Mortar hits mosque in Iraqi city of Kufa

A mortar shell hit a mosque in Iraqi city of Kufa on Thursday, causing many casualties, witnesses said. The mosque was crowded with men when the mortar attack took place.


Zimbabwe police crush prayer rally, seize leaders

Zimbabwean riot police arrested the  country's top opposition leader on Sunday as they crushed a  planned prayer rally in a crackdown on protests against  President Robert Mugabe.


Widespread icy patches are a hazard for drivers on Friday morning, following the first heavy snow of winter.


Need directions? Take a left at the Dunkin'. As part of the Canton coffee chain's first major foray into the digital world, Dunkin' Donuts is launching a website Monday, MyIcedCoffee.com, that allows travelers to plan road trips and map its stores along the way in all 33 states where it has shops. Dunkin' partnered with online mapping company MapQuest to ...


Transit Agency Softens Its Plan to Increase Subway Fares

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority scaled back its dismal forecast for subway and bus riders yesterday, saying that while fare increases and service cuts were still necessary, they need not be as drastic as the agency had feared.


The number of Iranian bloggers passes 10,000 as internet users seek to protest against media censorship.


Hurricane Jeanne Targets Storm-Weary Florida

Hundreds of thousands of people on Florida's east coast were told to leave their homes once again on Friday as deadly Hurricane Jeanne approached for what could be a record fourth hurricane hit in a year on the storm-weary state.


Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy calls on the international community to intervene in a political crisis.


More Than Rock ânâ Roll: U2 on Tour in 3-D Images

The musical documentary âU2 3D,â which stitches together three performances by this Irish rock band, is  the first Imax movie that deserves to be called a work of art.


Europe again proved to be the best in the Ryder Cup Sunday with its biggest romp over the Americans. The final blow was a scene all too familiar at Oakland Hills: With the cup already won, Padraig Harrington made a 25-foot par putt on the 18th hole of the last match that only counted in the record books.


Graham Greene: living on the dangerous edge of things

Graham Greene, who was born 100 years ago on Saturday, was a rarity in an increasingly parochial literary world -- a genuine internationalist with a keen political awareness who nevertheless refused to consider himself as a political writer.


EUROPA/GERMANIA - ÂNon ti lascerÃ² nÃ© ti abbandonerÃ²Â Ã¨ il motto della campagna delle Pontificie Opere Missionarie per il mese di ottobre con al centro il tema HIV/Aids nellÂAfrica orientale Aachen (Agenzia Fides) - Il mese di ottobre per la Chiesa cattolica diffusa in tutto il mondo Ã¨ il mese della missione, nel quale si vuole ricordare la reciproca responsabilitÃ  di solidarietÃ  delle Chiese locali e il mandato di GesÃ¹ di proclamare il ...


Age of Riches: 2 Candidates, 2 Fortunes, 2 Views of Wealth

John Edwardsâs and Mitt Romneyâs runs are based in large part on the lessons each has taken from his own success.


Yushchenko, Moroz continue negotiations on govt staff

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz are still negotiating on the staff of the new government.


Even with a new singer, it's the same old song

While ticket sales seem  promising, this fall's upcoming Alice in Chains tour is one of  several recent outings to beg the question of whether a band  can remain relevant without its original singer.


Regulators rejected 36 complaints of indecency Monday against popular TV shows including "Friends" and "The Simpsons."


Update: Darfur peace talks suspended as rebels pull out

The third round of peace talks aimedat ending a 22-month-old crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region has been suspended after the rebels accused government forces of continuing attacking them.


Many kids may not outgrow cow's milk allergy

NEW YORK  - Cow's milk allergy persists longer than previously reported, and the majority of children may retain the sensitivity into school age, study findings suggest.


WTO Lets EU, Others Hit US with Trade Sanctions

The World Trade Organization gave final approval on Friday to the European Union, Japan and others to hit the United States with an initial $150 million in trade sanctions


President Says FSU Lacks Full Details of Cheating

Florida State University's president says that school doesn't know all the details of an academic cheating scandal that has already resulted in two employees being fired.


Judge overturns Vioxx award vs Merck: WSJ

A federal judge overturned a $50   million award handed down by jury against Merck & Co. earlier   this month in a case of a former FBI agent who had blamed the   withdrawn painkiller Vioxx for his heart attack, the Wall   Street Journal reported on its web site on Wednesday.


England will return to the Rose Bowl this morning hoping to find Hampshire's delightful new ground bathed in sunshine, or in the middle of a deluge.


China blasts âarrogantâ Bush ahead of US election

Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. BEIJING, China -- China criticized US President George W. Bush's war on Iraq Monday, accusing an "arrogant" United


Newsview: Many Reluctant to Block Rwanda

Smaller but mightier than its neighbors, Rwanda's greatest clout may come from its nightmare past: a widespread sense around the world that the country was largely abandoned in 1994 to face Hutu extremists who slaughtered more than a half-million people.


A Belfast missionary priest seriously injured in a shooting in South Africa is "out of the woods", his family says.


CORRECTION: Microsoft Voltage to Charge Up Robotics Industry

By Benjamin J. Romano, Seattle Times  CORRECTION: Information in this article, originally published December 13, 2006, was corrected December 18, 2006. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the price of a Pioneer P3DX robot at a Microsoft laboratory.


Here is a sampling of some of the bigger music festivals within a four-hour driving distance of Charleston. Most, but not all, offer camping on site. As with any other weekend getaway, it's best to check ahead for more information online.


San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson limped off the field with a left leg injury during Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts and remained on the sideline at the start of the second half.


Voters favor Kerry's plan to reduce prescription drug costs

More New Mexican voters believe US Sen. John Kerry will do a better job lowering the costs of prescriptions drugs, according to a recent statewide poll.


Personal Best: A Long-Running Mystery, the Common Cramp

Medical textbooks skirt the topic, often avoiding any explanation. But as anyone who has ever complained of cramps will attest, lots of advice is circulating on how to avoid them.


Mindy McCready won't be staying the night in jail--and she's got   some new song fodder to boot.


China criticises Russia over Dalai Lama visa

China criticised Russia on Saturday over its decision to give the Dalai Lama a visa, the first Moscow has granted the Tibetan spiritual leader in a decade.


Computer Associates' Next CEO Gets To Work

TechWeb - Hired from IBM, CEO-elect John Swainson plans to move fast, without mimicking the software or services strategy of his former employer.


AKRON, Ohio - President Bush and John Kerry battled over the economy and jobs in a small corner of the campaign's most fiercely contested state Saturday as polls showed a post-convention surge for the Republican in the White House.    With little more than eight weeks remaining to Election Day, a Newsweek survey gave the president a lead of 52-41 over Kerry, with independent Ralph Nader at 3 percent...


Kiwis collapse has Aussies in command of second Test

New Zealand faced the likelihood of conceding a massive first innings deficit against Australia after a clutter of wickets late on the third day of the second cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval.


Bush matriarch agonizes through campaign

Barbara Bush is doing what she always does during campaign season: suppressing her innate pessimism and preventing her hyper-political husband from spontaneously combusting as they sweat out President Bush's fate.


Scented oils linked to breast growth in boys

The lavender and tea tree oils found in some soaps, shampoos, hair gels and body lotions can produce enlarged breasts in boys, researchers reported on Wednesday.


Chambliss Calls Goss Best Choice To Lead Intelligence Community

WASHINGTON-- US Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., member of the Senate Select Committee on intelligence, delivered a statement to the Senate regarding the nomination of Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fl.


Poor suffer from lack of healthcare information: study

Poor and often illiterate populations may be saddled with more health problems simply because they are not aware of public health services that are available, a study in India suggests.


Russell Moves Closer To Redemption, Beijing

Gary Russell Jr. avenges his earlier loss to Roberto Marroquin, setting up another bout between the two on Sunday for a berth in the Beijing Olympics.


Roma, 10:50 - CALCIO, AREZZO: PRESENTATA ISTANZA CONCILIAZIONE AL CONI

La Camera di Conciliazione e Arbitrato per lo Sport ha ricevuto oggi istanza di conciliazione da par...


The chilling sights and sounds of war fill newspapers and television screens worldwide, but war itself is in decline, peace researchers report.


Actress Bitty Schram and "Monk" have parted ways. The critically acclaimed USA Network program that stars Tony Shalhoub as an obsessive-compulsive private eye, is removing Schram's character, Monk's personal nurse.


Group said to admit ambushing Iraq troops

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group claimed responsibility for ambushing about 50 Iraqi soldiers in eastern Iraq, according to a statement posted on a Web site Sunday.


Delta Air Lines Quarterly Loss Mushrooms

Delta Air Lines DAL.N on Thursday  said its fourth-quarter loss mushroomed as it struggled with  high fuel prices and low fares, and analysts warned they see a  wider loss in the first quarter of 2005.


Milano, 14:31 - CALCIO, MILAN; ANCELOTTI: NON SO QUANDO RIENTRA RONALDO

Carlo Ancelotti, allenatore del Milan, fa il punto sulla situazione di Ronaldo, alle prese con un in...


Oracle takes a giant step, wins 61pc of PeopleSoft shares

After nearly 18 months of stuggle, and a "final offer" deadline that expired at midnight, Oracle now owns of 61 per cent of PeopleSoft -- a giant, but not quite final, step toward winning control of the company.


Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins, Graeme Dott and Peter Ebdon reach the quarter-finals of the UK Championship.


World Bank Offers $250 Million in Tsunami Aid -UN

The World Bank on Thursday  offered $250 million for tsunami relief, bringing total aid  contributions from around the world to nearly $500 million, the  United Nations said.


Bush Vows Rapid Aid to Hurricane Victims

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Residents left homeless by Hurricane Charley's 145 mph winds dug through their ravaged homes on Sunday, sweeping up shattered glass and rescuing what they could as President Bush promised rapid delivery of disaster aid...


Respect in a Box: Giving John Ford the Major American Artist Treatment

âFord at Foxâ is a gargantuan boxed set that assembles 24 of the 50-some films John Ford made for the studio that was his most consistent home.


Four jailed over London cartoon protests

Four men were jailed Wednesday for inciting murder and racial hatred during protests by Muslims angered by Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.


Southeast Asian ministers finalize accords

Southeast Asian ministers on Saturday finalized a free trade pact with China and a host of other accords to be adopted at a leaders summit, but touchy topics like the lack of


Regional carrier ExpressJet Holdings Inc  suffered a second-consecutive quarterly loss on Friday, burdened by costs from starting up its own scheduled service.


