Prosecutor: Merrill Lynch, Enron Execs Conspired

Four former Merrill Lynch and Co. executives and two former midlevel Enron executives conspired to push through a sham sale of barges in 1999 because they didn't think they'd get caught, a prosecutor said Wednesday.


Congo army says kills 28 renegade soldiers in east

Congo's army said on Monday it had launched strikes against renegade fighters in the volatile eastern border region with Rwanda, killing at least 28 insurgents during clashes lasting several hours.


World oil prices hit new record peak on Norway supply halt fears

NEW YORK, October 25  - Crude oil prices increased to new record high levels at $55.63 per barrel today, driven by concerns surrounding a potential disruption in supplies due to a shipping strike in Norway, the world's third-largest oil


Broadway Star Neuwirth Joins 'Law & Order' Spinoff

Broadway and television star Bebe Neuwirth is joining the cast of NBC's upcoming fourth edition of its popular "Law & Order" crime drama franchise, the network said on Friday.


First Stock-Option Backdating Trial Begins

SAN FRANCISCO, June 18 -- Gregory L. Reyes, the former chief executive of Brocade Communications Systems, either masterminded a stock-option backdating scheme designed to defraud investors or fell victim to murky accounting laws and heightened public scrutiny of corporate accounting errors, lawyers...


In his first season at Cincinnati, heralded shooter Nick Williams got lost in the shuffle.


Study: Blogging about music may triple its sales

A study by NYU Stern business school professor Vasant Dhar and partner Elaine Chang shows correlational evidence that blog posts increase online sales of recorded music.


Liverpool awash with football colours for Rhys' funeral

Thousands of people dressed in football shirts attended the funeral Thursday of 11-year-old schoolboy Rhys Jones -- whose shooting last month triggered soul-searching over Britain's gun culture.


The EU and US take a large step towards a deal that will open the airline industry to greater competition.


Il ministro al presidente del Consiglio: "Interventi non prima di giugno"Prodi: "Costruire con le parti sociali un sistema di paratie stagne che protegga il governo"                                          L'alt di Padoa-Schioppa sulle tasse "Ora non si puÃ² tagliare l'Irpef"                                                                                di MASSIMO GIANNINI


South Africa's Smith sees hope through despair

South Africa captain Graeme Smith hopes the painful lessons learnt on his team's tour of Sri Lanka can pave the way for long-term success.


Palestinian Delegation to Visit Comatose Arafat

Yasser Arafat slipped deeper into a coma  overnight and his health worsened, a doctor treating him said  on Tuesday before Palestinian officials arrived at a French  military hospital for a visit Arafat's wife adamantly opposed.


President Bush yesterday demanded that the United Nations step up to help rebuild Iraq, telling foreign leaders "the liberty that many have won at a cost must be secured.


Mourinho pointing at more Chelsea silverware

Jose Mourinho's five-finger salute following Chelsea's 2-1 League Cup final defeat of Arsenal appears to have further notified the club of his intention to stay on as manager.


The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday he expects a former Bush aide to testify before Congress this week about the firings of federal prosecutors despite White House objections.


A team of eight journalists join BBC Radio 4 for a show replacing the late Alistair Cooke's Letter From America.


Today on the presidential campaign trail

Senior Giuliani campaign staffers forgo paychecks, a sign of possible money troubles ... Arizona Gov. Napolitano to endorse Obama ... Obama, Clinton in fierce competition for South Carolina's black voters


Golden Globes scrapped for "press conference"

Striking Hollywood writers scored twin victories on Monday by forcing Golden Globe Award sponsors to cancel their traditional star-studded telecast and by reaching a deal to put writers back to work at Tom Cruise's film company.


Goldblum returns to TV in NBC's `Raines'

Reporters don't usually have to sing for their interviews. But when Jeff Goldblum invites a duet, you just kind of go with it.


Challenger must be decisive, show he is presidential in debate

In tonightâs initial presidential debate, the onus will be on Democratic challenger John Kerry to persuade undecided voters like Don Dignan


The British wife of a convicted Mafia boss tells BBC's Panorama she never asked about her husband's activities.


Cat Stevens Held After Flight From London Was Diverted

US security officials yesterday diverted a Washington-bound United Airlines flight and detained Yusuf Islam, formerly known as the pop singer Cat Stevens, after discovering that he had


Two more men were arrested in connection with a drug-smuggling ring that bypassed airport security to send guns and narcotics to Puerto Rico, according to court documents.


Britain condemns bombs targetting Bhutto

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemned as "horrific" Thursday a twin bombing targetting former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto which killed at least 105 people.


Taleban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar issues a statement mocking foreign troops and vowing to fight on.


Tour de France in diretta fuggitivi contro sprinter

Da Villers Cotterets a Joigny, la quarta tappa da 193 km. Percorso vallonato, adatto per attaccare ma non ostico per i velocisti


Rendition inquiry reveals rift in CIA ranks

American intelligence officials who were deeply opposed to the secret transfer of terror suspects to interrogation centres across Europe cooperated with an investigation into the CIA's undisclosed network of jails, it was claimed today.


Firenze, 16:19 - CALCIO, FIORENTINA: MARTEDI' LA RIPRESA

Allenamento mattutino per la Fiorentina. Per i viola lavoro atletico allo stadio Franchi, tra corsa ...


UNESCO officially renamed the Auschwitz death camp in Poland Thursday to reflect the German Nazi role, and added seven new sites to its world heritage registry, including ancient ruins in Iraq.


ANALYSIS: Microsoft Smart Watch, With Dick Tracy Appeal, Seems a Little Passe

By Kim Peterson, The Seattle Times  Sep. 9--While our reviewer found there is much to like about the  information the Microsoft Smart Watch provides, to her the large watch feels  too bulky to wear every day.


Yahoo to start testing Mash, a social network site

Yahoo Inc  is testing an  experimental social network service called Mash that makes it  easy for Yahoo users to share tidbits of their lives with  friends and family online, the company said on Sunday.


Initial results are in for the new cell phone service backed by SK Telecom and Earthlink called Helio, and they don't look pretty.


Low Buzz May Give Mice Better Bones and Less Fat

New research suggests that in mice, a simple treatment that does not involve drugs appears to be directing cells to turn into bone instead of fat.


Firm's Outlook on Jobs Differs From State's: Innovative Company Measures Quality, Not Quantity, of Positions

By Joshua Boak, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio  Sep. 24--CINCINNATI -- Ketchup bottles are complex. An average one contains 7 to 10 distinct layers of plastic, all visible under a microscope.   One layer stops the bottle from leaking. Another makes it easy to squeeze.


HealthWatch: More Flu Vaccine on the Way

Long lines of vulnerable seniors waiting for flu shots helped to prompt Tuesday's quick and very public announcement. "We need, all of us, to take a deep breath," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.


Former Haitian army colonel fatally shot

A former army commander twice accused of plotting to overthrow Haiti's government was shot to death in an upscale suburb of the capital, police said Friday.


China to Discuss Currency Policy With G-7 Nations

China will participate in a special meeting with the Group of Seven industrialized countries on Oct. 1, the U.S. Treasury said yesterday, an announcement that could herald Beijing's eventual membership in the elite economic club.


Modern Love: Ah, to Be Old, Male and Single

When Dad wasnât dating a divorcee, he was with me, his lonely daughter.


Bolivia's New President Vows Land Reform

Victor Valverde has farmed other people's land since he was 8. Now 49, he dreams of having just enough of his own to feed his family.


Ten people are arrested over the murder of Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow in 2006, reports say.


Macromedia is heading in a new direction with the launch of a development tool for Flex, its development platform for rich internet applications (RIAs).


Would-be US presidential nominees see in 2008 on the stump in Iowa as the first caucuses beckon.


Secretary Powell to Travel to Europe and Morocco

Secretary Colin Powell will go to Europe next week for multilateral and bilateral consultations.


Blog: Entertainment company says vendor breached terms of license agreement.


Does Wikipedia entry offer clue to Benoit family murders?

Blog: Anonymous edit to Wikipedia could provide information about the deaths of former professional wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son. Or it could simply be random vandalism.


Sri Lanka's warring parties say heavy battles in north

Sri Lanka's troops and Tamil rebels were locked in fierce fighting Sunday in the island's north, the two sides said as the top military chief vowed to kill 3,000 guerrillas by June.


Lewis Hamilton gives a positive reaction to his first drive in  McLaren's new car.


(HealthDayNews) -- Twice as many women die from heart disease each year as from all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer, Duke University Medical Center says.


Stern: Sirius Subscribers Top 700,000 On Program Deal

Love him or hate him, he delivers the goods. Howard Stern's five-year deal with Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: SIRI - news - people ) helped it to add more than 69,000 new subscribers in September to pass the 700,000 mark.


Could making cars eco-friendly change buying habits and hurt the planet? Researchers are investigating.  In Autopia.


HealthSouth Corp. HLSH.PK, an  operator of health care facilities, said on Thursday it agreed  to pay $325 million to settle U.S. Department of Justice  charges that it improperly billed Medicare.


Group Urges Review of New Statin Drug Advice

Consumer advocates backed by some prominent doctors and researchers on Thursday questioned a new US policy recommending wider use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol.


Athens throws Paralympic party for largest games ever

More than 3,800 disabled athletes gathered Friday for the opening ceremony of the largest Paralympics in the games' 44-year history.


Hurricane Jeanne Pummels Storm-Scarred Florida

FORT PIERCE, Fla.  - Hurricane Jeanne peeled off  roofs, snapped power lines and left large swaths of coastline  knee-deep in water on Sunday as it plowed through parts of  Florida already scarred by Hurricane Frances three weeks ago.


A strike at the world's largest privately-owned copper mine, La Escondida in Chile,  ends.


CALABASAS, Calif.  Â A photograph of Soviet film pioneer Sergei Eisenstein and a poster from an early Bette Davis movie commanded huge prices Thursday at the opening day of an auction of Hollywood memorabilia.


WASHINGTON MEMO Shared Nightmare Over the Food Supply

When Tommy G. Thompson, the departing secretary of health and human services, used his farewell news conference last week to warn that terrorists could easily poison


Target cuts Dec same-store sales expectations

Target Corp  warned on Monday that its December same-store sales were below expectations and said it now expects sales at stores open at least a year in the range of down 1 percent to up 1 percent, adjusted for a calendar shift.


Britain to cut Iraq troop levels by quarter

Britain said on Wednesday it would withdraw almost a quarter of its troops from Iraq in coming months when thousands of additional U.S. soldiers will arrive to try to restore order in Baghdad.


Parents Overlook Most Important Asthma Steps-Study

Parents of children with asthma try hard to protect their youngsters but often overlook the most important measures, including banning smoking in the house and shutting windows to keep pollen out, US researchers reported on Tuesday.


