filed travel expenses of more than Â£18,000, it has been revealed.


How to Work More Hours and Still Go Home Early

As older baby boomers leave the work force and younger workers move into senior management, the workday is becoming much less rigidly defined.


Braves, Astros Meet in NL Division Series

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Jim Zorn might be the most out-of-the-box Redskins head coaching hire since Joe Gibbs, but it doesn't change how fouled-up much of the entire search appeared.


Long renown as a place for fun, Hawaii hopes to become a place for serious investment in space exploration with an agreement signed this week with the California-based NASA Ames Research Center.


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La moneta unica non si avvia nei primi scambi della mattina


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It was a record-breaking Sunday for the Eagles, who rode the efforts of quarterback Donovan McNabb, wide receiver Terrell Owens, and running back Brian Westbrook to a resounding 47-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers.


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Per il presentatore hanno censurato canzone dei Tiromancino


Potenza, 16:57 - CALCIO, C1: TOSI LASCIA, ARLEO TORNA ALLA GUIDA DEL POTENZA

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Mohamed Al Fayed wins the right to a jury inquest into the 1997 accident that took the lives of his son and the princess


Nick Faldo joined CBS Sports as its lead golf analyst on Tuesday, giving him more air time than any other golf broadcaster but a job that will keep him from playing in the Masters.


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Qualcomm says Broadcom ruling to hurt short-term

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Starring Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda Barrett, Robert Patrick, Morris Chestnut. Written by Lewis Colick; directed by Jay Russell.


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Shares of Google Inc. rose as much as 20 percent on Friday, to trade at more than twice the level of it cut-price IPO, after the Web search


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Blog: Several people offer to sell their spots in line for several thousand dollars; another, determined to stay, brings a portable generator to power his laptop.


Two men who killed a British tourist in Thailand have their death sentences commuted to life in jail.


He isn't big on names when it comes to breaking down Bay State Carey champion Weymouth, his opponent tonight in an MIAA Division 1A semifinal at Veterans Stadium in Quincy. He admits he doesn't know a lot about the Wildcats either, given that he hasn't faced them in 12 years.


President Bush to survey hurricane damage

President Bush will head to Florida tomorrow to survey hurricane damage, and heâs urging Congress to approve two billion dollars for "urgent needs" stemming from hurricanes Charley and Frances.


General Motors Corp. recalled more than 700,000 minivans because passengers could injure their wrists or arms on their powered sliding doors, the automaker and the federal government said Thursday.


Japan industrialists are gloomier about the economic outlook for the first time since March 2003,  the central bank's quarterly Tankan survey finds.


The cordon lifts on the Cornish village devastated by flash floods, and Boscastle is returned to its residents.


The Pixar studio is teaming up again with the creator of Monsters Inc for its next big animation project.


Black Sea energy ministers warn of rising risks to European markets

Eleven energy ministers warned of rising political and commercial risks to Europe's energy markets as President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to "unconscientious" investors.


Learn the basic concept that helped launch Berkshire Hathaway.


U.S. judge challenges Monsanto seed approval: NYT

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Agriculture Department violated the law by failing to adequately assess possible environmental impacts before approving genetically-engineered alfalfa from Monsanto , the New York Times said on Wednesday.


A state-owned company's sales of vibrating prophylactics has some Indian politicians accusing the national government of immorality


Tears ran down the wrinkled cheeks of 81-year-old Wayne Pease on Tuesday as he recalled the destruction he witnessed on Dec. 7, 1941.


InfoWorld - Hackers are trying to play on business' fear of legal action from customers to trick them into downloading a harmful program distributed through e-mail.


German research firm Heise Security has issued an advisory for a pair of security flaws in Microsoft's (Quote, Chart) recently shipped Windows XP Service Pack 2 with a warning that attackers could launch malicious files from an untrusted zone.


Many Asian Americans faced discrimination during US mid-term elections in 2006, a civil rights group says.


Chirac, Blair Downplay Strains Over Iraq

French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair sought to downplay strains in their relationship over the war in Iraq and pledged Thursday to make every effort to revitalize the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.


The fine print of Kenyan election law could result in an inconclusive end to the closely contested presidential race.


BOSTON 4, ST. LOUIS 1: Red Sox one win to glory

As Pedro Martinez left the mound for the final time Tuesday night, he looked and pointed skyward. He had done in his first World Series start what Babe Ruth did in his back in 1916


At least 82 youths have died from the so-called "choking game," according to the first government count of fatalities from the tragic fad.


Acapulco, 10:19 - TENNIS, ATP ACAPULCO: DI MAURO ELIMINATO AL PRIMO TURNO

Alessio Di Mauro è stato eliminato al primo turno del torneo Atp di Acapulco (terra battuta, ...


Not a whole latte love for the java giant.


Ad accoglierlo il presidente del consiglio Romano Prodi


LUXEMBOURG Oct 31, 2004 - Alicia Molik of Australia won her second straight title Sunday, defeating Dinara Safina of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the SEAT Open final.


Flights out of London began returning to  normal on Monday as British Airways  said 80 percent of  its flights would take off from Heathrow and Britain scaled  back a security alert imposed last week after police said they  foiled a plot to bomb planes.


Democrat Chris Dodd has earned the backing of the International Association of Fire Fighters, a major coup for the presidential hopeful, while leading contender Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton secured the endorsement Tuesday of the United Transportation Union.


Price-Fixing Allegation Adds to BP's Woes

Federal commodities regulators have recommended civil action against the oil company BP for allegedly manipulating unleaded gasoline futures prices on Halloween in 2002, the company disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing yesterday.


FRIDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The release last week of statistics on the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in American children -- one case in every 150 8-year-olds -- confirmed that the condition is more common now than it was just a decade ago, when estimates ranged anywhere from one in 500 youngsters to one in 166.


Il Rapporto dell'Istat sulla violenza e i maltrattamenti contro la donnaCommissionato dal ministero delle Pari opportunitÃ , Ã¨ il primo di questo genere                                          Tre donne su 10 hanno subito violenza Il  33 per cento sceglie di non denunciare                                                                                La ricerca Ã¨ stata fatta nel 2006 su un campione di 25 mila donne tra i 16 e i 70 anniDallo stupro ai capelli tirati, dallo stalking alle intimidazioni. Il piÃ¹ violento Ã¨ sempre il partner di CLAUDIA FUSANI


Web Posting Claims British Hostage Killed

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Internet posting claimed Saturday that an al-Qaida-linked group has killed British hostage Kenneth Bigley. The claim could not immediately be confirmed, and Britain's Foreign Office described the site where it appeared as "discredited."   Bigley was kidnapped Sept...


Deep-rooted debate stirs up Christmas tree growers

ATLANTA - Shirley Mansour looks dubious as she examines the plastic needles on the 9-foot Sedona pine. "I'm not sure I really want to do this," she says, circling the $337.50 artificial tree at the Seasonal Concepts store in Roswell, Ga.


Striking writers target Oscars and Globes

The Academy Awards presentation is still two months away but the world's top film awards ceremony found itself embroiled on Tuesday in the worst Hollywood labor clash in two decades.