Scientists say they have found a safer way of controlling genes to treat disease.


U.S. sees possible North Korea test site activity

The United States has detected activity at potential test sites in North Korea indicating possible preparations for a nuclear test, a U.S. defense official said on Wednesday, as China urged restraint after the reclusive state said it planned a nuclear test.


European markets were in a bearish mood on Wednesday after more disappointing results from the banking sector and overnight losses on Wall Street weighed on stocks.


The match against England in Durban will be a huge test for South African cricket. With the knives already out after their defeat in Port Elizabeth, another poor performance could have far-reaching consequences.


Watching as Dusty Disks Slowly Turn Into Planets

Until recently, astronomers had never seen dust and planets around the same stars. This month, astronomers said they had closed the loop.


Fiercely-contested Old Trafford game goalless at halftime

Manchester United had the better chances but Arsenal defended superbly as a pulsating opening half of their Premier League match ended goalless at Old Trafford on Sunday.


Iran has tentatively agreed to freeze some of its sensitive nuclear activities, diplomats said today. The news comes as the country attempts to head off US efforts to report its nuclear programme to the UN security council.


Chinese Officials Pinpoint Cause of Blast

Chinese authorities say a massive coal mine blast last month that killed 148 people was sparked after mine operators failed to realize that extending the mine's shaft would greatly increase its gas level, state media reported Sunday.


England collapse on first day of second Test

DURBAN (South Africa): England coach Duncan Fletcher said some of his batsmen fell to soft dismissals after his team were bundled out for their lowest total of a triumphant year by a revitalised South Africa on the first day of the second Test at


Productivity creeps at 1.9% rate; jobless claims drop

The productivity of America's workers grew at a 1.9% annual rate in the third quarter, smallest gain since late 2002, the government reported Thursday.


McCain to consider possible 2008 presidential run

Maverick US Republican Senator John McCain, who ran against President George W. Bush four years ago, indicated he might be considering another presidential bid in 2008, despite the fact he will be 72 when the next election rolls around.


The Red Cross says it will visit 14 high-level terror suspects moved from secret CIA jails to Guantanamo Bay.


Millions of people in Florida are ordered to leave their homes as the US state braces itself for Hurricane Frances.


Proiettato video operazione al Centro Salam di Khartoum


The Intuos3 Special Edition professional graphics tablet marks 25 years in the business.


School governors must be drawn from a wider range of ethnic groups and ages, a charity says.


Il segretario e' rieletto con 20 mila voti in piu' di Pesaro


Calcio: mercato di fine anno il Flamengo su Ronaldo

Il club brasiliano annuncia di aver ricevuto il via libera dal Milan a trattare l'attaccante brasiliano. 'Da noi puÃ² rilanciare la sua carriera'


Nigerian governor says all four wives are first lady

A Nigerian state governor has declined to resolve a row between his four wives over who is the official first lady, arguing that they can all take on the role, Nigerian newspapers reported on Wednesday.


FA to investigate Chelsea-West Ham violence after League Cup match

The Football Association will investigate the crowd violence that marred Chelsea's 1-0 win over West Ham in the League Cup. Mateja Kezman, who scored the only goal Wednesday night at Stamford


A British man has been arrested in connection with the theft of source code from Cisco Systems. The 20-year-old was arrested on 3 September following police raids on homes in Manchester and Derbyshire.


A Boston River Now (Mostly) Fit for Swimming

Sixty-nine experienced swimmers showed up for a race in the Charles River after it had been officially off-limits to swimmers for more than 50 years.


The UN secretary general calls for Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be freed from house arrest.


Madrid, 15:47 - CALCIO, REAL MADRID: PRESO IL PORTIERE DUDEK

Il Real Madrid ha ingaggiato il portiere polacco Jerzy Dudek. L'estremo difensore, in scadenza col L...


Pro and anti-abortion MPs say they expect the first full debate in Parliament on the 24 week limit since 1990.


DiCaprio film may hurt diamond demand: analysts

"Blood Diamond," the Warner Bros. thriller that hits movie theaters on Friday, could spark public concern about illicit "conflict diamonds" and hurt demand during the key holiday shopping season, analysts said on Monday.


The eldest son of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must serve jail time for illegal fundraising during his father's 1999 primary campaign, an appeals court ruled Monday, but cut the original sentence from nine to seven months.


US bankruptcy judge promises Yukos ruling this week

Russian oil company Yukos, possibly making its last stand to prevent Russia from selling its main production unit in a tax dispute, asked a US bankruptcy judge Thursday to block a scheduled auction of the unit.


Before-the-Bell: OmniVision, Nortel Down

Shares of OmniVision Technologies Inc.  OVTI.O fell 6.2 percent in premarket trading on Thursday, the  morning after the image sensor designer announced the  resignation of its chief financial officer.


The UK and other nations are to set up a fund to speed the development of new vaccines for poorer countries.


Microsoft Sets 2006 Target for Next Windows Version

Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O said on Friday  it will ship the next version of Windows in 2006, but  scaled  back plans to include a new system for finding and storing  information in its flagship operating system.


Jim Carrey tackles part made for him in 'Lemony Snicket'

When author Daniel Handler was asked by studio executives if he had an actor in mind to play the delightfully dastardly Count Olaf in the first movie to be made from


Thousands follow soldier's fate in WW1 "blog"

Thousands of people have been following  the fate of a British soldier fighting in the trenches of World  War One on a Web site publishing his letters home exactly 90  years after they were written.


A House Democratic candidate accused Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld of lying about the progress in Iraq, a day after the Pentagon chief lashed out at critics of the Bush administration.


A laboratory study finds mobile phones damage human DNA - but does not show they harm health.


Australia's Lend Lease Returns to Profit

Property group Lend Lease Corp. on Wednesday announced a return to full-year profit and forecast earnings-per-share growth of more than 15 percent in the current year.


A judge on Friday denied a defeated congressional candidate's request for a new Republican primary, saying the state court lacks jurisdiction.


NEW YORK -- What are we going to do about Roger Federer? This is the American jingoists' plea as they talk about the nice young man from Switzerland who has taken over ownership of their tennis tournament, the United States Open.


Faltering Mickelson one shot clear at Riviera

PACIFIC PALISADES, California  - Masters champion Phil Mickelson survived three late bogeys and an errant putter to take a one-shot lead over Padraig Harrington in the Nissan Open third round Saturday.


Wall St set for lift from payroll and inflation data

US stocks were set for a higher start on Friday, as new data showed the labour market picking up in May and inflation pressures moderating during April.


Technology Secretary For Virginia Steps Down

Virginia's secretary of technology, George C. Newstrom, said yesterday that he is stepping down from the post after more than two years on the job.


Beslan hostage-takers were all addicts says top Russian official

All the hostage-takers who seized Beslan's school number one on September 1 were drug addicts and were under the influence of narcotics throughout the 52-hour siege, Russia's Deputy Prosecutor General has claimed.


Race fans wave American flags in the stands during the singing of the National Anthem prior to the start of the NASCAR Subway 500 stock car race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.


Marxist rebels have killed a Catholic priest who disappeared earlier this month on a pastoral mission in a rebel-controlled jungle region in western Colombia, a church official said Friday.


The latest dirt on technology: River germs could run computers

The next big development in computer technology may be growing in the muck of a nearby riverbed.


NBA Blazers swing deal for Magloire, send Korean giant to Bucks

Jamaal Magliore, a former All-Star center, was obtained by the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-player deal that sent South Korean giant Ha Seung-Jin to Milwaukee.


Israel begins freeing some Palestinian prisoners

KITSIYOT, Israel  - Israel released dozens of Palestinian prisoners on Friday as part of a U.S.-backed deal to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas following the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas Islamists last month.


Uruguay bans sales of medicine containing rofecoxib

The Uruguayan government has decided to ban the sales of medicine containing rofecoxib, which is used against arthritis and severe pain, local media reported Saturday.


Nations skeptical about US climate talks

A day before President Bush's climate talks, China and other developing nations said Wednesday the need to provide food, shelter and clothes for their citizens must come ahead of global warming concerns.


Controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear programme is set to dominate a security conference in Munich.


Authorities said Saturday that more discussions are needed before a Spanish research team can examine a tomb purportedly holding Christopher Columbus' remains, setting back efforts to determine if claims that he is buried in Spain are true.


Award denied to thousands of soldiers --tankers, engineers, artillerymen -- retrained for combat.


The number of people filing an initial claim for US jobless aid fell by a larger-than-expected 25,000 last week, the government said on Thursday in a report seen as a good sign for job growth.


Somali militiamen are building a mosque on the site of an Italian cemetery, which they desecrated last week.


Reporters covering singer Michael Jackson's US trial ask to see the responses of potential jurors.


Amir Khan, Britain's Olympic boxing hero, made a winning return to the ring last night in his first fight since taking silver in the summer - an amateur sportsman with a professional's earning power.


Harris trails Nelson in Fla. Senate poll

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson leads challenger Katherine Harris by 18 percentage points in a new poll, although the Republican congresswoman has gained some ground among GOP voters.


Ostracized Roma still struggle across Balkans

POSTOJNA, Slovenia  - Elka Strojan and her 30-strong Roma Gypsy family, forced to swap a house for three rooms in a former army barracks, highlight the precarious existence in the Balkans of Europe's largest minority.


Coca-Cola Co. was sued Friday as part of an effort to force soft drink makers to eliminate ingredients in their products that can form cancer-causing benzene.


Action star Wesley Snipes was found not guilty of federal tax-fraud and conspiracy charges Friday, but was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return.


32 American students to study at Oxford University in 2005 as ...

Ian Desai was so curious about maps he found in a book that he retraced the ancient voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, one of the most enduring Greek fables.


Barack Obama is getting rid of an old $5,000 campaign donation that was given to him by an Illinois businessman who was indicted this week.


Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis will find out on Sunday if he is to be stripped of his medal.


The decision by the Football Association not to throw the book at Rio Ferdinand when the Manchester United defender failed to turn up for a drugs test last year has come back to haunt them.


White, Peterson Propel Oklahoma Over Texas Tech

NORMAN, Okla. (Sports Network) - Jason White threw for three touchdowns and Adrian Peterson ran for 146 yards with a score, leading second-ranked Oklahoma to a 28-13 victory over Texas Tech at Memorial Stadium.


VR Chairperson Lytvyn offers to hold round table for negotiations as...

Welcome to the Ukrainian radio's Web Page. We are sincerely glad to you. We shall inform you about the most important events in political, social and economic life of Ukraine frankly and detail.


