Rescuers pulled bodies from floodwaters Monday that raged through parts of Haiti's third-largest city, dragging people from their homes and forcing survivors to spend the night in trees, atop cars and on rooftops following Tropical Storm Jeanne. The toll of 138 dead was rising swiftly.


Israel Army Mistakenly Kills Three Egyptian Soldiers

Israeli troops killed three Egyptian soldiers along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Israel has apologized for what it says was an "operational mistake" and has begun an investigation into the incident.


A general strike to protest a recent grenade attack that killed 20 people at an opposition political rally brought Bangladesh to a near standstill Monday.


New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg turned up the volume on a possible independent bid for president on Monday, participating in a bipartisan summit that stole a bit of the spotlight from the announced candidates in New Hampshire.


Financial pressures hit US consumers and spending slumps to a 15-month low in December, data shows.


The country is not getting its money's worth out of the international space station, John Glenn said Tuesday, the 45th anniversary of the day he became the first American to orbit the Earth.


Coughlan gets a "Life" in pilot for Lifetime

Marisa Coughlan will  star in the Lifetime drama pilot "Side Order of Life," playing  a magazine photographer who re-evaluates her life and upcoming  wedding after her best friend is diagnosed with cancer.


Learn How to Protect Your Company From the Growing Threats of Russian Hackers

(Source: VeriSign)  The Russian cyber crime underground developed early in the Internet age. Today, these criminals pose a threat for malicious activity around the world. Download the free report, "Global Threat Research Report: Russia," to get an in-depth look at this growing problem, and learn how VeriSign iDefense Security Intelligence Services can help.


Japan War Dead Shrine Says Site Abuse Launched in China

A Tokyo shrine for war dead that has been a source of friction with China has had its Web site attacked repeatedly by mass attempts to access the site and mailings apparently launched from within China, a spokesman for the shrine said on Thursday.


TREASURER Peter Costello yesterday declared Telstra would not be sold until its share price was more than $5. That came despite the Coalition having secured a Senate majority.


AN Israeli helicopter blew up a car on a busy Gaza City street today, killing a Hamas militant. Six bystanders were wounded, two of them seriously, hospital officials said.


Joe Camp likely had good intentions when he decided to bring Benji, the lovable movie mutt he introduced in 1974, back from the dead. An obvious animal lover, the filmmaker says he wanted to create family-friendly entertainment and, at ...


Replicas of Clapton guitar on sale for $24,000

Eric Clapton in United Artists' The Last Waltz - 1978" border="0" /> Eric Clapton paid about $300 for  his famed "Blackie" guitar in 1970. Beginning Friday, hardcore  fans can buy an official replica of the Fender Stratocaster for  a mere $24,000.


OPEC will increase its oil production target by 1 million barrels a day later this year in a move widely viewed as more symbolic than significant, given


For the benefit of those who believe Gary Payton will arrive in Boston sometime before the start of training camp Oct. 4 (read: Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers), here is a primer of sorts on the veteran point guard. Everyone knows what Payton has done over a 14-year career that includes just about everything except an NBA championship. Everyone knows ...


The European Union today selected Dominique Strauss-Kahn to head the International Monetary Fund.


US record producer blames district attorney for bypassing hearing

US record producer Phil Spector, indicted on a murder charge, on Monday blamed a "Hitler-like district attorney" for bypassing a hearing in which a judge would have decided if a trial was warranted.


Vodafone launches its third-generation services for mobile phones, offering video calls, music downloads and games.


Sharon's party votes to save Gaza pullout

JERUSALEM -- Israel's plan to pull out of Gaza next year passed a crucial test yesterday when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, his government crippled by opposition to the withdrawal, easily won Likud Party approval to invite the dovish Labor Party into his coalition.


Home Theater Maker Kaleidescape Hit with Copyright Suit

Gartner's research indicates that US consumers have certain expectations as to what fair use really is. "When we've surveyed teens and adults, we've found that at least 60 percent of both groups


Andrea Bocelli is coming to China for the third time. The visually-impaired Italian tenor has become a world phenomenon over the last few years, bringing the house down with each concert finale whether he ...


Spindleruv, 10:41 - SCI, CDM DONNE: A SPINDLERUV FUORI KARBON, IN TESTA RIESCH

Denise Karbon, vincitrice ieri del suo quarto gigante della stagione, è uscita nel corso dell...


Tennessee lost the second member of its heralded freshman quarterback duo and Notre Dame capitalized with an interception return for a touchdown, then held on to win 17-13 Saturday over the No. 9 Volunteers.


Turkey's ruling AKP wins election decisively

Turkey's ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party won 51.6 percent of the vote in a decisive national election victory on Sunday after nearly a quarter of votes had been counted, according to private broadcaster CNN Turk.


A good mouse makes a world of difference

Sounds like a stupid question doesn't it? A mouse is simply a tool that you use on your computer to point at various things and click on them.


Phillies rally to beat Mets on Howard homer

The Philadelphia Phillies moved to within four games of the New York Mets in the National League East after Ryan Howard's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning sealed a 4-2 home victory on Tuesday.


Sysco Corp., the country's largest food service distributor, Monday said profit for its latest quarter rose 8 percent, as it increased sales and trimmed expenses despite the hurricanes in the Southeast.


Baseball union chief Fehr meets with NHL

The fractured NHL Players' Association listened to baseball union head Donald Fehr as it tries to rebuild. The message was clear: keep everything out in the open.


Will it be an Arab, a woman, a poet? The buzz mounted as the literary world played its annual guessing game of who would win the coveted Nobel Prize in literature this year, but no single author emerged a clear favorite in the prediction derby.


The United Nations said Friday that an outbreak in Georgia of African swine fever, a contagious viral disease in pigs, could have a "catastrophic" economic impact unless its spread is halted.


Report: Video Posted of U.S. Soldiers' Bodies Being Burned

CAIRO, Egypt  -- An al-Qaida-linked group posted a Web video Saturday purporting to show the bodies of two American soldiers being dragged behind a truck, then set on fire in apparent retaliation for the rape-slaying of a young Iraqi woman by U.S. troops from the same unit.


U.S. Stands Firm on Canadian Beef Imports

Expressing confidence in the safety of Canadian beef, the Bush administration said Thursday it would stand by its decision to renew Canadian cattle imports beginning in March despite a possible new case of mad cow disease.


US FDA says will watch drugs similar to Vioxx

Drugs in the same category as Merck & Co. Inc.'s withdrawn Vioxx painkiller will get close scrutiny to see if they can also cause heart attacks, US Food and Drug Administration officials said on Thursday.


Weakened Frances Leaves Much of Florida in Chaos

Weakened after its long rampage through Florida, the lumbering giant of a tropical storm that began its tear as Hurricane Frances moved into the Gulf of Mexico early on Monday, leaving chaos in its wake.


AFRICA/KENYA - Servono fondi per combattere lÂallarmante malnutrizione infantile e lÂanemia nei campi dei rifugiati in Kenya Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - Non cessa lÂallarme per lÂaumento del tasso di malnutrizione tra i bambini al di sotto dei cinque anni nei campi dei rifugiati in Kenya. LÂAlto Commissariato per i Rifugiati (UNHCR), il Programma Alimentare Mondiale (PAM) e...


A 16-month-old giant panda born at half the weight of most newborn pandas is growing into a normal, healthy animal in southwest China, state media reported Thursday.


'Vanity' director wants people to get their money's worth

Where "work" belongs in a sentence, filmmaker Mira Nair says "labor." Instead of "great," she prefers "amazing.


Iranian boats "provoke" U.S. Navy ships in Hormuz: CNN

Five Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats harassed and provoked three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route off the Iranian coast, over the weekend, CNN reported on Monday.


Fearsome Nessie Started Out as a Good Egg and Playmate

Many lonely children yearn for a pet to call their own. In âThe Water Horse: Legend of the Deep,â based on a novel by Dick King-Smith, a boy finds not only that, but a best friend as well.


Inseminated elephant gives birth in Asia

Thai veterinarians announced Thursday that an artificially inseminated elephant has given birth to a bouncing baby boy — a first in Asia that could be a crucial step in conserving the endangered species.


In Annual Meeting, Republicans Clash Over Earmarks

House Republicans are deeply divided over the merits of  earmarking money for pet projects.


UPDATE 3-Alitalia rescue talks drag, eyes on Monday meeting

Alitalia scrambled for an accord with cabin crews on Friday over job cuts and longer hours needed to save the airline from collapse as negotiations


EU judge plans Microsoft ruling within a month

This fourth priority's main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning) and open source initiatives are on the horizon.


The roof and stage of Bonn opera house in Germany are damaged after a small fire on Monday.


Mixing Wine and Beer on the NASCAR Circuit

Race fans are now the new target of vineyards and wineries. A.J. Foyt is disgusted but Jeff Gordon has his own label.


The winner of the annual Polar Music Prize, Sweden's biggest music award, will be announced Oct.


An Anglican report today criticised US bishops for ordaining an openly gay canon last year. Mark Oliver looks at the issues behind the row that has divided the Anglican communion.


Astrid Varnay, Wagnerian Soprano, Is Dead at 88

Ms. Varnay never achieved widespread public recognition, but to opera buffs and insiders, she brought distinctive qualities to her work.


