Now that the Mii Channel lets you insert a 3-D avatar of yourself into video games, the world is your virtual oyster. How about inserting Mario avatars wherever you see fit or transforming your enemies into Anne Coulter simulacrums? Commentary by Lore SjÃ¶berg.


Delegates gather for the TUC conference in Brighton for what could be the last before the general election.


Most Americans favor guest-worker program: poll

Most Americans believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to become guest workers and eventually U.S. citizens, but Congress should do more to close the border to stop more illegals entering the country, according to a new poll published on Tuesday.


All eyes on the Big Apple. After tying for the best record in baseball this year, the New York Yankees and Mets might be set for another Subway Series.


If you knew one store was charging $3,600 less than another for the same product, you know where you'd be shopping.


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


African AIDS Crisis Outlives $15 Billion Bush Initiative

JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 19 -- Five years after President Bush vowed to "turn the tide against AIDS" in Africa, he is traveling across a continent where the government's $15 billion investment has extended the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and eased the sense of certain doom once experienced by...


Soldiers in Pakistan unearth the body of rebel tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti from his cave hideout, the army says.


Kuznetsova stands tall over Japanese opponent

DENPASAR, Indonesia  - Svetlana Kuznetsova began   her quest for a third Bali International title on Wednesday   with a comprehensive 6-1 6-2 defeat of 18-year-old Erika Takao   of Japan.


Radical militia offers to disarm while insurgency continues

A radical Shiite militia agreed on Saturday to hand in weapons and suspend attacks against US and Iraqi forces, as the government has tried to use carrots and sticks to curb a mounting insurgency throughout the country.


Toshiba today paved the way for 80GB iPods when it said it will ship an 80GB 1.8in hard drive in Q3 2005 - a year after it introduced the 60GB version that can currently to be found inside the iPod Photo.


Cardinals beat deadline, give Morris 1-year deal

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Tuesday night that they are bringing back pitcher Matt Morris on a one-year contract, according to MLB.


Prudential drops bid for S.Korean assest managing firm

A consortium led by British insurer Prudential PLC has dropped its bid for a major South Korean state asset managing company.


From fear to freedom (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - A leader of the dissident movement in the Soviet Union in the 1970s,  Natan Sharansky  argues in his new book that democratization of the Middle East is a crucial ingredient for a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In this excerpt, he describes the common features of totalitarian societies in North Korea, Iran, or elsewhere. ...


Copenaghen, 15:39 - CICLISMO, CSC: ARRIVA KOLOBNEV

Alexander Kolobnev, ciclista russo di 25 anni, è stato ingaggiato dal team danese della Csc, ...


Athens: With a strong kick down the stretch and a kiss of the ground once across the finish line, Hicham El Guerrouj finally got what he was after: an Olympic gold medal.


More than 80 schools are closed as thousands of workers in the UK's biggest local authority go on strike.


Germany's unemployment rate rose to 10.3 percent in November as the country's economy continued to plod along with near-zero growth, the government said.


Arsene Wenger fumes over Emmanuel Adebayor's treatment following his red card in the Carling Cup final.


Halliburton Unit Wins Role on British Aircraft Carriers

Halliburton unit Kellogg Brown & Root was chosen by Britain on Monday to coordinate construction of two aircraft carriers worth 2.9 billion pounds ($5.4 billion) that will be the Royal Navy's largest ships.


Following results of recent clinical trials on popular cholesterol drugs, cardiologists are questioning whether a patientâs cholesterol should be all that matters.


Microsoft Finds Legal Defender in Justice Dept.

The Bush administration has repeatedly defended Microsoft against charges of anticompetitive conduct, including a recent complaint by Google.


In a move already drawing harsh criticism, the NCAA is setting strict limits on how often bloggers at college sports events can post updates from the game.


Russia pulls out of key European arms treaty

Russia will no longer respect a key arms treaty that limits the deployment of military forces in Europe, the Kremlin said Saturday in the latest escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West.


Oct. 5. - One little master is out, and the other little master is in. While skipper Sourav Ganguly today formally announced that Sachin Tendulkar, suffering from a tennis elbow, will not play in the first


A Russian man who has confessed to killing 63 people with the goal of marking all 64 squares on the chessboard showed no remorse Monday as his murder trial wrapped up, mocking both prosecutors and his own lawyers.


Firenze, 17:59 - CALCIO, FIORENTINA: PRESENTATO PAPA WAIGO

La Fiorentina ha presentato l'attaccante senegalese Papa Waigo. Il giocatore ha dichiarato la propri...


Soldier to Plead Guilty in Iraq Abuse Case

An Army reservist charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners plans to plead guilty at a court martial to four counts arising from the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in a plea deal in which eight other counts will be dropped, his lawyer has said.


DaimlerChrysler to Charge on Recall Costs

Automaker DaimlerChrysler AG said Friday it will book a charge of euro400 million (US$492 million) in the third quarter to cover the cost of recalls and past quality problems at Japanese truckmaker Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp.


Prince Harry was cleared yesterday of cheating in his art A-level by the examination board that set and marked his papers. Edexcel said it had re-examined all the


NEW YORK - Eight US marines have been killed west of Baghdad in a region that has become a flashpoint of anger over the US occupation of Iraq.


BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The brother of a British hostage held by terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi accused the United States on Thursday of sabotaging efforts to save the captive's life, and Italy cast doubt on claims that two kidnapped Italian women


Despite plenty of warnings, critics say, Georgia never got around to developing a water management plan to handle a severe drought. Now that reservoirs already are shrinking and water supplies are threatened, lawmakers are scrambling to cope.


A sheriff in Scotland who presides over the youth court is suspended pending an investigation into his fitness for office.


Bowing to pressure from federal safety regulators, DaimlerChrysler AG is recalling 600,000 Dodge Durango SUVs Dakota pickup trucks because of a defect that can cause their wheels to fall off.


Text of President Bush's news conference

Good morning and happy holidays to you all. I thought I'd come and answer some of your questions. Before I do so I've got a statement I'd like to make.


Boeing Co. received at least $49 million in excessive profits on a $1.2 billion contract to supply explosives-detection systems to hundreds of the nation's airports, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general reported Monday.


Israel Expands Gaza Strike, Kills 8 Palestinians

The Israeli army killed eight Palestinians  in Gaza Friday as it poured tanks and soldiers into the coastal  strip, expanding a ground offensive intended to root out  militants firing rockets into Israeli towns.


The Democratic Unionists will walk away from a deal to revive power sharing if it falls short of what unionists need, the Reverend Ian Paisley has warned his party.


Suicide bomber kills 40 at Baghdad college

A suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives killed 40 people in a Baghdad college on Sunday, a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expressed optimism about a security crackdown in the capital.


WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Masked thieves armed with a chisel stole the penis of a wooden Maori figurine, or tiki, at the entrance of a public library in northern New Zealand, police said.


HMRC mislays 1.5kg of Bolivian marching powder

Child benefit claimants not at risk, however HM Revenue and Customs has enhanced its international reputation for mislaying things by allowing 1.5kg of cocaine go walkabout from a HMRC depot near Coventry airport, the Sun reports.â¦


Phil Mickelson surges to a four-shot advantage with a 5-under 67 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Friday.


Microsoft profit rises 79 pct, outlook bullish

Microsoft Corp  signaled confidence to a rattled stock market by raising its full-year profit outlook above Wall Street targets and reporting a 79 percent rise in quarterly profit on Thursday.


The World Trade Organization (WTO) discussed at a regular meeting on Friday adjustment-related issues that may be caused by the elimination of quota restrictions against textile and clothing products on Jan. 1, 2005.


Didier Drogba's hat-trick gives Chelsea a comfortable Champions League win against Levski Sofia.


Iraq's interim President Ghazi al-Yawer asked NATO on Tuesday for additional help in military training as part of the efforts to rebuild his country.


Three former agents of the New York office of the Drug Enforcement Administration filed a defamation lawsuit against NBC Universal studios, claiming the movie âAmerican Gangsterâ libeled D.E.A. agents.


Last.FM, the free online radio service owned by CBS, will let users listen to any of 3.5 million songs on demand, paid for with advertising. The key limit: each user can only listen to each song 3 times.


Pakistani cleric defiant as militants battle troops

Heavy gunfire and explosions rocked Islamabad early on Saturday as Islamist students holed up in a mosque battled Pakistani security forces after the militants' leader defied government demands to surrender.


Prima del vertice dell'Associazione Sud Est Asiatico


First direct flight from US to Vietnam since 1975 is on its way

_ For the first time since 1975, a US passenger jet is flying from the US directly to Vietnam. The United Air Lines flight with 347 aboard took off from San Francisco today and is scheduled


Anni and Josef Albers Bauhaus-influenced work acted almost as a conversation between them.


UK's EMI Says to Face Spitzer Music Industry Probe

EMI Group PLC, the world's third-largest music company, confirmed on Friday it faced a New York probe into how music companies influence what songs are played on the radio.


Playing with its big stick Comment It took the well-dressed businessmen hanging upside down from the rafters, the acrobats with iPAQs and the data center porn to mush the concept all over my brain. HP has unseated IBM as the agenda setter in the IT game. Or at least that's what HP believes.â¦


Democratic, Republican Governors Battle for Election

Voters in 11 states will elect  governors on Nov. 2 in contests that test both the drawing  power of the presidential candidates dominating the ticket and  the down-home strength of the two major parties.


Among the charges in the 10-count indictment are obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements to law enforcement officers.


Specter Committed Asbestos Liability Bill

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday he would push ahead next week with legislation that would set up a $140 billion trust fund to compensative people sickened by exposed to asbestos.


A teacher who was killed nearly 11 years ago tried to talk a carjacker out of taking her life, even offering to help him get a job, according to a transcript of her secretly recorded pleas that was released Wednesday.


A dissident who led the 1988 student protests in Burma is freed, as part of a release of 4,000 prisoners.


Madrid, 11:56 - CALCIO, SPAGNA: ATLETICO MADRID VUOLE ALBELDA

Secondo il quotidiano sportivo spagnolo 'Marca', l'Atletico Madrid è sulle tracce di David Al...


The No. 5 U.S. bank said third-quarter profit rose 14 percent, helped by increased lending to consumers and a decline in bad loans.


US billionaire Donald Trump officially lodges plans for what he claims will be the world's finest golf course.