Gatlin hires Landis attorney to reverse suspension

SALVO, North Carolina  - Disgraced American sprinter Justin Gatlin has retained cyclist Floyd Landis's legal team in a bid to reverse a U.S. arbitration panel's decision to ban him for doping, the attorney told Reuters on Saturday.


When it comes to pins, Ryan Malo of St. John's Prep has mastered the technique.


(InfoWorld) - Patricia Dunn, Hewlett-Packard's embattled chairman, will be relieved of those duties after the board's Jan. 18, 2007, meeting, but will continue as a director. The announcement came Tuesday morning, followingÂ meetings of the boardÂ over the weekend and Monday. Mark Hurd, HP's chief executive officer and president will also take on the chairman's job. Richard Hackborn, who has been on the board since 1992, has been chosen as the lead independent director as of January. Dunn has been under intense pressure to step down as chairman after it came to light last week that the board of directorsÂ carried out an investigationÂ to determine who among the board leaked confidential information to journalists. The board admitted in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the internal probe involved "pretexting," where employees of an investigative firm hired by the company pretended to be reporters to gain access to their telephone records. Federal authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice and a congressional committee,Â are questioning the board's conductÂ in the probe and the California attorney general has said thatÂ charges are likely to be filed. "The recent events that have taken place follow an important investigation that was required after the board sought to resolve the persistent disclosure of confidential information from within its ranks. These leaks had the potential to affect not only the stock price of HP but also that of other publicly traded companies," Dunn said in a written statement released by HP. "Unfortunately, the investigation, which was conducted by third parties, included certainÂ inappropriate techniques. These went beyond what we understood them to be, and I apologize that they were employed." Dunn pledged to take action to make sure that such "inappropriate investigative techniques" do not happen again. "They have no place in HP," she said in the statement.


Ruling ex-communists to take modern Romania into EU

BUCHAREST, Nov 25  Romania's ruling ex-communists say they will bring a modern, competitive Romania free of corruption into the European Union in 2007 if they win Sunday's close election battle.


Seoul subways add WCs after deadly bathroom break

The Seoul subway authority will install toilets in drivers' compartments after one of its engineers plunged to his death, apparently relieving himself from a train that was in motion.


Condono â Il Governo dice no alle norme restrittive

Impugnate le norme applicate dalle regioni Lombardia, Marche, Umbria, Veneto e Campania. Il Wwf: Â«pur essendo il âgoverno del territorioâ materia delle Regioni, cosÃ¬ come ha ribadito la Corte Costituzionale


Two clients of Germany's Postbank have fallen for an email fraud that led them to reveal money transfer codes to a bogus Web site -- the first case of this scam in German, prosecutors say.


James Hardie Underfunded Asbestos Fund, Inquiry Says

James Hardie Industries NV underfunded a trust to compensate asbestos victims by at least A$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) and misled investors when it said it had set aside enough money


Intel Corp.  on Thursday canceled plans to introduce its highest-speed desktop computer chip, ending for now a 25-year run that has seen the speeds of Intel's microprocessors increase by more than 750 times.


Big-Budget 'Polar Express' Draws Mixed Reviews

Warner Bros.' big-budget movie for children, "The Polar Express," pulled into theaters on Wednesday with a load of mixed reviews, ranging from praise for an instant holiday classic to jeers for a huge disappointment.


A woman charged with helping Mike Danton try to arrange a murder for hire was an unknowing "pawn" in the pro hockey player's plans to have his agent killed, her lawyer told jurors Tuesday.


Tutu sees hope for Kenya deal as protest falters

President Mwai Kibaki is open to the idea of a coalition government to end Kenya's post-election crisis but only if the opposition meets his terms, South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu said on Friday.


Counter-terrorism tops Southwest Pacific dialogue

Counter-terrorism and trans-national crime will top the agenda at this week's Southwest Pacific Dialogue meeting in Adelaide, New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said.


SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - As if sand traps, flies and floods were not enough, golfers in Australia have a new hazard: a crocodile laid-up among the holes.


Samsung crams digital TV into a single chip

(InfoWorld) - Samsung ElectronicsÂ has developed a pair of chips that can receive and decode four mobile digital TV systems. The chips should make possible smaller portable media players and cellphones that can pick up local broadcasts around the world. The chips are compatible with the DVB-T/H system being used or deployed in many European countries, the DAB-IP system being used in London, Japan's ISDB-T "1-seg" system and South Korea's terrestrial DMB. Samsung said they are the first quad-system chips to be made using 65-nanometer production technology. The nanometer measurement refers to the size of the smallest feature on the chip's surface. Chip makers like Samsung are continually refining their production technology to produce chips with smaller, finer features because that helps shrink the overall size and power consumption of the units -- something that is especially important for chips used in portable electronics products. One of the two chips is a multiband RF tuner, which receives the analog broadcast signal, and the other is a channel decoder, which takes that analog signal and transforms it into a digital signal for processing. The tuner covers the VHF, UHF, and L frequency bands used for mobile digital TV in most regions. Samsung also offers a single chip containing the two pieces of silicon. Mobile digital TV is becoming increasingly popular among consumers in many countries. Almost all high-end cellphones in markets like Japan and South Korea now offer digital TV reception and the feature is being added to laptop computers and portable media devices. However, a number of different standards exist around the world making such multi-standard chips a potentially attractive option to hardware makers. Samples of the chips are already being produced and offered to system makers and mass production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter, Samsung said.


3 charged in Pa. college student's death

Three men used a large wooden chair leg to beat a Kutztown University student to death last month in Pennsylvania Dutch country, a prosecutor said Friday in filing capital murder charges.


Tieniti aggiornato sulle prossime uscite e sulle iniziative di ...

23 settembre 2004 ore 19.00 - In attesa del video della decapitazione di Simona Pari e Simona Torretta si spera ancora che sia stata una Bufala di cattivissimo gusto...o perlomeno tutti noi per la prima volta vogliamo che sia una bufala.


FEW global companies have managed to make themselves as unpopular as Microsoft. Its defence consists of variations on: "The reason nobody loves us is because weâre so successful.


Giuliani says some judges hurt democracy

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday that judges who are not so-called "strict constructionists" threaten American democracy.


Mouse Allergen in Inner City Linked to Asthma

Levels of airborne mouse allergen in inner-city homes are often comparable to those seen in animal facilities, new research shows. "We were somewhat surprised at how many homes had detectable levels of airborne mouse allergen," lead author Dr. Elizabeth C. Matsui noted. In many cases, the allergen had reached levels that would likely trigger asthma symptoms in sensitized individuals.


Saranno offerti dal Tesoro a partire dal 14 giugno


A fire which ripped through a German library destroys thousands of rare books, although some were saved.


Africa ; France airlifts evacuees from Ivory Coast

Africa News, France on Monday was shutting down one of the largest evacuations in post-independence Africa - a five-day airlift that flew more than five thousand Westerners and others out of Ivory Coast.


Jazeera identified the hostages as reporters George Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot. Last week, the French Foreign Ministry. said the two men had gone missing in Iraq.


Lennon cast as anti-war hero in new documentary

U.S. conservatives were outraged when  country music band the Dixie Chicks criticized President George  W. Bush.


Tape shows the killing of abducted CARE chief

Margaret Hassan, a kidnapped aid worker who spent decades bringing food and medicine to Iraqis, was believed murdered after al Jazeera television said yesterday it received a video


DirecTV Consolidates LatAm Satellite Ops

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Ltd.  NCP.AX will sell its stake in Sky Latin America to DirecTV  Group DTV.N, another company which it controls, for $579  million in order to consolidate operations of the two satellite  broadcasters, the companies said on Monday.


The annual US trade deficit rises to a  record $763.6bn, hit by higher oil prices and surging Chinese imports.


Google Business Apps Shows The Changing Battle For Workers' Desktops

TechWeb - Google, Microsoft, and IBM all want to be the point of entry to people's business lives.


Menâs Basketball Roundup: Minus Top Scorer, Hofstra Is No Match for Virginia Tech

The freshman Jeff Allen had 17 points and 9 rebounds and Virginia Tech beat Hofstra, 84-59, on Friday night in the opening round of the Aeropostale Holiday festival at Madison Square Garden.


No. 18 Arizona Beats Michigan 61-60 in OT

Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson's Madison Square Garden winning streak stretched to 11 games Wednesday night when No. 18 Arizona squeezed past Michigan 61-60 in overtime in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT.


U.S. says 82 youths have died in "choking game"

At least 82 U.S. youths have died since 1995 engaging in "the choking game" in which they try to experience a fleeting "high" by cutting off the oxygen supply to the brain, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.


Stewart Begins Five-Month Prison Sentence

ALDERSON, W.Va. - Martha Stewart exchanged her clothes for prison-issue khaki trousers and black steel-toed boots Friday, and for the next five months she will be sleeping not on luxurious Egyptian cotton linens, but on plain, military-grade sheets...


Calif. sues carmakers over global warming

California sued six of the   world's largest automakers over global warming on Wednesday,   charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused   billions of dollars in damages.


There was no doubt for whom the heavy metal bells were tolling — Trevor Hoffman and his 500 career saves. Hoffman became the first big leaguer to reach that plateau when he saved the San Diego Padres' 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.


A New Zealand concern called Crop and Food Research said on its Web site that it had created a tearless onion.


Protesters clashed with police and stormed the headquarters of state television early Tuesday after setting fire to several cars — an increasing violent response to a leaked recording that caught Hungary's prime minister admitting officials had lied about the economy.


John Kerry woos them, but perhaps not enough. George W. Bush does too, and even Laura Bush. Even so, small-business owners rarely make headlines as a political target group even


U.S. cancer deaths rose by more than 5,000 in 2005, a somewhat disappointing reversal of a two-year downward trend, the American Cancer Society reported


Tom Stoppard's Russian trilogy a U.S. hit

Tom Stoppard's epic eight-hour trilogy  "The Coast of Utopia" about 19th century Russian  revolutionaries has won rave U.S. reviews and defied fears that  its subject matter would be too heavy for theater goers.


Under a Scarf, a Turkish Lawyer Fighting to Wear It

Fatma Benli has been a central, if reluctant, participant in the fight in Turkey over whether covered women should be allowed to go to college.


HYDERABAD, India  - Officials sent extra police and special bomb detection equipment to an Indian state after bombs packed with metal pellets killed 43 people at a packed street food-stall and an amusement park.