Sudan on Sunday asked African Union   forces monitoring a shaky truce in its violent Darfur region to   leave the country by September 30, as Khartoum launched a new   offensive threatening a return to full-blown war.


Want to watch the Today show on your phone while it downloads stuff from MTV? Next year you can.


Drug-resistant staph found to be passed in gay sex

A drug-resistant strain of potentially deadly bacteria has moved beyond the borders of U.S. hospitals and is being transmitted among gay men during sex, researchers said on Monday.


Roma, 16:27 - CALCIO, LAZIO; LOTITO: AD ATENE MOSTRATO GRANDE CARATTERE

Prima ieri sera a caldo in tv e poi oggi il presidente della Lazio Claudio Lotito s'è detto c...


Iranian president courts Latin American leftists

LA PAZ/CARACAS  - U.S. foe Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad courted leftist Latin American leaders on Thursday, visiting Bolivia and Venezuela to strengthen ties in a region where anti-American sentiment is on the rise.


The Bank of England suggests interest rates will likely have to rise again, according to its latest inflation report.


Ministro, aumento delle entrate dovuto a gettito spontaneo


A look at NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympics from Athens:


WS-I moves forward on interoperability, SOA

(InfoWorld) - Emphasizing SOA, the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) on Monday is publishing draft documents on Web services and security, and seeks public feedback. SOA architects have been awaiting these deliverables, which provide guidance on interoperability for core Web services and business processes in enterprises, WS-I said. "The Web services specifications and the Web services stack is the underlying technology for SOA," said Michael Bechauf, WS-I chairman and SAP vice president of industry standards. Formed in 2002, WS-I focuses on helping vendors and users implement Web services rather than having users labor with the multitude of specifications. "At the end of the day, the end user really shouldn't care about the underlying specifications," Bechauf said. WS-I features members such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and Sun Microsystems. Working Group Drafts being published include Basic Profile 1.2, Basic Security Profile 1.1, and Reliable Secure Profile 1.0 Usage Scenarios. The draft documents are up for public and member review and are expected to be approved early in 2007. "The tangible results will be that vendors will actually build solutions according to those profiles," with users assured that the systems will work together, Bechauf said. Basic Profile 1.2 is the revision of the Basic Profile 1.1, which offers guidance on basic interoperability of the Web services stack. Version 1.2 incorporates errata and includes requirements pertaining to serialization of Web services envelopes and their representation in messages from the WS-I Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0. The new profile was constructed mostly using WS-Addressing, which defines a standard mechanism for identifying and exchanging Web services messages between endpoints. Specifications incorporated into Basic Profile 1.2 include Core, SOAP Binding, and WSDL Binding specifications pertinent to WS-Addressing 1.0.Â Â  Comments on Basic Profile may be e-mailed here: wsbasic_comment@ws-i.org WS-I Basic Profiles make life easier for developers by focusing on what they need to know to make Web services work, said analyst Anne Thomas Manes, vice president and research director at Burton Group. "I think the WS-I Basic Profiles are always a good thing because they constrain the specifications, so it gives developers fewer things to worry about," Manes said. "The main reason that you want profiles is they explain how to use the specifications the right way and ensure that you will get a better chance of achieving interoperability," Manes said. She acknowledged that the plethora of Web services specifications can cause confusion among developers. Manes said she has counted 52 WS-* (spoken as âws starâ) specifications for standardizing Web services operations. "That's enough to make anybody's head spin," Manes said. WS-I has been providing guidance on Web services specifications to OASIS, which oversees many of them, Manes said. "A lot of people think that WS-I hasnât done anything for two years but in fact it has," Manes said. Also on the WS-I docket for Monday, the Working Group Draft of Basic Security Profile 1.1 revises the 1.0 version of the document and incorporates errata to data. It profiles WS-Security 1.1 and WS-Security token profiles, including Username, X.500, Kerberos, and SAML (Security Access Markup Language). Feedback on Security Profile 1.1 can be submitted to this e-mail address: wsi_secprofile_comment@lists.ws-i.org The Working Group Draft of Reliable Secure Profile 1.0 Usage Scenarios features guidance on use of Reliable Secure Profile. It features specifications such as WS-ReliableMessaging 1.1 and WS-SecureConversation 1.3 as well as WS-I's Basic Profiles and Basic Security Profiles. Feedback on the Usage Scenarios can be e-mailed to this address: wsi_rsp_comment@lists.ws-i.org. WS-I documents are accessible at the WS-I Web site.


Iraq protests "intensive shelling" by Turkey

Iraq's Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Turkey of "intensively shelling" northern Iraq this week, adding it had handed the Turkish envoy in Baghdad a protest letter.


Oil extended gains above $71 on Friday,   buoyed by healthy U.S. economic growth that suggest recent   record-high prices may not hit robust demand for oil.


Senator's wife faces order to leave U.S.

The Colombia-born wife of a Georgia state senator, who had been in hiding as federal immigration officials try to deport her, turned herself in Tuesday to face an order to remove her from the country.


Germany, DaimlerChrysler close to deal on EADS stake

The German government and DaimlerChrysler will reveal details next week of a deal enabling the car maker to sell part of its stake in European aerospace giant EADS while keeping it in German hands, a business daily has reported.


Medical tourism boosts SE Asian hospital shares

Umuh Muchtar was in such agony after botched surgery in Indonesia that he took a friend's advice and contacted a hospital in Singapore where he had his kidney stones removed a few days later.


Defenseman boasted 10 world titles, 3 Olympic golds

MOSCOW -- The Soviet Union's most successful ice hockey player, Alexander Ragulin, has died at 63, his former club CSKA Moscow said Thursday.


U.S. still lacks disaster response plan: Coast Guard

The United States is better prepared to deal with a major disaster like Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf region in 2005, but still lacks a formal structure for coordinating a national response, the head of the U.S. Coast Guard said on Tuesday.


Berlin cheers winning bid for 2009 championships

Berlin was celebrating on Sunday after winning its bid to host the 2009 world athletics championships, a decision that capped a week of triumph for Germany's capital city.


Bush and Chavez spar in Latin America tours

President Bush and his left-wing nemesis Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez squared off on dueling tours of Latin America on Friday as they vied for the region's hearts and minds.


ROTTERDAM, Netherlands  - Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt withdrew from the World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam on Tuesday.


A bombing outside a south Thailand police station late Thursday killed or injured as many as 15 people, the Bernama news agency reported.


LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville linebacker Willie A. Williams was kicked off the team Thursday, less than 24 hours after his arrest on a marijuana possession charge.


Lamar Lundy, a member of the Fearsome Foursome defensive line for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1960s, died Saturday. He was 71. He died after a long illness in his hometown, the Community Family Funeral Home told The Associated Press.


iTunes, iTunes ain't calling for Ireland

Workers at Apple's Irish operations in Cork remain gloomy this morning over one European country that remains outside the reach of iTunes Europe - Ireland.


Bits : A Big Bet on Kayak for Travel Search

Mike Moritz of Sequoia Capital and some other prominent venture capitalists are making a big bet on Kayak, the travel search engine, to challenge Expedia and the other online travel agencies.


Indian PM offers talks with all Kashmiri groups

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday New Delhi was ready for talks with all Kashmiri groups who shunned the path of violence.


Meredith Vieira says she doesn't watch The View now that she's poised to become the co-anchor of NBC's Today show on Sept. 13.


LOS ANGELES  - Brad Pitt and Jennifer  Aniston might be lamenting the media frenzy attending their  separation, but another couple just might benefit: "Mr. and  Mrs. Smith."


Looking for an alternative to Internet Explorer that addresses IE's notorious security flaws and has killer search capabilities to boot?  Look no farther: Firefox is truly a searcher's browser.


Rapper Mims remains No. 1 on singles chart

Rapper Mims and R&B singer Akon led  the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for a second week Thursday,  with their respective tunes "This Is Why I'm Hot" and "Don't  Matter."


Al-Jazeera Says Video Shows Aid Worker's Slaying

Al-Jazeera television said Tuesday that it received a videotape showing the slaying of a woman believed to be kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan.


DTE Energy, GE unit in deal on power projects

DTE Energy Co. , a utility holding company, said it plans to sell a 50 percent stake in some industrial and power projects to a unit of General Electric.  for $805 million.


E da La Perla la riconferma del boom per il mercato maschile


Analysts Bet Celebrex Won't Be Withdrawn

Some analysts are betting Pfizer Inc.  won't have to withdraw its arthritis drug Celebrex but they do expect sales to fall after a study of the drug in cancer patients showed it increased the risk of heart attacks.


Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 234 runs in the first Test here to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.


NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was expected to announce plans Friday for the Buffalo Bills to play an annual regular-season game in Toronto, starting this year.


Plasma TV makers surge back after being written off

Given up for dead less than a year  ago, plasma TVs are making a comeback, with manufacturers  boosting sales forecasts amid a continued shortage of LCD TVs  and surging demand in developing countries.


"The Lodger Shakespeare Â His Life on Silver Street" (Viking. 378 pages. $26.95), by Charles Nicholl: Like a strobe light, historian Charles Nicholl's "The Lodger" provides a few bright, sharp glimpses of private life among Shakespeare and some of his friends and contacts.


US slams Annan deputy for criticizing US, British stand on Darfur

US Ambassador John Bolton took UN deputy secretary general Mark Malloch Brown to task after the latter criticized Washington and London for their "megaphone diplomacy" in trying to persuade Sudan to accept a UN force in Darfur.


Spain's Football Federation launches an investigation into racist comments made by national team coach Luis Aragones.


âGrowing up, I was surrounded by family members who were entrepreneurs.â


As property tax bills hit Chicago mailboxes next week, most will deliver a lighter thud than before. Don't get too excited -- that thud will gradually get heavier.


Exercise Curbs Diabetes More for Some Than Others

NEW ORLEANS  - Despite similar levels of  physical activity, white women appear to have a greater  reduction in their risk of developing diabetes than women of  other races.


Pounds 50 Laptop for Millions of Third World Children

MARK PRIGG, Technology Correspondent in San Francisco A COMPUTER costing Pounds 50 is to be distributed free to millions of children in the Third World.


A Mylan Laboratories shareholder is suing the Canonsburg generic drug maker and its directors, saying they have failed their fiduciary obligations by not considering billionaire investor Carl Icahn's $20 per share offer for the company.


President Bush called Lebanon's leader Wednesday to express his dismay at the assassination of a cabinet minister — a slaying that heightened anxiety in the Mideast and complicated Bush's meeting in the region next week with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.