Johnson's team in familiar position: fighting back

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - One might not think a disastrous qualifying effort alone could erase the momentum created by four victories in five weeks.


The proposed Google merger could still be held up in Europe, where personal privacy has more legal protections than in the United States.


The Newport-Gwent Dragons claim Ulster fans racially abused the Welsh side during Friday's game in Belfast.


Barack Obama announced his bid for president Saturday, a black man evoking Abraham Lincoln's ability to unite a nation and a Democrat portraying himself as a fresh face capable of leading a new generation.


Mark Hughes' decision to take the Blackburn job is bad news for Wales, there's no doubt about that. Mark has brought a lot of dignity back to Welsh football, taking us up from around 100 in the world rankings


US Air Force weapons buyer cleared in Boeing probe

The US Air Force's chief acquisition official said on Thursday he had been cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation of his e-mails tied to a stalled $23.


Barrichello wins Brazilian GP pole, Schumacher penalized after ...

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Rubens Barrichello won the pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix for the second straight year Saturday, beating out Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher who crashed in practice hours earlier and was forced to use a backup car.


The United Nations will send a five-member team to investigate whether residents of Sudan's Darfur region are suffering genocide, the BBC said Friday.


Londra, 14:15 - CALCIO, RANIERI: INGLESI NON AMERANNO CAPELLO COME AMANO ME

"Gli inglesi non ameranno Capello nello stesso modo in cui amano me". Lo ha detto sorridendo il tecn...


In Idaho, Sen. Craigâs Future Looks Grim

In Idaho, some GOP officials and voters have doubts about Sen. Larry Craigâs explanation for his arrest in an airport restroom.


GOP hopes to hold on to Florida's Cubans

For nearly a decade, Republican presidential candidates have counted on Florida's Cuban-American community to win the state and, with it, the presidency.


Many states are facing legal challenges over possible voting problems Nov. 2. A look at some of the developments Thursday:


Torino, 23:04 - CALCIO, JUVE; RANIERI: DEL PIERO? CI DARA' ANCORA TANTO

Claudio Ranieri si gode il successo sulla Juve e il -1 dal secondo posto. "Abbiamo vinto grazie allo...


Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back on Tuesday and is expected to be ready for spring training.


Astronomers Ready for Comet Smashing Mission

NASA and university astronomers are eagerly awaiting  the launch of a space probe bound to collide with a comet and give  researchers a glimpse inside the solar system's icy  wanderers.


WASHINGTON - With Vioxx off the market and heart-risk questions being raised about Celebrex and Aleve, what is someone who needs pain relief to do?


An operation to pump fuel oil from a stricken container ship grounded off Devon is due to finish this weekend.


Engineers say nets at Wrigley should remain in place

Aging concrete -- not a structural defect at 90-year-old Wrigley Field -- caused three incidents of falling concrete over a six-week period, Cubs' engineers concluded Monday, recommending that safety nets remain in place for the 2005 season and beyond.


Televangelist Tammy Fay Bakker Messner dies

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, the televangelist who helped lead the PTL ministry before its collapse in a sex and corruption scandal, has died at age 65, her Web site reported on Saturday.


Report Cites U.S. Profits in Sale of Iraqi Oil Under Hussein

U.S. oil companies received lucrative vouchers that enabled them to buy Iraqi oil under the U.N. oil-for-food program.


Alienware designs a laptop so slick you'll beg it to probe you; a docking station for the PSP misses the point and an all-in-one printer frees up more desk space for pictures of your cat. All in this week's Gadget Lab.


Japanese whalers say they are trying to return two protesters detained after boarding their vessel.


Ministro accoglie richiesta Forleo ma difende Fassino


Florida A&M Coach Joe Won't Get Extension

Florida A&M won't extend the contract of football coach Billy Joe beyond the 2005-06 season.


Citi mulls cutting work force by 5 to 10 percent: report

Citigroup  is considering cutting  5 percent to 10 percent of its work force, which totals  327,000, CNBC television reported on Monday, without citing  sources.


Product Digest This Month's Topic Separations

By Anonymous  Membranes Cater to Chipmakers' Nanometer Requirements  As the semiconductor industry moves to narrower linewidths. the demand heightens for filtration products that capture smaller fluid contaminants in the nanometer range.


Powell Declares Genocide in Sudan in Bid to Raise Pressure

The declaration was the first by the administration to classify the situation in Darfur as genocidal.


Spresiano, 12:08 - CICLISMO, AZZURRI: ALLENAMENTO SOSPESO PER PIOGGIA

Un acquazzone con ha impedita stamane agli azzurri della nazionale di ciclismo di allenarsi sulla st...


Yahoo finally gets a good social network: Mash

Just going into beta, Yahoo's new social network, Mash, beats the stuffing out of its predecessor, Yahoo 360.


A retired zoo director died after he was stung about 1,000 times by European yellow jackets when he fell onto their nest from a ladder while cleaning windows at his home.


Floodwater receded from most sodden neighborhoods in Coffeyville, giving many residents a first, well-orchestrated glimpse Monday of the devastation left by an oil spill during torrential rains that flooded their hometown.


A puffer fish genome sequence sheds light on human biology, and tells a twisted evolutionary story. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Proposals to allow police to stop and question anyone in the UK under new anti-terror laws are criticised.


Victims in child abuse cases involving Church of England officials call for fresh inquiries into possible similar cases.


First Coppola film in a decade premieres

It is Francis Ford Coppola's first movie in a decade, and the Oscar-winning director said Saturday that audiences should be in no hurry before deciding if "Youth Without Youth" is good or bad.


Ten people are killed in at least one bomb explosion in the centre of the northern Iraqi oil city of Kirkuk.


Coleen Keenan-Hersson recalls she that was busy that day in 1995 trying to keep up with the thousands of details that go into putting on an equestrian competition.


Modern medicine can keep people alive into their 9th and 10th decades, but a growing number of these people are asking why.


Indirizzate a Padoa Schioppa, Bersani e Visco


Marriage Keeps You Healthy, US Study Shows

Marriage keeps you healthy, even though it can make men fat, US government researchers said on Wednesday. Married people are less likely


Raid on Mosque Sparks Battles in Baghdad

A U.S.-Iraqi raid on the Abu Hanifa mosque — one of the most revered sites for Sunni Muslims — spawned a weekend of street battles, assassinations and a rash of bombings that changed Baghdad. The capital, for months a city of unrelenting but sporadic violence, has taken on the look of a battlefield.


SocGen trader Kerviel held for questioning: source

Police have taken into custody the trader blamed for a $7 billion fraud at French bank Societe Generale, a judicial source said on Saturday.


Researchers seeking new treatments for heart disease managed to grow a rat heart in the lab and start it beating


A judge struck down Missouri's new voter identification law Thursday as an unconstitutional infringement on the right to vote.


Roma, 15:30 - CALCIO, AS: DE SANCTIS VICINISSIMO AL SIVIGLIA

Potrebbe essere in Spagna il futuro di Morgan De Sanctis. Secondo il quotidiano sportivo spagnolo 'A...


Dozen Top Legal Scholars Line Up for Libby Appeal

A dozen of the country's most respected constitutional scholars have leapt to I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's aid, asking a federal judge if they could try to convince  him about critical legal questions that favor letting Libby remain free while he appeals his conviction in the Valerie Plame leak case.


Women fail to fulfil their potential at work due to "career sexism", says Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt.


Congress is alarmed at the FDA's inability to safeguard food imports. But should we really worry about E.Coli as much as al-Qaeda?


Sostenuti dallo scambio di titoli sul sistema elettronico


Judge in Michael Jackson Case Sets Rules

With jury selection set to begin Monday, the judge in Michael Jackson's child-molestation case is still considering whether the entertainer's accuser should testify in public and whether jurors should see a British documentary about the pop star.


TARGETING CORRUPTION: Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, whom preliminary results show to be the winner of the Dec. 26 repeat presidential election, has said he'll make fighting corruption a top priority.


KABUL, 16 November 2004 - Afghan captors holding three UN workers hostage in Afghanistan extended a deadline yesterday for their demands to be met, blaming the US for disrupting negotiations aimed at securing the captivesâ release.


Stryker recalls some artificial hip devices

Stryker Corp said on Tuesday it is recalling some artificial hip products manufactured at its Cork, Ireland, facility because the devices did not meet company standards for sterility.


Zach Johnson, a rookie on the PGA Tour, and Fred Funk share the lead after Friday's second round at the $4.2-million PGA event.


Cancer Raises Blood Clot Risk by Sevenfold

NEW YORK  - Cancer greatly increases the  risk that the patients will develop a blood clot in a vein  (venous thrombosis), especially in recently diagnosed patients,  patients with cancer that has spread to distant sites  (metastases), and those with certain genetic mutations,  according to Dutch researchers. While anticoagulant therapy  might be beneficial, they say, the associated increased risk of  bleeding has to be considered.


`Idol' narrows competition to 24 singers

The tears flowed on "American Idol" Wednesday night as the show trimmed the competition to 24 semifinalists.


"High School Musical" star Zac Efron underwent emergency surgery Tuesday to remove his appendix, his publicist said.


Verizon bid for Sprint adds wrinkle to merger plans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Verizon Communication Inc.'s wireless partner on Tuesday distanced itself from discussions on a potential bid for Sprint Corp.