By GALLOWAY, Jill  Lots of farmers have stood next to their dairy effluent ponds and watched the biogas bubble up and disappear into the air.


Gazprom Threatens to Halt Fuel for Ukraine

In this latest flare-up of a dispute over money and energy in Eastern Europe, Gazprom threatened to halt fuel supplies unless Ukraine settled a $1.5 billion debt.


Krispy Kreme has just introduced a 100 percent whole wheat glazed doughnut . Kudos to the company for adding whole grains, but darts for not including how much trans fat this new product includes. If it's like their other doughnuts, they likely contain between 4 to 6 grams of unhealthy trans fat in...


Charles Duelfer: "In Iraq niente armi proibite, ma il mondo Ã¨ ...

Il numero uno della squadra di ispettori che il governo americano aveva inviato in Iraq con lo scopo di individuare le armi di distruzione di massa di Saddam Hussein Ã¨ tornato in patria a mani vuote. Presentando


Sport: Dutch FA also denies that Blues have offered manager's job to Netherlands coach.


Report: Attack on Mosul mess tent was suicide

WASHINGTON - The deadly explosion in a US mess tent in Mosul, Iraq, was the work of a suicide bomber and the attacker's torso and a suicide vest have been recovered, ABC News reported Wednesday.


Legal moves against Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Nigeria are quashed freeing him to run in polls next year.


Suicide may have caused fatal rail crash

A train crash that killed seven people Saturday may have been caused by a car driver committing suicide, police said Monday. The crash near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, 40 miles outside


Hamas Member Escapes Damascus Attack, Israel Blamed

Syria blamed Israel's Mossad intelligence service for a bombing in Damascus on Monday which a Palestinian source in Beirut said was a failed attempt to kill a member of the militant Hamas group.


Duncan Fletcher says he will review his position as England coach before the start of the next domestic season.


The natural gas producer and pipeline operator said its fourth-quarter loss widened, hurt by a tax charge related to the sale of its stake in a pipeline.


Marge Simpson's gravity-defying blue beehive is a hybrid creation, Matt Groening has revealed.


Pounding of Dolphins Puts Jets With the AFC's Elite Teams

His team is once again shoulder to shoulder with the elite of the American Football Conference after Monday night's 41-14 rout of Miami.


U.S. Group Warns of Mix-Ups with Foreign Drugs

The same brand names are sometimes used for different drugs in different countries, posing a risk for people who import cheaper medicines from abroad, a U.S. group warned on Thursday.


Bulls end Cleveland losing streak with victory over Cavs

The Chicago Bulls snapped a six-game  losing streak in Cleveland with an 84-78 victory over the  Cavaliers on Thursday, Luol Deng leading the way for the  visitors with 18 points.


Saudi security forces shot dead a suspected insurgent in a clash in the Red Sea port city of Jidda, police and witnesses said. Witnesses said two people escaped, leaving rifles and ammunition in a car in the


From Liver and Chianti to a Presidentâs Barbecue

With âJimmy Carter: Man From Plains,â Jonathan Demme points his camera at the tribulations of a former president.


French Open champion Rafael Nadal beats Juan Martin del Potro 6-4 6-4 in round two of the Artois Championships.


Stocks drop; Dow off more than 100 points

Disappointing earnings from Morgan Stanley (MWD) and oil prices topping $48 per barrel sent stocks sharply lower Wednesday as investors moved to protect their recent gains.


Democrats say they can begin to balance budget

JOHNSTON, Iowa  - Democratic presidential contenders said on Thursday they could start to balance the federal budget quickly by ending the Iraq war and eliminating tax cuts for the most wealthy Americans.


Mexicans voted Sunday in a tight presidential race to decide whether their country becomes the latest Latin American nation to move to the left, choosing between a shopkeeper's son promising to save the poor and a conservative calling his rival's free-spending populism dangerous.


NETS 96, BOBCATS 89 Nets Win but They Still Look Out of Sorts

One night after they were pounded by 19 points in a preseason game in Cleveland, the Nets looked like a much different team against the expansion Charlotte Bobcats


Roma, 19:18 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS; A LIONE LA ROMA RITROVA TADDEI E MANCINI

Contro il Lione la Roma recupera Taddei. Il brasiliano oggi si è allenato regolarmente e tutt...


The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's remake of movie classic King Kong is to start filming in New Zealand.


Lavender and tea tree oils found in some shampoos, soaps and lotions can temporarily leave boys with enlarged breasts in rare cases, apparently by disrupting their hormonal balance, a preliminary study suggests.


Shares in animation giant Pixar set new records, boosted by high hopes for its new film The Incredibles.


Former Gov. Ann Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died Wednesday night after a battle with cancer, a family spokeswoman said. She was 73.


US scientists show how the body's own natural stress hormone could soothe post-traumatic stress disorder.


Virgin Records enters the music download market Monday

Long before Richard Branson dreamed of becoming the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cell phone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from the Virgin Record Shop on Oxford St.


LONDON - Hugh Grant says heâs lost interest in acting and is heading into retirement. Grant, who plays heartthrob Daniel Cleaver in âBridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,â was quoted Thursday by the Evening


Marbury's 22 points, nine assists lead Knicks past struggling ...

Stephon Marbury had 22 points and nine assists to help the New York Knicks end a three-game losing streak with an 86-79 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday night, dropping the Hornets to 0-9 at home.


Myanmar Says Constitution Talks to Restart Soon

Myanmar's military junta has confirmed a constitution-forming National Convention will restart at the end of the rainy season in November, despite political turmoil sparked by the purge of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt.


Internet bank to cancel thousands of credit cards

Internet bank Egg has cancelled the credit cards of around 160,000 customers who have a "higher than acceptable risk profile".


Kerry in a Struggle for a Democratic Base: Women

Kerry campaign officials have been nervously eyeing polls that show an erosion of the senator's support among women.


Update 4: Primaris to Buy Boeing's 7E7 Dreamliner

Primaris Airlines Inc., a little-known Las Vegas carrier with plans to provide low-cost service for business travelers, has become the first US airline to agree to buy Boeing Co.


Vietnam is making headway in creating a more level playing field for foreign investors, but more reform must take place in order for competition to flourish, business leaders said Monday.


Defeated Da Vinci Code case historians plan appeal

Two historians who lost a plagiarism  case against the British publishers of Dan Brown's bestseller  "The Da Vinci Code" plan to appeal against the verdict, court  officials said on Monday.


Torino, 20:46 - CALCIO, TORINO: SI FERMANO IN QUATTRO

Formazione in alto mare nel Torino in vista della gara di domenica a Roma contro la Lazio. Assenti c...


Schroeder Won't Drop Equality Aim for East Germans

The German government will stick to its  disputed goal of raising living standards in the formerly  communist east to western levels despite the spiraling costs,  Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Tuesday.


(HealthDay News) - When your child has a fever, it means her body is fighting an infection. Nonetheless, there are things you can do to help her feel better.


Craig Biggio drove in three runs and Andy Pettitte pitched the surging Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 7-4, over the Pirates last night in Pittsburgh.


Bloomfield Hills, Michigan - Scotland's Colin Montgomerie sat out of the afternoon foursomes matches here on Saturday at the Ryder Cup, his first absence from a session after 30 in a row over the past seven Cups.


Imagine Tim Russert introducing a classroom history lesson about the Articles of Confederation, or Brian Williams describing the reverberations of the Stamp Act.


Northern Ireland takes step to power sharing

Northern Ireland took a step toward restoring a government shared between Protestants and Catholics as it counted votes on Thursday from an election for a new provincial assembly.


Canada to Hold Inquiry on Submarine Fire, Meet With UK's Hoon

Canada will hold a naval inquiry into the cause of a fire that broke out on a submarine last week, killing one sailor and leaving the vessel drifting in the Atlantic, Canadian Defense


Pakistan: Militants kill 8 tribal elders

Suspected Islamic militants fatally shot eight tribal leaders involved in efforts to broker a cease-fire between security forces and insurgents in Pakistan's volatile northwest, authorities said Monday.


Bloomberg tax cut could help any '08 run

Mayor Michael Bloomberg keeps saying he's not a presidential candidate, but analysts are calling his new plan to extend a $1 billion property tax cut a shrewd political move if he does make a bid for the Oval Office.


President Omar el-Bashir vowed Sunday to allow the opposition Popular Congress Party, which is accused of involvement in a failed coup attempt, to resume its political activities — if it denounces and isolates its leader, Hassan Turabi.


Echoing the ruling of another local court, a Thurston County judge ruled Tuesday that Washington state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.


Intel Corp., which has numerous offices in Asia, is making cash donations to organizations offering relief services following the Dec. 26 tsunami that has devastated coastal areas of South and Southeast Asia.


Jol pledges to bring back glory days for Spurs

Tottenham's new coach Martin Jol has pledged to try and bring back the glory days of legendary manager Bill Nicholson at the north London club.


Brief items about notable IT developments, both present and past.


China Tests New Guided Missile Amid Taiwan Tensions

China has successfully tested a new  guided missile it says is highly accurate, state media said on  Tuesday amid rising tensions with arch-rival Taiwan.


The Dow industrials climbed to a record high on Friday after consumer price data reassured investors that the U.S. economy is maintaining growth and inflation is under control.


Indonesians look for miracle to save homes from mud

SIDOARJO, Indonesia  - Village chief Haji Hasan is   looking for a miracle to save what is left of the Indonesian   hamlet of Kedungbendo from a torrent of mud flowing unchecked   from an exploratory oil well.


Ballmer Calls Linux Threat Overblown, Touts Progress With Office ...

When it comes to Microsoft, IT pros still want to hear more about security, Linux and product futures. CEO Steve Ballmer did his best to accommodate them Wednesday morning in a keynote speech at the Gartner Symposium ITXpo in Orlando, Fla.


Satirist Jon Stewart's Book Named Year's Best

Political satirist Jon Stewart's mock look at a political science college textbook "America (the Book), a Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction," was named on Sunday the book of the year by Publishers Weekly, the trade publication of the book industry.


European stocks gain as oil inches up, G7 in focus

European share prices rose in early trade on Friday on the back of a string of corporate news and higher oil prices, while investors eyed the Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Germany.


Radio tags to vouch for drugs' legitimacy

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday issued guidelines it hopes will prompt drugmakers to use tiny radio tracking chips on their product packaging to help thwart counterfeiters.


Commissione Ue, Prodi: sÃ¬ condizionato ad Ankara

"Un'Europa sicura di sÃ¨, dotata di una Costituzione, di forti istituzioni e politiche affermate, che riprenda la crescita economica, forte del proprio modello di pace, prosperitÃ  e solidarietÃ  non ha nulla da temere dall'integrazione della Turchia".