Report: Hurd knew of planned deception campaign

HP CEO Mark Hurd knew of plans for a disinformation campaign designed to find the source of leaks from boardroom talks, The Washington Post reported today.


The merger between Sprint and Nextel is not only a boon for the two cell phone companies but also for San Diego wireless giant Qualcomm.


Singapore Telecommunications has emerged as the front-runner to acquire a significant stake in Warid, one of Pakistan's leading mobile phone operators, according to people familiar with the situation.


Downing Street Defends Blair's Private'Visit

LONDON, Aug. 18.  Downing Street tried to counter criticism of Mr Tony Blair's 24-hour visit to Mr Silvio Berlusconi's luxurious Sardinia villa yesterday by emphasising the importance of the business side of the trip.


Fever pitch for mobile entertainment market

It has been 25 years since Sony launched the original Walkman, now the portable entertainment scene is going through a energetic renaissance, but this time it is digital.


Documentary maker Michael Moore thinks his 6 million dollar film Fahrenheit 9-11 can take home best picture honours at the Oscars.


US FDA orders Viagra to pull 'Wild Thing' television advertisement

The US government ordered Pfizer Inc. to yank cheeky television ads that promised better sex for men taking Viagra because they failed to disclose known risks associated with the drug, according to a letter released on Monday.


Hacks hit embassy, government e-mail accounts worldwide

(InfoWorld) - Usernames and passwords for more than 100 e-mail accounts at embassies and governments worldwide have been posted online. Using the information, anyone can access the accounts that have been compromised. Computer Sweden Â has verified the posted information and spoken to the person who posted them. The posted information includes names of the embassies and governments, addresses to e-mail servers, usernames and passwords. Among the organizations on the list are the foreign ministry of Iran, the Kazakh and Indian embassies in the U.S. and the Russian embassy in Sweden. Freelance security consultant Dan Egerstad posted the information. He spoke openly about the leak when Computer Sweden contacted him. "I did an experiment and came across the information by accident," he said. Egerstad says he never used the information to log in to any of the compromised accounts in order not to break any laws. Computer Sweden confirmed that the login details for at least one of the accounts is correct. Egerstad forwarded an e-mail sent on Aug. 20 by an employee at the Swedish royal court to the Russian embassy. The person who sent the e-mail, in which she declines an invitation to the Russian embassy, has confirmed that she sent the e-mail. "Yes, that is right. We did decline the invitation. As far as I can remember I did send the e-mail," she said. Computer Sweden has not been able to confirm the authenticity of any of the other information that has been posted. "When something like this happens you usually contact people and ask them to fix it. But in this case it felt too big for that, calling to other countries," Egerstad said. Of the compromised accounts, 10 belong to the Kazakh embassy in Russia./p> Around 40 belong to Uzbeki embassies and consulates around the world. Login details for e-mail accounts at the U.K. visa office in Nepal were also posted. Login details for the foreign ministry of Iran, the Kazakh and Indian embassies in the U.S. and the Russian embassy in Sweden were also posted. "I hope this makes them take action. Hopefully, faster than ever before, and I hope they become a bit more aware of security issues," Dan Egerstad says. Computer Sweden has contacted both the Russian and Indian embassies in Stockholm for comment. The Russian embassy confirmed the leaks and says that logins have now been changed. The Indian embassy declined to confirm the information and give comment. Computer Sweden has not published where the login details can be found. The information in this story has been verified by Computer Sweden without using any of the published login details. Computer Sweden is an InfoWorld affiliate.


Saudi will intervene in Iraq if U.S. withdraws: aide

Using money, weapons or its oil power, Saudi Arabia will intervene to prevent Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias from massacring Iraqi Sunni Muslims once the United States begins pulling out of Iraq, a security adviser to the Saudi government said on Wednesday.


Distinct differences in the brain activity of paedophiles have been found using scanners, scientists say.


SalesLogix and Salesforce.com Expand Their Customer Service ...

Two leading midmarket CRM vendors released expansions of their platforms this week, branching further into the service side of CRM.


Dutch premier glad donor show a publicity stunt

The Dutch prime minister said a reality television show about a "dying" woman donating her kidneys, which turned out to be a hoax, was not the most suitable way of highlighting the need for more organ donors.


Some Helped Guitarist As Chaos Reigned At Nightclub

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As most fans rushed for the exits after a nightclub shooting that killed five people, a few tried to help and comfort the victims, witnesses and police say.


Grinding Garcia stays in front as Woods wilts

Sergio Garcia played the grinder's role to perfection to strengthen his grip on the British Open on Friday, while a stiff Scottish breeze blew Tiger Woods's title hopes off course.


The 10 Funniest Mac vs. PC YouTube videos

YouTube members are filling the site with videos that parody the recent "I'm a Mac" - "I'm a PC" advertising campaign.


Garry's possession skills displayed at UMass-Lowell

Its's no coincidence that since Medway's Tim Garry suited up for the UMass-Lowell men's soccer team, the River Hawks have won back-to-back Northeast-10 Conference Tournament championships and earned a pair of automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.


Record producer Phil Spector has been indicted on a murder charge in the shooting death of a B-movie actress at his mansion last year.


Roma, 21:55 - CALCIO, LAZIO; BIANCHI: HO FATTO LA SCELTA GIUSTA

La Lazio presenterà domani alle 19 nella sala stampa dello stadio Olimpico Rolando Bianchi, l...


The US halts plan to give foreign investors more control over its airlines, probably delaying an open skies treaty.


Lehman Seeking a New Tone in the Ryder Cup

Tom Lehman remembers watching last year's Ryder Cup on television, and feeling like he had tuned into a horror show.


New Yorker magazine breaks with tradition, endorses Kerry

For the first time in its 80-year history, the venerable New Yorker magazine has endorsed a presidential candidate, urging readers Monday to vote for Democrat John Kerry in next week's election.


Lend Your Hand to Refugee Kids With Just a Click

SURF for a good cause. That's what you can do when you go to http:// Click4TheCause.Live.com from now through March.


Match of the week in the Champions' League features two clubs that have won eight Champions' Cups between them, the powerhouses of Germany and the Netherlands, Bayern Munich versus Ajax Amsterdam.


African leaders have ended a summit in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, with an agreement that Sudan may have to adopt a federal system of government in the Darfur region.


Gunmen shot reggae star Lucky Dube  in front of his children in one of South Africa's  highest-profile murders, uniting political rivals in calls for  a crackdown on violent crime.


Problem gamblers big source of Ont. revenue

TORONTO - People with gambling problems account for more than a third of the $4 billion spent each year by Ontario residents at casinos, racetracks and lottery kiosks, a new study suggests.


New Down's test eliminates miscarriage risk

A new non-invasive test that examines fetal DNA can pick up genetic abnormalities such as Down's syndrome, researchers said on Friday.


In his first public appearance since a life-threatening brain hemorrhage eight months ago, Sen. Tim Johnson told supporters his will to keep fighting for them "has never been stronger."


Rice to visit new French leaders, discuss Darfur

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit France starting on Sunday to meet new President Nicolas Sarkozy in a trip experts said would signal a recovery in bilateral ties that frayed over the Iraq war.


A 10-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl,who was critically wounded by Israeli soldiers gunfire, died of her wounds Wednesday at the hospital in southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, medics said.


Paris Celebrates America's Forgotten Photo Pioneer

American photographer Stephen Shore has spent the last two decades being quietly ignored by the international art world clique.


Emergency crews go to the aid of 11 people stranded on board a damaged yacht in the North Sea.


Toshiba unveils new 80GB, 160GB 1.8-inch hard disks

The 160GB model is a dual-platter design and measures 8 millimeters high. The 80GB model sports a single-platter design and measures 5mm high. Both units feature 15 millisecond seek times and spin at 3600 RPM.


Bush Touts Plan to Help High School Students

President Bush on Saturday touted his plan to boost aid for high school students amid criticism from his Democratic opponent who said he has undercut efforts to fix failing schools.


Yemen ups security after attack kills 7 tourists

Yemen stepped up security around government buildings and foreign interests on Tuesday a day after a suspected al Qaeda suicide bomber killed seven Spanish tourists and two Yemenis at a tourist site.


Music Review | Spoleto Festival U.S.A.: Strange, Faraway Fantasies of Hell and Paradise

At Spoleto U.S.A., two disparate works, âAufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonnyâ and âÃle de Merlin, ou le Monde RenversÃ©,â have odd similarities.


A vaccine that prevents infections known to cause cervical cancer could be available to women within three years, UK experts believe.


U.S. President George W. Bush met Pope Benedict on Saturday and told the pontiff he believed the G8 summit in Germany had been a success.


La pittura su Internet si vede meglio che dal vivo


A new airport security system relies on human judgment


Iran will not stop uranium enrichment despite opposition from the EU, Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator says.


Traces of the word "video" linger beneath a new sign that just went up on a suburban Blockbuster store here. In its place hangs


Top legislator urges further parliament cooperation

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said Sunday that the Chinese legislature is willing to keep close contact with the French parliament to deepen understanding and open up new areas for further cooperation.


S&P says expects no policy shift in Indonesia

Standard & Poor's does not expect Indonesia's preliminary presidential election results, which put former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the lead, to result in major policy shifts, the credit ratings agency said on Wednesday.


In the fight over ports, President Bush finds a position the Arab world can embrace.


Waste Fouls the Waters: Cesspools, Septic Tanks Blamed for Nitrogen Pollution

By Jennifer Smith, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.  Mar. 12--Second of two parts   When the waters of the Forge River turned cloudy and rank, and the fish began to die, many Mastic residents figured sewage was to blame.   In a way, they were right.


British customs officials meet the European Commission on Thursday in a bid to avoid court action for penalties for importing alcohol and tobacco.


Israel marks 30th anniversary of Entebbe

Israel, awaiting word of the fate of a captured soldier, marked the 30th anniversary Tuesday of its dramatic rescue of dozens of hostages from hijacked plane in the African nation of Uganda.


Sporlan Valve makes refrigeration and air conditioning components, controls and systems. The company operates seven manufacturing facilities and employs about 1,000 people.


Democrats in the US are planning a Senate challenge to President George W Bush's handling of the Iraq war.


Rhonda Vincent thought for years that the Beatles classic "Yesterday" originated with the bluegrass group The Country Gentlemen.


Smithsonian Unveils Ocean Science Program

A new ocean science program dedicated to studying and explaining the world's oceans is the latest offering from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.