Mibtel a +3,68%, SP/Mib a + 3,94%, All Stars +0,73%


Saudi police on alert as pilgrims rush to finish rite

MINA, Saudi Arabia  - Saudi police went on high alert on Friday as millions of Muslims rushed to complete one of the last rituals of the annual haj pilgrimage, testing to the limits the new crowd control arrangements at an accident spot on the haj itinerary.


Australian PM backs down on Hassan body claim

Australian Prime Minister John Howard condemned the "inhumane" hostage takers believed to have killed missing aid worker Margaret Hassan for ignoring a plea from her family to return her body.


Doctors are struggling to decide which pain relievers to prescribe now that they know that drugs like Vioxx and Celebrex pose serious heart risks.


Tarell McCraney Wins Kendeda Playwriting Competition

Playbill - A woman athlete comes of age in the play selected as the winner of the fourth annual Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the troupe announced Feb. 13.


Pop star Robbie Williams calls US President George Bush an "idiot" on a visit to Mexico.


Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace is expected to miss at least a pair of road games after the death of his brother.


Foxx Hears Sweet Song of 3 Globe Nominations

Jamie Foxx isn't exactly a showbiz newcomer, but until Monday morning, he had never notched a Golden Globe nomination. But the comedian-turned-actor -- who


US Democrats open fundraising gap on Republicans

Democratic White House hopefuls have opened a fundraising gap of tens of millions of dollars over Republicans, with the 2008 race on course to become the first billion dollar US election.


Ichiro Nears Hit Record in Mariners' Loss

OAKLAND, Calif. - Ichiro Suzuki went home without the major league hits record, thanks to Oakland's determined pitching staff - and a much bigger hit by Bobby Crosby...


How to Create a Great Autoresponder Letter Series

An autoresponder letter series, if written properly, can make you some serious money on the Internet. Studies have proven that most consumers buy only after repeated exposure to a product. This repeated exposure helps you to gain their trust enough to buy from you. By Debbie Drucker. 0725


Monitoring plan for Tinian bird released

Though the US Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Tinian monarch from the list of threatened and endangered species earlier this year, it plans to continue to monitor the species' levels on that island.


Doc Rivers got his team back on track while gaining a measure of revenge on his old squad, and the Boston Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Orlando Magic 117-101 on Monday night.


Doctors say Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin, suspect foul play

Ukrainian opposition leader and presidential hopeful Viktor Yushchenko was the victim of dioxin poisoning, his doctor in Vienna has disclosed, adding that he suspected foul play.


A state ferry terminal was closed during evening rush hour Tuesday after a man was spotted dumping a backpack into a garbage can on one of the vessels, authorities said.


A video posted Monday on a Web site showed the beheading of a man identified as American civil engineer Eugene Armstrong. The militant group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who


Make your own Oscar dress? History says "uh-oh"

Hollywood actresses may have  perfected the pout and the come-hither stare but when it comes  to designing or styling the perfect outfit for Oscar night,  they should defer to the fashion experts.


CAMBRIDGE -- Favored Gardner swam away from the competition to win its 13th girls' South/Central Swimming and Diving title yesterday at MIT.


A baby is taken to hospital after a large firework is deliberately set off inside a shop in Greater Manchester.


US docs raise alarm over ayurvedic products

New Delhi: American doctors have called for mandatory testing of all imported Ayurvedic health products into the United States after discovering potentially toxic amounts of heavy metals in some of them.


US Seals Off Iraq's Falluja, Air Raids Kill Three

The US military blocked roads round Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja on Friday after mounting air strikes overnight that local hospital sources said killed three people.


Ex-safety Fox still providing tight coverage

The Patriots' first-round playoff bye gave the past two weeks an almost pre-Super Bowl feel. Such was the buildup for today's game against the Colts.


Timori per aumento delle insolvenze sui mutui


Google betting big on mobile market--and Apple

Google sees spike in mobile use from iPhones at Christmas and unveils new customizable interface to iPhone apps at MacWorld.


Waves software sabre at Microsoft IBM is joining the OpenOffice.org development community, kicking off its participation by donating code it has developed for its Lotus Notes project and promising to contribute to improving the "feature richness and code quality" of OpenOffice.org.â¦


International Mideast mediators will meet with key Arab nations next month to promote new efforts to revive the Arab-Israeli peace process, the U.N.'s top envoy to the region said Wednesday.


U.S. President George W. Bush met Italy's president on Saturday, and was due to see Pope Benedict for the first time for talks expected to centre on their differences on Iraq and their common stand against abortion.


Just five of 17 hospitals in Wales have been listed as "excellent" NHS hospitals for their treatment of people aged 50 and over.


Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer is fined $5,000 by the NFL for making an obscene gesture during last week's game against Miami.


Stocks & Bonds: Best Week Since March â03 for 2 Indexes

Wall Street set aside anxiety over news that the economy lost jobs last month and focused on Microsoftâs bid for Yahoo.


There is a split that receives less attention than cultural divides, but is every bit as acute: the chasm between do-it-yourself America and do-it-for-me America.


The gavel's ready to fall on the Boeing/Northrop competition for an Air Force contract.


Pension Fund of New York Files Suit Against Merck

The main pension fund of New York State filed a lawsuit against Merck & Company, accusing it of misleading shareholders about the safety of its pain drug Vioxx.


Madrid, 13:32 - CICLISMO, INDURAIN: CONFESSIONE RIIS NON SERVE A NULLA

Miguel Indurain critica Bjarne Riis, che ieri ha confessato di aver fatto uso di Epo per vincere il ...


The UN's refugee agency criticises Italy for allegedly turning away  a group of Kurdish asylum seekers from Turkey.


U.S. split on "socialized medicine": poll

Most Democrats say "socialized medicine" would be better than the current U.S. health care system, while most Republicans say it would be worse, a poll by the Harvard School of Public Health showed on Thursday.


Not too long ago in Iraq, a young American officer was warned by a Polish colonel: You can't go out there.


Bolton to leave as U.S. ambassador to U.N.

U.S. Ambassador to the United  Nations John Bolton announced on Monday he would soon give up  his job after being unable to satisfy Senate opponents  concerned he would pursue a unilateral U.S. foreign policy.


Fabien Baron, who has designed fragrance bottles for many companies, has now designed a liquor bottle, his first.


1-0 sul Rosenborg: Mutu al 16', norvegesi colpiscono un palo


Lunga trattativa tra allevatori e industria trasformazione


Red Sox third base coach Dale Sveum has taken a lot of heat this season for getting base runners thrown out at the plate, but you can't diss him for his other duty -- coaching the infield defense.


President Bush meets with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2004, in Washington.


Retirees Say Provisions Pinch Their Pensions

M argaret Kane , who retired after teaching for 35 years in Medford, Mass., does not collect Social Security benefits earned by her late husband because she receives a state pension.


Iraq's prime minister announced Friday that the government was launching a major offensive against al-Qaeda in the northern city of Mosul after two deadly blasts that killed 34 people and a provincial police chief


Il premier lascia la presidenza del club per l'entrata in vigore della nuova normativa antitrust. Da Mediaset: "Non sarÃ  Piersilvio il successore". MILANO, 28 dicembre 2004 - Silvio Berlusconi si Ã¨ dimesso dalla presidenza del Milan.


Garfield Sets Cat Among the Pigeons in China

Cartoon character Garfield has set the  cat among the pigeons in China with a copyright infringement  case, the China Daily said Saturday.


NEW YORK  - The Big Three network evening newscasts have made the southern California wildfires a major priority, dispatching their anchors to the devastated San Diego area.


Hundreds of people in central China are expelled from the Communist Party for violating the one-child policy.


TWO Greek sprinters facing expulsion from the Olympics over missed drug tests left hospital yesterday after four days of treatment for injuries suffered in an unexplained motorbike crash.


Olympics: Rowers Reprimanded Over 'Lay Down Sally'

In one of the most bizarre episodes to  erupt at the Athens Olympics, the Australian women's eight  rowing crew were reprimanded on Tuesday for laying in to "Lay  Down Sally."


Nanotubes offer self-mending aircraft wings, golf clubs

Teeny pipes. Is there anything they can't do? Aerospace boffins in America have come up with yet another use for carbon nanotubes - to build a self-healing layer into composite structures such as aircraft wings.â¦


CBS Sports announced Thursday that it was taking over day-to-day control of CSTV, the college sports media company it acquired in late 2005.


Google Inc. is shortening the life span of its "cookie" data-tracking file — but it's not clear whether the move would do much to enhance privacy.


NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 October 2004

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Day 7 of joint Exp.9/Exp.10 operations and last full day before 8S undocking.


He did his best, but Arnold the would-be statesman could not quite shake off Arnie the film star. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, and a 57-strong entourage of business leaders flew into Tokyo earlier this week.


Smaller airlines say they are not interested in Gary airport

GARY, Ind. Some smaller airlines say they are not interested in flying in to the Gary airport despite an agreement to limit the number of flights at O'Hare.


US forces in Iraq kill two women in an air attack on a house in Baquba, a day after five girls died by tank fire.


Breakthrough promises hotter, tougher, faster chips

Powerful processors that run hot but need no cooling and devices capable of withstanding extreme environments may be the result of new research reported today in Nature, the science journal.


Apathy grows as lockout enters second week

Peter Forsberg signs with MoDo of the Swedish Elite League while Rick Nash and Joe Thornton have an auspicious debut with HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League.


J. C. Penney Co. has named Ken Hicks president and chief merchandising officer, the retailer said Tuesday.


President George W. Bush and his rival for the White House, John Kerry, are put under the microscope this week for their record on science, health and the environment.


Dell to sell notebook PCs at Sam's Club stores

Dell Inc.  said on Friday  it will start selling consumer notebook computers at more than  500 of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s  Sam's Club stores  starting next week, its latest move to sell computers in retail  chains.


ABN Amro takeover hots up, as RBS bids record 71.14 billion euros

The Royal Bank of Scotland led a European consortium in a titanic attack against British rival Barclays on Tuesday with a record-breaking bid for Dutch target ABN Amro worth almost 100 billion dollars.


Citibank has become the first large bank in the Washington area to stop charging all of its customers fees for using ATMs of a nationwide group of financial institutions and merchants.


Rumors of $400 PS3/Spider-man 3 Blu-ray bundle rev up

Our friends over at Gamespot posted a blog yesterday discussing the likelihood of a rumored $400 PS3 that would arrive in time for the holidays.


Padre Valentino, grande differenza tra Londra e Montecarlo


âThe Bourne Ultimatumâ is the first of many HD movies Vudu plans to deliver online at the same time DVDs become available.


Adam Goldberg and Marley  Shelton are set to star in "Untitled," an indie feature about a  tortured musician at odds with his successful brother.