Stoccolma, 21:17 - CALCIO, EURO2008: IBRAHIMOVIC DICE NO ALLA NAZIONALE SVEDESE

L'attacante svedese dell'Inter Zlatan Ibrahimovic ha annunciato che non risponderà alla convo...


Bush signs law pushing human rights, humanitarian aid in North Korea

President George W. Bush signed a law to promote human rights in nuclear-armed North Korea and provide humanitarian aid to citizens and refugees of the Stalinist state, as well as making them eligible for asylum in the United States.


An Italian national working for a British non-governmental organisation has been taken hostage in Iraq, the Italian news agency ANSA reported, quoting Italian intelligence sources.


Starr sees value of parity but cherishes excellence

Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr sees the value of parity in the NFL where teams rise and fall like volatile stocks, where so many clubs stay in the hunt for playoff berths and quick turnarounds are possible from one season to the next.


Londra, 13:25 - CALCIO, ARSENAL: ANELKA PER IL DOPO-HENRY

Per sostituire Henry, ceduto al Barcellona, l'Arsenal punta su Nicolas Anelka. Secondo quanto riport...


BALCO Scandal Inspired Worldwide Changes

RALEIGH, North Carolina  - Don Catlin, head of the  Los Angeles laboratory which identified a test for the designer  steroid THG, believes the BALCO scandal has ultimately helped  the war on drugs in sport.


Shuttle undocks from International Space Station

Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the  International Space Station on Sunday to end a stay in which  the Atlantis crew installed a massive new solar power unit to  resume station construction after a nearly four-year hiatus.


Mobile phone maker Nokia reports a smaller-than-expected drop in earnings following strong demand over Christmas.


MODENA, Italy  - Legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, whose gifted voice and charisma brought opera to the masses, died of cancer on Thursday aged 71.


Rangers boss defends players after O'Neill rant

Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton saw red as Rangers narrowed the gap to one point at the top of the SPL by winning a stormy Old Firm derby.


IBM has introduced six new models in its BladeCenter server line, including five new HS20 models and a new JS20 blade server. The Intel-based HS20 systems now are equipped with two new, compact


As new titles become more innovative, existing players scramble to keep up.


Cell phones mobilized to fight AIDS in Africa

Mobile phones are being harnessed to  fight HIV/AIDS in Africa under a new $10-million scheme  announced on Tuesday with the backing of leading companies and  the U.S. government.


Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", is set to reappear in court in Baghdad.


Many Retirees May Lose Benefits From Employers

A new regulation allows employers to establish two classes of retirees, with more comprehensive benefits for those under 65 and more limited benefits â or none at all â for those older.


Genova, 11:28 - CALCIO, GENOA; PASTORELLO: NOI E NAPOLI MERITIAMO LA A

Il vicepresidente del Genoa, Giambattista Pastorello, è deluso per il k.o. della sua squadra ...


AMD has proved time and time again that its processors offer better performance than the competitionâs - and better value for money too.


Australian leaders dismiss idea of Prince William as governor general

CANBERRA, Australia  - Australian political leaders rejected the idea Friday of Prince William one day becoming governor general of Australia.


Man Utd face Everton and Chelsea draw Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round.


'Hidden Object' Games Prove a Hidden Hit for Holidays

Virtual scavenger hunts like 'Ravenhearst' prove a quiet draw amid the realistic console games.


Afghan plane's wreckage spotted; no survivors seen

CHENARI, Afghanistan -- NATO helicopter gunships found the shattered wreckage of a missing Afghan airliner on a frigid mountain east of the capital yesterday, and officials said they believed none of the 104 people aboard could have survived the crash.


FOXBORO, Mass. (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins  quarterback Jay Fiedler suffered a rib injury during the  closing moments of Sunday's 24-10 loss to the New England  Patriots.


Per il presidente e' ingiusto e pregiudica sovranita'


The first exploitations of Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) peculiar search algorithms were humorous, political, or both. I'm referring the once-popular procedure of Google Bombing, a way


Announcement ends formal reign of a man who outlasted nine U.S. presidents as well as his communist patrons in the former Soviet Union.


US's Snow urges more debt relief for poor

Global lenders need to offer more grants and debt relief to impoverished countries and tailor their lending toward building up the private sector, US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Thursday.


Turkish parliament set to convene on Sunday on key reform ...

The Turkish parliament will meet in extraordinary session on Sunday to debate a delayed penal code reform which is key to Ankara's prospects of joining the EU, State Minister Mehmet Aydin said Thursday.


American International Group Inc., the  world's largest insurer by market value, on Tuesday said it  reached preliminary accords to settle federal criminal and  regulatory probes into whether it helped two companies  fraudulently inflate earnings.


Fox Exec To Oversee All Digital Platforms

Fox Cable Networks is pulling together all the disparate threads of its digital media platforms and tying them to Adam Holzer, who has been named to the newly created position of svp, integration and emerging media.


Greek sprinters charged with doping violations

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were charged by track and field's world governing body Thursday for missing a series of mandatory drug tests.


Forces rely on air power to pay the bills The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) may sell off some of its reserved radio spectrum, potentially for large sums. Guidelines for sale of military frequencies are being drawn up by the communications regulator, Ofcom.â¦


New York, 11:25 - BASKET, NBA: RISSA IN NEW YORK-DENVER, 10 ESPULSI

Botteda orbi a New York nel finale della sfida tra i Knicks e Denver. Un fallo della guardia di New ...


Taiwan establishes diplomatic ties with Vanuatu in snub to China

Taiwan claimed a diplomatic victory over rival Beijing by establishing full relations with Vanuatu, a small Pacific nation that less than two months ago pledged its allegiance to mainland China.


NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday greeted his new Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz and reaffirmed his government's commitment to strengthening ties with Islamabad.


MOST of the new HIV/AIDS cases reported locally occur among persons between ages 15 and 24, according to Dr Yitades Gebre, a senior medical officer at the Ministry of Health.


Seeing a gray market overseas for high-end handbags, retailers limit sales of expensive bags to three per person.


Clemens denies HGH use before Congress; McNamee repeats accusations

Roger Clemens and his ex-trainer stick to different stories, amid withering questioning on Hill.


U.S., British forces battle Mehdi Army in Baghdad, Basra

American and British forces battled Mehdi Army fighters in Baghdad and Basra after their leader, Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, used a rare public appearance to call on U.S. troops to get out of Iraq.


Architecture: Designs Solicited, Discussion Unwanted at the Barnes Foundation

Last weekâs announcement that the Barnes Foundation has selected the architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien to design its new home in downtown Philadelphia is unlikely to dispel the rancor among those who oppose the move. Nor should it.


Flights set to be stuffed over Thanksgiving

The first stuffing that millions of Americans will encounter over the U.S. Thanksgiving Day weekend will likely be on an airplane.


Competition probe would see Santander turn its back on Abbey

Banco Santander would walk away from its Â£8.2bn offer for Abbey National, the mortgage bank, if a rival bid from one or more UK banks led to a lengthy investigation by the competition authorities.


Hundreds of Danish Muslims demonstrate against the reprinting of a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.


UPDATE 2-Henkel gets $2.84 bln from Clorox, buys U.S. firm

Henkel (HNKG_p.DE: Quote , Profile , Research ) , the German soaps and adhesives group, has shed its 29 percent stake in Clorox, raising $2.84 billion to pay for its purchase of U.S. detergents and cosmetics ...


2 Area Students Win National Science Competition

WASHINGTON -- Two area high school students who have discovered a new way to detect breast cancer have won a national science competition.


Australia's new ministry was sworn in by Governor-General Michael Jeffery at Government House here Tuesday. John Howard, who won his fourth term as prime minister in the federal election on Oct.


A dozen wildfires stoked by gusting winds burned out of control in southern California on Sunday, killing one person in San Diego and forcing thousands to evacuate homes from the celebrity enclave of Malibu down to the Mexican border.


With Brady in Trouble, the Supporting Cast Takes Over

After a season dominated by their four-wide-receiver set and a deft passing game, the Patriots won by using a radically different formula.


Uncover financial insights for your business daily with The New York Times - the authority on market trend news and analysis. Now delivered to your home or business starting at $2.40/wk.


Macyâs to Cut About 2, 300 Management Jobs

The company said the cuts are part of a move to consolidate three regional divisions and decentralize buying in an effort to reduce costs and lift sales.


In Antarctica, the Crud is a natural hazard

The hazards of this hostile continent include ice, fire, wind and whiteout. And then there's the Crud.


Legendary astronaut John Young said Thursday, on the verge of his retirement, that NASA has not changed its safety culture since the Columbia accident but has done all it can to improve the space shuttle and should return to flight as soon as possible.


The retailer cited increased sales from its expanding Hollister Co. chain that cater to teens and its abercrombie stores for children.


The Washington Post's parent company said Tuesday the purchase is an effort to boost the newspaper's online traffic but that it does not plan any editorial changes at the eight-year-old magazine. -The Washington Post


In Second Trial, Avastin Is Found Effective in Treating Breast Cancer

The results from the new clinical trial could increase the chances that the Food and Drug Administration will approve the drug for that use.


The mortgage giant returns to quarterly reporting with its Q1 earnings.