Huckabee goofs may not bode well for '08

Losing 110 pounds was no mean feat, but Gov. Mike Huckabee may find it more difficult to shed a reputation for verbal gaffes and ethics lapses if he pursues the presidency.


Shopkeepers in Europe's biggest economy have a grin on their faces — and not only because Santa is coming to town.


INDIANAPOLIS -- Allen Iverson scored 40, ending at two his streak of 50-point games, but still led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 102-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.


Turning salt water into drinking water is not a solution to tackle global water scarcity, a WWF report says.


Both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry stepped up their attacks on one another Monday in New Mexico, a battleground state Bush lost in 2000 by just 366 votes.


Aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres pulls out of a town in eastern DR Congo, amid rising concern at fighting.


Genova, 18:51 - CALCIO, SAMPDORIA: ALLA RIPRESA DA VALUTARE BONAZZOLI

Ripresa degli allenamenti della Sampdoria prevista per domani in vista della partita con il Parma. D...


Ten-Year-Old Grilled Cheese Sandwich Is Back On E-Bay

E-Bay pulled the grilled cheese image of the Virgin Mary from its Web site, but reversed its decision Tuesday and put the 10-year-old sandwich back on the auction block.


A man who tried to extort $1.3 million from Tom Cruise in exchange for stolen wedding photographs of the actor and Katie Holmes was sentenced to two years probation Thursday.


Struggling Catamounts tie up Northeastern

Dean Strong scored on a power play with 3:32 left in regulation to lift Vermont to a 2-2 overtime tie with Northeastern last night in the first of two Hockey East meetings in Burlington, Vt.


Political Theater With Iced Tea and a Drawl

Horton Footeâs âDividing the Estateâ is among the most acute analyses of flaws in the American psyche in the 21st century that the theater has come up with to date.


An off-campus party that asked students to come dressed "politically incorrect" has prompted an investigation by Macalester College officials who learned one student was costumed as a Ku Klux Klan member and another wore blackface with a noose around his neck.


Universal has officially dispelled the "unsubstantiated rumors from unnamed sources" that it will switch from HD DVD to Blu-ray.


Yahoo! guest's Dell laptop goes up in smoke

Lenovo ThinkPad burns at Los Angeles airport, too Days after a ThinkPad decided enough spreadsheets already and committed suicide in spectacular fashion at Los Angeles airport, yet another Dell notebook has joined the list of self-immolating laptops, this time at Yahoo!'s US headquarters.â¦


Dance Review | 'Mourning': Human Predators at Large, Butoh Style

Presented at the Japan Society on Thursday as part of the festival âKazuo Ohno 101: 3-Week Butoh Parade,â the dance brings Eiko and Koma back to the theater where they made their American debut in 1976.


An international pilots' group responded to a deadly plane crash in Brazil by urging authorities worldwide Wednesday to install long safety strips at the ends of airport runways.


Frank Thomas couldn't take part in Chicago's World Series run a year ago. Now he's doing his best to prevent the White Sox from making a bid for a second straight title. Thomas dealt another big blow to his former team's dwindling playoff hopes, hitting a three-run homer Sunday to help the Oakland Athletics beat Chicago 5-4.


The man who flustered White House hopeful John McCain last week by questioning his standing among fellow Vietnam prisoners of war was a contributor to rival Fred Thompson's campaign.


Porter Represents Old Area, Just Not in Congress

By Susan Kuczka, Chicago Tribune  Dec. 8--It's been six years since former Republican U.S. Rep. John Porter resigned his 10th District seat in the House of Representatives to join a prestigious Washington law firm after representing the North Shore in Congress for 21 years.


Trade rep sees threat to China-U.S. relations

Trade Representative Susan Schwab on Tuesday warned of a growing threat to U.S.-China trade relations because of protectionist impulses in both countries.


Black Tide proves you're never too young to rock

NEW YORK (Billboard) - When Black Tide's members were barely out of high school, they landed an Ozzfest date on the second stage.


Lexington's Curt takes record 700th victory

After coaching basketball, softball, and field hockey for 31 years at Lexington High School, coach Sandy Curt has compiled more victories than any coach in the school's history. The field hockey team's 2-0 win over Winchester yesterday was the 700th of Curt's career.


California Clergy Abuse Settlement $100M

A record-breaking, $100-million clergy sex abuse settlement between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and 87 plaintiffs brought some measure of relief to long-suffering families Friday, but legal experts differed over whether the blockbuster deal would help resolve a huge backlog of cases in California.


Napoli, 18:11 - CALCIO, NAPOLI: IN GRUPPO ANCHE NAVARRO

Seduta pomeridiana per il Napoli. Lavoro tecnico tattico chiuso da una partitella in famiglia con l'...


Voice 1.0 is so 20th century Silicon Valley start-up Ribbit has announced another $10m in funding, and the opening of a beta developers program for developers wanting to create telephony applications using Flash technology, for a "Voice 2.0" experience.â¦


Universo Transnistria il sogno dell'indipendenza

E' poco piÃ¹  grande della Valle d'Aosta e ha 550 mila abitanti. Ritratto della piccola repubblica che da dieci anni sogna di separarsi dalla Moldavia. Per riunirsi a Mosca


U.S. stocks may gain and volume may  rebound as Wall Street goes back to work after the Labor Day  holiday, and investors bet the Federal Reserve will keep rates  unchanged at its meeting this month.


Wall-Eye May Have Helped Rembrandt's Vision

Rembrandt, the 17th-century Dutch master known for his skill in using light to carry perspective, may have been wall-eyed, a US researcher proposed on Wednesday.


Report: Google's Orkut fights off worm attack

Worm creates scrapbook entries on Orkut profiles and then propagates to friends on the network.


Update 5: Constellation Makes $970M Bid for Mondavi

Constellation Brands Inc., an international producer and marketer of wine, spirits and beers, said Tuesday that it had made a $970 million cash bid to acquire The Robert Mondavi Corp.


Aumentano collegamenti 'veloci'ad internet e le tv hi-tech


Rasmussen Reports - In a match-up between the early 2008 frontrunners, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) leads New York Senator Hillary Clinton (D) 52% to 43%. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Giuliani's lead growing in recent months. His current nine-point advantage is up from a six point lead in January and a four-point lead in December.


New Haven architect to design Adriaen's Landing science center

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A design for a futuristic glass building with a giant plasma video screen landed Cesar Pelli the job as architect for the new science center at Adriaen's Landing.


young women who injure their knees playing soccer appear to have a very high chance of developing a potentially disabling arthritis years later, a study suggests.


President Jacques Chirac says he will order French troops out of Ivory Coast if African leaders ask him to do so.


Most gamers who grew up in the 1980s have fond memories of "Duck Hunt," one of the games that came with the Nintendo Entertainment System. Your controller was a plastic gun, the Zapper, that you used to shoot on-screen ducks; if you missed, your hunting dog would snicker.


Don't Be Fooled by the Swaddling Clothes: Babies Are Liars

Lying is not merely the province of older children and adults. Infants learn the art of deception, too, a new study concludes.


Health officials insist they warned TB patient

The lawyer infected with a dangerous form of tuberculosis who sparked an international hunt when he eluded health authorities insisted on Wednesday that he had never been told he posed a risk to others.


'Emmerdale' Star Stan Richards Dies at Age 74

Actor Stan Richards, who starred as  gamekeeper Seth Armstrong in the British soap opera "Emmerdale"  for 27 years, has died at the age of 74, the show's producers  said on Saturday.


What makes an IT handbag? Celebrity and magazines

The Hermes "Kelly" and "Birkin"  handbags are perennials, while this season Marc Jacobs "Stam"  and Yves Saint Laurent "Downtown" handbags are among the ones  to be seen wearing, but what exactly makes an IT bag?


A jury on Wednesday convicted two teenage brothers of murdering a 10-year-old Nigerian boy as he walked home from a London library nearly six years ago, a killing that horrified Britain and launched a debate about inner-city violence.


British Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to muster international support for rebuilding the Palestinian Authority are an appropriate form of external intervention for the sake of toning down the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and restarting the


Michael Marquez Named Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, CBS Interactive

NEW YORK, Dec. 19  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Michael Marquez has been named Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development for CBS Interactive, it was announced today by Quincy Smith, President of the newly-formed division.


Holiday Shoppers Encounter Glitches at Amazon.com

Recent technical glitches have stopped some holiday shoppers from completing purchases at Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , but the Web retailer's


Northern Ireland businesses could face tougher economic conditions in the coming year, an economist  warns.


As long as it is operating, Huygens will be transmitting data back to Cassini, which will later turn around to point its antenna at Earth and send the data to the Deep Space Network and on to ESA's Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.


Group is asking the Supreme Court to overturn decision in favor of file-swapping networks. Representatives for the music and movie industries have filed a petition asking the US Supreme Court to overturn an


Milano, 13:14 - CALCIO, SERIE B: ANTICIPO E POSTICIPO PRIMA GIORNATA

La Legao ha ufficializzato gli orari di anticipi e posticipi (ore 20:45) della prima giornata del ca...


English Channel wins, Dylan Thomas well beaten

OCEANPORT, New Jersey  - English Channel romped to a crushing win in $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park on Saturday as favorite Dylan Thomas fell to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe jinx.


Impegno manifestato a gen.Borrini da uomini di Al Sadr


Gabe: You might notice that in Today"s comic Tycho is reading Bloodlines. We both just wrapped the book up and it"s incredible. I"ve always been a huge Boba Fett fan and now thanks to Karen Traviss I know why.


A nationwide inspection shows Internet users are not as safe online as they believe. The inspections found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software and dozens of spyware programs secretly running on their computers.


Wall Street surges as Kerry concedes in tight White House race

NEW YORK : Wall Street shares roared higher as investors reacted to news that President George W. Bush had secured a re-election victory after a tight race.


Probe Sought of New Century-KPMG Dealings

The examiner appointed to probe the collapse of subprime mortgage lender New Century Financial has sought a judge's authorization to investigate the company's dealings with its auditor, KPMG.


UPDATE 6-PeopleSoft ousts CEO amid battle with Oracle

PeopleSoft Corp. (PSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fired its chief executive Craig Conway on Friday just hours before US antitrust


Movie Review | 'Paper Dolls': In Search of a Better Life, and a Place to Be Accepted

This modest documentary examines the lives of a group of transsexual Philippine immigrants who work as home attendants for elderly Israelis and also perform in Tel Aviv nightclubs.