Through all the recent warnings about antidepressants and children, one of the drugs seemed somehow above the fray: Prozac. But is it really that different?


England rugby fans trudge home, defeated but proud

England fans trudged home from Paris on Sunday after their team's defeat in the rugby World Cup final, bitterly disappointed but with heads held high after a widely-praised England display.


An unmanned solar-powered aircraft that soared for 54 hours more than 50,000 feet above New Mexico may hold the record for unmanned flight, defense research company QinetiQ announced Monday.


E' una redditivita' del capitale impiegato del 24%


Chiude stabilimento Nord Carolina che conta 2.500 dipendenti


Today is a great day to quit smoking because you can get the help you need to kick the habit for good. Thursday marks the 28th annual Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society.


The Tories criticise Jack Straw for asking Muslim women at his constituency surgeries to remove veils.


Argentine first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner rode an economic boom and her husband's popularity to victory in a presidential election on Sunday to become the country's first elected woman leader.


Away From the Set but Not Away From HDTV

Plextor has come out with its Mini Digital HDTV Receiver, which connects to a laptopâs USB port.


Boeing says on track to deliver 787 in late 2008

Boeing Co.  said on Thursday it  was on track to deliver its new 787 Dreamliner planes in the  latter part of 2008, and expected a good year for new orders.


Using a patientâs own stem cells to rebuild feeble bladder-control muscles may provide lasting relief from the embarrassing and inconvenient symptoms of urinary incontinence, a new study reveals.


Leaders of the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia said Monday they would hold a referendum on independence in November — a move likely to infuriate the government in Tbilisi and stoke already spiraling tensions.


E' un'azienda di prodotti per capelli per professionisti


US asks Britain about possible help in Iraq military operation

The United States has asked Britain for their thoughts on sending troops on a "particular operation", but this is a fairly frequent occurence, a British military spokesman said.


Roma. Il governo riferira' probabilmente nel pomeriggio di venerdi' prossimo, 27 agosto, sulla situazione in Iraq alle commissioni riunite Esteri e Difesa della Camera. L'audizione, a quanto si apprende, verra' definita nella riunione dell'ufficio di ...


Question of Arafat burial threatens to spark violence

JERUSALEM - The first, potentially explosive row of the post-Yasser Arafat era has erupted, even as the Palestinian leader clings to life - apparently thanks to life support machines.


Too Cold to Exercise? Try Another Excuse

Your mother was right about the hat. But bundling up is not advised.


The U.S. decision to end an economic and political embargo on the Palestinians increased pressure for a reciprocal move from Israel as the Bush administration hoped to improve the chances for peace.


Abu Mazin escapes assassination attempt in Gaza

Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazin, has escaped a failed assassination attempt on Sunday evening after three gunmen broke into the tent where condolences are offered for the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Gaza and chanted slogans deploring Abbas and


Plaxo, an early social networking site that helps people keep their address books updated is up for auction, seeking as much as $100 million.


Make-believe NATO soldiers rob security van

Thieves masquerading as NATO soldiers have stolen a million euros ($US1.3 million) from a Bosnian security van on the last day of the alliance's peace mission in the country.


Notre Dame's firing isn't case of black, white

Now that Notre Dame has fired Tyrone Willingham, that's how many black head coaches there are at America's 117 Division IA universities.


Mental health nurse Cerie Bullivant is found not guilty of breaching the terms of a control order.


A 57-year-old man is jailed for life after killing a young mother and dismembering her body.


Trump to Miss USA: You get a second chance

Miss USA 2006 was given a second chance on Tuesday by billionaire Donald Trump who came close to firing her after reported misbehavior.


Artoni: il taglio dellâIrpef non serve al rilancio dellâ ...

L'economia e' ''la vera emergenza italiana'' e tagliare l'Irpef non e' la ricetta giusta. Occorre lo ''sguardo lungo'' per inseguire una missione cosi' ambiziosa che rischia di essere ''un tentativo velleitario se dietro non c'e' un progetto paese''.


Car Bombs Kill 24, Wound Over 100 in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents unleashed a pair of powerful car bombs Monday near the symbol of U.S. authority in Iraq - the Green Zone, where the U.S...


Jeremy Deller wins the Turner Prize 2004 at Tate Britain

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.- The Turner Prize 2004 has been awarded to Jeremy Deller, it was announced at Tate Britain this evening. The Â£25,000 prize, sponsored for the first time in a three-year partnership


Asia-Europe summit tackles trade, security and climate change

Asian and European leaders meeting in Helsinki were set to deliver a strong message to the world on what to do about global warming after the Kyoto Protocol on climate change runs out in 2012.


Lead Tips to Democrat for Washington Governor

Officials said that the Democratic candidate, Christine O. Gregoire, was now leading her Republican opponent by 10 votes.


An influential Republican senator calls for some 5,000 US troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by the year's end.


These promising companies were chosen by investors who've picked stocks with huge gains.


Olmert has health problem, convenes media: source

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convened a surprise news conference for noon (1000 GMT) on Monday and a political source said it would address Olmert's health.


BUDAPEST-Prime Minister Paul Martin has won international support in his push to convince other nations to respond faster to avert humanitarian crises.


The world's largest Internet service provider believes spammers are starting to give up — at least when it comes to sending junk to its subscribers.


Millions of workers are unaware of new laws against ageism coming in on 1 October, a survey suggests.


Biobank:da 69 nel 1996 a 658 nel 2006, aumenteranno nel 2007


Monaco, 14:10 - CALCIO, BAYERN; HITZFELD: MILAN? POTEVA ANDARCI PEGGIO

Bayern Monaco del sorteggio. ''Il Milan è forte, ma poteva andarci anche peggio'', ha detto i...


IBM Settles Part of Giant Pension Lawsuit

International Business Machines Corp.  IBM.N has settled for an undisclosed sum part of a  potentially multi-billion-dollar lawsuit over its pension plan,  a Wednesday court filing shows.


Yusuf Islam seeks probe into US deportation

Yusuf Islam, the singer-songwriter formerly known as Cat Stevens, demanded an inquiry into why the United States labelled him a security risk and deported him.


Three Bush Officials Probed in Boeing Tanker Deal

The Justice Department is reviewing  the actions of three top administration officials over a $23.5  billion Air Force plan to acquire 100 Boeing Co. tankers,  documents obtained by Reuters on Tuesday show.


Karzai Offers to Back National Role for Rival Qanuni

A day after naming his new cabinet, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai said he had asked his main rival to form a national political party ahead of parliamentary elections due in April.


Fears rise of an all-out war in East Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- With the Ethiopian government saying it is technically at war with Somalia's Islamic Courts movement, and the movement having declared holy war against Ethiopia, there is fear that an all-out conflict in the Horn of Africa may be unavoidable.


GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Janel McCarville had 16 points and 12 rebounds, leading No. 16 Minnesota to a 60-51 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay.


Jobless claims fall 8,000 in latest week

The number of new claims filed for U.S. jobless benefits fell unexpectedly in the latest week, dropping 8,000 to the lowest level in two months, the government said on Thursday.