Consumer confidence bounced back unexpectedly in May, helped by optimism about the job market even as shoppers' concerns about gasoline price-driven inflation increased


Archaeologists have discovered the oldest clay "fireplaces" made by humans at a dig in southern Greece.


Parents raided The target of yesterday's high-profile file sharing raid in Middlesbrough has been released on bail pending further investigation, Cleveland police said this morning.â¦


A man says his 18-day-old baby could have been burned to death in a petrol bomb attack in north Belfast.


WWII Navajo code talkers welcome recognition

WINDOW ROCK, Arizona  - Before Keith Little went off to war, speaking Navajo had only ever got him into trouble at school.


San Francisco police probe zoo after tiger attack

San Francisco police combed the city's zoo on Wednesday for clues as to how a tiger escaped from its enclosure on Christmas and killed one man and wounded two others.


Life & style: Stephen Moss: A vast study has concluded that happiness is U-shaped: it peaks when we are 20 and 70, but slumps in the middle


Maradona: il ricovero a Cuba per un anno e mezzo

BUENOS AIRES - Diego Armando Maradona sara' ricoverato tra qualche giorno al Cesam, una clinica neuropsichiatrica dell'Avana. In quella comunita' terapeutica restera' per curarsi un anno e mezzo o forse anche due anni.


Cut your travel costs and get out of the hotel.


China takes more steps to protect against bird flu

BEIJING - China has drastically stepped up vigilance against bird flu in regions along the border with Vietnam, where a series of outbreaks have recently been reported.


Crosby inspires Penguins to outdoor victory

ORCHARD PARK, New York  - The Pittsburgh Penguins opened the New Year with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday in the first outdoor NHL game played in the United States.


US telecom giant AT and T will shrink even further, announcing on Thursday it would cut 20 percent of its workforce in 2004 and take an $US11.


An attempt to hack into the website of the Disaster and Emergency Committee is investigated by police.


Indian batting star Sachin Tendulkar will miss the Champions Trophy one-day cricket championship after failing to shake off an elbow injury, team officials said on Saturday.


Nuovo stile a prova di gas serra e per eliminare allergie


Con impegno a lanciare opa sul 100% del capitale


Khatami seeks probe of torture allegations

TEHRAN -- Iran's president called yesterday for an investigation into journalists' allegations that they were tortured into confessing to charges such as insulting sacred beliefs and endangering national security after publishing articles critical of conservatives in the government. About 20 journalists from print, Internet, and other media outlets have been detained in Iran since a crackdown on the proreform press ...


CHIANG MAI, Thailand - There's the Panda Express fast-food chain. Jing Jing, a mascot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The forthcoming animated movie, Kung Fu Panda. Even a Mexican rock band named after the cuddly bear.


The BBC is punishing too many junior staff and not enough managers over editorial breaches, a union claims.


More than 15,000 species, from sharks to frogs to fir trees, are facing extinction and the total is rising faster than ever before.


ASEAN Quiet on Myanmar Democracy Issue - Communique

Southeast Asian leaders will not make any public comment on Myanmar's military junta and its questionable progress toward democracy, according to a draft summit communique obtained by Reuters on Saturday.


Demand for software and IT services will continue to grow steadily in Europe this year, but sluggish performance in the telecommunications sector will dampen the reasons to celebrate, according to a forecast released Thursday ahead of the Cebit trade show.


Contra Costa County Releases Chevron Fire Report

By Karl Fischer, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.  Feb. 15--RICHMOND -- Contra Costa County this morning released a new report chronicling the fire last month at the Chevron oil refinery.


Israeli researchers have created a topographical map of the Internet by enlisting more than 5,600 volunteers across 97 countries who agreed to download a program that tracks how Internet nodes interact with each other.


Playbill - The Grammy-winning British pop group Duran Duran - whose hit singles include "Planet Earth," "Save a Prayer" and "Ordinary World" - have extended their upcoming Broadway engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre by one performance.


Politicians in the US unveil tough new fines aimed at stamping out indecency on television.


Scotland worst-performing small country in western Europe

Scotland has been judged the worst-performing small country in western Europe due to the low-life expectancy and poor health of its citizens, a new survey found Monday.


Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez singled home runs with two out in the 11th inning and the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.


The people that brought us the makeover hit show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is working on a spin-off for females. The series, called "Queer Eye for the Straight Girl," will have not a fab five but a fab four, one of which is a girl - former model...


U.S. House panel says probing Pfizer Lipitor ads

A U.S. House of Representatives committee said on Monday it was probing Pfizer Inc  advertisements that feature heart specialist Robert Jarvik pitching its blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor.


British ministers defended their decision on Friday to deploy Black Watch soldiers from Basra to the south of Baghdad. The death of three British soldiers in a suicide attack threatens


The U.S. economy may be on decent footing, but that might not be enough to save your U.S. portfolio.


Singer Richard Hawley sees sales of his album rocket - despite not winning the Mercury Prize.


Dan Miceli hardly had to turn around to watch the flight of the ball. The sound coming off Jim Edmonds' bat was all too familiar.


Qwest Said to Settle S.E.C. Investigation

Qwest Communications has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into its accounting practices.


Microsoft offers amnesty program to pirated WinXP users

MICROSOFT Corp. is staging another attack against software pirates with an amnesty program for unwitting users of bootlegged copies of its Windows XP operating system (OS).


Ingram Micro is shelling out $493m cash including assumption of debt for Tech Pacific, an Australian distie. The deal will see Ingram's Asia Pac operations double in size.


Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Sentencing Guidelines

Judges should be allowed to impose harsher penalties on criminals without jury involvement, a government lawyer told the Supreme Court.


Britain's House of Lords waters down bid to ban fox hunting

The British upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, watered down legislation to ban fox hunting in England and Wales, in a move that is likely to provoke a showdown with MPs determined to outlaw the blood sport.


Sprint to Buy Nextel in $35 Billion Deal

Sprint Corp. FON.N on Wednesday  agreed to buy mobile telephone company Nextel Communications  Inc. NXTL.O in a deal worth $35.17 billion to gain more  business customers and more airwaves to transmit calls.


The most significant reform of intelligence-gathering in more than a half-century moved to the brink of approval Monday after congressional negotiators


Bobby Crosby was confident he could get the job done as he approached the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday night.


Philippines mourns dead in Russian school siege

The Philippines Saturday expressed"deepest sympathy" to the families of the dead in the Russian school siege on Friday, in which 322 people were killed when Russian troops stormed


Jonathan Robie explains the role of XQuery, a query language for XML data, and its importance to IT business users.


Lo ha appurato definitivamente la polizia spagnola


Mattel plans third Chinese toy recall: report

Toymaker Mattel Inc is to announce a third recall of Chinese-made toys because they may contain too much lead paint, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.


Apple's iPhone to hit stores, hundreds wait on line

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK  - Hundreds of gadget fans, or their paid stand-ins, lined up on Friday to be the first buyers of Apple Inc.'s iPhone, a music and video playing phone that seeks to reshape the mobile industry.


Most remaining Pakistani prisoners held at the US Guantanamo Bay prison camp are freed, officials say.


Oil rises to $91 as U.S. plan lifts markets

Oil jumped to near $91 a barrel on Friday, lifted by a broad stock market rally amid optimism about a U.S. economic stimulus plan aimed at warding off a recession in the world's top energy consumer.


Sudan bows to pressure, allows AU to monitor police in Darfur camps

Sudan bowed to mounting pressure over the crisis in Darfur and agreed to allow African Union forces to monitor the activities of its police in camps for displaced persons in the region.


BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Weather permitting, the Boston Red Sox will attempt to take another bite out of the New York Yankees' lead in the American League East Division standings when the two teams continue a three-game series Saturday.


Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is unveiling a sweeping health care proposal Monday that would require everyone to carry health insurance and offer federal subsidies to help reduce the cost of coverage.


NATO will send military trainers to Iraq before the end of the year in response to appeals by Iraqi leaders for speedy action, US ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns said today.


Representatives of the Bancroft family, which controls Dow Jones & Co. Inc. , plan to meet with News Corp.  chief Rupert Murdoch on Monday to discuss his $5 billion bid for the company, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.


Pioneer replaces plasma TV power supplies

Certain Pioneer TVs have a faulty power supply. An upgrade is available.


Smugglers attack Lebanese army near Syrian border

Gunmen fired on a Lebanese army post   near the border with Syria, the first such incident since   troops deployed last month to control the frontier, the   official National News Agency reported on Friday.


Turkey's stock market closes at a record high on hopes the EU will soon invite Ankara to start entry talks.


Golf finally felt easy to Jeff Sluman, and it wasn't hard to see why. From a fairway bunker on the 18th hole, he had to play a 20-yard hook to avoid the trees and reach the elevated green.


Drug combo beneficial to blacks with heart illness

A new drug treatment for a debilitating heart problem affecting millions has been shown to improve survival rates and reduce hospitalizations in black Americans, the first study to discover a beneficial effect for one race.


Montato su anello barocco con 409 diamanti,smeraldi,zaffiri


Detectives investigating a serial killer look at new evidence which may link him to a murder in 1981.


Sony to stop some PS3 shipments to Japan

Sony Corp said on Thursday it would stop  shipments of PlayStation 3 models with 20- and 60-gigabyte (GB)  hard disk drives in Japan this month, focusing instead on the  40-GB model.