VIENTIANE, LAOS -- Rising power China moved yesterday to expand its influence in a region long dominated by the United States, signing an accord with Southeast Asian countries aimed at creating the world's largest free trade area by 2010 -- a sprawling


The European Court of Human Rights is due to begin hearings into alleged human rights abuses in Chechnya.


Abortion levels hit record high in England and Wales

LONDON  - Doctors performed a record number of abortions in England and Wales in 2003, with almost two percent of women aged 15 to 44 choosing to end a pregnancy, according to health ministry figures published in the British press.


In a seesaw campaign, President Bush has opened a lead over John Kerry in their drive to White House victory by making gains in the Midwest and solidifying his Southern base.


Blog: Olympus has begun offering a cloaked image of a new SLR model, likely its new top-end model due later this year.


Expanding space programmes need launch pads China is planning to build a fourth spaceport, or rocket launch pad, in line with its ever-expanding space exploration ambitions.â¦


Another Study Finds Heart Risks in a Diabetes Drug

An independent analysis of thousands of older people with diabetes found that those treated with the widely used drug Avandia had significantly elevated risks of heart attack and death.


Yale is buoyed, so Harvard doesn't expect a cruise

OK, the guys in the crimson shirts will concede that there's more buzz about The Boat Race when it actually figures to be a boat race. "It makes it more fun, pending what happens at the finish," allows Harvard heavyweight crew captain Nick Baker, whose favored teammates take on archrival Yale this afternoon on the Thames ...


Vienna, 20:20 - CALCIO, AUSTRIA: RED BULL KO, TRAP LONTANO DALLA VETTA

Nuovo passo falso per il Red Bull Salisburgo di Giovanni Trapattoni nel 15Â° turno del campionato aus...


Bush says no to Congress in prosecutors' case

The White House told Congress on Monday it would not comply further with demands for documents and testimony in the probe of fired prosecutors, setting up a constitutional battle with the Democratic-led Congress.


A Daily Look at U.S. Iraq Military Deaths

As of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004, at least 1,214 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 944 died as a result of hostile action, the Defense Department said as of Wednesday. The figures include three military civilians.


Targets set by Whitehall for public services like schools and hospitals could be cut by two-thirds, a cabinet minister indicates.


CriticÂs Notebook: Music CityÂs Music Hall: Orpheus Says Howdy

The new Schermerhorn Symphony Center, home to the Nashville Symphony, looks dignified, extremely well made and utterly passive in spirit.


Global Solar goes back to future with thin film solar

Blog: Nothing like metal vapor for making solar cells, says Global Solar.


Traces of explosives found in wreckage of one Russian airliner ...

Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of two airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously, the Federal Security Service said Friday, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.


Feeling the Heat, Just Where It's Needed

Until this week, the mid-Atlantic got the cold shoulder from winter, and area residents just adored the snub. Those lower heating costs were as sweet as playing 18 holes on New Year's Day.


A Belgian court rules that the search company violates copyright law by providing free access to news stories that online newspapers generally charge for. By the Associated Press.


Portuguese authorities are to investigate the safety precautions at a beach near where four people died.


GMU, coming off a 62-60 victory at Radford, has been alternating wins and losses, and George Washington looks to build from Tuesday's dominance at Maryland-Eastern Shore.


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Top Democrat vows to block possible Bush nominee

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid vowed on Wednesday to block former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson from becoming attorney general if President George W. Bush nominates him to replace Alberto Gonzales.


MADISON, Wis. - A hunter faces two charges after shooting a llama that he mistook for a deer.  John M.


British Prime Minister Tony Blair's security strategy looks to be in trouble after a landmark legal ruling against a vital part of his anti-terror policy.


Cruise first to get new Ducati superbike

Tom Cruise is the first on the list to get Ducati's newest motorcycle Â a $72,500 superbike bristling with titanium, magnesium and carbon fiber technology that can scoot up to 200 mph.


Nella stessa giornata manifestazione nazionale a Roma


U.S. Vetoes Plan to End Israeli Operation

UNITED NATIONS - The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed resolution that demanded an immediate end to military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, saying the measure was "lopsided and unbalanced" and "absolves terrorists in the Middle East."   Israel launched the operation six days ago after a Palestinian rocket killed two children in the southern Israeli town of Sderot. The drive into Gaza has left 68 Palestinians dead...


Auschwitz survivor recalls brush with top Nazi

When his father told Ernest Michel to  learn calligraphy, the Jewish teenager never realised that it  would later save his life.


AFP Interview: UN refugee chief says Sudan likely to grant Darfur ...

ABECHE, Chad, Sept 26  -- The Sudanese government has seen the writing on the wall and is likely to grant some autonomy to the violence-wracked Darfur region but the rebels should now do their bit to end the world's worst humanitarian crisis, UN High


First space blogger reveals difficulties of space hygiene

The world's first female space tourist and first space blogger, American national Anousheh Ansari, told the world of the difficulties of keeping tidy in zero gravity.


CEOs see stronger economic growth: survey

U.S. chief executive officers expect the economy to grow over the next six months, according to a quarterly survey by the Business Roundtable released on Wednesday.


Esecuzioni il giorno dopo moratoria approvata dall'Onu


German truckmaker Man launches a 9.6bn euros takeover bid for Swedish rival Scania.


Sudan says it will obey UN's Darfur resolution

KHARTOUM The Sudanese government vowed Sunday to carry out the UN Security Council's resolution on Darfur, although it said the resolution was unfair and damaging to African mediation efforts, a minister said here.


World figures condemn the succession of President Eyadema's son after his father's death.


Con Gillette diventa n.1 mondiale prodotti al consumo


Media del 57% nell'utilizzo per i nuovo membri


U.S. Warns of Planned Militant Attacks in Kuwait

The United States has warned militants  are preparing to launch attacks in U.S.-allied Kuwait and urged  Americans in the Gulf Arab state to be watchful.


FDA OKs artificial heart implants for seriously ill

Seriously ill heart failure patients   expected to live only a month and ineligible for transplant can   get an implant of a permanent artificial heart, U.S. health   officials ruled on Tuesday.


Pot (of soup) boils over in Arsenal-Manchester feud

Accusations of vicious fouls, cheating, refereeing mistakes and a disputed penalty kick followed the latest confrontation between two of the giants of English soccer -- a 2-0 victory by Manchester United that ended Arsenal's record unbeaten streak of 49


Chilean anti-riot forces in armoured vehicles fired water and tear gas at protesters in central Santiago on Friday, hours before the arrival of US President George W Bush for a major summit.


TiVo said Wednesday that it would offer its 80-hour Series2 DVRs for free after rebate while supplies last. The box normally retails for $219.99 USD. Additionally, the 80-hour dual tuner TiVo would be offered for $69.99 USD, and the 180-hour for $169.99 USD.


Marine recommends dropping Haditha charges

SAN DIEGO, California  - The military officer overseeing the case against a U.S. Marine charged with murder in the November 2005 killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha has recommended that the charges be dropped.


Three more judges rule Hamm gets gold medal

Sports' highest court rejected an appeal from a South Korean gymnast on Thursday, ruling that Hamm is the rightful champion in the men's all-around competition at the Athens Games.


Al Leiter provided a settling influence and Kerry Wood struggled with his control, yielding three first-inning runs.


Roma, 14:25 - CALCIO, ROMA: TOTTI A DISPOSIZIONE PER LA SAMPDORIA

Buone notizie per la Roma. Contro la Sampdoria, nell'anticipo di domani sera, ci sarà anche F...


Clashes in Restive Iraqi Province Kill 10

U.S. forces and insurgents clashed in  the restive Iraqi province of Al-Anbar on Wednesday, killing 10  Iraqis and wounding six, health ministry officials said.


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Yesha statement calls for civil disobedience

The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria (Yesha Council) has publicized a statement in which it calls on settlers to actively disobey the government's execution of the disengagement and compensation law for removal of all Jewish settlements


Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore ended his long-shot campaign for presidency on Saturday.


Update 1: Source: Film Industry Suing Computer Users

Taking a cue from recording companies, Hollywood movie studios are preparing to file copyright infringement lawsuits against computer users they say are illegally distributing movies online, a source familiar with the studios' plans said Wednesday.


Roma, 19:05 - CALCIO, ROMA: ASSENTE MANCINI, CHIVU TORNA IN GRUPPO

Allenamento defaticante per la Roma in vista della gara di mercoledÃ¬ con il Chievo. Assente Mancini,...


By Anonymous  Travel social networking site WAYN is to introduce streamed video ads to target its eight million members worldwide. WAYN (Where Are You Now?) members will be able to use the technology, supplied by VideoEgg, to post video content from virtually any device.


Iran's new nuclear negotiator to meet EU's Solana

Iran's new nuclear negotiator arrived in Rome on Tuesday to meet Western diplomats who will try to gauge whether his appointment is a sign Tehran has hardened its stance on its atomic program.


Tra i destinatari il responsabile della security Pirelli


Enjoyable and fulfilling tasks like gaming and praying can now be delegated to wililng peons, leaving you free to do ... we're not exactly sure what. By Vince Beiser from  Wired magazine.


Physics GCSE: 'insultingly easy, non scientific, and vague'

UK science education flushed away Physics GCSE papers are full of questions that are vague, stupid, insultingly easy, political, and non-scientific.â¦


Home Depot profit falls on housing slowdown

Home Depot Inc. , the world's largest home improvement retailer, posted a 28 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday as the weak U.S. housing market depressed sales.


ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons have offered their head coaching job to Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith, a person familiar with the search said Wednesday. The person, who requested anonymity because contract talks between the Falcons and Smith have not been completed, said a news...


It's a new way to push for patient safety: Don't pay hospitals when they commit certain errors. Medicare will start hitting hospitals where it hurts in October, and other insurers are hot on the trail


India is to reduce its troop deployments in the disputed territory of Kashmir this winter, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced.


Velina Rossa, e' ora di aprire a Lega.Bonaiuti, ok dialogo


Livorno, 19:54 - CALCIO, LIVORNO: A FILIPPINI NON RECUPERA PER IL TORINO

Allenamento pomeridiano per il ivorno in vista della gara con il Torino: il tecnico Camolese ha fatt...