LONDON, Aug 20  - Jamaica striker Ricardo Fuller has joined Portsmouth from Preston North End on a two-year contract, the Premier League club said on Friday.


Fourteen Islamist extremists were arrested Friday on suspicion of planning to use explosives to free an Al Qaeda sympathizer from prison, the officials said.


Afghans killed after attack on U.S. convoy

JALALABAD, Afghanistan  - Sixteen Afghan civilians were killed after a "complex" Taliban ambush on a U.S. convoy involving a suicide car-bomb attack and militant gunfire, the U.S. military in Afghanistan said on Sunday.


Mantova, 18:05 - CALCIO, JUVE; DESCHAMPS: E' MANCATO TUTTO

Una giornata no. La Juve spiega cosÃ¬ il ko per 3-1 con il Brescia. Deschamps: ''Troppe cose negative...


Two Take Share of Pole-Vault Title at Millrose

The New York Road Runners womenâs mile was not decided until the home stretch when Kara Goucher found an extra gear and kicked her way to victory in 4 minutes 36.03 seconds.


Bolzano, 10:52 - SCI, CDM; GIGANTE ALTA BADIA: PALANDER IN TESTA, MOELGG 4/O

Il finlandese Kalle Palander è al comando del gigante di coppa del mondo in Alta Badia. Palan...


Debutto felice per Carlo Conti alla guida de L'eredita'


Update 2: Oil Prices Rise Above $43 Before Meeting

The price of crude oil climbed in European trading Monday, edging back over $43 per barrel on fears that the producer cartel OPEC may cut production to stem a recent price drop.


Parliament votes for Somalia's cabinet to relocate to the capital, as AU troops take control of the airport.


Online music retailer Napster Inc. said Wednesday its loss narrowed in its fiscal third quarter on lower operating expenses and a 15 percent jump in revenue from its slate of subscription offerings.


EarthLink will begin providing Internet connections over Consolidated Edison's power lines in Manhattan in the next several months, following an FCC vote last week to establish new ground rules for commercial deployment of the service.


Reformed boy band Take That celebrate the 10th chart-topping single of their career with Shine.


Infosys Profit Growth Best in Three Years

Infosys Technologies Ltd., India's  second-largest software services company, posted its biggest  quarterly profit jump in three years on increased outsourcing  by telecoms and financial companies.


The Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday released defensive end Tony Brackens, the team's all-time sack leader.


Google says 'there's no black and white answer' The European Union moved closer to labelling Internet Protocol addresses as personal information yesterday at a public hearing of the Civil Liberties Committee.â¦


Stoccarda, 15:31 - GINNASTICA, MONDIALI: NEL VOLTEGGIO ORO A CINESE CHENG FEI

La cinese Cheng Fei ha vinto l'oro nel volteggio ai mondiali di ginnastica. Con il punteggio di 15,9...


Nuclear talks begin in Rome with Iran defiant

Iran will not retreat "one iota" from its nuclear program, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday, as his new chief negotiator met Western diplomats for the first time.


EU Signs off on IBM's Cognos Acquisition

European regulators gave their approval to IBM's $5 billion acquisition of the business intelligence software vendor.


Google in cookie concession to dead people

Privacy in the hereafter Hoping to appease privacy advocates who've come down hard on its data retention policies, Google has made a practically meaningless change to its cookie policy.â¦


Florida State says it has placed its sports teams on probation for two years because of an academic cheating scandal.


Sleep-Deprived Young Docs Prone to Auto Accidents

NEW YORK  - Trainee doctors have double the  risk of having a car crash when they work more than 24  consecutive hours, according to a new report.


Music Review | Pacifica Quartet: Finding a Tangle of Knots, Untying Them Smoothly

The bright young group performed Elliott Carterâs quartets with an air of confirmed mastery at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on Wednesday.


Sheryl Swoopes produced a late run to  lead the United States to a 66-62 women's basketball victory  over Russia Friday and into their third consecutive Olympic  gold medal game.


Australia's Alinta: ACCC Won't Oppose Dampier Pipe Bid-2-

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. (ALN.AU) said Monday that Australia's competition regulator won't oppose its joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline in Western Australia state.


The AU chairman calls a summit on the crisis in Ivory Coast as foreigners continue to flee the West African country.


Scotland Plans to Ban Smoking in Public Places

Scotland's government has agreed to ban smoking in enclosed public places under legislation to be presented before the end of the year.


Costco Wholesale Corp. COST.O on   Wednesday warned of lower-than-expected quarterly profit   because of disappointing gross margins and a tax reserve,   sending its shares down 5 percent in premarket trading.


In an Aug. 31 story on Bayer AG's quarterly earnings, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the German drug and chemical company acquired U.S. group Lyondell Chemical.


Isae: deficit-pil +2,5% nel 2007 in rialzo rispetto a stime


Group Seeks Ban on 'Less-Lethal' Weapons

Civil rights advocates angry over the death of a student hit by a pepper-spray pellet are seeking at least a temporary ban on the Boston Police Department's use of so-called "less-lethal" weapons to control crowds.


The Rock and Roll Hall of fame has found what it's looking   for...and then some.


Lo SP Mib segna -0,97%, l'All Stars perse lo 0,42%


Baseball never addresses any problem until the sport is cornered by a screaming mob and can't find a way to escape doing the obvious.


eBay Exec Arrested in India For Sex Tape Listing

Officials at San Jose, Calif.-based eBay (Quote, Chart) expressed outrage after the head of its Indian operations was arrested over the weekend for a pornographic video file listed on its site.


Russia's top industrial safety official on Wednesday blamed interference with a safety system for a methane explosion that killed 39 coal miners, saying gas gauges had been blocked — possibly with rags — in an apparent effort to keep work going and increase profits, a Russian news agency reported.


Umenyiora Sets Mood, and Giants Join the Fun

On an afternoon when the Giantsâ defense had six sacks, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and five passes knocked down, Osi Umenyiora finished with the lionâs share.


Amazon slapped with cockfighting lawsuit

Bird-on-bird magazines ruffle feathers The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has slapped Amazon.com with a lawsuit aimed at preventing the online retailer punting cockfighting magazines and dogfighting videos, Computerworld reports.â¦


Religion and politics intertwine in Iraq

GRAND Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned to the Iraqi city of Najaf on Thursday as a clerical conqueror at the head of an army of followers.


NUSA DUA, Indonesia  - India and China objected on Saturday to a draft deal at U.N. talks in Bali meant to launch negotiations on a global pact by 2009 to fight climate change, saying rich nations should do more to lead the way.


Three people are charged with murdering a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed in Birmingham.


Yushchenko Renews Call for Government Blockade

The apparent winner of Ukraine's presidential run-off election, Viktor Yushchenko, said Tuesday the struggle to bring democracy to the country is not over and urged his supporters to renew


Bush, Kerry brace for key presidential debate

The US presidential candidates were set to go head to head in a bruising, high-stakes televised debate, with Republican incumbent George W. Bush aiming to lock in his lead in the race and Democratic challenger John Kerry banking on a comeback.