2,000 dead in Fallujah as US-led forces sweep area

US-led forces rounded up scores of suspected rebels in Iraq's "triangle of death" on Thursday as officials said the death toll from the this month's massive operation in Fallujah was more than 2,000.


The Stern report is based on "implausible" economic and scientific assumptions, Lord Lawson tells MPs.


Bush vows he won't be "pundit-in-chief" in 2008

President George W. Bush, standing on the sidelines of the 2008 race to replace him, says he will not be the "pundit-in-chief" offering opinions on those who want his job.


Cheney Says Kerry Doesn't Understand West

LAS VEGAS Sept. 3, 2004 - Vice President Dick Cheney portrayed Democrat John Kerry as a flip-flopper from the Northeast who doesn't understand the needs of the West.


370,000 homeowners aided in second half of '07

An alliance of mortgage counselors, lenders and servicing companies on Friday said the industry helped 370,000 homeowners avert foreclosure in the second half of 2007.


S.Korea's LG Elec sues Quanta over DVD patents

South Korea's LG Electronics Inc.  , the world's top DVD player maker, filed suit  against Taiwan's Quanta , saying the world's biggest  contract maker of laptop computers infringed on its DVD  technology.


New Genetic Risks for Prostate Cancer Identified

Certain gene variations greatly increase a manâs risk of developing prostate cancer, a new study finds. But tests for them may be of limited use to patients, experts say.


UN inspectors praise Libya for its co-operation in revealing details of its dismantled atomic weapons programme.


Malawi ends ties with Taiwan in favor of China

Malawi has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan after 41 years and established links with China, Malawi's foreign minister said on Monday.


Joe Burk, 93, Won Honors on Thames and in Pacific, Is Dead

Joe Burk was a single sculls champion of the 1930s who became a leading figure in American rowing and a highly decorated PT boat skipper in World War II.


Adobe updating raw-image converter for CS3

Blog: Adobe's latest raw-image converter, due this week, will support newer SLRs and improve sharpening, but only for Photoshop CS3 users.


Cingular, the largest mobile phone operator in the US, is to launch a high-speed third generation (3G) network from next year. Mobile phone firms have been seeking new areas to boost revenue - and Cingular's


WESTFIELD Group chairman Frank Lowy yesterday unveiled an audacious bid to double the size of his British holdings, in the latest overseas play by Australia's first family of retail.


Radical Pakistani mosque completely secured: official

Pakistani security forces have completely secured a radical mosque in the capital, Islamabad, and no more fighting is going on in the sprawling complex, a military spokesman said on Wednesday.


Fatah members abroad summoned back due to Arafat's illness: paper

Palestinian leadership has asked all the members of Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction living abroad to return to Ramallah due to Arafat's illness, Palestinian Communications Minister


California Quake Area a Seismic Hot Spot

The area of the San Andreas fault where a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck Tuesday is a seismic hot spot that has produced similar temblors every two or three decades and, as a consequence, is among the most-monitored quake sites in the world.


DARPA Awards Contract For Special Air Vehicles

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded an $8.9 million contract to three vendors last week to build a prototype for low-flying unmanned aerial vehicles that can work with Army ground combat vehicles to scout ahead of American forces.


Kerry Says Bush Uses Surrogates to Do 'Dirty Work'

John Kerry accused President Bush of using surrogates to "do his dirty work," as the Democratic presidential challenger hit back on Thursday at a Republican assault on his Vietnam War record.


Intervento Marina, Guardia costiera e Guardia di finanza


Ukraine's opposition stops cabinet meeting

A human chain of hundreds of orange clad Yushchenko supporters surrounded the seat of government in central Kiev, and six vans blocked its main entrance.


Singapore Oil Company Chief Arrested in Trading Losses

Police arrested the chief executive of China Aviation Oil Singapore yesterday morning as he returned to Singapore from China to face questions and a lawsuit related to his company's $550 million in losses from derivatives trading.


Producer Phil Spector Charged With Murder

LOS ANGELES Sept. 28, 2004 - Moments after he was indicted on murder charges in the 2003 death of a B-movie actress at his Alhambra mansion, music producer Phil Spector called prosecutors "reprehensible, unconscionable and despicable.


Not Much Time for Jets to Prepare for Chargers

Having patted his team on the back, Herman Edwards now expects to do some quick fixing over the next few days. The Jets play in San Diego on Saturday.


New Space Telescope Observations Upset Theories of Planet ...

The leading theory of how planets form is being revised because of new observations from the US Spitzer Space Telescope. The process is not as smooth and quiet as once thought, but rather the result of violent collisions between massive space rocks.


Figlia d'arte, ha esordito come modella a 14 anni


UN Security Council members have arrived in Nairobi for a two-day meeting devoted to the conflicts engulfing Sudan, including the western Darfur region.


Computer giant Microsoft has fully rolled out its crucial security update to computers running its Windows XP. Last week, it "soft launched" Service Pack 2 (SP2) security update, making it available for some


Comedian Jerry Lewis was once in so much pain that he regularly contemplated suicide. A "pain pacemaker" implanted in 2002 now enables him to trigger electronic impulses through his spine to his brain that eliminate the pain.


Seven digital picture frames are designed to display and change digital photos, or even treat you to a slide show. Which is right for you?


Londra, 23:20 - CALCIO, INGHILTERRA; COPPA DI LEGA: ARSENAL-TOTTENHAM 1-1

Arsenal e Tottenham hanno pareggiato 1-1 (0-1) nella semifinale di andata di Curling Cup, la coppa d...


Google takes fight to MSN with desktop search product

LONDON - Google is taking the fight straight to MSN after launching a beta application that allows users to search the web and their computer files direct from their desktops.


Afghan, UN Officials Issue New Appeal for Release of Kidnapped ...

One week after the abduction of three foreign election workers in Afghanistan, Afghan and United Nations officials are hoping for a breakthrough in negotiations with the kidnappers.


AP Financial News - Three people who allegedly sent America Online customers millions of junk e-mail messages touting penny stocks and other Internet gimmicks went on trial Tuesday in the nation's first such felony case.


The archbishop of Canterbury strongly suggested yesterday that apologies from the US Episcopal Church for creating a controversy by ordaining an openly gay priest as a bishop had not gone far enough to heal a breach in the worldwide Anglican Communion. He called on the American church to repent.


The people of Najaf, the symbolic heart of Shiite Islam, came out in force to vote in Sunday's election.


Uno stile un po' preppy, rigore nordico e morbidezza


Bangladeshi Aid Worker Kidnapped in Afghanistan

KABUL, Sept. 16 -- A Bangladeshi aid worker who was helping administer programs to alleviate rural poverty in Afghanistan was kidnapped on Saturday, his employer said Sunday, becoming the latest in a recent string of high-profile abductions of international workers here.


Alla Mostra arriva "Il diavolo veste Prada"graffiante commedia sul mondo della moda                                                  Venezia, finalmente si ride con la diavolessa Meryl                                                                                Il regista: "Non ho nemmeno dovuto dirigerla: ha fatto tutto lei"


Hunt deepens for kidnapped Europeans in Ethiopia

Ethiopian security forces  scoured a remote northeastern region on Monday in search of a  group of kidnapped Europeans, all linked to the British embassy  in Addis Ababa.


Risk of death from obesity overestimated for Americans

ATLANTA - Mathematical errors may have caused scientists to inflate the number of obesity-related deaths in the US, health officials said Tuesday.


U.S. Furious at Proposal That Hamm Return His Gold

U.S. Olympic chiefs reacted furiously  Friday to a suggestion gold medallist Paul Hamm should give his  medal to a South Korean rival under a plan floated by world  gymnastics officials.


The final week of the campaign begins with both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry trying to reach undecided voters and motivate their respective party bases.


Israeli excavation in Jerusalem stirs Muslim anger

Israeli excavation work on Tuesday near an entrance to a compound in Jerusalem that houses the al-Aqsa mosque drew Palestinian protests and Israeli assurances the dig would not harm Islam's third holiest shrine.


Air Force fires commanders over nuclear mix-up

Four U.S. Air Force officers have been relieved of command after nuclear missiles were mistakenly flown between two bases in the United States, the Air Force said on Friday.


Admiral: Al Qaeda in Iraq 'killing off' ex-allies

Video provided to CNN shows an al Qaeda in Iraq firing squad executing one-time allies -- fellow Sunni extremists -- who were not loyal enough to the terror organization, coalition military analysts said. The video shows armed men wearing masks standing behind nine kneeling men.


(150 sec.) A look at what and who to expect at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2007 in New York City.


It's a sweet treat for those who celebrate New Orleans' rich culinary heritage.


Parole Board lacks independence, judge rules

Parole Board lacks independence from government despite system needing to be 'free of influence', the lord chief justice rules


eBay exec in jail over porn sale on site

India's arrest of an eBay executive over the sale of pornographic material by one of its customers via its Bombay-based internet portal has drawn a rebuke from the company and the interest of the United States government.


Offense will face Eagles absent three key starters

OWINGS MILLS -- Chop-blocked by calamity all season, the Baltimore Ravens' languishing offense will likely duel Sunday with the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles without All-Pro left tackle Jonathan Ogden because of a pulled left hamstring.