Santa Ana Winds, Frequent and Troublesome

Those often furious, sometimes deadly Santa Ana winds contributing to the Southern California wildfires are a phenomenon of geography as well as meteorology.


US Soldier Pleads Guilty to Murdering Iraqi Youth

Staff Sergeant Johnny Horne was convicted Friday of the unpremeditated murder of the civilian youth in Baghdad's Sadr City district in August.


A man is banned for two years from every pub in the UK after he hit and bit a customer in a Devon bar.


Unlike many of his previous albums, there are no remixes, no western instrumentation, no cosmetic gimmicks, no climbing the speed wagon with racy percussion, no cacophony of screaming vocals, and no deafening decibels.


BP PLC said Friday it has agreed to sell its stake in a giant Siberian gas field project to state-controlled gas monopoly OAO Gazprom — a widely expected move that comes as the Kremlin tightens its hold on the world's biggest oil and gas industry.


Steelcase Inc. SCS.N, the world's  largest office-furniture maker, on Thursday swung back to a  quarterly profit from the previous quarter, but warned that  rising raw-materials prices would hurt results going forward.


Da combattimento ad appoggio, Cnn anticipa contenuti studio


Seven Westerners are reportedly kidnapped from a finance ministry building in central Baghdad.


Israel releases 170 in overture to Abbas

JERUSALEM -- Israel yesterday approved the release of 170 Palestinian prisoners in a goodwill gesture to Egypt and encouragement to interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in hopes of future negotiations.


(InfoWorld) - Data protection officials from 27 European countries have warned Google it is storing data on people's searches for too long -- but Europe's top privacy guardian, the European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx, believes Google's efforts to respect the privacy of European citizens in its Internet search software "is not just window dressing."His comments at a conference in Amsterdam on Thursday come a week after the data protection officials wrote to the company, expressing concerns that the company could be breaching European laws by holding on to details about people's Internet searches for too long.The officials from each of the 27 member states of the European Union sit on a Europe-wide data protection committee called the Article 29 Working Group, which is chaired by Hustinx.The group has asked Google to justify why it needs to retain the data for up to two years, and whether the company has "fulfilled all the necessary requirements" on data protection. European Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini said Friday that the questions posed in that letter are "legitimate."But speaking on the sidelines of a data protection conference in Amsterdam, which Google's global privacy chief Peter Fleischer was also attending, Hustinx played down the inquiry."I see a company which has very powerful tools, thinking about integrating privacy solutions -- that's the big picture," he said.Google's efforts to respect people's privacy "isn't just window dressing, but we will hold them to what they are saying," he added.His comments came directly after Fleischer made a presentation explaining how Google's personal search function works. Users can opt in to this more refined search tool, using a log-in identity and password. Once they have done so, the search engine takes their Internet searching history into consideration when picking results for new searches.For example, if you have been searching for cars recently and you tap in the search term "golf", the results will focus on cars of that model rather than on the sport, Fleischer explained.Users of the personalized search function can delete searches they made in the past, in order to prevent them influencing the search results they get in future, Fleischer added.By allowing people to opt in to the personalized search function and by giving them the ability to customize their search history, Google was respecting people's privacy, Fleischer said.Google stores information about all searches, both personalized and normal, he said, but details of normal searches can't be linked to an individual."Google does have the information but it can't link it to you," he said.In the past, Fleischer has said that the company needs to keep details of people's searches for security reasons, to help guard against hacking.Information about people's searches can also help track criminal activity such as child porn rings, but security agencies are mainly interested in the information Google stores on the users of its e-mail service, Gmail, he said.The police aren't interested in the information about people's general searches, he said. He declined to comment on whether details about subscribers to the personalized search function had been accessed by the authorities.European data protection law limits the amount of time companies can hold on to personal data gleaned from electronic networks to the amount of time the information is required for billing purposes. The law was written mainly with fixed and mobile phone technology in mind, but it also applies to data gathered from Internet searches.Fleischer said the law, passed in 1995 when Google hadn't been born, is totally out of date and he urged European lawmakers to update it to take account of new technologies."The technical architecture has changed a lot since 1995, even though the basic principles of privacy still apply. The time has come to re-think some of this process," he said.In particular, the way the law deals with international transfers of data has to be reviewed, he said. Europe has one of the toughest data protection regimes in the world. The law forbids the passing of personal information about European citizens to other parts of the world with more lax data protection regimes.The U.S. is considered to offer inferior data protection, so companies operating on both sides of the Atlantic have to sign complicated get-out clauses in order to pass information about their staff or customers to offices in the U.S."The Internet is all about international transfers," Fleischer said. He wants the different parts of the world to cooperate in order to create a single approach to data protection "We as a company have a single approach to privacy right across the world. We can't run a system that has different privacy levels for, say Google.com and the Dutch site Google.nl -- that would be crazy."So if we can do it why can't policymakers?" he asked.He called for a global privacy treaty. "It will be complicated and will probably take a decade, but the technology of the internet has been a wake-up call for policymakers that this is needed. We need to start talking now. We in the industry have to start the debate," he said.


NEW Zealand paranoia swept Brisbane yesterday when Australia were accused of manipulating the Gabba pitch to negate the threat of spinner Daniel Vettori.


Ad Infuse Launches Ad-Serving For iPhone

TechWeb - The Ad Infuse server recognizes when an iPhone is requesting video and delivers the appropriate advertisement.


Osaka, 15:27 - ATLETICA, MONDIALI: USA ORO IN 4X100 MASCHILE

Medaglia d'oro per gli Stati nella 4x100 maschile ai Mondiali di atletica di Osaka.


New York celebrates Super Bowl win with parade

Confetti rained down on a sea of New York Giants blue on Tuesday as fans celebrated the team's surprising Super Bowl victory with a parade up New York City's fabled "Canyon of Heroes."


The U.S. economy shot forward at an  upwardly revised 5.3 percent annual rate in the first quarter,  the fastest growth in 2-1/2 years, as companies built up  inventories and exports strengthened, a Commerce Department  report on Thursday showed.


Taliban militants in Afghanistan released three South Korean hostages, the first of 19 captives scheduled to be freed under a deal struck between the insurgents and the South Korean government.


Stock futures pointed to a mixed open on  Thursday, as investors stayed cautious ahead of housing and  durable goods orders data that could shed light on the health  of the U.S. economy and outlook for interest rates.


Carphone Warehouse calls in 3PAR for 24TB arrays

Virtualises storage for its utility data centre Carphone Warehouse has tapped storage newbie 3PAR for 24TB of virtualised disk storage.â¦


Movie Review | 'Milarepa': A Mysticâs Early Life

There are stunning locales but not much subtlety on display in âMilarepa.â


Strikes planned for January 7, 14 and 17 after union ballot


Blog: Li Gong to head up efforts at making Firefox China's browser of choice.


Images: President Bush, walking and waving; Kerry speaking; factory workers; Kerry with a mother and her son; an elderly couple. Video: A new advertisement by the Kerry-Edwards campaign is the first ad in


Fall movies feel fresh, but fans will now decide

A funny thing has happened on the  way to movie theaters this fall: Hollywood, it seems, has been  listening to fans looking for original features after years of  boring sequels, prequels and remakes.


Scientists report new developments in the use of stents, which stop blockages in coronary arteries.


Search Marketing in Regulated Industries

Developing and promoting a site for a company in a highly regulated industry can be a challenge to a search marketer on many unforeseen levels. Here's how to avoid common gotchas or even worse consequences.


Capello urges patience over England change

Fabio Capello left no doubt about the size of the task facing him as he tries to drag England out of the international wilderness.


Le richieste sono state per 40,95 miliardi di dollari


Brian Griese replaced injured rookie Chris Simms Sunday and threw for 194 yards and a touchdown as Tampa Bay fought off New Orleans, 20-17.


Are stock shortages the new marketing strategy for consoles?

As Wii and Xbox 360 shortage play games with consumers, Don Reisinger wonders if it's all a ploy to sell more consoles.


The Motley Fool - Here's a way to break all those frumpy cocktail conversation taboos against topics like money or politics: bring up The Blue Fund Group. Last week, the fund filed a registration statement with the SEC that would make it the first mutual fund to explicitly support Democrats.


Announcement on British handover of Iraqi province 'imminent'

Britain expects an announcement to be made on the handover of security control of the Iraqi province of Dhi Qar "imminently", the ministry of defence has told AFP.


Coen Brothers Named Best 2007 Directors by U.S. Peers

The Directors Guild of America on Saturday chose Ethan and Joel Coen as best feature film directors for 2007 for their gritty crime drama "No Country for Old Men," an award known for signaling which filmmakers will win top Oscars.  Under the specter ...


Hispanic activists who viewed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as a voice of moderation on illegal immigration say they've been taken aback by the hard-line stance he's adopted as a presidential candidate.


DETROIT -- Steve Yzerman, who led the Detroit Red Wings to three Stanley Cups, will have his No. 19 jersey retired Jan. 2.


A sign inside the oddly if straightforwardly named Irish Guinness Pub here notes that Dublin is 1,151 miles to the west.


Denmark catches the most wind for power. Japan absorbs the most sun. Now Britain wants to rule the waves. Wave and tidal stream machines are the latest exploratory technology


Mibtel +0,21%, SP/Mib +0,03%, titolo Telecom segna +0,2%


Under fire, Democrats seek end to spy law feud

Bush says congressional leaders are endangering Americans by letting a wiretap law expire. His political foes defend the inaction and say they're searching for compromise.


A rescue operation is under way to find a teenager who fell into the sea in Fife while fishing off a pier with a friend.


After watching their starting pitchers struggle for much of the season, the New York Yankees would like to bring Jon Lieber back for 2005.


NBC apologises for Today outrage Middle America is none to pleased with veteran thespiatrix Jane Fonda who yesterday entertained viewers of NBC's Today show with "a four-letter word for female genitalia".â¦


Stocks tanked Friday as worries about more problems in the bank sector, slower corporate earnings growth, the weak dollar, and record-high oil prices all came to a head.


A Californian-based team is halfway to claiming a $10 million prize by putting a privately financed manned craft into sub-orbital space.


Poll in PA: Majority of Palestinians oppose terror attacks

A poll conducted by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center indicates a dramatic decline in Palestinian support for acts of violence targeting Israelis.


Major powers expected to meet on Iran this week

Major powers plan to meet in London this week to discuss new U.N. sanctions on Iran amid a spat between Washington and the U.N. nuclear watchdog over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.