WTO Sanctions on US Exports Widens Gap in Congress

Angry over unfair subsidies paid to US companies from tariffs collected on goods imported here, the WTO has widened the gap with Congress by imposing sanctions of their own.


U.S. forces said they killed two Shi'ite militiamen, including one wearing a suicide vest, during a raid north of Baghdad on Saturday to capture a rogue leader of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army.


The millions of pilgrims in Mecca this week for the Hajj, an annual gathering of Muslims, can stay connected thanks to a temporary Wi-Fi mesh network covering a large part of the city.


The European Union agreed on Friday to open membership talks with Turkey late next year, after hours of contentious, closed-door negotiations overcame a last-minute snag over Turkey's refusal to recognize the ...


A former Serbian police general wanted for more than three years was arrested in Montenegro on Sunday on charges of murder and persecution of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal said.


Acer Inc., the world's fourth-largest computer vendor by unit sales, plans to acquire U.S. computer maker Gateway Inc. for $710 million, the Taiwanese company said Monday.


A US soldier is acquitted of ordering an Iraqi to his death in the River Tigris but convicted on lesser charges.


US regulatory body fines 29 securities firms 9.2 million dollars

WASHINGTON  - The US securities industry's self-regulatory body fined 29 firms more than 9.2 million dollars for reporting information about their brokers later than required.


EU should send Turkey positive signal: Barroso

Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, European Commission chief-in-waiting, said Friday the EU should send Turkey a positive signal on its chances of joining the bloc, as long as Ankara meets the necessary criteria.


The number of new people signing up for jobless benefits rose last week, reflecting the impact of hurricane Charley, which recently tore through Florida.


At 42, Roger Clemens is ready to pitch on three days' rest with a chance to make postseason history for the Houston Astros. After all, playing in the postseason with


Brazil says journalist on payroll of crime gang

A journalist in Rio de  Janeiro accepted monthly payments from an organized crime group  in exchange for favorable media treatment, federal prosecutors  said on Monday in a legal filing that prompted his employer to  fire him.


3 state utilities may offer Internet via power lines

Clearing the way for homes and businesses to receive high-speed Internet services through their electrical outlets, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules this week that would enable the utility companies to offer an alternative to the


Tribune to present plan as break-up pressure rises

Tribune Co. TRB.N Chairman and Chief   Executive Dennis FitzSimons is expected to present a plan   outlining the company's future to the board on Thursday, as   investor pressure rises to sell divisions or go private.


PRIME minister Ahmed Qorei will hold talks with leaders of the main Palestinian armed factions in a bid to prevent any outbreak of violence after the death of Yasser Arafat.


Chrysler on track for deal with Cerberus: Zetsche

VANCE, Ala.  - Cerberus Capital Management LP  is on track to conclude its $7.4 billion acquisition of Chrysler Group, DaimlerChrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said on Wednesday.


Puerto La Cruz, 08:39 - CALCIO, COPPA AMERICA: VINCONO ARGENTINA E COLOMBIA

L'Argentina ha battuto il Paraguay 1-0 nell'ultima giornata del gruppo C di Coppa America. Gol parti...


Washington, Oct. 24 (PTI): Delta Airlines, Americaâs third largest airline, could file for bankruptcy protection as soon as next week.


EU ministers agree to crisis management blueprint

PORTO, Portugal  - European Union finance ministers and central bankers agreed on Saturday to step up co-operation among themselves to improve their handling of cross-border financial crises.


Court Orders Vonage to Pay $58 Million in Patent Case

A jury ruled that Vonage violated three Verizon patents, dealing a blow to a company already showing signs of stress.


A businessman wins an appeal against a High Court ruling to pay back Â£2m he lost in one night.


Western Cold Freezes Wells, Disrupts Natural Gas Supplies

By THE DENVER POST The Rocky Mountains' recent cold and snow has put a chill on natural gas production.


Republican Thompson says U.S. battling "evil"

RICHMOND, Virginia  - Republican Fred Thompson, making his first appearance since his late entry into the 2008 White House race, criticized the immigration pact in Congress on Saturday and said the United States was battling threats from "forces of evil."


Floridians Begin Rebuilding From Frances

FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Thousands of Floridians beginning the recovery process in the destructive path of Hurricane Frances were hampered by long lines, congested highways and sticky heat as the White House and teams of relief workers promised that help was on the way...


Apple Computer has agreed to recall about 28,000 batteries used in its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptop computers, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission says.


Torino, 18:09 - CALCIO, TORINO: CEDUTO GORANI AL CUNEO

Il Torino ha ceduto il difensore Andrea Gorani al Cuneo. Gorani, classe 1986, è stato ceduto ...


A former policeman who killed his terminally ill wife in an abortive suicide pact is given a suspended sentence.


30 people killed and more than 160 wounded in Egypt

at least 35 people in attacks that Israeli security sources say bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda. Thursday, was followed shortly by probable car bombs at two other resort towns on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula popularwith Israelis.


Franz Ferdinand lead singer eats way round world

Munching fishbrain bread from Finland, chewing bull's testicles in Buenos Aires -- touring with the rock band Franz Ferdinand can be a real culinary adventure.


Torino, 19:54 - CALCIO, JUVE: RIPRENDE DOMANI LA CAMPAGNA ABBONAMENTI

Riprende domani la campagna abbonamenti della Juve. Le tessere, valide a partire dalla quarta giorna...


Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk's abdication statement last week stunned the nation and left politicians scrambling to figure out how to choose a new king.


Movie Review | 'In the Pit': Behind the Asphalt Walls, Hopes and Heavy Burdens

Literally and existentially down and dirty, âIn the Pitâ is an absorbing documentary about work and the transformation of men into laborers.


Bird Flu Is Back, Raising Fear of Spread Among Humans

A case of avian influenza that killed an 11-month-old girl in Vietnam this month has alarmed health officials around the world.


Singer Courtney Love is to face trial on 30 September on two drug charges for illegal possession of painkillers.


Virus, sono 1.817 i nuovi codici maligni di ottobre

Sono 1.817 i nuovi codici maligni nel mese di ottobre 2004, con un incremento del 22% rispetto al mese scorso. E' la stima resa nota dalla compagnia Trend Micro, che ha sottolineato come, alla fine del mese


Israel's police commander resigned Sunday after a government commission said he ignored ties between senior officers and underworld figures and failed to ensure a thorough investigation into the 1999 killing of a suspected crime boss.


Being the mother of Tom Cruise's baby daughter has been so much fun that Katie Holmes tells "Entertainment Tonight" she's ready to have more children.


Several grenades exploded in an office building owned by the Dutch Shell Oil Co. in western Venezuela, injuring a security guard, police said Tuesday.


Global overview: Investors worry about liquidity

US stocks failed to emulate solid gains across global markets as investors focused on worries about tight conditions in the money markets.


Bomb blast in carpark of luxury Kabul hotel: employee

A bomb exploded in the parking lot of the only five-star hotel in the Afghan capital on Monday but caused no injuries, an employee said.


The ancient battle of Thermopylae was the stuff of 2007's first certified blockbuster as the bloody action tale "300" debuted with ticket sales of $70 million over its opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.


Iranian negotiators are meeting European officials to discuss plans to suspend Iran's nuclear programme.


Torino, 22:34 - CALCIO, SERIE A: NELL'ANTICIPO JUVENTUS-LIVORNO 5-1

Nell'anticipo della prima giornata del campionato di serie A, la Juventus ha battuto 5-1 il Livorno ...


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho basked in the glory of another four-goal flourish on Saturday and vowed that his team would be champions barring a major hiccup or a dramatic improvement from their distant title rivals.


ASIA/TAIWAN - LÂevangelizzazione dei bambini Ã¨ una prioritÃ  nella parrocchia di Tsao Tun Tai Chung (Agenzia Fides) - I bambini sono al centro dellÂattenzione pastorale della parrocchia di Nostra Signora del Rosario di Tsao Tun, nella diocesi di Tai Chung. Secondo quanto riferisce Christian Life Weekly , il bollettino cattolico dellÂarcid...


Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has called the March 2004 elections "the most seriously flawed in the history of the country" and said he expected more reform from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.


The US is to host international talks on Iran's nuclear plans, as Tehran refuses to halt uranium enrichment.


Washington State Governor Race Heading for Recount

With only 28 votes separating  candidates for Governor of Washington state after a  two-week-long count, election officials said on Wednesday that  the result would likely result in a recount.


Rice's nomination comes at critical time

Former Denverite Condoleezza Rice has the right background to be the next US secretary of state, but her hardline views raise questions in some minds.


Most Barricades Lifted Near Chemical Plant

By John Shultz, The Kansas City Star, Mo.  Feb. 9--Shortly after noon today, police removed barricades from most streets surrounding the charred remnants of the Chemcentral Corp. plant in the East Bottoms.


Update: U.S. agency bars some Qualcomm imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission barred the import of future models of phones using Qualcomm third-generation chips, marking a blow to the vendor in itsÂ ongoing intellectual property battle with Broadcom.


Germany is selling a E4.45 billion (R36.12 billion) stake in Deutsche Telekom, making it the fourth European government to sell state assets in the past six weeks


Rapina nel museo, rubate tele di Munch: anche 'Il Grido'

Rapinatori a mano armata hanno fatto irruzione nel Museo Munch a Oslo e hanno rubato oggi diverse opere, fra cui il capolavoro del pittore norvegese Edvard Munch, 'Il Grido'. Lo ha detto la radio pubblica norvegese Nrk.


New AIM worm may prove difficult to fight

(InfoWorld) - A sophisticated computer worm spreading via AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) is setting up a botnet that may be difficult to combat, security researchers said. The worm, known as W32.pipeline, propagates when AIM users click on a Web link that appears to have been sent to them by someone on their buddy list. They receive a message along the lines of, "Hey, would it be okay if I upload this picture of you to my blog?" If the recipient clicks on the link, an executable file that looks like a JPEG will download into a Windows folder, according to researchers at security company FaceTime Communications Inc. The file can then execute a number of different attacks, said Chris Boyd, security research manager for FaceTime Security Labs and the researcher who discovered the worm. It can open up the email port on the PC and send out spam messages. It can also install a variant of the "hacker defender" rootkit, which is widely deployed and difficult to remove. One of the most dangerous aspects of the worm is that it can also connect to remote file upload sites, which Boyd believes the worm authors' use as sort of staging sites where they can continuously download new infections. Once a computer is infected, the program will propagate using the same instant messaging method. The worm is unique because the program seems to be able to contact a number of different sites around the globe randomly. FaceTime researchers had different results when running the same file. "Previously, where we've seen something similar to this attempted, if one file is pulled offline or removed by an ISP, the whole chain goes down," Boyd said. "But this one, if one file goes missing or gets pulled down, it will potentially make a call to another file. It has quite a random aspect to it."So far, he estimates that the botnet -- a group of similarly infected computers that are remotely controlled -- has 1,000 to 2,000 members. More computers may have been infected but not made part of the botnet. The best defense is for AIM users to be wary of clicking on links. If a user receives an unexpected link from a buddy, the user can always reply to ask if they have sent the link, to make sure it is legitimate. FaceTime has updated its virus protection software to prevent users from infection, and other antivirus vendors may do the same. AIM users that get infected can try to remove the worm but may have to wipe and reformat their drives to get rid of it.