Japan intercepts missile in milestone test

A Japanese navy destroyer shot down a ballistic missile on Monday in a test about 100 miles over the Pacific Monday, a first for a U.S. ally, U.S. and Japanese forces said.


United show title class to pull six points clear

Sir Alex Ferguson's belief that Manchester United can reclaim the Premiership title has been bolstered after his side emerged victorious from a scrap with Middlesbrough to pull six points clear of Chelsea.


At Virginia Tech, Hoping Football Helps Push Return to Normalcy

Much like the Yankees after Sept. 11, 2001, and the New Orleans Saints after Hurricane Katrina, Virginia Tech football has become inextricably linked to a tragedy and its healing process.


Foggia, 10:25 - CALCIO, TERZA CATEGORIA: ARBITRO AGGREDITO NEL FOGGIANO

Arbitro aggredito a Monte Sant'Angelo, nel foggiano, in occasione di una gara del campionato di terz...


Japan's ANA suspends all Bombardier planes

All Nippon Airways Co. (ANA) (9202.T)  said on Thursday it had suspended all flights using 14 Q400  aircraft made by Canada's Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) after the  Canadian government said the craft must be inspected.


Late Wednesday, Microsoft announced three updated MSN services that are designed to make email, instant messaging (IM) and online sharing more integrated experiences.


Marla Coppler's barbershop is a shrine to her favorite hometown quarterback — Ben Roethlisberger. A Roethlisberger clock is attached to the wall. Newspaper clippings detailing his breakout rookie season are taped to the mirrors. And a replica of his Pittsburgh Steelers jersey greets everyone who walks in.


Ever since the wine and spirits company announced big merger plans, its shares have jumped.


Avrebbe dato queste indicazioni tramite una lavagna


"Birth" should have been good. It had all the elements: Spooky scenario, seamless direction, stellar cast. We were ready for it to be good; we wanted it to be good.


California economy weak, but no recession seen: report

Mortgage defaults and a "sustained lull" in home building will weigh on California's economy for at least another year but will not tip the state into a recession, according to a forecast released on Wednesday.


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


Community News: Latest PECL Releases for 01.22.2008

Latest PECL Releases:PHK 1.4.0automap 1.1.0mqseries 0.11.0perforce 1.0.0


Medicare reconsiders coverage for spinal discs

U.S. Medicare officials are reconsidering a decision earlier this year not to pay for artificial spinal discs in the lower back for older patients, but are excluding Johnson & Johnson's Charite, an agency spokesman said Wednesday.


A financial dispute that has held up North Korea's pledge to shut down its nuclear reactor could be nearing a breakthrough after a news report that the long-awaited transfer of frozen North Korean funds will start Thursday


Il pm si rivolge ai colleghi: troppo protagonismo, mai un'autocritica"Siamo diventati una corporazione, serve pulizia tra di noi"                                          Lo sfogo di Ilda Boccassini "Magistrati, fate autocritica"                                                                                di CINZIA SASSO


Chen says party willing to forgo some top posts

The governing Democratic Progressive Party is ready to cede some power and resources to other parties for the sake of national unity, President Chen Shui-bian (é³æ°´æ) said yesterday.


A US judge orders the FBI to hand over files about former Beatle John Lennon's political activities.


Fedâs Action Stems Sell-Off in World Markets

Confronted by deepening panic in global markets about a possible U.S. recession, the Federal Reserve announced the biggest one-day reduction of interest rates on record.


Medco to buy PolyMedica for $1.2 billion

Pharmacy-benefits manager Medco  Health Solutions Inc.  said on Tuesday it agreed to buy  PolyMedica Corp.  for $1.2 billion, in a move to expand  its diabetes care services.


Winter arrived late but compensated with a burning blast of cold in parts of eastern Canada and the northern United States on Monday, as plunging temperatures and biting winds made it deadly to be outdoors.


Library of Congress selects Stones' song

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But what about an original sound recording? Twenty-five culturally important recordings — including an episode of "The Lone Ranger," President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address to Congress the day after the Pearl Harbor attack and one of the Rolling Stones' most famous songs — were selected Tuesday for preservation in a special sound archive.


James Watson Retires After Racial Remarks

The biologist had ignited an uproar with comments about the intelligence of people of African descent.


Western Observers Say Ukrainian Runoff Fails to Meet Democratic ...

The second round of Ukraineâs presidential election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has opened up an unassailable lead, failed to meet many criteria for democratic polls, the Reuters news agency quoted Western monitors as saying on Monday.


OLYMPIC silver medallist Brooke Hanson led an Australian quinella in the 50 metres breaststroke final at the world shortcourse win titles at Indianapolis today.


A year that brought gay and lesbian couples hope, when the potential for legitimate marriage seemed euphorically within reach, came to a dispiriting end for many of them Tuesday at the ballot box.


Heather Mills says she is "happy" at the public support she has received since her outburst against the media.


Met to Broadcast Live Operas Into Movie Theaters

The broadcasts are part of a strategy by the MetÂs new general manager to widen the houseÂs appeal.


Kerry Vows Zealous U.S. Terror Hunt, Recalls Vietnam

Democratic presidential nominee and Vietnam War veteran John Kerry tried to burnish his national security credentials on Saturday by vowing to hunt down terrorists with the same energy he used to pursue the Viet Cong.


Germans Weigh Taking Stocks Off Wall Street

Several German companies, which rushed to have their shares traded on exchanges in the U.S. during the late 1990's, are thinking about abandoning the market.


Eight suspected Islamic extremists arrested in alleged Spanish bomb plot

Spanish police arrested eight suspected Islamic extremists believed to be plotting a bomb attack on the National Court, Spain's highest criminal court, Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso said.


NEW YORK -- Results of a Korean study released yesterday show Cordis Corp.'s Cypher drug-coated stent outperformed Boston Scientific Corp.'s Taxus Express2 stent in a multicenter study.


Counterfeit vans: a little known online grocery scam

Careful - they want to get into your fridge Upscale online supermarket Ocado has alerted its customers to the hitherto unknown threat of fake delivery vans and drivers. Its "security-conscious customers", says the company in an email, can now arrange to be sent the registration number of the van and the name of the driver a few hours before the deliver is due.â¦


Digital album packaging to improve in '08

There is a reason people still buy CDs  more than they do digital albums. Actually there are several,  but viruses that come along with music via peer-to-peer sites  (P2P) and a concern over digital rights management (DRM) aren't  the only culprits.


Yugoslav memories preserved in Kosovo mental home

STIMLJE, Serbia  - Kujtim Xhelili fought for Kosovo's independence from Serbia but will not join the celebrations when it finally arrives.


iHype - Is the iPhone today's Cabbage Patch Kids?

Blog: Media Hype, iPhone, Product Launches, Cabbage Patch Kids


Roma, 19:04 - CALCIO, FIGC; ROSSI: STABILIRE CRITERI DI TRASPARENZA

"Bisogna stabilire criteri di trasparenza per migliorare il regolamento. Questo per evitare conflitt...


Milano, 16:36 - CALCIO, INTER: IBRAHIMOVIC TORNA IN GRUPPO

Nella seduta d'allenamento mattutina della squadra nerazzurra, in gruppo anche lo svedese Zlatan Ibr...


Stilista riceve prestigioso riconoscimento tedesco


Men with bass voices tend to have more children than those who speak in a higher pitch, scientists find.


Euro defense company develops "hacker-proof" encryption.


Kashmiri Militants Stage Attack Before Singh's Visit, NDTV Says

Alleged separatist militants in India's Jammu and Kashmir state attacked a shopping complex close to a venue that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to speak at today, the NDTV


An intelligence reorganization bill appeared no closer to passage Sunday than it did on November 20, when objections from Republican committee chairmen pulled it from the floor.


US Airwaysâ unions say the bankrupt airline is âbarking up the wrong treeâ by seeking to ensure its solvency by imposing a 23 percent pay cut on its workers.


A government official has ruled out the immediate approval of constitutional reforms that would allow Mexico's Roman Catholic Church to get involved in politics.


Sexy dances a draw card in conservative Pakistan

MULTAN, Pakistan  - A crowd of men whistle and cheer as a pretty young woman in a revealing red top and tight jeans dances on stage in a run-down Pakistani neighborhood.


Pakistan's political crisis appeared to stabilize on Thursday with parties looking ahead to elections in which the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is set to make gains.


Wambach Lifts U.S. in Women's Soccer Final

Abby Wambach scores the winning goal in overtime to lift the United States past Brazil for the women's soccer gold medal Thursday.


Isolated Belarus Says Election Undemocratic

Belarus, pilloried abroad for a referendum allowing its president to prolong his stay in office, hit back at Washington on Friday by denouncing next week's cliffhanger presidential election as undemocratic.


After Truce Talks Collapse, Fighting Intensifies in Najaf

Dozens of explosions echoed in Najaf today as American marines fired artillery shells into the cemetery and fought with rebels loyal to Moktada al-Sadr.


Tens of thousands of South Koreans take to the streets to oppose a free trade agreement with the US.


World oil prices briefly scaled a new  high above $55 a barrel on Monday before falling back as the  Norwegian government moved to end a strike that had threatened  the country's energy output.


Free movies scheduled for troops, airmen in Europe

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service are combining this holiday season to present a series of free movies at base theaters in Europe.