Annan convenes emergency meeting to oversee UN tsunami relief ...

30 December 2004 - Rushing back to United Nations Headquarters in New York from an interrupted holiday following the devastating Asian tsunami, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today convened a top level meeting of emergency officials and agency heads to


EMI has confirmed significant success with the company's move to sell DRM-free tracks through iTunes.


The board of troubled aviation firm EADS is meeting for the first time since announcing delays to Airbus production.


Here are some suggestions on how to help your family members safely use that new trojan horse they received under the Christmas tree this year.


Chicago threatens to close Wrigley Field

Chicago, IL, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Chicago's buildings commissioner is threatening to shut down Wrigley Field before Monday's Cubs-Brewers game unless the Cubs prove the stadium is safe.


FortiusOne Takes Teamwork From the Office to the River

About 20 strokes from the Key Bridge, the lactic acid kicks in. Ruth Stiver and Jen Reck have spent a full day at work, and now, at the end of their second practice of the day, the Pan American Games bronze medalists are cutting through the Potomac River on their narrow doubles shell and are star...


European antitrust regulators extend their review of Microsoft-Time Warner deal. Also: Gateway plans to sell desktops at CompUSA & hellip;. Vodafone's Japanese unit headhunts an executive from rival NTT DoCoMo & hellip;. and more.


La ragazza scampata al massacro ha forti mal di testa


Police, insurgents clash south of Baghdad, 8 killed

Fierce clashes between insurgents and police left at least eight people dead and 11 wounded south of Baghdad on Thursday, police sources said.


Tishman has joined with Lehman Brothers to buy Archstone-Smith Trust, the second-largest public apartment owner in terms of market cap and asset value, for $13.5 billion.


Ex-Surgeon General Says White House Hushed Him

Former surgeon general Richard H. Carmona yesterday accused the Bush administration of muzzling him on sensitive public health issues, becoming the most prominent voice among several current and former federal science officials who have complained of political interference.


Recalling the 'forgotten children of Lebanon'

In an attempt to raise awareness about the causes and prevention of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the mother of a 16-year-old suffering from the disorder organized a conference


Wal-Mart launches video download service

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.,  already the nation's top seller of DVDs, said Tuesday that it  has become the first major retailer to offer a digital download  service that will feature movies from all the major studios.


Livorno, 18:40 - CALCIO, LIVORNO; AMELIA: LUCARELLI VUOL TORNARE

Il Livorno deve sperare sempre in Lucarelli. Amelia svela che il centravanti non ha dimenticato la s...


Mount St. Helens on Higher Eruption Alert

Mount St. Helens could erupt within days, government scientists said on Wednesday, raising the alert after movement in the volcano's lava crust was detected following a week of small earthquakes.


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Analysis: When Fed Says Jump, Investors Ask 'How High?'

Ironic thing about the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates -- tighter money puts investors on edge about their financial assets, but


Travel company Cendant, the owner of Avis and Budget car hire firms, is in advanced talks to buy travel website Orbitz for $1bn. Orbitz was started by five US airlines in 2000 and floated on Nasdaq for $300m in December 2003.


Bilawal Bhutto, son of murdered Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto, urges the media to respect his privacy.


Republican John McCain holds a slim lead on rival Mitt Romney in Michigan one day before the state's hotly contested presidential nominating contest, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Monday.


Postcards convince deliquents to leave life of crime behind

West Midlands police began sending out postcards with a picture of the Birmingham prison and the inscription "Wish you were here?" to 700 former inmates in an effort to dissuade them from returning to a life of crime.


Explosions and gunfire shook Najaf today amid fierce battles between US forces and Shiite militants, who remained in control of a revered shrine there as negotiations dragged on for its handover to religious authorities.


Zend Developer Zone: Zend Releases Zend Platform 2.2 and Zend Core for Oracle

The Zend Developer Zone notes that their parent company, Zend, has release new versions of two of their products - Zend Platform 2.2 and Zend Core for Oracle 1.5.0.   I recently received a private email announcing to only me and about one billion other people that Zend (he who pays the DevZone bills) has released the latest versions of Zend Platform and Zend Core for Oracle.   Changes for the latest Zend Platform include:  PHP 5.1.6 support Total count of 131 fixed bugs includes the Security Update which was released a couple of weeks ago    Changes for the Zend Core for Oracle include:  Updated PHP 5.1.6 Improved the Zend Enabler for Windows (PHP bug fix) Updated Oracle OCI8 extension and Oracle Instant Client    You can get full details on the Zend Plaform from this page on the Zend site, and all the information about the Zend Core over here.


Apprentice contestants take it to the catwalk in the cutthroat apparel business.


UK manufacturing firms are enjoying their biggest rise in exports since 1995, a report says.


It's His Party, He'll Dish if He Wants To

WHAT A PARTY!  My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators, and Other Wild Animals  By Terry McAuliffe, with Steve Kettmann  Thomas Dunne Books, 416 pp., $24.95 At the very least, there is one totally true statement in Terence R. McAuliffe's new memoir: "This is my book," he writes, "and obviously I've done my best to make myself look good." ...


Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga said he's ready to talk to Nick Saban again, but he's not ready to make an offer to the LSU coach or either of the two other candidates who have interviewed.


Zheng Xiaoyu, former director of China's State Food and Drug Administration, was executed on Tuesday after being found guilty of corruption, Xinhua news agency said.


Event: Petula Clark in Concert When: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Oct.


Mobile payments and banking are now moving into the U.S. through some big names, but the speedy checkout system is slow to put in place.


Do composting toilet worms get the blues?

NZ council probes 'psychological impact' of crap job Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has required the inventor of a worm-driven composting toilet to get professional confirmation that his workforce was not "traumatised or stressed" by its crap job, the Sunday Star Times reports.â¦


"Hot Ghetto Mess," a BET series that has provoked criticism and sent advertisers fleeing before it has even aired, will prove detractors wrong, BET entertainment head Reginald Hudlin said.


Frank Elegar gets 27 points and 10 rebounds, as surprising Drexel beats No. 23 Syracuse, 84-79, on the road.


Baeble Music Announces Distribution Deal With Insound.Com

Today Baeble Media announces a distribution partnership with Insound.com.  Insound.com will offer digital downloads of Baeble Music's growing catalogue of live concert video programming.


They are the up-and-coming generation. Smart. Capable. And uncertain about working for Uncle Sam after they graduate from college.


Chrysler Group Chief Executive Tom LaSorda has told employees of the struggling automaker that it might take months before questions about a possible sale of the unit of DaimlerChrysler AG  could be answered.


New orders at U.S. factories rose a less-than-expected 2.3 percent in December, the steepest gain since July, on strong aircraft sales, a government report showed on Monday.


New York Unveils Last, Best Bid to Gain the Olympics in 2012

A massive plan to attract the 2012 Summer Olympics to New York, touting the city's diversity, financial and media power, was revealed Wednesday.


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- Hoping to give a boost to the battle against obesity, General Mills is converting all of its "Big G" cereals to whole grain.


- H&R Block Inc. , the largest U.S. tax preparer, said its quarterly net income from continuing operations rose 9 percent, helped by a strong performance at its consumer financial services division.


Sean Penn and wife Robin to divorce after 11 years

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn and his wife, Robin Wright Penn, are divorcing after 11 years of marriage, People magazine reported on Friday.


Established security players profit from the rush to look for bad things in luggage and spot faces of evil-doers in crowds -- without real technology breakthroughs. But some little guys with the right products may get in on the homeland-security market, as well.


Security experts consider easing  the estimate of the terrorist threat to the UK as six suspects are held.


After signaling contrary intentions the day before, the Red Sox last night elected not to offer salary arbitration to outfielder Trot Nixon, who under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement could still return to the club, but almost certainly at a much reduced price than the $6.5 million he was paid last season.


Cisco has agreed to buy WiMax base station maker Navini Networks for $330 million.


Travellers to Africa from South East Asia and South America should be screened and treated for drug-resistant malaria, experts advise.


Scientists tracing the stuff dreams are made of

WASHINGTON - A stroke that robbed a woman of her dreams may help pinpoint where and how dreams are born in the brain, scientists said on Friday.


Liverpool confirm that the investment arm of Dubai's government is in talks about a takeover of the club.


Siena, 14:07 - CALCIO, SIENA: DEFINITO INGAGGIO FICAGNA

Il Siena ha acquistato dal Cesena il difensore Daniele Ficagna, 26 anni. Il giocatore ha firmato un ...


Impennata ad agosto verso Europa Centrale e Orientale


Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: The Great SEO Myths of our Time - Let's Test Hijacking A Google Listing - Internet Searches Getting Re-directed - Search Engines Offering SEO Services? - Shopping Search Arrives as an Important Vertical - Is Having A Yahoo Directory Listing A Hindrance? - Google Not Reporting All Backlinks


Il manager si ritira nonostante una crescita del 18%


Futures signal dip on Wall Street before Bernanke

Stock futures eased on Thursday, suggesting Wall Street shares may pare some of the previous day's gains as investors await word on the outlook for monetary policy from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.


Children's slides, incense holders from cemeteries and even the roof of a public toilet have disappeared in a spate of metal robberies in Japan prompted by surging steel and copper prices.


Weyerhaeuser Co , one of the  world's largest paper and lumber companies, said on Monday that  it would probably close plants and restrict operations because  of weak market conditions.


Pakistani opposition says hundreds detained

Pakistani authorities have detained hundreds of opposition party activists in advance of a day of protests against the government this week, opposition party officials said on Tuesday.


Afghan police officials said the exchange of fire between U.S. troops and the police officers today was a result of mistaken identity.


Parigi, 13:51 - CALCIO, STAMPA FRANCESE: IL LIVERPOOL VUOLE MALOUDA

Sull'esterno offensivo dell'Olympique Lione, Florent Malouda, ci sarebbe il Liverpool. Questo almeno...


Sudan: why Powell calls Darfur violence âgenocideâ

The declaration by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell last week that âgenocide has been committed in Darfur and the government of Sudan and that the Janjaweed bear responsibility


Revised Figures Show Sharper Slowdown in Productivity in the Fourth Quarter of 2006

New labor statistics show that productivity is slowing faster than previously thought, raising the question of whether layoffs are soon to follow.