Oil Prices Boost Profit at ConocoPhillips

Oil prices at record highs sent  quarterly profits up at ConocoPhillips COP.N and two other  top U.S. producers on Wednesday.


MartedÃ¬ l'ultimatum di Prodi: nessun membro del governo ai corteiMa il sottosegretario all'Economia Paolo Cento dice: "Non ho ancora deciso"                                            L'incubo di Palazzo Chigi: violenze in piazza con i leader                                                                                di CLAUDIO TITO


"Kamikaze"  film delves behind war propaganda

Ordered to sacrifice themselves for the nation by crashing their planes into U.S. warships as Japan vainly battled to stave off invasion in the final months of World War Two, some young pilots instead returned alive.


Children's tsar seeks to ban alarm used on hoodies

High-pitched whine of Mosquito alarm, used to deter teenagers from loitering in groups, 'infringes their human rights'


Hamas says it has foiled Fatah plot to kill leader

A senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip on Saturday accused rival Fatah of plotting to assassinate Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh as he prayed and said the would-be suicide bomber had been arrested and had confessed.


Greg Oden had 15 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 2 Ohio State hold off Penn State, 64-62 on Wednesday night for its 10th straight win.


'Snakes are like people," says the seductive villainess, caressing an especially slithery example. "You can love them, nurture them ... but they will turn on you in an instant. Don't trust anyone.".


Mosby, No. 15 Baylor top Central Florida

Bernice Mosby scored 16 points as No. 15 Baylor defeated Central Florida 78-48 in the fourth annual Junkanoo Jam.


With overnight rain causing a 2Â½-hour delay to the start of play in the HSBC World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth, Retief Goosen did his bit to help to make up ground.


RALEIGH, North Carolina  - Tropical Storm Ernesto   dumped heavy rain on North and South Carolina as it closed in   on the U.S. East Coast near hurricane strength on Thursday, and   forecasters warned it could trigger life-threatening floods and   tornadoes.


Missing girl found hidden at acquaintance's home

HARTFORD, Connecticut  - A teen-age Connecticut girl missing for nearly a year was found by police on Wednesday locked in a hidden room under the staircase of a home owned by a 41-year-old male known by her parents.


VATICANO - Cinquantesimo anniversario di ordinazione sacerdotale per il Card. Martino CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - ÂUn lungo tratto di ministero, arricchito di lodevoli opereÂ: cosÃ¬ Papa Benedetto XVI qualifica i 50 anni di sacerdozio del Cardinale Renato Raffaele Martino che nel pomeriggio del 20 giugno, attorniato da parenti...


NATO chief cautious on Russian shield offer

NATO reacted cautiously on Friday to a Russian offer for the United States to use a Russian-controlled radar in Azerbaijan for a missile defense shield, questioning whether its location was ideal.


The satellite radio company settles with Sony BMG while it waits for Sirius.


Fashion Wire Daily - This year's Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) nominees were announced Monday night high atop the rooftop garden at Rockefeller Center. Mingling among the mortal design assistants and fashion editors were the immortal stylings of Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Nicole Miller, Vera Wang and Diane von Furstenberg, CFDA president.


Oil prices rose on Friday as tight  supplies of distillate fuel, including heating oil, ahead of  the northern hemisphere winter spurred buying.


London tycoon forges world's top steelmaker

By Christopher Hope, Business Correspondent (Filed: 26/10/2004). Lakshmi Mittal, Britain's fifth-richest man and a prominent Labour donor, is now the boss of the world's biggest steel company, after a $21billion


NANTUCKET, Mass. - John Kerry reached his island retreat at 2 am local time yesterday, after taking a red-eye flight from Seattle on his campaign jet, for a week of ceding the political spotlight to President Bush.


Reggio Calabria, 11:59 - CALCIO, MORTO POLIZIOTTO; FOTI: SERVONO DECISIONI DRASTICHE

Questo il commento del presidente della Reggina, Lillo Foti, ai tragici fatti di Catania: ''Non ci s...


Collection sold at Christie's sparks bidding in person, by phone and via internet.


Pakistan test-fires medium range ballistic missile

Pakistan on Tuesday morning carried out another successful test of Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Hatf V (Ghauri) as part of a series of tests planned for the Ghauri


Parainfluenza virus found in HK "mysterious disease" patients

Three out of the seven specimens taken from patients of the Hong Kong Caritas Medical Center outbreak have tested positive for parainfluenza, the Center for Health Protection


This one's for well-moneyed executives who loved their race car-shaped beds when they were kids. From Crave, CNET's gadgets blog.


ReviewMe is the sponsored blogger review advertising network which is owned by Text Link Ads (TLA is an SEJ advertiser, but this is not a paid post).  Advertisers can use ReviewMe to pay bloggers a set fee to write about, review and link to an advertise product or service. By advertising via ReviewMe partnered blogs, advertisers [...]


A Bollywood film meant to be a tribute to  the  iconic Hindi movie Sholay (Flames) flops at the box office.


The main points so far as senior MPs on the Commons liaison committee grill Prime Minister Gordon Brown.


The BBC has been tricked into broadcasting a false report that the US company Dow Chemical admitted blame for the Bhopal disaster and set up a massive compensation fund.


He likes doing his stunts on his own, body doubles are not his thing.


South Korea stays cautious over N. Korea

South Korea's foreign minister sounded a note of caution ahead of six-nation talks on freezing the North's nuclear program, saying Wednesday there is far to go before a final agreement is reached. The negotiations — which involve the United States, the two Koreas, China, Russia and Japan — are set to resume Feb. 8 in Beijing.


Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis has accused Ferencvaros fans of missile-throwing and racist abuse after two of the London club's supporters were hospitalised after their UEFA Cup tie on Thursday.


Banderas aims to expand directing career

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas said on  Tuesday his second stint at the helm of a movie, a  coming-of-age piece set in his native Malaga, had sharpened his  appetite to spend more time directing.


G8 needs private sector help to end child porn

MUNICH, Germany  - World powers vowed on Thursday  to increase efforts to combat sexual exploitation of children  by Internet pornographers but said governments alone could not  stamp out the Web crime.


A router and clients for both notebooks and desktops can provide Wi-Fi connectivity over either of two unlicensed radio bands.


BEIJING -- Six workers have died building venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics over the last five years, an acknowledgment Monday that came after a series of clarifications by a Chinese official.


Piu' notizie da Regioni, video-interviste, libri e seminari


Russia Could Finish Kyoto Approval by Year-End

Russia's parliament could ratify the  Kyoto Protocol by the end of the year, Deputy Prime Minister  Alexander Zhukov said on Thursday.


Europe Rejects Microsoft's Bid to Preserve Bundling Plan

A court's order is the first time since antitrust challenges to Microsoft began that the company will be forced to alter its strategy of bundling software.


Rebels suspicious of Khartoum deal on Darfur force

Darfur rebels view Sudan's acceptance of a joint African Union-U.N. peacekeeping force with suspicion, and insist the United Nations should have overall command and control, an unresolved part of the deal.


Some 350,000 homes in Gloucestershire will soon be without water because of flooding at a treatment works.