Sigma-Aldrich (Nasdaq: SIAL) Amends Credit Facility

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 11  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sigma-Aldrich announced today that it has amended the terms of its $150 million revolving credit facility established in February 2005 by exercising the $150 million accordion feature of the facility.


Kenya's opposition leader says he will not meet Mwai Kibaki to address growing political upheaval


Scesi a 18 milioni di dollari per calo vendite cd


More than 500 paramilitaries lay down their weapons as part of a peace process with the Colombian government.


A new folding telephoto lens uses multiple mirrors to enhance image quality. Could be just what your phone's camera ordered. In Gadget Lab.


Smith steps closer to Scotland manager's job

Scottish Football Association (SFA) officials confirmed they interviewed Walter Smith for the vacant national managerial job.


BAGHDAD -- Iraqi officials will announce the final results of the Jan. 30 national elections today, a spokesman for the election commission said.


The US Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT), the federally-funded security clearinghouse and alert center, put its two cents in this week and recommended that every Windows XP user install the Service Pack 2 update.


DUBLIN - Ronan O'Gara shattered South Africa's Grand Slam dream by masterminding Ireland to a historic 17-12 victory on Saturday.


NATO Considers Joint Mission in Afghanistan

NATO defense ministers discussed a US-backed proposal on Wednesday to merge Afghan peacekeeping and anti-terrorism operations under a joint command, despite criticism of the plan by Germany and France.


NBC News to Provide Content for Channel One

The deal with NBC is part of a multi-million dollar makeover for Channel One, the struggling network that broadcasts to middle and high schools.


Congress acted yesterday to block state and local governments from taxing connections that link consumers to the Internet for the next three years.


"Fantastic Four" actress Kerry Washington was scared that she would have to date men after splitting with her fiance David Moscow because she had never done so before.


Cori Chambers and Tasha Humphrey had 18 points apiece to lead No. 3 Georgia to an 87-68 win over Santa Clara in the third-place game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic on Sunday.


With its labor negotiations faltering, US Airways Group Inc. has begun consultations with bankruptcy advisers in anticipation of a filing, a source familiar with the talks said yesterday.


Sports Direct International and Eurotunnel were on Monday night in contention for entry to the FTSE-250.


Home bats light up 'Juice Box' as Houston takes series lead

HOUSTON - It is nicknamed the Juice Box because it is named for a fruit drink, but the juice resembling electricity is what flows through Minute Maid Park.


Two Italian aid workers were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Palestinian officials said, the latest in a string of abductions of foreigners in the lawless area.


The government on Tuesday upheld a ruling that Chinese bedroom furniture was being sold in the United States at unfairly low prices, but it scaled back the level of penalty tariffs.


Drilling Down: New Way to Gauge a PublicationÂs Appeal

The company that verifies the readership of print publications has created a new figure that combines print readers and Web site traffic.


Rival Palestinian forces begin new ceasefire in Gaza

Rival Palestinian security forces began withdrawing from parts of Gaza City and freeing hostages under a new ceasefire deal on Tuesday after a day of gun battles and abductions in which six fighters were killed.


US Lowers Terror Threat Level for Financial Sector

The US government has lowered the terror threat level for the financial services sector in New York City, northern New Jersey and Washington, the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday.


Warning issued over flawed birth control pill research

PHILADELPHIA - US health officials are warning of flawed research in two major studies that recently suggested birth control pills can reduce the risk of heart disease and have no effect on rates of breast cancer.


Ossie Davis, whose rich baritone and elegant, unshakable bearing made him a giant of the stage, screen and the civil rights movement — often in tandem with his wife, Ruby Dee — has died. He was 87.


SLIDELL - A multistate investigation of an alleged child pornographer possessing more than 180 images on his laptop computer led to the arrest of a man in Slidell, a St. Tammany Parish sheriff's spokesman said Tuesday.


Brian Roberts scored 31 points and Dayton upset No. 6 Pittsburgh 80-55 on Saturday night, extending the Flyers' winning streak to 10 and handing the Panthers their first loss of the season.


French electronica act to headline MySpace spring concert tour

The social networking site flexes its big-media muscle with a concert tour that hits a number of famous venues like D.C.'s 9:30 Club and Philadelphia's Electric Factory.


TEL AVIV -- With diplomatic sanctions against Iran appearing unlikely and military options promising to be risky, Israel has begun debating the unthinkable: how it might live in a world in which its archenemy has a nuclear arsenal of its own.


UW MEN'S BASKETBALL: Tucker, Chambliss lift Badgers

Coach Bo Ryan said the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team would have to mature quickly if it wanted to compete with 12th-ranked Maryland Tuesday night.


Sporting News names Bonds player of the year

San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds was selected The Sporting News' 2004 baseball player of the year after a season in which he hit .


Dot-com entrepreneur no longer China's richest man

SHANGHAI -- William Ding, the founder and chief architect of Chinese Internet portal Netease Inc., is no longer China's richest man after his personal fortune took a substantial hit over the last year, according to a list of China's wealthiest individuals published Friday.


Five killed in attacks, exchanges of fire in Samarra

Guerrillas carried out a spate of raids in the city of Samarra on Wednesday, stealing weapons from a police station, blowing it up, and exchanging fire with police and US troops.


Michael Jackson's lawyers will have to defend their client against molestation charges without psychological tests on the accuser.


UPDATE 2-Agassi overcomes Verdasco power

Top seed Andre Agassi marched into the Stockholm Open semi-finals on Friday, beating Spanish eighth seed Fernando Verdasco 7-6 6-2 in his hardest match of the tournament.


Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf will give up his post of army chief if he is re-elected president and will be sworn in for a new term as a civilian, his lawyer told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.


Car bombings spread to holy sites, elections workers killed

Iraq's wave of car bombings spread into the heart of the Shiite Muslim holy land Sunday in two attacks that killed at least 60 people.


Milano, 11:36 - CALCIO, SERIE A: ANTICIPI E POSTICIPO TERZA GIORNATA

Questi anticipi e posticipo della terza giornata di andata del campionato di serie A. Milan e Lazio ...


N.Y. Lawyer Stewart Convicted of Aiding Terrorism

A New York lawyer aided terrorism by  helping a client send messages to militant followers, a federal  jury found on Thursday in a case critics said stemmed from Bush  administration efforts to discourage the defense of accused  terrorists.


Former Met focusing on opening in Arizona

com. Wally Backman, whom New York general manager Omar Minaya was scheduled to interview Thursday in St. Louis, withdrew his name from consideration for the Mets' vacant managerial position.


Judges Say U.S. Canât Hold Man as âCombatantâ

A federal appeals court ruled that the president may not declare civilians in this country âenemy combatantsâ and have the military hold them indefinitely.


Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak says he will not quit PM Ehud Olmert's coalition over the 2006 Lebanon war.


College Basketball: Oklahoma State Beats Syracuse

NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Brothers Joey and Stephen  Graham scored 16 points apiece and No. 5 Oklahoma State used a  strong second half performance to beat fourth-ranked Syracuse  74-60 in the second game of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison  Square Garden.


Vescovo: ha dato il meglio di se'. La figlia: ciao mio eroe


CONCORD - When the fastest car in the race went out, it opened the door for everybody else. And that was six of the 10 drivers in the Chase for the Championship and it opened the door for a clean sweep.


Battered Florida Relieved as New Storms Head to Sea

With the cleanup from Hurricane Charley  beginning, fears that Florida could be battered by another  deadly blast from Mother Nature receded Monday as two  burgeoning storms spun harmlessly far off the U.S. coast.


Apple plays with fire, courts iPhone gift card lawsuits

Apple's recent decision to forbid the use of Apple Store gift cards for iPhone sales may expose the company to class action lawsuits or state-led investigations. Is this anti-iPhone locking action one step too far for the company?


DNA Indicates Lice Reached Americas Before Columbus

A new DNA analysis indicates that the parasites  accompanied their human hosts in the original peopling of the Americas, probably as early as 15,000 years ago.


Teen held after threat sent to Satanists

A teenager was arrested after a leader of the Church of Satan turned over to the FBI an e-mail the high school student had written to the sect in which he threatened to kill his grandparents, authorities said.


U.S. duo win physics Nobel for backing up Big Bang

Americans John Mather and George Smoot won the 2006 Nobel prize for physics on Tuesday for work on cosmic radiation that helped pinpoint the age of the universe and added weight to the Big Bang theory of its birth.


Turkmens vote for leader in first contested poll

Turkmenistan voted for a new president on Sunday in its first contested election, but one virtually certain to be won by an aide to the country's former authoritarian leader, who died in December.


Clock in New York's Times Square Counts War Cost

A giant clock ticking the cost of the  war in Iraq lit up in Times Square on Wednesday, making its  debut by flashing $134.5 billion.


Vitamin shots may help protect multiple sclerosis patients from severe long-term disability, a study suggests.


US Travelers Face Weather Delays on Holiday Journey

Travelers faced weather delays across the US as they took to the highways and airways today to begin what industry experts say will be the biggest Thanksgiving travel weekend since 2000.


India's Congress heads for defeat in state polls

India's ruling Congress party was heading for defeat in polls in the states of Punjab and Uttarakhand on Tuesday, in elections seen as reflecting wider voter concern about inflation and economic reforms.


Thatcher Posts Bail to End S.Africa House Arrest

Mark Thatcher, arrested in South Africa last week on suspicion of financing an attempted coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, was released from house arrest Friday after posting 2 million rand bail.


A judge Wednesday ordered a U.S. soldier to stand trial in absentia for the fatal shooting of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Baghdad, the prosecutor said.


On the final day of a 21-nation summit that ended with a joint commitment to work against terrorism and for free trade, President Bush on Sunday assured


Music mogul Simon Fuller sues TV host Simon Cowell, claiming his X Factor show is a copy of Pop Idol.


'Puo' essere interpretato come inopportuna interferenza'


Merrill shores up capital by as much as $7.5 bln

Merrill Lynch & Co Inc  shored up its capital base by as much as $7.5 billion after selling a stake to Singapore's government and an asset manager, and unloading much of a lending business, as it wrestles with huge subprime mortgage losses.