Pleas made for release of British hostage

LONDON - The British government and the brother of a British hostage have taken to Arab-language airwaves in an attempt to have him released from his captors in Iraq.


SALLISAW, Okla. - Talk about your killer weed. Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers found 610 pounds of marijuana hidden in caskets being hauled in a truck stopped near this eastern Oklahoma town.  The driver, Timothy G.


The New York City medical examiner's office reported Monday former major league third baseman Ken Caminiti died from a drug overdose.


Academy tweaks producer rules for Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a rule change allowing a best picture Oscar winner to have more than three producers in rare circumstances.


Wis. congressman told to return PAC cash

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green must return $468,000 in campaign cash he had raised as a member of Congress, Wisconsin's Election Board ruled Wednesday.


Dopo dieci anni denaro finira' in fondo a finalita' sociale


At the same time Apple was celebrating the iPhone's launch in Germany, elsewhere the company was defending its price structure for iTunes.


Japanese electronics maker Hitachi said Friday it will sell business personal computers made by Hewlett-Packard Co. under the Hitachi brand in Japan.


Nine Reportedly Killed in Indonesian Quake

JAKARTA, Indonesia Dec 25, 2004 - A powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh Sunday and radio reports said several small buildings had collapsed and large waves had slammed the area's north coast.


Blog: Help alternate-reality game designer Jane McGonigal send secret greetings to her husband, who has gone to Burning Man without her.


As a sophomore, Joe Fallon put together one of the best seasons by a Vermont goaltender. Now a junior, Fallon is making a case that he's the program's best netminder ever.


The nationâs second-largest buyer of home mortgages said its second-quarter profit declined partly as a result of larger provisions for bad loans.


Marlins righthander Josh Johnson finally has a diagnosis for his sore arm -- an irritated ulnar nerve that will likely force him to miss at least the first two months of the season.


The European Union and the United States exchanged blows again on Friday over a transatlantic aircraft pact, sharpening a trade row and calling into question funding for the world's top aircraft makers.


Young to the rescue as Rangers avoid sweep

With one big inning and a couple of close calls finally going their way, the Texas Rangers avoided a series sweep and a losing homestand.


TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Saturday it successfully tested a "strategic missile" and delivered it to its armed forces, state-run radio reported.    The report did not say whether the missile was the previously announced new version of the Shahab-3 rocket, which already was capable of reaching Israel and U.S...


Media mea culpas don't defuse public discontent

In the struggle to be the best in a 24/7 news cycle, big lessons in objectivity.


House prices fell for the third month in a row during January, the Nationwide building society says.


Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launches a scathing attack on US President George W Bush, saying he should face trial over Iraq.


BP profits down as output, refining suffer

BP reported a 45 percent fall in  third-quarter replacement-cost profit to $3.867 billion due to  lower oil and gas production, problems at its refining division  and fewer asset sales which had flattered the year-earlier  result.


Nine dead after quake in Indonesia's Sumatra

Nine people have died after strong tremors struck Indonesia's West Sumatra area on Tuesday, El Shinta radio reported.


E' indetta da icwales, il sito nazionale del Galles


IBM Seeks To Minimize Disruption With PC Sale

Ken Andre, CIO at packaging company Greif Inc. and an IBM customer, says he's not worried about IBM's sale of its PC business to China's Lenovo Group Ltd.


Blog: Next week will see the arrival of new Intel chips for servers with four or more processors, as the chipmaker finally moves past the old Netburst architecture.


Aston Villa climb to fifth in the table after a brilliant piece of individual skill from Nolberto Solano.


When Jim Bates took over as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins, he hoped to turn the season's final seven games into a positive springboard for the 2005 season.


Numbers, Not Name, Earn Rookie A Promotion

Shelley Duncan had taken batting practice at Yankee Stadium before he was 15 years old. On Friday, however, he walked into the clubhouse not as a guest, but as a player.


China has created a "climate of fear" in Hong Kong ahead of legislative elections, a New York-based human rights group charged Thursday, as Chinese police released photos of a political candidate in detention.


President Pervez Musharraf launches his memoirs in the US a day after rumours of a coup gripped Pakistan.


The Obamas of Kenya still live as they have for decades, even though their most famous relative is in a hotly contested race to become the next president of the United States.


Stump Speech Retooled, Bush Goes on Attack

President Bush delivered a scathing critique of Senator John Kerry's stands on national security and the economy.


L'uomo, sposato con una afghana, prelevato da uomini armati


Cardinals Win, Smith Earns Another Record

Emmitt Smith ran his way to another NFL record and Neil Rackers booted himself into a share of one.


Stanley Cieplak came all the way to North Berkshire last week from his home in Maryland, not to see the changing fall colors or attractions such as Mount Greylock or the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary ...


Forrester Researcher Triggers Avalanche of ITunes Negative Press

The author of a hotly debated Forrester Research report announced on his personal blog yesterday that iTunes sales "are not collapsing," calling such dire conclusions "misinformation," and stating they could not have been rationally drawn just from his report's data alone.


Bush flies to Iraq on surprise visit as showdown looms

AL-ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq  - President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq on Monday in a bid to seize the upper hand in a looming showdown with congressional war critics pressing him to begin a troop withdrawal.


ATHENS, Greece Aug. 30, 2004 - A defrocked Irish priest with a history of disrupting sports events was given a one-year suspended sentence and fined $3,600 Monday for grabbing a runner who was leading the Olympic marathon with three miles to go.


Rosenfels expected to get first pro start

Third-string quarterback Sage Rosenfels likely will make his first career start Sunday for Miami against Baltimore in place of AJ Feeley, who has a rib injury.


Oil tumbles below $60, OPEC head calls for more cuts

Oil tumbled $2 on Tuesday to below $60 a barrel, sinking to the lowest level since February and prompting OPEC's president to call on the exporter group to deepen supply cuts.


Docs, Spreadsheets, Folders It's only a matter of time before Google unveils a full-fledged online operating system. This week, Microsoft's biggest rival rolled out a new version of Docs & Spreadsheets - its online answer to Word and Excel - adding Windows-like folders, an improved search engine, and an all-around prettier interface.â¦


A demonstration is planned at the home of Britain's fleet of Trident nuclear weapons submarines.


Nobody seems to care that the NHL season was supposed to have started last week in Washington and 29 other North American cities.


The National Nuclear Security Administration proposed a $1.1 million civil penalty against the former manager of a nuclear weapons lab for more than a dozen safety violations


England end day four of the third Test on 151-5, facing a big loss to South Africa.


HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- The daughter of hockey Hall of Famer Bob Gainey was swept off a Nova Scotia ship during an Atlantic storm, and Canadian and U.S. rescuers are looking for her in an extensive ocean search.


A man is being questioned by police investigating the murders of a County Armagh couple last year.


My Turn: A Difficult Decision on Genetic Testing

Would you want to know whether you were destined to contract a devastating neurological disorder?


A murder inquiry is launched after a man dies and two others are injured during a shooting at a Birmingham nightclub.


Update 7: Crude Futures Rise Toward $42 a Barrel

Crude futures bounced higher Tuesday following a 6 percent drop the day before as forecasts for warmer weather in the US eased worries about tight supplies of winter fuel.


The large maker of business software applications said its third-quarter profit rose 10 percent on an increase in license sales.


The Oakland Raiders became the latest team to appear in a Super Bowl and collapse the following season. After a nightmarish 2003 campaign, the Raiders once again have high hopes as they meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener for both teams.


Microsoft: HD DVD demise won't hurt Xbox 360

Toshiba's announcement to end production of HD DVD players and recorders will not affect the Xbox 360, even though Microsoft offers an optional stand-alone HD DVD drive for the game console, Microsoft said in a statement Tuesday."We do not believe Toshiba's announcement about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace," Microsoft said. The gaming function of the console is its main attraction, the company added.The company did not say whether or not it will stop manufacturing the HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360.Earlier Tuesday, Toshiba formally announced an end to its support of HD DVD, a high-definition optical disc format meant to replace DVDs. Toshiba was the developer and main backer of HD DVD, and its capitulation handed victory to rival format Blu-ray Disc, which has been championed by Sony.Toshiba said its decision came after careful analysis of the long-term impact of continuing the format war, and said a swift decision was called for to help the high-definition market develop.For game consoles, high-definition discs are growing in importance. Sony put Blu-ray Disc drives in the PlayStation 3 as a way to spread popularity of the high-definition discs. PlayStation 3 owners can play HD movies on the drives as well as advanced games. Blu-ray discs can hold far more data than conventional DVDs, and give players high definition graphics on games.At a recent game show in Taipei, Sony showed off a display of over 100 game titles created using Blu-ray Disc. A nearby Xbox 360 booth displayed the HD DVD logo and showed movies and just a few games made for the format.Recent changes in the market prompted Toshiba's decision to phase out HD DVD. Early this year, Warner Bros. said it would stop issuing movies on HD DVD in the coming months and rely exclusively on Blu-ray Disc. The Hollywood studio was one of three major studios remaining in the HD DVD camp, and its defection created widespread belief that the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc was now over.More recently, major U.S. retail chain Wal-Mart announced it would phase out the sale of HD DVD products, moving to exclusivity with Blu-ray Disc. Electronics retailer Best Buy also said it would back Blu-ray Disc, but it did not say it would stop offering HD DVD.