Richiesta nuova legge per fronteggiare sfide tecnologiche


Europe Plans a Quieter and Cleaner Passenger Jet

The European Union is planning a public-private partnership to help its aviation industry develop greener and quieter aircraft.


STOP RADAR - Enav, ripristinata piena operativita'

"Questa notte e' stata ripristinata la piena operativita' del Centro di Controllo di Area di Milano". Lo rende noto l'Enav.La piena operativita' -si spiega- e' stata ripristinata grazie all'attivazione di


The office equipment maker cited cost controls and growth in equipment financing and services, though its outlook for the first quarter was partly below Wall Street expectations.


Tony Blair and Condoleezza Rice will discuss possible sanctions against Iran when they meet at Chequers.


Roma, 11:27 - CALCIO, PANCALLI: SIAMO AD UN PUNTO DI SVOLTA

Il Commissario straordinario della Figc Luca Pancalli è convinto che dopo i tragici fatti di ...


Gay Advocacy Group Says Its President Is Resigning

In a surprise shake-up, Cheryl Jacques, president of the Human Rights Campaign, is resigning immediately after 11 months on the job, officials of the group, the


Bush proposes steps to deal with mortgage crisis

President George W. Bush on Friday tried to calm financial market turmoil from the credit crisis by announcing proposals intended to prevent homeowners from defaulting on risky mortgages.


Prenatal care, which includes not only professional health care services but also a healthy lifestyle, is a key factor in preventing birth problems.


Sea-urchin diver found safe and sound near Nova Scotia's Digby Neck

TIVERTON, N.S. (CP) - A sea-urchin diver reported missing off southwestern Nova Scotia turned up safe and sound Tuesday morning after an arduous swim and a night in the woods.


Google Base & Importance of Merchant Attributes Brian Smith of Comparison Engines has been doing some product searches at Google Base only to find very little products listed for some popular terms. Seems that merchants are overlooking or paying little attention to the optional fields in Google Base which allow merchants to set up their own [...]


Shouting protesters interrupted Britain's top law official during a speech Wednesday in which he urged Muslim parents to watch their children closely for signs of extremism.


Security experts say they have discovered a Trojan horse that records e-banking user details and Web surfing habits. Antivirus company Sophos is warning that the Banker-AJ Trojan is targeting online customers


JASON ROBINSON: The England captain boycotted the media all week but did his talking on the pitch as South Africa were comfortably dispatched.


US stocks looked set for little change at the open on Friday as losses in previous sessions were seen leveling off, but high oil prices and their possible effect on corporate profits and consumer spending remain a worry for investors.


Lo riferisce il ministro Paolo Ferrero alla fine del Cdm


Nearly half of extremely premature babies who survive develop a disability or learning difficulty, a study says.


Kiev, la crisi si aggrava. Botta e risposta tra Putin e Bush

07.03: Sulla situazione in Ucraina, ieri botta e risposta tra Putin e Bush. Il presidente russo si Ã¨ detto contrario all'ipotesi di ripetere solo il ballottaggio per uscire dalla crisi innescata dal voto


UK police see key witness in Litvinenko probe

British police, in Moscow as part of an investigation into the Litvinenko poisoning, questioned on Wednesday a Russian who met the ex-spy the day he fell ill.


FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines will put off buying $2.7 billion worth of new airplanes from Boeing Co. as the airline struggles amid heavy competition and high fuel prices.


Looking at Hollinger International tells you all you need to know about companies that should never make it into your portfolio.


Reduced risk of institutionalisation in patients with dementia

Five hundred and ninety-six patients, from seven countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom) were included in this retrospective analysis* of patients who originally ...


Where Is She? Not on ABC, as Network Abandons Pageant

For years, as its longtime song asserted, the winner of the Miss America Pageant was the ideal American woman, a paragon that included Lee Meriwether, Bess Myerson and Phyllis George.


Where Risk and Choice and Hope Converge, a Guiding Voice

Daniela Iacoboni, a genetic counselor, seeks to balance information about risk with caution about passing on serious diseases.


France's parliament passes a new bill introducing possible DNA tests for foreign migrants joining relatives.


KERBALA, Iraq  - Iraqi forces imposed tight security on the city of Kerbala as 2.5 million pilgrims marked the climax of a major Shi'ite rite on Saturday, a day after gunmen attacked worshippers and police in other southern cities.


Israel mulls suspending ties over Abbas-Hamas deal

Israel is considering suspending contacts with moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas if his new unity government with Hamas does not meet international demands, Israeli officials said on Monday.


Bodies found as U.S. vows to secure Baghdad

Iraqi police have found the bodies of   47 more death squad victims in Baghdad, the latest in a wave of   sectarian killings which prompted the United States to divert   troops from other parts of Iraq to the embattled capital.


Oscar winner Nicole Kidman was recently spotted dressed in a white wedding gown and walking down the aisle towards actor Will Farrell.


Ashton Kutcher's hipster antics are just what the Frog network   ordered.


BAGHDAD -- A roadside bomb killed seven US soldiers in northwest Baghdad, and two Marines were killed in western Iraq yesterday, the deadliest day for American forces since a suicide attack on a US base last month.


GREEN BAY, Wis. Jacksonville held off Green Bay at frigid Lambeau Field 28-to-25. Fred Taylor ran 22 times for 165 yards and one touchdown.


Site: Zarqawi Group Beheads Two Iraqi Soldiers

The group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said it beheaded two Iraqi soldiers in broad daylight in Mosul, a statement found on an Islamist Web site on Friday said.


President Bush is embracing troublesome topics that should be hurting him and fighting for states that should be tilting away from him in a campaign that has focused so far on character rather than issues.


"Soul Food" actress ventures to "Nowhereland"

"Soul Food" TV star Nicole  Ari Parker will play the separated wife of Eddie Murphy in the  comedy "NowhereLand."


Phil Kessel scored the lone shootout goal in rallying the Boston Bruins from a two-goal deficit to seal a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.


General Electric Posts Higher 3rd-Quarter Profit

The results matched the consensus estimate of 38 cents per share with health care and transportation among the businesses with a jump in orders.


A bomb exploded Saturday in a Shiite district of Baghdad, killing nine and injuring 28 as Iraq's incoming prime minister prepared to present his Cabinet to parliament for approval, police said.


Russia calls for arms control conference

Russia on Monday called for an emergency conference next month on a key Soviet-era arms control treaty that has been a source of increasing friction between Moscow and the NATO alliance.


Crime Drops, and New York Acts to Keep It Under Control

Every new police officer in New York City will be sent onto the streets of some of the cityâs toughest neighborhoods as part of a broad anticrime operation, the city announced.


This is a German version of mulled wine. When I was 18 and stationed in Heidelberg, Germany I encountered a cold that was strange to someone from southern California.


Dogs trained by a British charity have played a central role in ground-breaking research into bladder cancer, it was announced today.


Power company Duke Energy Corp  on Tuesday raised its earnings target for the next five years based on returns from higher spending and growing demand.


Militants warn Iraqis not to cast ballots

BAGHDAD -- Three militant groups warned Iraqis against voting in Jan. 30 elections, saying yesterday that people participating in the "dirty farce" risked attack. All 700 employees of the electoral commission in Mosul reportedly resigned after being threatened.


Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is scolding his party in a nationally broadcast ad Sunday and in an open letter to party leaders that asserts that the blame for Washington's dysfunction does not rest just with Democrats.


In Ruse, Vancouver Officer Poses as Reporter to Arrest Protester

The trick was meant to lure David Cunningham, so he could be issued a peace bond that ordered him away from members of an Olympic Games organizing committee.


Aging: For Uninsured, Medicare Makes a Healthy Impact

Uninsured people 55 and older significantly reduce their risk of declining health after they enroll in Medicare at 65, a new study suggests.


The US says something went tragically wrong in a shooting involving private guards that left 11 Iraqis dead.


Md. Track Meet Is Game Of Wait and Hurry Up

Indoor track meets bring together hundreds of athletes into one localized area, creating organized chaos for event coordinators and abject boredom for competitors.


Former defence secretary Geoff Hoon is to give evidence at the inquest of a British tank commander killed in Iraq.


'TwoDay' Method Helps Women Avoid Pregnancy

A technique that teaches women to track their vaginal secretions cues them when they are most likely to get pregnant, and offers a "valuable addition " to family planning, according to researchers.


Bush Names Hawkish Rice Top U.S. Diplomat

President Bush on Tuesday picked National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who once tutored him on global affairs, to be his top diplomat, saying her foreign-policy experience and struggle against racism uniquely qualified her to be America's "face to the world" as secretary of state.


Litvinenko widow: my husband was no double agent

Poisoned Russian exile Alexander Litvinenko was no spy for Britain, and such claims are no more than an attempt by the man accused of his murder to shield himself from justice, Litvinenko's widow said in an interview.


Bellhorn Homer Gives Boston World Series Lead

Mark Bellhorn cracked an eighth-inning,  game-winning homer as the Boston Red Sox fended off the "Curse  of the Bambino" and the St. Louis Cardinals 11-9 to get the  100th World Series off to a wild start Saturday.


With tears rolling down his cheeks, Harlan Chamberlain watched his son pitch in the major leagues for the first time. Joba Chamberlain did not disappoint.


In an attempt to challenge Google's YouTube, Viacom announces plans to make its videos available on thousands of sites.


Greece hailed a new sporting diva on Wednesday when Fani Halkia surged from relative obscurity a few days ago to be crowned the women's 400 meters hurdles Olympic champion.


Google Picks Up in-Game Ad Firm: IS COMPANY MAKING ITS OWN VIRTUAL WORLD?

By Ryan Blitstein and Dean Takahashi, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.  Feb. 17--Google has acquired San Francisco in-game advertising company AdScape Media, according to a news report.


The approval of a new drug is a long-term opportunity.


Wall Street banks have failed to unload $220 billion of debt, which financed a wide range of major corporate buyouts initiated over the past two years, and that backlog is choking the credit markets despite recent efforts by the Federal Reserve and Treasury to invigorate the economy.


The Supreme Court on Monday gave the go-ahead to merger negotiations between UFJ Holdings Inc. and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group Inc.


Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has received a $500 campaign donation from a white supremacist, and the Texas congressman doesn't plan to return it, an aide said Wednesday.


TAIPEI, Taiwan - YouTube co-founder Steve Chen said on Saturday consumers in many parts of the world will have access to the popular video-sharing Web site on their mobile phones by next year.