Movie Review | 'Dan in Real Life': A Family Just Like Yours

âDan in Real Lifeâ is neither wildly farcical nor mockingly cruel, but rather, for the most part, winningly gentle and observant.


The number of parents saying children have been unjustly taken for adoption is on the rise, campaigners claim.


Kevin Millar and Orlando Cabrera each drove in two runs, and former Gold Glove first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz made his first career start at second base in the Boston Red Sox's 8-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.


A boy from the Palestinian Nahr el-Bared refugee camp in Tripoli, Lebanon, shows off his painted face on Thursday. More than 140 people have been killed in the army's battle with militants barricaded inside the Nahr el-Bared camp.  (c) 2007 Deseret News (Salt Lake City).


Lithuania's Perimeter Shooting Leaves U.S. Outside Looking In

Larry Brown's squad could not hold back a deep and talented Lithuanian team, losing, 94-90, to fall to 2-2 in the preliminary round at the Olympics.


Timberlake still No. 1 on U.S. singles chart

Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" retained its lead on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for a sixth week Thursday, while a new tune from the 'N Sync alumnus surged toward the top 10, according to Billboard.


Norway's peace envoy to Sri Lanka agrees to a government request to put off talks with the Tamil Tigers.


U.S. television personality and  psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw on Monday scrapped plans to air a  show about Britney Spears after he was criticized for a visit  to the troubled pop star in hospital on the weekend.


Islamic Leader Wants Suspects Released for Hostage

The leader of the radical Islamic group Al-Muhajiroun today said that extremists held in Britain - such as Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza â-hould be released in exchange for Iraq hostage Ken Bigley.


BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich.,  - Europe retained the  Ryder Cup when wildcard selection Colin Montgomerie beat David  Toms of the United States by a hole in the last-day singles at  Oakland Hills Country Club on Sunday.


Jets 38, Packers 10: JetsÂ Playoff Hopes Brighten With Rout of Packers

The Jets scored 31 points on their first five possessions as Chad Pennington threw for 241 of his 263 yards in the first half.


The space station's troubled computer systems are also incorporated into Europe's new lab and cargo ship.


Nobel prize-winning Turkish novelist  Orhan Pamuk, threatened by a suspect in the murder of a  journalist, said on Tuesday he had recently been in Turkey and  did not consider himself a writer in exile.


Polls Open in Tunisia Elections, Opposition Boycott

Polling stations opened in Tunisia on  Sunday in presidential and parliamentary elections boycotted by  several opposition parties and seen as test to the U.S.  administration's drive to boost democracy in the Middle East.


Iran's latest request on centrifuges not against commitment: FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said here on Saturday that Iran's latest demand of 20 centrifuges being exempt from the suspension did not violate the country's commitment to its nuclear program.


Diouf spit leaves a sour taste for Bolton

Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf has been hit with a fine of two weeks' wages after he spat in the face of Portsmouth's Arjan de Zeeuw during Saturday's Premiership match.


Cisco Systems, the IT systems producer, records a strong start to the year with first quarter profits rising 29%.


Americans to take on Spaniards in Davis Cup finale in December

Let's start by dispensing praise to both the US and Spanish Davis Cup teams that will play for the chalice the first week of December.


President Bush calls on Iraqis to vote in Sunday's poll, as US troops suffer their biggest daily losses in the country.


French Criticize Music Download Crackdown

Dozens of French musicians, intellectuals and politicians are criticizing what they call a "repressive" crackdown against those who download music illegally over the Internet.


New $50 Bill Arrives; New $10 Bill Coming

WASHINGTON - A new $50 bill with touches of red, blue and yellow will be showing up soon at banks, in cash registers and wallets. A new $10 bill also is in the works, the third greenback to get colorized to cut back on counterfeiting...


Barefoot midwives help Mexican doctors save lives

CUETZALAN, Mexico  - From cutting the umbilical chord to post-natal surgery, giving birth in the remote Sierra Norte mountains of central Mexico used to be a dirty and dangerous experience.


Canadian MPs urge legal action over Barrow subs

CANADIAN prime minister Paul Martin and top navy chiefs are backing Barrow shipyard after pressure mounted for Britain to be sued over the submarine tragedy.


September 23, 2004 - Almost 130 people will lose their jobs next month when the company that makes Butternut Bread shuts its Chicago plant.


Yushchenko Sworn in As Ukraine President

Before a vast crowd of supporters celebrating with a burst of orange balloons, doves and chants, newly inaugurated President Viktor Yushchenko promised Sunday to steer a new course for Ukraine — away from corruption and political cronyism and into the European Union.


Cabinet Members Promote Healthier Eating Habits

Three U.S. Cabinet secretaries fanned out across the country Tuesday to promote healthier lifestyles, especially among the nation's snack-filled, exercise-starved youth...


Investors have ignored this country's promise for too long.


U.S. probes chocolate makers for price fixing: WSJ

The U.S. Justice Department is looking into possible price fixing in the chocolate industry, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday on its Web site.


Israeli PM Ariel Sharon says he will achieve his plans to disengage from Gaza, despite losing key support.


Far more mutations than thought involved in cancer

A painstaking scan of the DNA of tumor cells shows hundreds of previously unsuspected genes are involved in cancer, researchers said on Wednesday in a finding that offers new ways to fight the disease.


Br, assolti otto militanti di Iniziativa Comunista

ROMA - Tutti assolti perchÃ© il fatto non sussiste. Si chiude cosÃ¬, con una sentenza di assoluzione piena una vicenda iniziata oltre due anni fa. Otto persone di Iniziativa comunista, tra cui il leader, Norberto


Five children are critically injured when a 4x4 vehicle they were travelling in crashes into water, police say.


Girl who carries Britain's hopes for Games

On a normal school day, Amber Charles carries her books, a bag, perhaps a spot of lunch. Today she carries the hopes of the nation.


Patriots bitten by Monday night home dog

Betting on the home underdog on Monday Night Football has long been considered a savvy play, but the Miami Dolphins didn't appear to be a good bet against the New England Patriots.


Visiting Kazakh Leader to Meet Chinese Officials, Sign Accords

Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS  Beijing, 19 December: A joint Chinese-Kazakh declaration and an economic cooperation blueprint will be signed during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to China, which starts today.


Luxembourg - Microsoft Corp's five-year legal battle in Europe moved into a public courtroom for the first time on Thursday as the software giant tries to get the European Union's landmark antitrust ruling against it lifted.


Yankees overcome Red Sox to climb out of basement

The New York Yankees battled to a 9-5  victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday, the  win lifting the struggling Bronx Bombers out of last place in  the American League East division.


Delphi says 12,600 UAW workers accept retirement

Delphi Corp. , the bankrupt  auto-parts maker, said on Monday that 12,600 employees  represented by the United Auto Workers union agreed to retire  as the company reorganizes its business.


Author Alan Hollinghurst was named Tuesday the winner of Britain's prestigious Booker Prize for 2004 for his novel, "The Line of Beauty.


UK Poll Raises Question Mark Over Charles' Role

British heir to the throne Prince  Charles may have won public support for his engagement to lover  Camilla Parker Bowles but he faces a struggle to convince the  nation he should one day be king, a poll showed on Friday.


The jihadists usually focus on massive civilian attacks. But Bhutto's killing may be a sign they are diversifying their playbook


Disney's Sweeney Tops Hollywood Women 'Power List'

Walt Disney Co's Anne Sweeney was  named Hollywood's most powerful woman on Tuesday, thanks in  part to a few "Desperate Housewives."


By Molly Parker, Journal Star, Peoria, Ill.  Feb. 24--PEORIA -- The hazardous waste landfill in Pottstown moved one  step closer to expansion Friday with a move that could also put an end to  costly and time-consuming litigation.


England will begin their 2010 World Cup qualifiers under new coach Fabio Capello against Andorra on 6 September.


Even a big first-day jump in shares of Google (GOOG) couldn't quiet debate over whether the Internet search engine's contentious auction was a hit or a flop.


Cheney says U.S. wants to leave Iraq "with honor"

Vice President Dick Cheney said on Wednesday the United States wants to finish its mission in Iraq and "return with honor", despite the war's growing unpopularity at home and doubts among U.S. allies.


Italian actor fends off Church sex scene criticism

Italian actor Nanni Moretti on Wednesday defended himself against accusations of vulgarity from the Catholic Church prompted by a graphic sex scene he performs in his latest movie.


Film star Clint Eastwood is to receive the Motion Picture Association of America's first ever humanitarian award.


Could Macedonians ride and carry shields at the same time? With a little help, Oliver Stone balances military history and movie pragmatism in "Alexander."


Vodafone has increased the competition ahead of Christmas with plans to launch 10 handsets before the festive season. The Newbury-based group said it will begin selling the phones in November.


The Nikkei average sank 2 percent on  Monday morning after a fall in the dollar rattled exporters,  while a strong earthquake that hit northern Japan at the  weekend lifted builders but dented firms whose operations it  affected.


Eight children stabbed to death as they sleep

A man broke into a school dormitory and stabbed eight sleeping children to death before fleeing. The murders at the Ruzhou No2 Senior Middle School in Pingdingshan, in the central province of Henan, was the


The jokes came quickly as officials of Ford Motor Co. stretched across a conference room table yesterday to shake the hands of United Auto Workers negotiators and formally kick off contract talks.


Study Says Bones Found in Far East Are of a Distinct Species

In the continuing debate over the origin of the extinct âlittle peopleâ of Indonesia, a team of scientists says it has found evidence that these people were members of a distinct species.


Paced by a balanced scoring attack that saw Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) score a team leading 15 points in just 13 minutes, unlike its first four preliminary round games that went down to the wire, the US (3-2) made sure there was no suspense in its


New York Post shuns hometown senator Clinton, backs Obama

The New York Post on Thursday delivered a qualified endorsement of Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, snubbing Hillary Clinton, its hometown US senator.


eBay and Yahoo! sitting in a tree, m-i-s-s-i-n-g.


Clothing retailers launch chains to cater to women 35 and older

NEW YORK — At the peak of their earnings and spending power, women age 35 and older are a huge and potentially lucrative market for the nation’s apparel merchants.


CNBC reports "unusual trading" in own contest

Financial news network CNBC may not have to look far for its next insider trading feature.


Rice sees no breakthrough in latest EU-Iran talks

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday there was no breakthrough in the European Union's weekend talks with Iran about its nuclear program.


POISONOUS fumes were preventing rescuers from reaching 141 miners trapped underground at a coalmine in northern China yesterday after an explosion that killed 25 of their colleagues.