Clash over prisoners exposes power struggle

The confusion yesterday over whether two "high-value" women prisoners being held in Iraq would be released has underlined the limits of the interim government's authority.


The Spice Girls are widely expected to announce they are reforming at a press conference in London.


Gunmen killed two members of Mexico's former ruling party Saturday in a mountain city in southern Mexico, local media reported.


Market edges up on rescue efforts, jobless claims

Stocks edged up on Thursday, extending a steep late-day rally in the previous session that was sparked by optimism about government and central bank plans to boost the economy.


Russia Arrests 10 in Killing of Writer and Putin Critic

Those arrested included a Chechen crime boss and career officers from Russiaâs police and intelligence services.


Raymond V. Gilmartin, the top executive at troubled pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. , could testify as soon as March in some of the dozens of lawsuits filed in New Jersey over Merck's withdrawal of its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx.


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The Yankees did finish first in something last year Â spending. While their streak of AL East titles ended at nine, the Yankees wound up with a record payroll of $218.3 million.


Two teams of three climbers hit by avalanche on south-west flank of Jungfrau peak, reports say.


The net wealth of U.S. households  rose to $55.63 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2006, and  domestic debt grew at a faster rate than in the third quarter,  a Federal Reserve report showed on Thursday.


The threat of a lock-out by Norwegian shipowners which would halt production at the world's third-biggest crude producer has sent oil prices to record highs.


San Paolo, 15:01 - CALCIO, ADRIANO: GIOVEDI ESORDIO CON MAGLIA SAN PAOLO

Adriano è pronto per l'esordio nel San Paolo. Giovedi il centravanti, arrivato in prestito da...


WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Thursday told a senior Chinese economic minister that the United States is "watching very carefully" whether Beijing will strengthen the value of its currency.


The âBlack Listâ has become the kind of underground document that writers with projects in development pray will mention their script.


State levies add a new wrinkle to estate planning

Though the federal estate tax is fading, many people with even modest wealth are discovering that estate planning is far from obsolete.


Olympic swimming champion, Michael Phelps, withdrew from the " World Short Course Championships" in Indianapolis last night because of tightness in his back.


Blog: Rodney Smith, the chipmaker's former chairman, dies at age 67 after a bicycle accident.


Novell delivers Open XML translator for OpenOffice

Making good on an earlier promise, Novell has posted an Open XML translator for the OpenOffice.org productivity suite, adding Microsoft Office 2007 file format capability to the open-source application bundle.


D.R. Horton orders fall, sees loss; stock slumps

Home builder D.R. Horton Inc.   said on Tuesday declining home values would lead to its first  quarterly loss since it listed on the New York Stock Exchange  in 1995, sending its shares to a three-year low.


Mom-To-Be's Epilepsy Drug May Affect Baby

NEW YORK  - Children born to mothers with  epilepsy who took the anti-seizure medication valproate during  pregnancy have an increased risk of developmental delay and  cognitive impairment, according to results of a new study.


The cream of European football look to re-assert their dominance


Independent assessments of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib should lay to rest White House attempts to limit blame to a few bad apples on the night shift.


Bulgarians Gift Over BGN 1 M to Children in Need

Politics: 31 December 2004, Friday. A total of BGN 1,121 904 have been collected so far within the annual charity initiative Bulgarian Christmas, which is under the aegis of Bulgaria's President Georgi ...


Tsunami death toll in Andaman and Nicobar Islands reach 5000:

[India News]: Car Necobar Islands, Dec 28 : Rescuers today began reaching the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands, two days after passage of a devastating Tsunami.


Long-serving Conservative MP Sir Patrick Cormack has failed to be readopted as a parliamentary candidate.


Chip Makers Support Mobile TV for Smartphones

Smartphone users will be able to watch broadband TV and snap high-resolution photos on their handsets in 2007, thanks to new processor and memory chips.


Arsene Wenger is confident Arsenal can avert the current âcrisisâ surrounding the Gunnersâ of late. Speaking to reporters on Friday Wenger said, âdonât feel we are in a crisis because the spirit


Representatives from feuding Sunni and Shiite groups met Friday at a secret location in Finland to discuss ways of ending the bloodshed in Iraq, officials said.


Shoppers have backed traffic light coding for food so they can tell what is healthy and what is not, a study says.


Sperm Donation Children Want to Learn About Donor

Children conceived through open-identity sperm donation are interested in contacting the donor but do not want to intrude in his life, researchers said on Thursday.


Sales, subscribers rise for Cingular Wireless

Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless, on the cusp of closing its acquisition of AT&T Wireless, reported third-quarter results yesterday that showed higher sales and a slight decrease in operating income.


Liverpool supporters launch an ambitious plan to buy the football club from its current American owners.


Manchester United player bailed after rape claim - reports

A Manchester United player was released on bail Wednesday after being arrested following a rape allegation at the football team's Christmas party, reports said.


Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today headed to Kashmir for the start of a partial troop withdrawal hailed by rival Pakistan as an important step towards easing tensions over the Himalayan region.


The Internet search giant Google Inc. on late Wednesday unveiled Google Scholar, its next service aimed at listing scholarly literature such as theses, books and technical reports that appears to be most relevant to a search request.


Musharraf calls for US efforts to solve Palestine issue

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday urged the United States to make greater efforts to resolve the Palestine issue. The resolution of the long standing disputes


Scores of times each year, people intentionally stand, jump and drive in front of trains, figuring it's a sure way to end their lives.


The U.S. budget gap expanded to  $412.55 billion in fiscal 2004, marking the Bush  administration's second-straight record deficit, the Treasury  Department said on Thursday.


A BBC radio presenter from Liverpool has a gun pointed at her while filming a TV documentary in Croxteth.


World oil prices shot higher on Monday  as companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico braced for output  disruptions from powerful Hurricane Ivan.


Bush Move to Reduce Toxic Data Faces Battle

By Tom Henry, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio  Dec. 15--A public right-to-know law that Americans have used since 1984 to track neighborhood pollutants has overwhelming support from the public at large, yet the Bush Administration wants to weaken it, a national watchdog group said yesterday.


World economy sound but China must move on yuan-G7

The world economy is sound, although  financial markets may remain ragged for some time, and China  must let its currency rise faster to rebalance global growth,  finance officials from rich nations said on Friday.


One Killed as Wildfires Rage in Western States

HOT SPRINGS, S.D., July 8 -- One of dozens of fires across the West killed one person and destroyed 27 homes after racing out of a canyon in South Dakota's Black Hills on Sunday, authorities said.


Prodi braves Senate vote as pressure grows to quit

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi will brave a confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday despite expectations that he will lose and be forced to resign.


Shaq, Kobe Showdown Set for Christmas Day

Description: Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant will exchange baskets instead of presents on Christmas Day when their teams, the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively, meet on the court.


SATURDAY AUTO RACING 5:30 p.m. - Craftsman Trucks: Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200, Speed


Servizio speciale realizzato per conto della Presidenza del ...