Emil meets Mrs. Pepperpot. Illustrations by Bjorn Berg

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.- What do Astrid Lindgren's Emil and Alf Proysen's Mrs. Pepperpot have in common? An obvious answer is the artist Bjorn Berg.


A runaway hit in Britain, "Shaun of the Dead" is a subversive mixture of grandly scaled horror-movie carnage and low-key comedy.


Source: Struggling Palm lays off workers

Palm Inc., the troubled maker of Treo smart phones, laid off about 10 percent of its work force this week to cut expenses, according to a person familiar with the situation.


U.S. eyes single contractor for new GPS system

The U.S. Air Force said on Monday it planned to stick with a single contractor for all three satellite batches to be bought for an enhanced Global Positioning System navigation tool known as GPS III.


British actress Dame Helen Mirren is to be honoured at the Mill Valley Festival in California.


Phillipines in Fiscal Crisis, May Face Economic Collapse

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Monday that she is studying the feasibility of declaring a state of economic crisis to ease pressure on public finances.


Liberal minority in peril if Martin pushes same-sex marriage law, says Klein

EDMONTON (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin will put his Liberal minority government in jeopardy if he passes a new law permitting same-sex marriages, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein said Wednesday.


Preview: 'Penny Arcade Adventures' Pitch-Perfect Comedy

An early demo of the eagerly anticipated videogame shows promise with hilarious dialogue, point-and-click gameplay and battling hobos.


Motorola WiMax chip aims at new device market

(InfoWorld) - The groundwork is being laid for a risky experiment in consumer electronics as manufacturers prepare for Sprint Nextel and Clearwire's Xohm WiMax service. Motorola unveiled a WiMax client chipset on Tuesday and praised Sprint's strategy of leaving WiMax clients to device makers and retailers. But that plan, a change of pace from U.S. carriers' usual practice of selling and subsidizing phones themselves, could take years to pay off in the mass market. The chipset, introduced at WiMax World USA in Chicago, is small, economical, and more power-efficient than 3G platforms, according to Gary Koerper, Motorola's vice president of platform planning and architecture. It will hit the market in client devices in the second half of 2008, with the company initially focusing on building WiMax phones that carry its own brand, he said. The devices will be offered for various WiMax services around the world, including Xohm. With Xohm, Motorola will have free rein to make whatever kind of device it wants as long as it's certified to work on the carrier's network, Koerper said. Motorola calls that great news, but some observers see a hard road ahead with device makers or carriers pushing an alternative to carrier-subsidized phones. "The model Sprint is pursuing is really taking the shackles off Motorola innovation and Motorola's brand," Koerper said. Typically, the world's second-largest mobile phone maker has to develop a new product and then get a carrier to buy in on it. With WiMax devices designed to work with Xohm, Motorola can look straight to the consumer and build what they want. This could make it easier for Motorola to compete with Apple's hot iPhone, he said. Apple's product has stolen the thunder from Motorola's popular Razr line even though it commands a full, unsubsidized price. Sprint's whole WiMax initiative is a risky bid to gain an edge in the U.S. mobile market, where Sprint is in third place by subscribers. The technology promises a fat pipe to the Internet that subscribers can take with them all over a metropolitan area. Motorola said its chipset offers 10Mbps downstream and 3 to 4Mbps upstream, far faster than current 3G and comparable to a cable modem. But it will take more than fast Internet access to attract and keep paying customers, said Albert Lin, an analyst at American Technology Research. There are other ways to get fast data service, and there will be more in the future, so Sprint needs to create attractive services such as a VoIP application, high-quality video content, and easy tools for professionals to access corporate networks over VPNs, Lin said. Ease of use, support, and coverage will also be key because cellular services already have those established, he added. "You don't automatically get hundreds of thousands of early adopters," Lin said. The lack of a subsidy isn't even the biggest concern for vendors trying to sell devices for such a service, but it is a long-term problem, he said. Although down from about 95 percent a few years ago, the percentage of phones sold with subsidies in the U.S. is still 85 percent or more, according to Lin. Worldwide, about half of all cell phones are sold with subsidies, he said. As people look for more special features on their phones, they are looking outside of carriers' offerings more often, but it will be three years before the average U.S. consumer will want an unsubsidized phone, Lin predicted. Len Lauer, an executive vice president at mobile technology giant Qualcomm, was also pessimistic in an interview earlier this year. He doesn't think the mobile industry can be transformed by new strategies like Sprint's nor by the any-device, any-service band planned for the 700MHz wireless spectrum to be auctioned next year. U.S. consumers are too addicted to subsidies to buy many devices sold outside the carrier channel, said Lauer, a former Sprint executive. Motorola is pitching its chipset as competitive with 3G instead of an expensive, futuristic new technology. The cost of the chipset is already low and will keep falling to the point that Motorola could soon bring the chipset to inexpensive phones to be used primarily for voice in developing markets, Koerper said. The chipset, consisting of a baseband modem and a radio reference design, has been tested and verified with WiMax network infrastructure from Motorola and other leading vendors, the company said.


Celine Dion has canceled the next five performances of her "A New Day" show and an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards because of a highly contagious respiratory infection, show producers said Wednesday.


Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006.


Morti i 4 macchinisti, numero verde Trenitalia 800-852035


Murdoch says won't make all of online WSJ free

DAVOS, Switzerland  - News Corp  CEO Rupert Murdoch said on Thursday he would not make all online Wall Street Journal content free.


Japan liquor shop churns out beer from milk

Great news for beer and milk lovers: A liquor shop owner in Japan's largest dairy farming region has stopped crying about local spilt milk and started making beer from it instead.


Train driver compensated for trauma of hitting goat

A train driver who suffered from nightmares after his train struck a goat was been awarded 35,000 pounds in compensation, his lawyer said.


Shares of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. soared after UBS upgraded the carrier's stock Thursday following an agreement with Delta Air Lines Inc.


As a deadly tornado bore down on southwestern Indiana in 2005, the National Weather Service issued a radio warning urging people in the twister's path to seek shelter. But many of the most vulnerable residents didn't hear the alert because they had no radios equipped to receive it. That will change Sunday when Indiana enacts a law requiring mobile homes to have weather radios.


Mobile-home decay prompts new moves to mend landscape

Problem of abandoned or storm-wrecked single-wides pushes states toward controversial fee on new units.


NBA standouts offer help to South African aid projects

Nine National Basketball Association players will lead a delegation to South Africa this week to help build and dedicate new facilities to provide homes and health care in poorer regions of the nation.


Turkish planes strike northern Iraq: Iraqi Kurds

Turkish warplanes bombed areas in northern Iraq on Sunday for the second day in a row but caused no casualties, an Iraqi Kurdish official said.


Cork have received thirteen All Star nominations while Waterford outnumber Kilkenny in the number of players up for awards - in all, eight counties have hurlers among the 45 nominated.


China is to allow a critic of its HIV/Aids policy to receive an award in the US - a reversal of its earlier stance.


Family fear Irish born aid worker has been killed in Iraq

The family of Irish born aid worker Margaret Hassan have said they fear she may have been murdered by her captors. The 59-year-old director of Care International has been held hostage since October 19.


Quasi tutte le componenti rimaste a livelli record maggio


Kerry courts women; Bush ad warns of terrorist "wolves"

MILWAUKEE, United States : John Kerry sought to shore up lagging support among women while a new Republican television spot warned that a vote for the presidential challenger would invite attack by terrorist "wolves.


Gemini: A virtual mobile world wakes to life

There's a new mobile virtual world in town and it's not Second Life Mobile. Find out why Gemini Mobile numbered among Deloitte's Wireless Fast 50.


DifficoltÃ  respiratorie e forti eruzioni cutanee, ma le sue condizioni non sono gravi: dimessoSequestrate centinaia di confezioni di "Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection" contraffatte                                            Palermo, usa dentifricio tossico ricoverato in ospedale


Melvin, Grace Candidates for D-Backs Job

Bob Melvin spoke to the Arizona Diamondbacks about becoming the team's manager on Monday, joining Mark Grace and Al Pedrique as candidates interviewed for the job. General manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said interviews are scheduled for three others, and he expects to talk with two more.


A 'music thief' (apparently) writes "According to Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft: "The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'.


June 12, 1997: Trying to Stay One Jump Ahead of the Counterfeiters

A final revamping of the old-style U.S. currency precedes the debut of the "big face" bills, designed to thwart counterfeiting.


In occasione della Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week


Obesity boosts pregnancy risk in pill-taking women:

[Health India]: Washington, Dec 29: A new study conducted by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center suggest that overweight and obese women who take oral contraceptives are 60 percent to 70 percent more likely to get pregnant while on the birth-control


Fed cuts interest rates in emergency move

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday  slashed benchmark U.S. interest rates by a hefty three-quarters  of a percentage point in an emergency bid to lend support to a  weak U.S. economy faced with increasing turmoil in global  financial markets.


Senior UK scientists say a government decision to withdraw funding breaches an important point of principle.


Labor disputes between rich athletes and even wealthier owners are always sickening. In this NHL cold war, both sides will be bruised a little.


Support is growing for a bid by four influential countries for more permanent seats on the UN Security Council.


Societa' ieri aveva rivisto al ribasso obiettivi 2007


Nationwide bank fined nearly a million pounds over data protection

Britain's financial watchdog has fined Nationwide bank 980,000 pounds for failings in its data protection system, revealed by the theft of a laptop.


GOP debaters trade fire as Super Tuesday looms

Republican candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney attacked each other's conservative credentials during the final showdown before next week's Super Tuesday contests. The Democrats will have their turn tonight.


Britain rules out referendum on EU treaty: foreign minister

The government has no plans to hold a referendum on the new EU treaty, the foreign minister said here Thursday as a cross-party campaign kicked off in Britain to demand a vote on the document.


by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff. (Atlanta, Georgia) Most gay men have never heard of Lymphogranuloma venereum, or LGV, but it is spreading in gay communities across Europe and the Centers for Disease Control warns it is heading to North America.


Christopher F. Egan met yesterday afternoon with lawyers at the Securities and Exchange Commission in an effort to keep his planned purchase of radio station WBIX-AM on track.


Truckers to intensify agitation further â Some AIMTC officials ...

THE striking transporters on Thursday adopted an aggressive stand after the Delhi Police arrested some of their leaders including the former President of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), Mr OP Agarwal, here.