Western Afghan city quiet after bloody clashes

HERAT, Afghanistan: The western Afghan city of Herat has returned to calm following bloody riots over the sacking of the local governor which left at least four people dead and 50 injured.


Olmert, in peace move, says ready to free prisoners

SDE BOKER, Israel  - Israel is ready to release many jailed Palestinians in return for a soldier seized by militants in June, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced on Monday, saying he was reaching out for peace.


NATO chief sees handover to Afghan troops in 2008

NATO forces should be able to hand over responsibility to Afghanistan's security forces gradually in 2008, the alliance's secretary-general said on Tuesday.


Soddisfatto il presidente dell'Agcom, Calabro'


A notorious Mexican drug lord pleaded guilty Monday to federal crimes that carry a mandatory life sentence, reaching a deal that spares him execution.


Wall St rallies but subprime fears remain

US stocks rallied on Wednesday, but worries over the subprime mortgage market remained the main talking point among investors.


More Ajax with less code Tutorial: In the Introduction to Developing Web Applications with Ajax article we discussed the procedure used to create an Ajax application. As a developer, you probably noticed that the client JSP included a lot of JavaScript. Prototype is a JavaScript library for developing dynamic web applications, which aims to replace much of the JavaScript code in Ajax applications with its own Prototype functions. In this article, weâll develop the same application, but using the Prototype library.â¦


Israel Destroys Dozens of Palestinian Homes in Gaza

NURIA, Gaza Strip  - Israeli forces blew up two  large apartment blocks in the Gaza Strip Thursday, making  scores of Palestinians homeless after suicide bombers killed 16  people in Israel.


Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers revealed Sunday their plans to rebuild Ibrox in an ambitious project to increase capacity and regenerate the area around the stadium.


American Express' restructuring charge includes approximately US$80 million to $90 million in employee severance and approximately $20 million to $30 million in other costs mostly related to the early end of leases.


Lawyer urges judge to open CIA tapes inquiry

A lawyer for a group of terrorism suspects held by the United States told a court on Friday that trusting the Justice Department with an inquiry into the CIA's destruction of interrogation tapes would amount to putting the fox in charge of the hen house.


Japanese officials tried Thursday to contact the Iraqi militants holding a Japanese hostage, as the 48-hour deadline for his threatened execution approached.


Lawyer for Bush Quits Over Links to Kerry's Foes

The national counsel for President Bush's re-election campaign resigned on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he acknowledged that he had provided legal advice


Sofia Coppola will write, direct and co-produce Columbia Pictures' Marie Antoinette.


An international lineup of pop stars paid tribute to Princess Diana on Sunday at a marathon memorial concert watched by her sons William and Harry and a crowd of 60,000 at London's Wembley Stadium.


"Away" marks stunning directing debut for Polley

TORONTO  - The pain of watching a   spouse succumb to Alzheimer's is given a particularly deep and   sensitive treatment in "Away From Her," an Alice Munro   adaptation marking the feature writing-directing debut for   actress Sarah Polley.


Search on for 'Grand Theft Auto' pirates

The British makers of the Grand Theft Auto video game are aggressively pursuing whoever leaked its newest version, San Andreas to the Internet.


Thousands of flu shots could go to waste

ATLANTA - As concerns rise that tens of thousands of doses of flu shots could go to waste, federal officials were considering changing their advice on who should get the shot.


Novelties: A Cozy Book Club, in a Virtual Reading Room

WHEN many people think of online social networking, they picture Web sites where the young and the restless discuss their love lives and their favorite bands. But Kathryn Havemann, 60, of Dayton, Ohio, has joined a different sort of Web-based network â one where people are linked by a more sedate interest: their book collections.


U.N. Board Cites U.S. Contractor in Iraq

Pentagon auditors concluded that Kellogg Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton Co., charged "unsupported" and "overstated costs" in more than $800 million in U.S.-administered projects financed by Iraqi oil revenue.


Tour guides will show you this historic city on foot, trolley or double-decker bus, in a horse-drawn carriage, while riding a Segway or even as you blow a kazoo on a boat with wheels.


AT&T eyes stake in Malaysia's TM Intl: report

AT&T Inc , the biggest U.S.  phone company, wants to buy an unspecified stake in the mobile  arm of state-controlled phone firm Telekom Malaysia ,  a Malaysian newspaper reported on Wednesday.


Low cost airline Easyjet says its full year profits will be higher than forecast after a strong summer's trading.


A gang of Algerian refugees are jailed for their role in a huge credit card fraud which targeted high street stores.


U.N. relief workers are returning to Ivory Coast two weeks after widespread protests forced about 9,000 other foreigners to evacuate, the United Nations said Wednesday.


Haitian President Rene Preval declared a "war without end" against corruption Friday, calling crooked state officials traitors who rob the deeply impoverished nation of vital investment and jobs


Illusionist escapes cement box in Times Square

U.S. illusionist Criss Angel appeared  to escape on Tuesday from a cement box suspended above Times  Square in New York after it crashed to the ground without  anyone seeing him emerge.


Oxford and Cambridge come top of world league for science

The three British universities were the only European representatives in the top ten.


One issue will dominate this week's NATO summit — Afghanistan.


Last-minute haggling as EU prepares Turkish green light

The EU sought Wednesday to keep pressure on Turkey over its bid to start talks on joining the bloc, as last-minute haggling seemed set to go down to the wire at a summit poised to give a green light to Ankara.


"Thomas and Friends" railway toys recalled

More than 1 million of the popular "Thomas & Friends" wooden railway toys made in China are being voluntarily recalled because some may contain lead paint, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Wednesday.


The 10 Best Stocks You Might Actually Buy

You think you know what to buy to get the big returns? Think again. And don't think so hard.


Sport: Eduardo da Silva and Nicklas Bendtner are both on target as Arsenal reach the FA Cup fourth round


UNITED NATIONS, Oct 15: Japan, Argentina, Denmark, Greece and Tanzania were elected non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council by the UN General Assembly on Friday for two years.


Judge Strikes Down Campaign Finance Rules

A judge has struck down more than a dozen of the government's current rules on political fund raising with just weeks before Election Day, concluding federal regulators improperly weakened the nation's campaign finance law.


The Canadian dollar dropped two-thirds of a US cent in early trading Friday after a tame inflation report eased pressure on the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates in coming months.


Expressions of sexism and racism emerging from the contest between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have been blatant, subtle and perhaps sometimes imagined, and they are renewing the national debate over what is and isn't acceptable to say in public.


Australian Adam Scott came away with $50,000 (Â£26,000) after day one of the showcase Skins Games in California. But Scott and opponents Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam and Fred Couples left Â£250,000 still to play for after the first nine holes.


To Eat Less, Start Meals with a Low-Cal Salad

ISLAMABAD: Sometimes ordering more food helps you eat less -- that is, if what you order is a low-calorie salad, new research shows.


Disappointed Investors Drive VMware Stock Down 30 Percent

Shares of software-maker VMware, a high-flying stock that soared after an impressive public offering in 2007, were down more than 30 percent Tuesday, as investors responded to weak fourth-quarter earnings.


Yahoo and IBM team up to offer businesses free data search tool

Yahoo and IBM jointly introduced free software that businesses could use to find information stored in their own computers or on the Internet.


I funerali del 'sarto pittore' forse si terranno sabato


'Clerks II' visits slackers 12 years later

With "Clerks II," Kevin Smith checks back in with the slackers from "Clerks" to find out what they're up to a dozen years later. You'll be shocked to learn that Dante and Randal are still doing the exact same thing: standing around all day at their menial jobs, finding ways to avoid work, and talking. And talking and talking. They're just doing it in color instead of black and white.


Leaders from Sudan and four regional states concluded a meeting here early today with a statement rejecting any "foreign intervention" in the Darfur region of Sudan.


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


Anna Nicole Smith frantically tried to revive her stricken son and had to be sedated after he died, her attorney said Wednesday. Authorities termed the death "suspicious" and said criminal charges could be filed.


Myanmar orders mass release of nearly 4,000 prisoners

YANGON : Myanmar's mass release of nearly 4,000 prisoners has sparked faint hopes for political detainees including pro-democracy figures, but one observer it was aimed at easing international criticism over last month's power struggle.


VATICANO - Lettera del Santo Padre Benedetto XVI alla Diocesi e alla cittÃ  di Roma sul compito urgente dellÂeducazione: Âalla radice della crisi dell'educazione c'Ã¨ una crisi di fiducia nella vitaÂ CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - ÂAbbiamo tutti a cuore il bene delle persone che amiamo, in particolare dei nostri bambini, adolescenti e giovani. Sappiamo infatti che da loro dipende il futuro di questa nostra cittÃ . Non possiamo dunque non ess...


Man Utd go nine points clear at the top of the Premiership with victory against neighbours Man City.


World Series MVP Manny Ramirez has pulled out of Major League Baseball's tour of Japan because of a sore left hamstring.


More public holidays please, we're Italian

Italy has more national holidays than many industrialised countries and most employees get a month's paid leave on top, but some parliamentarians are demanding more.


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Chargers should be quite satisfied. They broke a 13-year playoff drought with a 17-6 win over the Tennessee Titans yesterday, justifying the team's coaching change after last season, and more strongly validating the careers of players such as LaDainian Tomlinson.


Milano, 16:28 - BASKET, MILANO: DA CANTU' TORNA CASEY SHAW

Casey Shaw, 32enne centro americano ma di passaporto italiano, ritorna Milano, nell'Armani Jeans. Sh...


Per incidenti del novembre scorso dopo morte Gabriele Sandri


Bologna, 13:52 - BASKET: PELLACANI IN CONDIZIONI STAZIONARIE DOPO AGGRESSIONE

Nino Pellacani, l'ex giocatore di Fortitudo Bologna e Benetton Treviso ricoverato in chirurgia d'urg...


CIAMPI: GRAZIA PARZIALE A EX VERTICI ENEL

(AGI) - Roma, 22 dic. - Il Presidente della Repubblica Carlo Azeglio Ciampi ha firmato oggi il provvedimento di grazia parziale nei confronti di Franco Viezzoli e Giovanni Battista Zorzoli, rispettivamente


Possible playoff preview A's take a hit in Toronto but come home ...

If the playoffs opened right now, instead of next month, the A's would face the Red Sox in the first round -- again. Boston bounced Oakland out of the postseason in five games last year, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to do so.


Earlier surgery may stop anesthesia woes

Scheduling surgery earlier in the day may help prevent unexpected problems related to anesthesia, including added pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting, according to a study conducted at Duke University.


Fed holds rates steady, stays inflation-wary

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday held benchmark interest rates steady at 5.25 percent for a fourth straight meeting, while renewing a warning that risks from inflation remain.