Ruth Wallis, Singer-Writer of RisquÃ© Songs, Dies at 87

Ruth Wallis was a cabaret singer of the 1940s, â50s and â60s who was known as the Queen of the Party Song for the genteelly risquÃ©.


They first landed in the Middle East in 1956, with lofty goals and helmets painted blue. But over the next half-century, dug in between Arab and Jew, U.N. peacekeepers often found little peace to keep.


I commercianti accolgono l'appello di Letizia Moratti


U.S. Actor Released From Pakistan Prison

Actor Erik Anthony Aude, who was freed earlier this week after serving two years in a Pakistani prison, missed a scheduled flight to Los Angeles International Airport Christmas day and was not expected to rejoin his family here until Sunday, a spokesman said.


Iraqi president delays trip to France over hostage crisis

Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar, who was due in Paris on Sunday to start a European tour, has postponed his visit to France due to the ongoing hostage drama involving two French journalists, Arab diplomats said Friday.


NEC ships HydraStor grid storage platform

Consolidated backup and archiving not a Herculean effort NEC of America is rolling out the first product based on its HYDRAstor grid storage platform this week, offering a high-tier system for businesses looking to cram backup and archive data into a single system.â¦


Fast Food Takes a Bite Out of Chinese Culture

China's cuisine is being altered by the growing ppularity of fast food, with Chinese now more likely than Americans to eat takeout meals.


CAMBRIDGE -- In a quiet entryway of the CambridgeSide Galleria, 75-year-old Mary Dellolio stood gazing out the window, Sears bags in hand, waiting for a ride from a friend. Dellolio said she feels safe in the mall during the daytime but would never venture there after dark, though she lives only two blocks away.


(InfoWorld) - Dell is allowing its customers to decline the unwanted software applications loaded on new PCs, after hundreds of users complained about such "bloatware" on a company blog. Many software companies pay PC vendors to install their applications on new computers, hoping to gain new customers or persuade users to upgrade to a new version. But customers say it can take a savvy user hours to remove unwanted programs, and those who are less sophisticated may never be able to reclaim the wasted memory. On Monday, Dell agreed to give buyers of certain models the option to avoid what the company calls "preinstalled software." Buyers of Dimension desktops, Inspiron notebooks, and XPS PCs can now click a field in Dell's online order form that will block the installation of software for productivity, ISPs, and photo and music. "Since we launched IdeaStorm, there has never been a shortage of conversation about 'bloatware' here! Well we've recently taken action on your feedback on this topic, and we're working toward giving customers more choice in the amount and type of software that is preinstalled on their systems at the time of purchase," Dell said on the blog. The company has also loaded an extra "uninstall utility" program on Dimension and Inspiron computers sold in the United States, making it easier for new computer users to remove software they don't want. However, Dell will continue to install three applications on its new computers, including trial versions of anti-virus software, Adobe Systems's Acrobat Reader, and Google's Google Toolbar, said Michelle Pearcy, Dell's worldwide client software manager in another posting. The company includes anti-virus software because many customers expect their PCs to be protected at first boot, Acrobat because it is required to read electronic copies of system documentation, and Google Toolbar because it aids Web surfing by suggesting likely alternatives to mistyped URLs, she said. "The end result is that customers can tailor the amount and type of software that is preinstalled on their systems to meet their specific needs at time of purchase," Pearcy said. Many users said Dell had not gone far enough, however. Dozens of comments attached to Pearcy's blog posting pleaded with the company to abstain from loading any software on a new machine except for Microsoft's Windows OS and Office tool suite. "Would love the ability to have a clean Vista install. No AOL software, no EarthLink software, no Google software -- just a clean, original OS," said someone writing under the name "ootleman" in a Feb. 16 posting that has since received thousands of votes on Dell's site. That post helped start the idea for Dell to give users more control, since it has remained one of the most popular ideas on the company's IdeaStorm Web site since being posted on the blog's first day, Pearcy said. Despite users' persistence, some may find it challenging to find a PC vendor that does not load extra software on new machines. Gateway did not respond to a request for comment, but Hewlett-Packard said it also preinstalls software. HP does not sell any PCs running only an OS, but it does allow individual users to remove the programs they don't like, said Melissa Stone, a spokeswoman for HP. "HP offers third-party software with its consumer PCs in order to provide customers with programs that will enhance their computing experience," Stone said. "Not all users will have the same preferences, therefore each user has the ability to keep or remove the programs he or she finds most valuable. Current products offer a very carefully chosen set of HP, Microsoft, and third-party software and services that HP believes will bring the most value to the customer."


Extra Flu Vaccines Slated For San Mateo County

Dec. 6 (BCN) - The Sonoma County Department of Health Services has scheduled five flu shot clinics for Saturday Dec. 11. The clinics are only for Sonoma County residents most in danger of contracting the flu.


Mariana Dontcheva, direttrice di un museo in Bulgaria, non aveva il permesso di soggiorno: 5 giorni nel centro di accoglienza di Ragusa                                            "Io, archeologa prigioniera nel Cpt" diario di una clandestina per sbaglio                                                                                di ALESSANDRA LONGO


Il ministro degli Esteri D'Alema ha chiesto che non ci siano piÃ¹ rinviiScartata l'ipotesi di presentare la risoluzione nella sessione in corso                                            Pena di morte, moratoria Ue all'Onu in autunno Napolitano: "Una battaglia  fondamentale"


(Article Central) Apple has quietly updated its iPod software to prevent songs purchased on RealNetworks' online music store from being played on some of its popular MP3 players.


We'Ve Accomplished a Lot; Why It's Not Enough

By Moll, Gary; Olson, Jeff "Environmentalism is dead," announced Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus in October 2004, when they released a hard-hitting critique of the environmental community, of which AMERICAN FORESTS is a part.


Time Warner and others to pay in pension suit

Time Warner Inc. and other  defendants including America Online and Ernst & Young have  agreed to pay $23 million to settle a lawsuit accusing them of  defrauding pension and investment funds in Pennsylvania, the  state's Attorney General said on Thursday.


Dance Review | dre.dance : Frog-Jumping and Other Ordered Disruptions

There was a refreshingly modest air to the program that dre.dance performed on Thursday at the Joyce SoHo.


India aims to stabilise new HIV infections by 2007

NEW DELHI - India, home to the second largest number of people living with HIV /AIDS, expects its growth rate in new infections to stabilise by 2007, the country's top official dealing with the deadly disease said on Thursday.


Karachi - Captain Inzamam ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer came under fire on Thursday for choosing to bat first on a tricky pitch after Pakistan's humiliating defeat in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final.


Camera, accolto l'ordine del giorno del centrodestra Franceschini: "Nessun cambio di opinione sull'Iraq"                                           "In Iraq rispettando la Costituzione" il governo dÃ  ragione alla Cdl


A theme park inspired by the adventures of schoolboy wizard Harry Potter is to open in the US in 2009.


Stocking Stuffers: Red Tape and American Caviar

Since it's the holiday season, the Regulators asked some of those who spend their days engrossed in the minutiae of the Federal Register to take a break and stuff some stockings with messages of goodwill for the new year.


To some, it's a hurtful racial epithet. For Nas, it's an album title.


NAIVASHA, Kenya  - Ethnic clashes killed at least 19 people in Kenya's Rift Valley on Sunday, overshadowing a meeting between former U.N. chief Kofi Annan and opposition leader Raila Odinga to try to resolve a month-long crisis.


HarperCollins will rush out a book submitted by former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto just days before her December 27 assassination, it said on Monday.


Under-fire Olympic champion Hamilton sacked

PARIS  - Swiss cycling team Phonak have fired Olympic time-trial champion Tyler Hamilton who is being investigated for alleged blood doping.


Court allows casino vote that may boost Obama

A federal judge on Thursday allowed Nevada Democrats to hold presidential voting in casino hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, potentially helping Sen. Barack Obama in the next round of the campaign on Saturday.


Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills Palestinian

An Israeli airstrike has killed a Palestinian in northern Gaza, medics said, as Israel continued one of its largest offensives in the area in four years in conflict.


'Volver' porta a casa cinque premi. Penelope Cruz è la migliore attrice. Non vince Silvio Orlando, candidato per il 'Caimano' di Moretti


Endangered monkeys discovered in Vietnam

A large population of grey-shanked douc monkeys has been found in central Vietnam, raising hopes that the endangered species could be saved from extinction, wildlife scientists announced Tuesday.


President Bush on Friday rallied his party's conservative wing to unite behind the Republican nominee in the battle for the presidency, but avoided mention of John McCain, the leading candidate and presumed winner who has a history of clashing with his party's right flank.


Volkswagen AG said Tuesday it would stop production of its Golf model at its Belgian plant, shocking workers and government leaders who fear more than 3,500 jobs could be lost.Comment


Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will join other foreign ministers from the leading industrialised nations and the Arab world today, gathering to discuss Iraq.


Ardour 2.0 : A Brief Practical Introduction

The eagerly-awaited Ubuntu Studio has been released, adding another entry into the expanding list of multimedia-optimized Linux distributions. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but interested readers can peruse some installation screenshots or check out the latest news and information on the Ubuntu Studio Wiki. I plan to review the distro in a future column, along with an update on the latest version of the venerable PlanetCCRMA, but in this entry I'm focused on another very exciting new release. Ardour 2.0 is now available for download. This version is a significant improvement over the 0.99 series (1.0 was never released), with many new features and enhancements to performance and stability. The following article profiles the new Ardour as I employed it for three projects, all involving the program in the processes of composition and arranging as well as the more typical tasks of recording and editing. I've described each project in some detail, and each description includes a link to the final audio output.


The Foreign Office is ordered to release an  early draft of the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.


Air France and Alitalia in tentative merger talks

Air France KLM , under pressure from Rome to commit to a merger with Alitalia, announced exploratory talks with the ailing carrier on Thursday but reaffirmed conditions for a deal.


Riunione a Francoforte del Consiglio direttivo


Carphone poised to ring up healthy profits

Carphone Warehouse today announced a 25% increase in the number of connections during its second quarter, with interim pre-tax profits expected to be at least Â£27m.


Korean is to spend $5.5bn on 25 Boeing planes - the biggest such deal in the country's aviation history.


Roundup: Singh takes lead into final round

Vijay Singh is making the game look easy by winning tournament after tournament, and millions upon millions of dollars, while chasing Tiger Woods' season money record.