(AGI/AFP) - Sydney, 11 set. - L'Australia si sente nel mirino dell'estremismo islamico e corre ai ripari. Dopo l'attentato di giovedi' scorso contro l'ambasciata di Canberra in Indonesia, il governo di John


DENVER, Sept. 7 -- A year ago Thursday night, Ryan Zimmerman started the first major league game of his career. He had one hit in four at-bats, a double off Florida's Dontrelle Willis. He made two errors -- as the shortstop. He looked, acted and sounded like a 20-year-old kid, which he was.


Bush puts off victory speech, although adviser claims 'convincing' ...

After waiting all night with his presidency and place in the history books hanging in the balance, President Bush gave up plans for a victory speech early Wednesday.


Vatican Says Anti-Kerry Lawyer Hoodwinked Them

A conservative U.S. lawyer's attempt to enlist the Vatican in his drive to declare Senator John Kerry a heretic over his abortion views backfired Wednesday when the Holy See said it had been hoodwinked.


Due to National Shortage, No Flu Shots This Year

Columbians might be forced to suffer through the flu season armed with only hand sanitizer and chicken soup this year. Due to a national shortage of the vaccine, Health Services cannot promise flu shots to any students, faculty, or staff.


The Archbishop of York says anti-terror measures are moving the UK towards becoming a police state.


Tennis: Roger Federer Reaches Thailand Open Quarterfinals

World number one men's tennis player Roger Federer has reached the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open tournament in Bangkok, but defending champion Taylor Dent is out of the event.


Ex capo consiglio fabbrica avrebbe preso tangenti da azienda


Gary Sheffield hit an RBI single, and the New York Yankees took a 1-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL championship series Wednesday night.


JAKARTA, Indonesia -- President Megawati Sukarnoputri marched along the red carpet under a threatening sky, dressed in a brown Indonesian Girl Scout outfit. Then, stepping forward to face nearly a thousand uniformed boys and girls arrayed ...


Sybase said on Tuesday that it will partner with IBM to sell its Linux database software, potentially dealing a blow to Sun, another long-standing partner.


Panthers' Smart Injured on Kickoff Return

Carolina kickoff returner Rod Smart, aka "He Hate Me," injured his left knee on a kickoff return in the second quarter of the Panthers' game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.


Bank of America wins Fed OK of LaSalle purchase

Bank of America Corp  on Friday won approval from the U.S. Federal Reserve for its $21 billion acquisition of LaSalle Bank Corp from Dutch bank ABN AMRO Holding NV .


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


A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli, close to the north coast of Sicily, begins spewing lava.


Tens of thousands of Lebanese paid tribute to assassinated Christian politician Pierre Gemayel on Thursday, turning his funeral in central Beirut into a display of defiance towards Syria and its Hezbollah allies.


Nasa does a U-turn and sends  Atlantis back to its pad to ride out Tropical Storm Ernesto.


Egypt's Suez Canal is expected to reopen for shipping traffic, three days after it closed because of a broken-down oil tanker.


DEFENDING champion Inge de Bruijn of Holland won the women's 50m swim final in 24.58 seconds last night. It was the 30-year-old's first gold in Athens and the fourth of her career.


Spain international Xabi Alonso is a player that epitomises the type of footballer Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to have at Anfield.


Radical muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has been charged by police with 16 offences including encouraging the murder of non-believers, meaning a US extradition attempt has been put on hold.


Novell to Use Its Patents to Protect Open-Source Programs

On Tuesday, Novell Inc. announced that it will use its patent portfolio to protect its open-source software offerings. In a policy statement, Novell said it will utilize its patent portfolio to defend against


US advances into Mosul, little resistance

The more than 1,000 US troops that advanced into Mosul to flush out Iraqi insurgents and retake police stations met little resistance, officials said.


'Today, the great and handsome government...' Despite scant internet access outside major metropolitan centres, blogging in China is enjoying a boom to match its manufacturing industry.â¦


Italian police arrest Islamist terror suspects: report

Italian police on Thursday arrested about 10 people accused of supporting an Algerian Islamic extremist group, ANSA news agency reported.


Photos of French presidential contender Segolene Royal in a bikini are seen as trivialising politics.


Siena, 20:56 - CALCIO, SIENA; DE LUCA: DISPOSTO A VENDERE SOCIETA'

Il presidente del Siena, Paolo De Luca, è disposto a vendere la società. ''Stiamo cerc...


The top US commander in Iraq considers cutting troop numbers by about 4,000, media reports say.


Torino, 20:29 - CALCIO, JUVENTUS: PRATICAMENTE FATTA PER ALMIRON

Tra Empoli e Juventus, l'affare per Almiron in biianconero è praticamente fatto.  Addirittura...


More than 200 staff at the Department of Work and Pensions have been disciplined for downloading porn at work.


Skeptics Doubt U.S. Evidence on Iran Action

The Bush administrationâs evidence of Iranian meddling in Iraq has received a healthy dose of skepticism.


A Pay-Go or Pay-as-you-Go means the government will spend only what it gets. This has been widely spoken about by US Presidential candidate John Kerry, in his campaigns.


Commerce Dept. Says 1,137 of Its Laptops Have Been Lost Since '01

By Douglass K. Daniel  The Commerce Department has lost 1,137 laptop computers since 2001, most of them assigned to the Census Bureau, officials said Thursday night.  The Census Bureau, the main collector of information about Americans, lost 672 computers.


At least 25 people are killed in two separate attacks north of Baghdad targeting the Iraqi police force.


Punta ad aumento quota in Europa dall'11% al 12,5%


Fisco, Vegas: ''Emendamento in Cdm venerdÃ¬ sera''

''L'emendamento fiscale verrÃ  illustrato venerdÃ¬ sera in occasione del Consiglio dei ministri''. Lo ha annunciato il sottosegretario all'Economia, Giuseppe Vegas, giungendo a palazzo Chigi prima del vertice


Roma, 17:23 - CALCIO, ROMA; AGENTE WILHEMSSON: VICINI AL RINNOVO

L'agente dello svedese della Roma Christian Wilhelmsson, Mino Raiola, a Radio Radio, emittente capit...


The mother of drug addict Rachel Whitear suggests "foul play" may have led to her death, a new inquest hears.


Londra, 12:51 - CALCIO, ARSENAL; GILBERTO: COL MILAN IL RISCATTO

Il centrocampista brasiliano Gilberto crede nel riscatto in Champions dell'Arsenal dopo il pesante k...


American hits wrong target, loses gold medal

Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant but he got his numbers terribly wrong on Sunday. The American sharpshooter was just one shot away from a second Olympic gold medal when he fired at the wrong target in the final round.


The team have used Bridgestone's tyres for the past six years but will begin their association with Michelin when testing begins again at the end of November.


NATO "very concerned" at Russia treaty pullout

NATO said on Monday it was very concerned at Russia's decision to suspend participation in a landmark treaty on the deployment of armed forces in post-Cold War Europe.


The number of people in the UK dying from alcohol-related problems is continuing to rise, latest figures show.


The World Trade Organization said Monday global trade is likely to grow by 8.5 percent this year compared with 2003. But the Geneva-based WTO warned that growth for 2005 may be hampered by higher oil prices.


KABUL, Afghanistan -- NATO forces killed more than 60 suspected insurgents in the last several days in an increasingly volatile southern Afghan province while suffering no casualties, the military alliance said yesterday .