Bomb Injures 1 in Spain After ETA Warning

A bomb exploded Sunday in a Mediterranean resort hotel in southeast Spain after a telephone warning from the Basque separatist group ETA, injuring one person, the Interior Ministry said.


Sidney Govou scores twice as France beat Italy in their Euro 2008 qualifier


Court Says Rights Case Against Pinochet Can Proceed

SANTIAGO, Chile  - Murder charges against former  Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in a major human rights case  can move forward, an appeals court said in an unprecedented  ruling on Monday.


Some of the biggest stars in the music world are uniting to record a charity single for tsunami victims.


Blair Offers an Apology, of Sorts, Over Iraq

Prime Minister Tony Blair offered a qualified apology that the evidence on which he had taken Britain to war had proved wrong.


Sales of existing US homes surged an unanticipated 3.1 percent in September on low mortgage rates, and sales would have been even brisker had hurricanes not hit the south, a trade association said on Monday.


Ford, utility join to promote plug-in vehicles

Ford Motor Co and power utility Southern California Edison will announce an unusual alliance on Monday aimed at clearing the way for a new generation of rechargeable electric cars, the companies said.


Interrupting a holiday vacation at his Texas ranch, President Bush is expected to speak publicly Wednesday for the first time about the Indian Ocean tsunamis that have killed tens of thousands.


Characters smoke in nearly every scene of Woody Allenâs latest film, but it was given a PG-13 rating. Where has Hollywoodâs get-tough stance on cigarettes gone?


Lyondell Posts Profit After Year-Ago Loss

Lyondell Chemical Co. LYO.N, the No.  3 North American chemical producer, on Thursday posted a  quarterly profit after a year-ago loss, bolstered by strong  prices for basic chemicals like ethylene.


White House spokesman Snow stepping down

White House press secretary Tony Snow, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, will step down from his post Sept. 14 and be replaced by deputy press secretary Dana Perino, the White House announced Friday.


Italian center-left supports Prodi to stay as PM

Leaders of Italy's center-left coalition have agreed to support Romano Prodi's bid to stay on as prime minister, backing him on a 12-point political program, Prodi's spokesman said on Thursday.


Scientists say malaria fuels AIDS spread in Africa

Malaria may be helping spread the AIDS virus across Africa, the continent hardest hit by the incurable disease, scientists said on Thursday.


Kujila writes "According to a Chinese Reuters article, China has closed close to 1,600 "Internet Bars" (probably the equivalent of 'Internet Cafes' stateside) and inflicted up to $12.


British Prime Minister Tony Blair will  step down from office on May 4, 2007, Sky television said on  Thursday, citing senior Labour Party members.


Don't Blame Sun for Global Warming, Study Says

Sunspots alter the amount of energy Earth gets from the sun, but not enough to impact global climate change, scientists say.


Prince William describes the excitement of his first solo flight just eight days into his RAF secondment.


Sondaggio Demos-Eurisko: non emergono miglioramenti significativi nel giudizio degli italiani sul governo                                          Walter sfonda se accelera  e sceglie di fare un mestiere solo                                                                                Per il Pd c'Ã¨ diffidenza da parte delle aree sociali piÃ¹ innovativeRoma ha troppe "radici". Difficile conciliarle con la guida di un grande partito di ILVO DIAMANTI


Children were arriving at the school on Bakhrushina Street in central Moscow: small girls with oversize ribbons festooning their hair, small boys, fidgety and chattering, dwarfed by large satchels.


Intelligent radios allow for stupid users Mobile World Congress O2 is pushing ahead with expanded femtocell trials over the next year with the stated intention of rolling out a commercial product during 2009, reducing their network costs and increasing customer connection speeds all at the same time.â¦


Kerry Churns Up Enthusiasm in Former Bush Bastion in Ohio

This part of Ohio went for George W. Bush four years ago in a 20-point landslide. But the 2,500 screaming, arm-waving supports of Senator John Kerry who jammed


U.S. issues alert for stolen beef due to possible E. coli

U.S. regulators have issued a public health alert for about 14,800 pounds of missing ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday.


TORONTO -- Former Ontario health minister Elinor Caplan will lead a review of how home-care contracts are awarded in the province.


Update 4: Crude Oil Prices Trade Below $49 a Barrel

Crude oil futures traded below $49 a barrel Monday following a steep runup on Friday that was prompted by persistent concerns about winter fuel supplies.


Clinton Delivers Long-Awaited Health Care Proposal

DES MOINES, Sept. 17 - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) unveiled her long-awaited proposal for health care coverage here on Monday, describing a plan that would pair government resources with private insurance plans to help insure all Americans.


Iran: OPEC United on Raising Price Target

OPEC is united on the need to raise its oil price target to an average $30 a barrel, but the cartel has yet to agree on when to implement the higher level, a top Iranian oil official said on Thursday.


National drug plan too costly, Goodale says

A nationally funded pharmacare plan proposed by the premiers will be too costly, the federal Finance Minister said Thursday, and acknowledged that this September's meeting with the first ministers may include some head-butting over ...


Bologna, l'operazione eseguita per la prima volta in Europa

Sotto i ferri un meccanico di Treviso: Â«Rischiavo la sedia a rotelleÂ». Â«E' la nuova frontieraÂ». MILANO - CâÃ¨ un paziente ricoverato agli Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli di Bologna il cui nome, da sei giorni


Mozilla Exec Bashes Apple 'Duopoly' Mindset

John Lilly, chief operating officer of the Mozilla Foundation, has accused Apple chief Steve Jobs of aiming for a 1980s-style "duopoly" with his plans for the Safari web browser on Windows.


Czech-British exercise to continue despite chopper crash

A joint military exercise between British and Czech troops in the Czech Republic is to continue despite the deaths of six British participants in a helicopter crash, a Czech Air Force spokeswoman said.


Hormone Shots Could Cut Preterm Births - Study

Weekly injections for pregnant women  of a drug derived from the hormone progesterone could have  prevented nearly 10,000 premature births in 2002, U.S.  researchers reported on Monday.


Italia dei Valori ha votato con la cdl contro l'emendamento


Reader Rikin Thakker spotted Deepa Mehta in Washingon DC last year.


KLITSCHKO-WILLIAMS: WHERE IS GOLOTA WHEN WE NEED HIM?

12.12.04 - By Wray Edwards: As Danny Williams hurriedly trundled his record-breaking 270 pounds across the ring at Vitali Klitschko to start the FIRST ROUND, he looked like a really big troll attacking a Viking warrior.


Israeli Forces Blow Up Two Buildings; No Deaths Reported

NURIA, Gaza Strip, Sept 2 - Israeli forces blew up two large apartment blocks in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, making scores of Palestinians homeless after suicide bombers killed 16 people in Israel.


The company tracks the most popular and TiVo'd ads during the biggest sporting event of the year and concludes the ads surpassed the game.


Microsoft, Novell tout Windows/Linux interoperability lab

Following through on one aspect of last year's collaboration deal, Microsoft and Novell today unveiled their new joint interoperability lab in Cambridge, Mass.


Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was "almost certainly" killed by a suicide bomb, initial inquiries show.


Acupuncture helps reduce arthritis knee pain

Acupuncture can help boost the power of drugs in reducing the pain suffered by patients with arthritis in their knees. Patients who got three monthsâ worth of regular acupuncture treatments along with their


Despite some near-term challenges, the company has some lofty long-term goals for growth.


Dow Jones +0,81%, Nasdaq +0,39%, euro in rialzo a 1,3030 usd


Bill Gates overtaken as world's richest?

Blog: A Mexican financial Web site says that, with an estimated net worth of more than $67 billion, tycoon Carlos Slim has overtaken the Microsoft chairman as the world's richest man.


History Repeats Itself, Jones KOâd Again

NEW YORK, NY---Glen Johnson was supposed to be a tune up fight for Roy Jones. Johnson was supposed to have been durable, but slow enough to stumble to Jonesâ dazzling speed and boxing skills.


Observatory: Birds Band Together to Raise Offspring in Dire Times

A new study shows that climate uncertainty has influenced the evolution of cooperative behavoir in African starlings.


We are shocked - shocked! â-hat pop tart Ashlee Simpson was caught lip-syncing on âSaturday Night (ahem) Liveâ over the weekend.


Un dentista e due casalinghe indagati a Sondrio


Racist Reg ignores Nigerian helicopter pioneer

'You disgust me!!!!!!' FoTW In case you missed it, Nobel prize winner James Watson recently got himself into a bit of trouble after claiming that black people are less intelligent than white people.â¦


India claim three quick wickets as Australia reach 103-3 at lunch on day one of the third Test.


NATO agrees fast takeover of all Afghan peacekeeping

PORTOROZ, Slovenia  - NATO agreed on Thursday to   take command of peacekeeping across all of insurgency-hit   Afghanistan next month after the United States pledged to   transfer an extra 12,000 troops to its force.


Warner Music says it has not yet ruled out making another bid for the iconic UK music business EMI Group.


There isn't enough evidence to tell if most treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder work, says a scientific review that highlights the urgency of finding answers as thousands of suffering veterans return from Iraq.


In Padilla interrogation, no checks or balances

Oversight of the executive branch regarding treatment of terror detainees remains inadequate, say legal analysts.


Bush's Counsel Sought Ruling About Torture

Alberto R. Gonzales intervened with Justice Department lawyers to obtain a ruling on the extent of the president's authority to permit extreme interrogation practices.


Sport: Golf: Scott Murray covers all the action from Carnoustie, stroke by stroke.


The BBC needs to make greater efforts towards impartiality, according to a report.


US racing insurgents for influence in Fallujah as battle winds ...

As fighting winds down, US troops face an even more difficult mission in Fallujah winning the people's allegiance. Planners want to


Cento famiglie studiate dall'universitÃ  di BostonDue terzi dei piccoli hanno un compagno                                          Cento bimbi a caccia dell'amico immaginario                                                                                di STEFANO BARTEZZAGHI


Pope says anti-Islam quotes not his own views

Pope Benedict said on Wednesday   that his use of medieval quotes critical of Islam in a speech   in Germany last week, that infuriated Muslims worldwide, did   not reflect his own convictions and were misunderstood.


Zarqawi's Group Claims Green Zone Bombing

A column of smoke rises after a powerful car bomb exploded at a checkpoint leading into the so-called 'Green Zone' in Baghdad December 13, 2004.


How to avoid some of the key mistakes that small investors make.


Sporadic gunfire erupted Thursday inside the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp where Islamic militants are holed up after refusing an ultimatum by Lebanon's defense minister to surrender or face a military onslaught. Lebanon's leader vowed to uproot the fighters.