Bush and Kerry in Dead Heat Ahead of Debate

President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry are in a statistical dead heat in the White House race ahead of their second face-to-face debate, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Friday.


Oil Falls Below $49 on Nigeria Cease-Fire

Oil prices slid from record highs above  $50 a barrel on Wednesday as the U.S. government reported a  surprise increase in crude stocks and rebels in Nigeria's  oil-rich delta region agreed a temporary cease-fire.


Acer becomes the world's third largest PC vendor; purchase of Packard Bell is still pending.


Many Red Flags Preceded a Recall of Hamburger

The sharp increase of beef recalls involving E. coli raises questions about whether the Agriculture Department has given the meat industry too much leeway to police itself.


Bush campaign calls Kerry campaign complaint to FEC "frivolous"

President George W. Bush's re-election campaign launched a preemptive defense against a complaint by Democratic challenger John Kerry that a group attacking Kerry's Vietnam war record had illegal ties to the Bush campaign.


Judge tells Saddam: "You are not a dictator"

The judge in Saddam Hussein's genocide   trial said on Thursday he did not think the ousted Iraqi leader   was a "dictator," prompting a spokesman for the U.S.-sponsored   court to defend its impartiality.


American officials still want to nab the terrorist leader, but Pakistan's leader sounds sick and tired of the whole subject.


French trader refuses to be 'scapegoat' for SocGen losses

The dealer blamed for a seven-billion dollar rogue trader loss at French bank Societe Generale told AFP Tuesday he had got "a bit carried away," but refused to be made a scapegoat for the whole scandal.


Taco Bell's baseball World Series bet: free tacos for all

Many Americans will be wagering on this  week's baseball World Series. For Taco Bell, the stakes are a  free taco for everyone in the United States.


Malaysia's Proton pins hopes on new model

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia  - Malaysian loss-making car-maker Proton Holdings  expects to reverse a long and painful slide in its domestic market share with the launch of a new model from January.


Leader: Hezbollah has 'complete strength'

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah made his first appearance since the start of clashes with Israel, saying Sunday that his group had "complete strength and power" and would act without limits in future attacks.


Maybe it was the hot pink envelope that made her suspicious.


A federal judge ruled Wednesday that a part of the US Patriot Act that allows the FBI to demand company records from businesses without court approval is unconstitutional.


U.S. stock futures pared losses on Wednesday after a government report showing a stronger-than-expected pace of economic growth in the fourth-quarter boosted hopes for solid corporate profits.


Right-hander Matt Clement and the Boston Red Sox agreed Friday to a three-year deal in the $25 million range, according to a report on MLB.


Ukraine reopens Yushchenko poisoning probe

Ukrainian lawmakers reopened their investigation Monday into Viktor Yushchenko's allegations that authorities tried to kill him, after doctors in Austria determined the presidential candidate had been poisoned ...


News Mixed, but Stocks Still Manage Strong Rally

Stock markets ended the week with a surge on reports of a possible foreign investment in Merrill Lynch and an uptick in consumer spending.


Egyptian forces, Palestinians trade fire at border

Palestinian gunmen and  Egyptian forces exchanged fire at the Gaza-Egypt border on  Monday, killing one person and wounding 59 others a day after  Cairo closed the breached frontier with the Hamas-run enclave.


"Atonement" rules UK's BAFTA nominations

Film romance "Atonement" dominated the field when nominations were announced on Wednesday for the annual BAFTA film awards.


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Arch Coal said it completed its $364 million acquisition of Triton Coal Friday, hours after a Federal Court turned down efforts by the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal.


The decline, the biggest in the US since World War II, is deepening.


Former Tour de France Winner Admits to Doping

Bjarne Riis, the 1996 Tour de France champion, topped off a week of doping confessions when he said Friday that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 1993 to 1998.


No Major Violence Reported at NYC Protests

Bearing flag-draped boxes resembling coffins and fly-swatters with President Bush's image, more than 100,000 protesters swarmed Manhattan's streets Sunday on the eve of the Republican National Convention to demand that the president be turned out of office.


Iran's hard-line leadership ruled out allowing women to run for president in June elections, denying reports in the state-run media Saturday that it had decided to allow female candidates for the first time.


U.S. wins auto parts case against China: official

The United States has won a  preliminary ruling in a World Trade Organization case over  Chinese tax policies that restrict imports of foreign auto  parts, a U.S. trade official said on Wednesday.


Romney assails rivals on national issues

Republican Mitt Romney assailed his two leading presidential rivals Wednesday, criticizing John McCain's stance on immigration and dismissing Rudy Giuliani's support for gun control, abortion and gay rights as a losing combination in the GOP primary.


An 18-year-old man suspected of plotting a killing spree at a high school pleaded no contest to charges that will result in a five-year state prison sentence.


Jury to Start Deliberations in Wesley Snipes Tax Case

Defense lawyers described Mr. Snipesâ views on taxes as âkookyâ and âdead wrong,â but said he had not committed a crime.


Anche Italia protagonista con vari progetti


The Los Angeles Galaxy fired coach Sigi Schmid on Monday despite leading Major League Soccer with 34 points.


HSBC Holdings Plc , Europe's biggest bank, said on Friday that it would close its U.S. subprime mortgage unit, cutting 750 jobs and taking an $880 million writedown, because the business is no longer sustainable.


Serious crime rose by 8.3 percent in Santa Clarita last year, while it decreased in Los Angeles and nationwide, according to statistics released Monday by the FBI.


An Equatorial Guinea court is due to give its verdict in the case of 19 men accused of plotting to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.


For Defense Nominee, Echoes of Old Questions

When President George H.W. Bush nominated him to lead the CIA in 1991, Robert M. Gates was at 47 the youngest intelligence professional to achieve that distinction.


U.S. vows to help Latin America fight drug gangs

CUERNAVACA, Mexico  - The United States will stand by Latin American governments in their battle against powerful drug cartels, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales vowed on Friday.


Hezbollah leader OKs U.N. swap mediation

Hezbollah's leader said Tuesday that he accepts U.N. mediation with Israel on a possible prisoner swap and a special envoy will launch the talks next week.


Wearing a bib reading "Feisty Fighting Franci," breast cancer combatant Franci Finkelstein propelled herself across the finish line of yesterday's Run for the Cure with tears in her eyes, raising clasped hands in the air with her friends.


These five mobile social networks are all vying to be the next hot thing. See how they stack up.


US warships moving into position for satellite shoot down

A US warship is moving into position to try to shoot down a defunct US spy satellite as early as Wednesday before it tumbles into the Earth's atmosphere, Pentagon officials said Tuesday.


Soldiers to politicians: Come fight with us

Debate about the war is raging back home, but soldiers doing the actual fighting in Iraq want politicians to get in the trenches to see war first-hand. "America needs to see what we see through the eyes of the soldier," a soldier told CNN's Arwa Damon.


Pine Grove Mills Church to Honor 175-Year History

By Rich Kerstetter, The Centre Daily Times, State College, Pa.  Sep. 11--About 1830, according to historian John Blair Linn, some members of the Spring Creek and Spruce Creek Presbyterian churches formed a new congregation in Pine Grove Mills.


Director Alexander Payne's acclaimed comedy "Sideways" continued its winning ways at the IFP/New York's 14th annual Gotham Awards Wednesday.


A recent raid on Intel's Munich office by EC investigators is the latest in a long history of antitrust woes.


Logistics parks prove increasingly attractive for manufacturing firms

Logistics parks operators expect a hike in business from new tenants in the manufacturing industry, executives and consultants said last week.


A federal appeals court removed a serious legal challenge to the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program yesterday, overruling the only judge who held that a controversial surveillance effort by the National Security Agency was unconstitutional.


Cade anche il confine tra Gorizia e Nova Gorica


Safe Drug Imports Would Be Difficult --US Study

Importing cheaper prescription medicines would require costly safety measures and save US consumers little money, a government task force said on Tuesday in a report


Cisco Systems (Quote, Chart) has modified its Catalyst switching products to help small and medium-sized businesses deploy converged data, voice and video networks.


Ragazza ammalata che doveva donare organo e' una attrice


Bad-boy Sean Penn scolded for lighting up

Sean Penn flouted no-smoking laws this week at the Toronto film festival but a hotel is paying the price.


A US celebrity TV special will benefit the tsunami relief effort in South Asia, as actors make donations.


EILAT, Israel -- Rescue workers yesterday searched the wreckage of an Egyptian hotel for more than three dozen people still missing after three coordinated bomb attacks that killed about 30 Israeli tourists and Egyptians at two vacation resorts on the Red


Customer Data Breach Began in 2005, TJX Says

Retail giant TJX, whose stores include discount clothing chains T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, said yesterday that a computer-security breach stretched back 10 months earlier than the company originally thought, compromising credit and debit card data, drivers' license numbers, and names and addresses.


Il presidente della Commissione Ue a Davos anticipale proposte per la nuova Agenda di Lisbona                                          Barroso, il patto di stabilitÃ  andrÃ  di pari passo con le riforme                                                                                Siniscalco: "E' una cosa importante, che faccio anche mia"


President Bush on Monday nominated  Lester Crawford to serve as commissioner of the Food and Drug  Administration.


Blog: Microsoft patent law expert says patent licensing, the new tool of choice for safe collaboration, will spur rapid innovation and new financial models.


Fed's Pianalto sees little consumer hit from housing

A slowdown in the United States' housing market may have knocked as much as one percentage point off annual growth, but does not seem to have affected consumer demand much, a top Federal Reserve official said on Monday.


About two-thirds of British moth species have shown a decline since 1970,  scientists say.


The use of a single word in diplomacy can often mark a significant moment and the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's use of the word "illegal" about the war in Iraq is one such moment.


ROMA - Berlusconi e Fini cercano di dipanare la matassa degli interventi sul fisco e del rimpasto di governo. E' in corso una colazione di lavoro tra il presidente del Consiglio e il vice premier per esaminare


A national treasure: 'Little Britain' rises from fringe TV to conquer mainstream

A cult collection of characters including vomiting ladies from the Women's Institute, inarticulate teenagers and an adult man who is still breastfed have been officially ushered into the mainstream by claiming ...


Emergency services deal with a chemical scare on a beach after oil barrels cause noxious fumes.


Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is to hold talks with Pakistan's leader, who is on his first official visit to Latin America.