There won't be an NHL entry draft before a collective bargaining agreement is reached with the players' association, the director of the league's scouting department said.


Concertgoers, Please Clap, Talk or Shout at Any Time

In the best of circumstances silence during a good performance becomes something palpable, not just an absence of noise. Involved audiences can shout approval without making a sound.


A New Rule of Cursor Control: Just Follow Your Nose

Researchers are working on the nose-mouse, and other unorthodox ways of moving a cursor.


Patrons are being lured into Riga, Latvia, strip clubs with the promise of free booze, then forced to pay large sums of money, the British Embassy warns.Comment


Mosca, 19:55 - VOLLEY, EUROPEI: ITALIA-CROAZIA 3-1

L'Italia ha battuto la Croazia 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18) nella seconda gara del gruppo D degl...


Man suing over trousers aims to fund more cases

The judge who sued his dry cleaning shop for $54 million over a lost pair of trousers said as the trial wrapped up on Wednesday that he would use any winnings he might get to encourage others to follow suit.


Three Back-to-Back Spacewalks Coming Up on Station

The first of three spacewalks in nine days by International Space Station Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Sunita Williams is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST. The three spacewalks, from the Quest airlock in U.S.


Nine Turks who died in a fire in Germany were buried in Turkey on Monday and officials of both countries called for restraint after speculation that the blaze was a racially motivated attack.


WASHINGTON - The White House unveiled plans Wednesday to give a new national intelligence director strong budgetary authority over much of the nation's intelligence community, a key provision in the Sept. 11 commission's recommendations...


US Sees Chance of Peace Hinging on Arafat Successor

U.S. officials hope Yasser Arafat's  death on Thursday will offer a new chance for Middle East peace  but said it depends on who replaces him, how much power they  wield and whether they have the legitimacy to strike a deal.


Manned space flight No 2 clinches Â£5m prize

The American private rocket SpaceShipOne completed another successful space flight to clinch a Â£5.6 million prize for the first commercial, manned craft to reach sub-orbital space twice in two weeks.


5,400 ft Suspension Bridge Open To Traffic

Last Sunday, thousands of cheering spectators were present for the grand opening of the longest new suspension bridge in the U.S. since Verrazano-Narrows opened in 1964. The days festivities included a 5K run/walk which drew over 10,000 participants.  The bridge was designed Parson's Transportation Group


Fertility Services May Be Denied to Unfit Parents

NEW YORK  - If people are believed to be  incompetent to bring up children, is it ethical to turn them  down for fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization?


The impossible was merely delayed. An opener from Rivaldo left Liverpool requiring to win by two goals to reach the next phase of the Champions League.


Sprint to Cut Jobs, Sees Non-Cash Charge

Sprint Corp. FON.N on Friday said it  plans to cut up to 700 jobs as it realigns its business to  focus on wireless and Internet services and takes a non-cash  network impairment charge.


Crowds Gather for Zimbabwe Opposition Chief Verdict

Scores of supporters of Zimbabwe's opposition leader gathered outside the high court on Friday to hear the verdict in his treason trial, which could see him sentenced to death.


Scientists are developing a device which could improve the lives of kidney dialysis patients.


PluggedIn: The OQO Is Not Just Another Handheld Device

A full-fledged Windows XP  computer that's a fraction of the size of a laptop seems like  the answer to the digerati's prayers, but the praise greeting  the OQO Model 01 has been decidedly muted.


US Airways and its pilots union said  on Saturday that they were willing to resume talks over a $295  million package of concessions, as time ran short for the  company to strike giveback deals with its labor groups and  avert another trip into bankruptcy.


The European Patent Debate: Who Decides What's a Patent?

NEWSMAKER While a majority of European nations back a voluntary code of ethics that declares computer software as unworthy of patents, some still grant patents to software companies. Follow BetaNews' Scott Fulton as he untangles the European patent debate, with its lively characters and its strange twist on politics in which left-wing opponents are adopting right-wing tactics.


Japan's top cellphone operator to abolish second generation by 2012

Japan's top cellphone operator NTT DoCoMo said it will stop offering second-generation service by 2012 as third generation (3G) technology featuring Internet and real-time video goes mainstream.


It wasn't very exciting, and the result was another loss. The bright side of Olindo Mare's last-second field goal to beat the Browns 10-7 was that the loss likely took the Browns up to the #2 spot in the draft.


EU and Turkey Seal Historic Deal on Entry Talks

The European Union and Turkey struck  an historic deal on Friday to start talks next year on  admitting the vast Muslim nation to the bloc after last-minute  haggling over Ankara's relationship with EU member Cyprus.


Europe trade chief says India vital to success of Doha trade round

The European Union's top trade official said India has a vital role to play in ensuring success of the Doha round of world trade liberalisation talks, calling progress so far "patchy".


Dalai Lama arrives for long-awaited visit to Russia region

ELISTA, Russia  - The Dalai Lama arrived in Russia's Buddhist region of Kalmykia for a long-awaited visit after Moscow relented and issued him a visa in a move protested by China.


Shuttle to Be a Sight to See If Skies Clear

By ERIC FEBER  by eric feber the virginian-pilot  If the weather holds in Florida and NASA's space shuttle Discovery launches at 9:35 tonight from Cape Canaveral, Hampton Roads residents should be able to track it with their naked eyes.


Scienza contro fiction scatta l'effetto CSI

Miti e realtà dei telefilm sulle indagini della polizia scientifica. Su Le Scienze, oggi in edicola


Newspaper Says It Fell for Fake Gucci Ad

ZURICH, Switzerland - Some people will do anything to appear in the papers. But few have the audacity of a man in Switzerland, who conned one of the country's biggest media companies into publishing a two-page ad he created of himself posing semi-naked beside a bottle of Gucci perfume.


At Microsoft, a Challenge to Technology-First Culture

By Saul Hansell  There is a lot about the way Microsoft has run its Internet business that Steve Berkowitz wants to change. But he is finding it more difficult than he expected.


An Inside Look at Hamid Karzai's Rising Woes

In an exclusive TIME interview, the Afghan president concedes, "My problem is perhaps that I'm too much of a democrat for this time of the   country's life."


TOP Palestinian leaders are gathering at Yasser Arafat's battered headquarters in Ramallah amid reports that the longtime Palestinian leader's health is rapidly deteriorating.


Judge Rules $60 Million Can't Be Withheld From Ex-Freddie Mac Chief

The ruling was a setback for regulators seeking to strip the compensation of a former Freddie Mac chief executive for his alleged role in the company's accounting scandal.


Chelsea confirm that Avram Grant has replaced Jose Mourinho as the new manager at Stamford Bridge.


L'INTERVISTA. Il manager delle star: ho comprato molte foto per non farle uscire, alcune anche da Corona                                          Lele Mora: non vendo le mie ragazze sono amico di Silvio e farei politica con lui                                                                                di PAOLO BERIZZI


Orange mounts sneaky Freeserve accounts purge

Night of the long juicer Orange has started summarily deleting email accounts tied to old Freeserve and Wanadoo pay-as-you-go dial-up accounts with no warning.â¦


The women's gold medallist in shot put, Irina Korzhanenko, has been disqualified from the Olympics and stripped of her medal after testing positive for doping.


BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The memory of getting blown out at Virginia Tech simmered for Georgia Tech all year.


Nielsen finds most DVR viewers skip commercials

More than half of digital video recorder users fast-forwarded through commercials while watching prime-time network fare, according to the first study of DVR users watching ads.


The House majority leader delivered on a promise yesterday.


Detroit rookie Justin Verlander leads the Tigers toÃÂ a much-needed 7-2ÃÂ win on Thursday in the hotly contested AL Central.


"No Country For Old Men" positioned for Oscar

The gritty crime drama "No Country For Old Men" became the front-runner for Oscar glory on Sunday after winning top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on a night of traditional Hollywood glamour and emotion over the sudden death of Heath Ledger.


In the heart of downtown Kiev, a Ukrainian Nazi spews hatred

Sergei Shalivsky staffs one of the book tables in the heart of Kiev, but with one difference: Nearly all of the books on Shalivsky s table are dedicated to Ukrainian nationalism and anti-Semitism. In a recent ...


Earthlink to build New Orleans Wi-Fi network

Earthlink Inc. , the Internet  service provider, said on Friday it has won approval from the  New Orleans City Council to build a wireless high-speed  Internet network in the city.


Update 8: Oil Prices Dip As Norway Strike Is Halted

Crude oil futures slipped Monday as Norwegian officials ordered striking oil workers back on the job Monday night, preventing any more cuts in production from the third-largest global exporter of crude.


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.


Egypt blogger jailed for insulting Islam

An Egyptian blogger was  convicted for insulting Islam and Egyptian President Hosni  Mubarak on Thursday and sentenced to four years in jail over  his writings on the Internet.


Ofcom has challenged BT to come up with proposals for opening up its networks to competitors to help speed the growth of telecoms services including broadband - or face a possible Competition Commission investigation.


Gialli tra arte e storia le novità del weekend

Dalla Germania nazista di Morte a Breslavia all'Inghilterra elisabettiana de Il giullare della regina, i romanzi dove il passato si tinge di nero


Oates, who led the Texas Rangers to their first three postseason appearances, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor three years ago.


Message to train scofflaws: Prepare for dye

The risk of being jolted by 1,500 volts of electricity hasn't scared them off. Neither have fears of falling off the speeding electric trains.


A suicide car bomb detonated Sunday evening near a market in Balad, killing at least 25 people and wounding 40 others, an Interior Ministry official said.


Pfizer Faces New Charges Over Nigerian Drug Test

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, already fighting state criminal charges in northern Nigeria, also faces a string of criminal counts and $7 billion in civil claims brought by federal Nigerian authorities in the capital of Abuja, newly obtained documents show.


Woods' Play May Influence New TV Golf Deal

The PGA Tour has always had an impeccable sense of timing when it comes to negotiating television contracts.


NHL owners, players are so far apart, some fear lockout could last ...

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, where does that leave NHL officials and members of the NHL Players' Association?


US presidential battle kills off assault weapons ban

A ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons in the United States ends on Monday having been fatally wounded in the crossfire of the US presidential election.


Description: Senior news analyst NPR's Daniel Schorr says the prospect of Middle East peace is much improved if young Palestinian leaders replace the aging Yasser Arafat "old guard.


Kalam 'approves' Pota repeal, notification soon

NEW DELHI: Two Ordinances, one to repeal Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), 2002, and the other to transfer some of its major provisions to other existing laws, were understood to have been approved by President APJ Abdul Kalam on Tuesday.


The cholesterol drug Vytorin became known for its commercials showing people who look oddly similar to foods like tacos and banana cream pie. But now Vytorin is getting attention that is anything but funny.


Progress Supply Ship Docks with Space Station

NASA -- An unpiloted Russian cargo ship linked up the International Space Station this morning to deliver almost three tons of food, fuel, oxygen, water and supplies to the residents onboard.     The ISS Progress 15 craft automatically docked to the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module at 12:01 a.m...


President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he could not imagine how Iraqi elections scheduled for Jan. 30 could be held under current conditions.


of two French journalists has outraged Arab and Muslim intellectuals, journalists and religious leaders as well as many ordinary citizens.


Real Madrid striker Robinho scores a hat-trick as Brazil beat Chile 3-0 in the Copa America.


Filipinos have been masters of using text messages to rally political protesters. So what happened during last month's failed coup d'etat?Photos: Philippines as texting central


Festival Long on Daring if Short on Lalawood

The Toronto International Film Festival offered a snapshot of the variety of styles and sensibilities that characterize world cinema today.


Itanium vendors spanked by IBM, Sun and Dell

Rough going for the Itanic in Q3 The curse of the Itanic continued to haunt HP in the third quarter. The server maker suffered through the period as the only Tier 1 unable to post a significant uptick in sales. Most of HP's woes appear to have resulted from flagging high-end server sales, as some customers side with Itanium, while others move to IBM and Sun Microsystems.â¦


3Com Corp. , a maker of switches for corporate data networks, and PC-Tel Inc. agreed to end patent-infringement lawsuits. Each agreed to license the other's modem-related patents that were part of the litigation, which began in March 2003. PC-Tel also will supply wireless software and antennas to 3Com. PC-Tel will record as revenue during this quarter $3.2 million it had ...


US presidential hopeful Obama would restore environmental regulations Bush rolled back

Sen. Barack Obama vowed Thursday to restore environmental protections the Bush administration has rolled back through executive orders, especially at the Environmental Protection Agency.


A suicide attacker detonated a bomb inside a mosque as people celebrated a major holiday with a former interior minister.


Four U.S. Soldiers Killed in Bomb Attack

Four U.S. soldiers were killed late Tuesday and early Wednesday by separate roadside bombs detonated near their convoys, the military announced.


Palermo, 10:25 - CALCIO, PALERMO: UFFICIALE L'ACQUISTO DI CAVANI

Ora è ufficiale: il Palermo ha acquistato a titolo definitivo l'attaccante uruguayano Edison ...


Intel waiting for key update before going Vista

Won't leap until SP1 arrives If it's not good enough for Intel, is it good enough for you? We're talking Microsoft's Windows Vista, which the chip giant's CEO, Paul Otellini, this week indicated has not won the backing of his technology experts.â¦


A man left paralysed in a road accident wins damages after the Ministry of Defence admits liability.


Europe's grip on the Ryder Cup tightened as Ian Woosnam's team grabbed the initiative on the second day of action at the K Club.


Al voto oltre 12 mln di elettori per 8 Province e 958 Comuni


Boston College High School football coach Jim Cotter has decided to retire at the end of this season after 41 years at the helm.


Day after nuclear deal, Koreas say to resume talks

North and South Korea said on Wednesday they had agreed to resume ministerial talks, a day after a breakthrough energy-for-arms deal at six-party talks on the North's nuclear programs in Beijing.


Rebel groups and Sudan's government are to hold talks to try to end the conflict in the Darfur region.