Abu Ghraib Report Cites Military Leadership Failures, NBC Says

A Pentagon commission found that top US military commanders bear some responsibility for abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq because they failed to recognize deteriorating performance


The purpose of the INDUCE ACT blog will be to consolidate available information concerning the Induce Act as well as to provide new and original content about it.


Talks between the EU and Iran over Iran's nuclear programme are "constructive", both sides say.


Sudan, southern rebels make peace promise

The Sudanese Government and its southern rebel opponents have signed a pledge to end a 21-year-old civil war by December 31. With UN Security Council ambassadors as witnesses, a Sudanese Government official


5 Palestinians Killed in West Bank Clash

Palestinian witnesses say at least five Palestinians were killed during a gubattle with Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Nablus Wednesday.


After Ruling, Groups Spend Heavily to Sway Races

Independent groups are using their financial muscle as never before to influence the presidential race.


England: Chelsea eight points clear with win, Everton fall at ...

PORTSMOUTH, Dec 28 (SW) - Chelsea extended their lead over idle Arsenal to eight points on Tuesday with a 2-0 win away to Portsmouth.


The Packers and Eagles both have something to prove when they meet in Philadelphia on Monday night.


Top ministers met on Wednesday shortly before a statement purportedly from the kidnappers was posted on a Web site. It denied having.


Twins Edge Athletics, Take 4-Game Series

Joe Mauer drives home the winning run in the ninth inning to give Minnesota a 4-3 win Sunday and a four-game sweep of slumping Oakland.


(CBN News) â-ERUSALEM â -h the death of Yasser Arafat behind them, the Palestinians and Israelis are now facing an historic opportunity to move forward in peace.


France says an international summit on Iraq, proposed by Colin Powell, must debate a US withdrawal.


Torino, 15:21 - CALCIO, JUVENTUS; ANDRADE: ROTTURA COMPLETA DELLA ROTULA

Rottura completa della rotula: questo l'esito degli esami cui è stato sottoposto Jorge Andrad...


Vaccine could cut cervical cancer deaths

GlaxoSmithKline's  experimental  vaccine against a virus that causes cervical cancer could cut  the number of cases and deaths from the illness by up to 76  percent, the drug company said on Monday.


UK researchers have developed a way of using light to detect the presence of bacteria.


Analysts: Bin Laden Seeks Transformation

Osama bin Laden appears to be trying to transform himself from terrorist to political leader, the conclusion reached by some Middle Eastern experts from watching recent messages attributed to the al-Qaida leader.


British Prime Minister Tony Blair offered Wednesday to host a one-day Mideast conference in the new year to help rehabilitate the battered Palestinian Authority, encourage reform and serve as a bridge to renewed peace talks, stalled by four years of violence.


(InfoWorld) - As we gaze toward the vista of 2007, we find our e-mail inbox inundated with IT predictions for the new year from analysts, vendors and consultants. From those predictions and our own prognostications we present our forecast for the top IT stories in the year ahead: Pun aside, Vista With fanfare, Microsoft Corp. will garner headlines early in the year as it releases itsVista OS to home users, possibly even at the end of January as currently scheduled, avoiding another delay or three. The release splash will give way to headlines that enterprises are following through on analyst predictions and comments from wary IT administrators and are waiting to upgrade. Then will come the security-risk headlines, followed no doubt by the patch headlines. Content kings We'll go with the forecast of analyst Leonard Fuld of Fuld & Associates in Boston that an ongoing story and trend we'll follow in 2007 will be "the world of information and how it's monetized." And we'll put our money on Google Inc. to continue to lead the pack.Â The YouTube Inc. acquisition will be but the tip of that iceberg. Google will scoop up other content providers with an eye on their advertising revenue or potential advertising revenue. "There will be other mega deals," Fuld said in a recent interview. News Corp. undoubtedly will be another company to watch in 2007 when it comes to content, with mergers among more traditional media companies that find themselves increasingly forced to compete with Internet content providers, not to mention the blogosphere and specialty content providers. Along those lines, Internet-delivered TV is going to find its feet in 2007. We've heard that before, but it's got to happen some year and we think the new year will be it. It might even go as far as the prediction of IP (Internet Protocol) communications guru Jeff Pulver: "Every TV network, film studio and content creator will start to adopt a direct to the Internet and direct to the PDA strategy." Hacker's paradise Malware, spyware, viruses, worms (oh, my!) will continue to cause major headaches for enterprises, government agencies and ordinary tech users. McAfee Inc. is among the security vendors predicting that hackers are going to target MP3 files, and we can't think of any reason they won't. They're also likely to plant bombs in Internet video links because surfers don't think twice about clicking on a multimedia link, as McAfee predicts. There will be at least a couple of cybersecurity threats related toÂ alleged terrorist plots, perhaps even by al-Qaeda itself, but the threats will be unsubstantiated and uncorroborated and we'll soon enough find other things to worry about. Spam spam spam spam It's going to get worse before it gets better. (Yes, we know we said this last year and we expect we'll say it again at the end of next year.) We'll be so bold as to say the way it will get better is that ISPs (Internet service providers) will make it terms of service that users adequately protect their computers (see also "Hacker's paradise above") and ISPs will (gasp!) cancel accounts of users whose computers are overtaken by spam-sending zombies. Meanwhile, prosecutions will continue under various national and state laws aimed at putting a lid on spammers. Who's Zuning who? Apple Computer Inc. will continue to dominate the market for personal entertainment devices. OK, we know that's a big "duh!" But it will be an ongoing story in 2007.Â Microsoft's Zune won't have much traction. Some analysts, Fuld included, think that "Microsoft will gain share." We can roll with that, but we think it will be a limited gain because Apple's iPod is so solidly entrenched and because it's just not as cool to have any other kind of personal entertainment device, even if iPod users are locked into getting their music from iTunes. Scandals aplenty At least some of the defendants in theÂ Hewlett-Packard Co. spying scandal will cut plea agreements, trying to avoid prison time or reduce sentences. The scandal will, however, be in the headlines off and on throughout the new year, as will other corporate scandals. On a related note, U.S. legislators are expected to soon make it illegal to use "pretexting" -- pretending to be someone else to obtain their telephone records -- but we also envision lawmakers will make it illegal to obtain other personal records in such a manner. Other scandals will ensue in the new year. We won't go so far out on this limb as to say which companies and executives those will involve -- the crystal ball gets a little cloudy in that regard. Wi-Fi heaven Urbanites, even in some smaller cities, and travelers to those cities, will enjoy the global boon of municipal Wi-Fi networks, which will continue to get up and running throughout 2007. Just the other day, we stayed in close touch with a friend stuck in an airport as he made gate change after gate change, losing contact only when he boarded the plane. Soon enough, the stretches of disconnection will be even briefer for many of us. Whether that will make us happier or more harried has yet to be seen, butÂ the Wi-Fi Universe is going to unfold in the new year. That level of connectivity will lead hardware vendors to release smaller devices with keyboards that are actually usable and both mobile professionals and gadget lovers will embrace the new gizmos, which will give Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry real competition. Open-source lovefest continues Increasing numbers of computer users, includingÂ governments globally, will switch to Linux and open-source applications, particularly as an option to Windows Vista. Microsoft will continue to cozy up to open-source vendors. Red Hat Inc. will survive the coziness of its competitors with the software monolith. The open-source community will continue to be vocal about that sort of coziness, expressing concern and even outright disdain as open source becomes more mainstream. But the community will manage to keep its edge because it doesn't have to deal with bureaucracy and hierarchy. Web 3.0 and beyond We're hearing murmurs regardingÂ Web 3.0. Apparently, pundits are skipping right over Web. 2.5, even before Web 2.0 is fully realized. One thing is for certain: the Web is where it's at. Collaboration, wikis, blogs, mashups, user-generated applications are all going to be big in 2007. And the debate over definitions and what exactly is Web. 2.0 or 3.0 or ... will continue throughout the new year and beyond. Consolidation galore Besides mergers and acquisitions among the content providers, we see more consolidation throughout IT markets.Â Oracle Corp. will continue to be a big spender.Â CA Inc. will dabble in acquisitions. Microsoft, as always, will buy companies with interesting technologies. This could be the year that Gateway Inc. gets bought. Ditto for Palm Inc. The communications provider market is bound to have fewer players by the end of 2007 as companies try to keep up with the competition, offering VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol), wireless, Internet and other services all in one package. Analyst Jeff Kagan predicts "this next wave of competition will be the hottest we have seen since the mid 1990's. And even hotter." He sees separate devices such as cell phones and landline phones and TVs working together. "When the phone rings, we'll be able to see who's calling on the television screen and answer it on the TV or on the computer or on the phone because it will all share the same network." The new year, he says, will be the turning point for all of that to happen.


Oil Extends Slide After Crude Build Slump

Oil extended its retreat on Thursday, taking two-day losses to 6 percent after an unexpectedly large rise in US crude inventories spurred speculative funds to take profits out of record high prices.


Japan-North Korea talks on normalising ties are cut short for a second day, with no plans for a resumption.


Osama bin Laden will release a video to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, an Islamist website says.


GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - A Yemeni poet accused of crafting al-Qaida propaganda defiantly admitted Thursday to a U.S. military commission that he is a member of Osama bin Laden's terror network...


Surround sound mixing in Soundtrack Pro 2 scores high

âOne of the best new features in all of the Final Cut Studio family,â maintains Kevin McAuliffe (CreativeMac) âis the addition of surround sound mixing to Soundtrack Pro 2.â To illustrate, McAuliffe takes readers step-by-step through a simple âsurroundâ tutorial. âThis great and easy to use feature in STP2,â he concludes, âlets you mix your entire show in surround, export your mix as surround, and then take your submix, switch it back to â1,2â, and you now have a downmix to stereo from 5.1 for a stereo version of your show.â


Condoleezza Rice To Undergo Uterine Artery Embolization

Fibroids affect 40 percent of women each year. President George W. Bush's pick for Secretary of State, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, will undergo a minor surgical procedure Friday to remove them.


U.S. airlines withdraw fuel fee increase

Major U.S. airlines on Tuesday rolled back a fuel surcharge increase aimed at offsetting soaring oil prices as consumers balk at higher ticket prices and worries over the health of the economy grow.


McDonald's has won approval to offer courses which could form part of an A-level standard qualification.


Yushchenko's Backers Block Govt. Building

Protesters loyal to Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko who staged a blockade of the government offices in Kiev, are reflected in the windshield of a van, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004.


AP: Taiwan Conducted Plutonium Experiments

Taiwan appears to have conducted experiments with plutonium — a key component of nuclear weapons — up to the mid-1980s, diplomats said Wednesday, citing environmental tests taken by the U.N. atomic watchdog agency.


Sony Ericsson Q2 sales up, profit below consensus

Sony Ericsson, the world's  fourth-biggest mobile phone maker, posted higher second-quarter  sales on Wednesday but its profit and its average phone sale  prices were below analysts' estimates.


Clinton claims momentum shifting to her in Iowa

Democratic presidential  hopeful Hillary Clinton claimed on Tuesday the momentum is  shifting to her in Iowa, as rival Barack Obama fought back  against her claims that he lacks experience.


Si al Senato Federale Senatori giÃ  a 25 anni

ROMA, 5 OTTOBRE - Passa il Senato federale, si riduce il numero dei parlamentari (770 contro gli attuali 945), sara' limitato a tre quello dei nuovi 'deputati a vita'. Resta di cinque anni la durata della


Honeywell takes over Novar to expand its automation systems unit

Honeywell International Inc., the worldâs largest maker of cockpit electronics, will pay â¤798 million for Novar Plc, UK mini-conglomerate that operates a variety of businesses including electronics, aluminium and printing cheque books.


Emerson's profit, sales grow in fourth quarter, fiscal year

Growth in its network power and industrial automation businesses contributed to a 28 percent jump in profit in the fourth quarter for Emerson, the company said Tuesday.


The Patriots seemed to have reason for optimism following Tyrone Poole's return to action last Sunday and the upgrading of Ty Law to doubtful for the team's visit to Miami Monday. But the situation changed yesterday. Poole was placed on the injured reserve list and is out for the season, according to Patriots spokesman Stacey James.


Unilever third quarter profit falls two percent as sales flag

Unilever PLC, the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant, reported that its pretax profit fell two percent in the third quarter after sales of ice cream, soft drinks and household goods were hit by poor European weather, weak consumer demand and pressure from rivals.


The case of a small development in Southwest Florida illustrates the important role that real estate investors played in driving a housing boom over the edge.


The first hunter to encounter the deer camp shooting suspect in the woods of Sawyer County describes him as polite, but nervous. Daryl Gass of New Auburn tells the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram


ASIA/COREA DEL SUD - Cresce la comunitÃ  cattolica in Corea: in aumento battesimi, sacerdoti e missionari Seul (Agenzia Fides) - La comunitÃ  cattolica in Corea Ã¨ cresciuta nel giro di un anno di oltre 100mila fedeli, circa il 2,2% del totale. Al 31 dicembre 2006 i cattolici in Corea sono 4.768.242, il 9,6% della popolazione coreana. Lo ha reso noto lÂUff...


Makybe Diva Wins Melbourne Cup Horse Race

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Makybe Diva is the winner of the 2004 Melbourne Cup horse race, gaining first place in the 3,200-meter race held at Flemington course.


WOODBRIDGE: Citing evidence of abuse and neglect by the staff and administration at the Woodbridge Developmental Center, including neglect that led to the death of a resident in December 2002


Australia boosts anti-terror measures at small airports

The Australian government announced a major security upgrade for nearly 150 small airports including the creation of police rapid response teams to deal with possible terrorist attacks.


Lanciata proposta contro utilizzo intercettazioni


Carbohydrate enhances nerve repair in mice

NEW YORK  - Treatment with a carbohydrate called HNK-1 may enhance the repair of damaged "motor" nerves, the type that send movement signals to muscles, German scientists report in the Annals of Neurology.


Spam Spikes: A Real Risk to Your Business

(Source: MessageLabs) It is possible to stop almost every unsolicited email from reaching your network. Outsourcing to a managed anti-spam service, such as MessageLabs, can provide the most cost-effective way of protecting your business against all spam threats.


Italian prosecutor demands eight years jail for PM Berlusconi

ROME, Nov 12  - A state prosecutor called Friday on a Milan court to impose an eight-year jail sentence on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on charges of bribing judges.


Sepp Blatter, president of football's world governing body, tells the BBC that plans to host Premier League games abroad will never happen.


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


Khodorkovsky says Kremlin wants him held

Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of seeking to keep him behind bars after prosecutors filed new charges against him in what he termed a "shameful farce."


Gator Bowl | Texas Tech 31, Virginia 28: Late Field Goal Caps Texas Tech Rally

Alex Trlica kicked a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left to give Texas Tech a come-from-behind victory over No. 21 Virginia in a wild Gator Bowl on Tuesday.


Mississippi State quarterback Omarr Conner scores a first quarter touchdown on a 2-yard run against No. 20 Florida in Starkville, Miss.


Study Urges Delay for Implantable Defibrillators

People who've had a heart attack and are at a high risk for irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias may have to wait at least a month before they can get an implantable defibrillator.


Ralph Nader's last-ditch bid to win a spot on Oregon's presidential ballot has taken him to a place frequented by many candidates over the years — the Supreme Court.


Monet waterlilies picture fails to set sale record

A painting of waterlilies in his garden by French Impressionist Claude Monet sold on Tuesday for 18.5 million pounds, but failed to set a new auction record for the artist.


Liukin wins beam gold at world championships

STUTTGART, Germany  - American Nastia Liukin won the balance beam gold medal at the world gymnastics championships on Sunday.


Spelunker's 41-year-old remains to surface

Forty-one years ago, rescuers couldn't get the body of James Mitchell out of the cave where he died while hanging 60 feet in the air, with icy water rushing over him. After he was lowered, workers dynamited the cave, sealed it with rocks and placed a memorial headstone above it.


Fallujah Secure, But Not Yet Safe, Marine Commander Says

Although the Iraqi city of Fallujah is secure now that Marines there control the city, it is not yet safe for residents to return, the commander


Uganda says its army kills at least 25 Lord's Resistance Army rebels in a raid against its leader, Joseph Kony.


George Bush avoided scowling and John Kerry managed to crack a few more smiles. But if the candidates had learned to improve their performance by the third presidential debate Wednesday, viewers got another lesson: This final showdown was mostly a recycled version of what they'd heard before.


A surprising survey of infertility patients finds that 60 percent are willing to donate their frozen embryos for stem-cell research. Science favored over adoption.


Nel preBorsa a New York il titolo sta guadagnando 1,12 doll.


Microsoft hints at Yahoo hostile takeover

Microsoft said its $44.6 billion offer to purchase Yahoo is "fair" and hinted that it may pursue a hostile takeover of the Internet company, according to a statement Microsoft made Monday in response to Yahoo's formal rejection of its buyout offer.


Roma, 12:52 - CALCIO, ARBITRATO: IL 6 DICEMBRE UDIENZA GALLIANI

Il Presidente del Collegio Arbitrale Mario Antonio Scino, sentiti gli altri arbitri, avvocati Aureli...


Sindaco verso leadership, non sogni ma risposte


Carey Price stops 34 shots for his first NHL shutout and Andrei Kostitsyn scores a highlight reel goal to lead the Canadiens to a 1-0 win over the Flyers on Saturday.


Internet crackdown leads to over 100 arrests

In what is being called the largest global crackdown ever conducted, the US Department of Justice's "Operation Web Snare" has led to over 100 arrests.


Brazil planes collide over Amazon,155 missing

SAO PAULO, Brazil  - A Brazilian airline passenger plane with 155 people on board disappeared over the Amazon jungle on Friday after colliding with a small plane, the company and news reports said.


Delta stocks soar after optimism on talks

A pay cut deal between Delta Air Lines and its pilots union didn't materialize Tuesday, though investors apparently think the airline's chances of sidestepping bankruptcy are improving.


Aid workers flee after renewed fighting in Darfur

NAIROBI (dpa) - Around 30 relief workers from a British charity have been forced to flee renewed fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region, the organisation said Tuesday.


Speech Code From I.B.M. to Become Open Source

I.B.M. plans to announce that it will contribute some of its speech-recognition software to two open-source software groups.


Lunghi cardigan di maglia, pantaloni stretti e bustier


(AGI) - Roma, 28 dic. - Oggi Montecitorio vota la fiducia sulla Finanziaria. Il documento - ricorda Italia Oggi - passerÃ  nuovamente al Senato; il voto definitivo entro il 30. ieri, la commissione bilancio


Flood-Hit Philippine Towns Mop Up, Rescuers Arrive

Weather improved in the Philippines on Saturday after four heavy storms in two weeks, helping rescuers reach thousands cut off by landslides and


A County Tyrone man is found not guilty of plotting to bomb a police station and membership of Real IRA.


Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson says he has not been invited to make the next Tolkien film, The Hobbit.


Envoy: Talks on Kosovo's status deadlock

Yearlong talks on the future status of Kosovo ended in deadlock on Saturday, reflecting bitter divisions between Serbia's government and the disputed province's pro-independence ethnic Albanian leadership.


Sri Lanka army chief vows to defeat Tiger rebels

Sri Lanka's army chief has renewed a vow to defeat Tamil rebels, but refused to set a deadline for ending the decades-old conflict, saying the separatists remain a potent force, a report said Sunday.


Henin-Hardenne loses; Agassi gets Federer in quarters at US Open

Venus Williams was grunting loudly, Lindsay Davenport was muttering to herself, and the fans were jumping out of their seats after each point.


House Leaders Expect Passage of Intel Bill

House leaders today overcame GOP resistance to a major bill revamping the nation's intelligence operations, scheduling a late-afternoon vote that they predicted would pass comfortably.


Ex-Peru head Alberto Fujimori apologises to victims of abuse but denies at his trial he ordered death squads.


Adobe Unveils New Versions of Acrobat, Reader

Adobe's version 7 of Acrobat Professional includes some new features meant to improve the ability to collaborate on PDF documents.


Camorra, ancora due omicidi: VentitrÃ© vittime in un solo mese

A Bacoli assassinato un ristoratore nel suo locale. Sul terreno resta anche il fratello di un pentito. Ancora camorra. Ancora due omicidi. E il tragico bilancio sale a quota 23: tante sono state le vittime, nel Napoletano, solo in questo ultimo mese.


Cleaner Los Angeles Air? Don't Hold Your Breath

By virtually all measures, the Los Angeles basin, the bowl-shaped home to 17 million air-breathing humans, remains the nation's capital of bad air.


JERUSALEM -- Israel's safari park is sending lions, zebras, and desert goats to a zoo in a West Bank town, a rare gesture of cooperation after four years of bloody conflict.


New Delhi: The tsunami disaster has affected a total of 2260 kms of India's southern coast line besides the entire Nicobar Island, a Home Ministry spokesman said today.