While Randy Johnson and the proposed three-team deal that would bring him to The Bronx has hogged the forefront, the Yankees have quietly finalized deals with right-handers


Thousands of Benazir Bhutto supporters face riot charges after unrest in Pakistan, her party says.


Yukos's Lithuanian Unit Halts Refining as Crude Supply Cut; Theede Visits

AB Mazeikiu Nafta, OAO Yukos Oil Co. s Lithuanian unit, stopped refining because of a lack of crude, just before a planned visit by Yukos Chief Executive Steven Theede to discuss Lithuania s intention to resume ...


Dick Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Sports, was seriously injured in a fiery plane crash in Montrose, Colo., yesterday that claimed at least two lives.


Thailand names economist as finance minister

Thailand named a former World Bank economist as its new finance minister Tuesday in the continuing fallout from last year's military coup whilst warning that economic growth will likely slow this year.


Everton move up to fourth place in the Premier League after Wigan defender Titus Bramble's mistake helps them to victory.


Attacks kill 11 as Rumsfeld makes surprise visit to Iraq

BAGHDAD : US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, on a surprise visit to Iraq, predicted violence would increase ahead of January's elections as rebel attacks killed 11 people including a US soldier.


Apple says YouTube to be available on Apple TV

Apple Inc.  said on  Wednesday that Google Inc.'s YouTube Internet video site will  be available on its Apple TV set-top box.


Playwright and Novelist Jelinek Awarded Nobel Prize

Elfriede Jelinek, known best for her autobiographical novel turned movie, The Piano Teacher, won the Nobel Prize for Literature this Thursday for her in-depth plays and novels covering subjects on violence on women, sexuality and European politics.


ATA Airlines Inc.'s cash crunch has worsened since August, the Indianapolis carrier's owner warned investors today, raising concerns among analysts that a bankruptcy protection filing may be near.


Venezuelans Vote to Keep Chavez in Office

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted to keep President Hugo Chavez in office, dealing a crushing defeat to a splintered opposition and allowing the leftist leader to convert one of the biggest challenges of his presidency into an even broader mandate to carry on his "revolution for the poor."   Stunned opposition leaders, who have fought for years to oust Chavez, claimed fraud after results announced Monday by election officials showed nearly 60 percent of voters had said "no" to the question of whether he should leave office immediately.    But former President Jimmy Carter and the Organization of American States endorsed the results of Sunday's vote, which saw one of the biggest turnouts in Venezuela's history, and urged everybody to accept the outcome...


In an attempt to spark growth in its Net phone service, AT&T has turned to cable companies to pitch the technology to more consumers.


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez pledged Thursday that Venezuela will support Iran if it is invaded as a result of the Middle Eastern nation's high-stakes nuclear standoff with the United Nations Security Council.


The burlesque show at the Box begins when the performers enter the club from the street.


James Brown - Expected to make a full recovery

As previously reported, the funk legend, 71, had an operation yesterday (December 15) in an attempt to beat prostate cancer. Doctors who treated Brown have said that heâs now "resting" after the operation.


Itâs funny how circumstances can change your perception of whatâs possible. A few months ago, key Microsoft architects were telling me that it would be impossible to decouple the Avalon presentation subsystem from the Longhorn OS.


Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. calls for reforms

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Thousands of employees at bankrupt US airlines received a reassuring note Tuesday from the federal pension agency, which vowed to ensure they will still have pensions as they head into retirement despite talk by their employers of


Tennis: Israel's Peer makes history in Gulf

Shahar Peer, the 20-year-old from Jerusalem who has ignored an unofficial boycott which has kept Israeli players from competing in the Gulf states, will make diplomatic history when she steps on court at the 2.5 million dollar Qatar Open on Monday.


Celebs in Rwanda to boost gorilla conservation, tourism

A group of international celebrities named 23 baby mountain gorillas in Rwanda Saturday, supporting efforts by the genocide-scarred country to save the endangered species and develop tourism.


Pentagon Weighs Use of Deception in a Broad Arena

The Pentagon is engaged in bitter debate over how far it should go in managing information to influence opinion abroad.


Roma, 18:57 - CALCIO, MOGGI: MANCINI? PUO' ANCHE ANDARE AL CINEMA

Frecciate all'Inter ed a Roberto Mancini da parte di Luciano Moggi, che in una intervista all'emitte...


Whatever party wins the next general election will have to either cut spending or raise taxes, says the CBI, which wants the former.


Giornata di manifestazioni, la ricorrenza esatta e' il 3/12


A tough new anti-terrorism law comes into effect in the Philippines, bringing strong criticism from opponents.


LAKE BLUFF, Ill. - Police say a man accused of failing to pay for pedicures and other spa treatments led officers on a brief foot chase before he was arrested. Marshall G. Wolbers, 56, of Lake Bluff, has been charged with theft of services, police said Monday.


Glasgow, 16:05 - CALCIO, CELTIC: NAKAMURA RESTA IN DUBBIO PER IL MILAN

Shunsuke Nakamura è in dubbio per la sfida contro il Milan di mercoledÃ¬ prossimo. L'ex della ...


Russ Berrie and Co., a maker of stuffed animals and other gift items, on Thursday said it bought Kids Line LLC , a privately held maker of infant bedding products based in South Gate Calif.


"Sopranos" leads Emmy TV series nominees

Newly departed HBO mob saga "The Sopranos" led the field of Emmy Award contenders on Thursday, claiming a total of 15 nominations including a bid for best drama.


Australia won't follow US in reducing Iraq troops: PM

Australia will not reduce its troop commitment in Iraq simply because the United States has moved to scale down its military presence there, Prime Minister John Howard said Friday.


Boeing prepared to go the distance in trade dispute

No one who has watched Harry Stonecipher over the years should be surprised that he has just thrown the biggest punch yet in Boeing Co.


Photo: Secret Service takes over Shadowcrew site

The Web site of identity-fraud suspects operating as the Shadowcrew has been replaced by information about alleged members' arrests.


Cleric's Lawyer Shown as Zealous Advocate

A lawyer accused of aiding terrorism  through her defense of a militant Muslim cleric was portrayed  on Tuesday as a fervent advocate who believed her client was  wrongly convicted of a plot to bomb U.S. targets.


Red Hat CEO replaces himself with Delta Airlines exec

In a shocking turn of events, Matthew Szulik suddenly stepped down this week as the head of Red Hat. With his company in solid financial shape, will its new CEO -- a former top exec at Delta Airlines -- change course in mid-flight?


Australia says a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers will not be repatriated if they face persecution back home.


Modena, 18:46 - CALCIO, MODENA: ALLA RIPRESA ASSENTE ANTONAZZO

Ripresa degli allenamenti per il Modena, con un lavoro atletico chiuso con una partitella a ranghi c...


SugarCRM sweetens new open-source CRM product

Open-source software start-up SugarCRM Inc. tomorrow will release Sugar Sales Professional 1.5, the first commercial enterprise version of its Linux-based open-source CRM application.


Veteran U.S. TV executive Garth Ancier joins BBC

Veteran U.S. television executive  Garth Ancier was named on Tuesday to the newly created post as  president of BBC Worldwide America, overseeing all U.S.  operations of the British broadcasting service.


British Airways PLC reached a pay accord early Saturday with two unions, averting a planned strike during the Aug. 27-30 holiday weekend by 11,000 baggage handlers and check-in workers.


Plum Creek Plan Revisions Delayed Until Early Spring

By KEVIN MILLER; OF THE NEWS STAFF  Plum Creek probably will not complete revisions to the company's Moosehead Lake development plans until later this month or April, the company announced Thursday.


Chancellor reveals three-pronged approach to tackle the crisis in affordable housing.


Padriag Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Andres Romero continue to trade the lead with each other on the final day of the British Open.


Africa's Health Worker Exodus: Who's at Fault?

African health workers aren't just being lured away by better salaries in rich countries. They are fleeing squalid and unsafe workplaces and staggering workloads.


For those who dread coming back to an e-mail overflow, the solution is often to take time off from leisure to weed the in-box.


Pirates, Shrek set to repeat atop box office

After a month of  high-octane, A-list tent poles, the North American box office  gets a breather of sorts this weekend as not one sequel enters  the marketplace. It will be a brief respite, however, as  "Ocean's Thirteen" hits theaters June 8.


Some of America's staunchest allies — the former communist countries of "New Europe" — are gaining influence in the European Union, and experts say their growing voice could mean cozier trans-Atlantic ties.


Â«Uccise da una guerra che non ha fronteÂ»

A Dronero i funerali solenni di Jessica e Sabrina. Il vescovo: Â«Si percorra la strada della paceÂ» In chiesa anche Casini e Scajola. DRONERO (Cuneo) - Jessica e Sabrina uccise Â«da chi non le conosceva, da chi non era interessato ai loro sogniÂ».


Yahoo board to meet on Microsoft offer: report

Yahoo Inc's  board of  directors is to meet on Friday to discuss Microsoft Corp's   $44.6 billion buyout offer, the TechCrunch blog said,  citing unnamed sources.


A Saudi security officer is killed during a shootout with suspected al Qaeda militants north of Riyadh.


Industrial pollution in China is having a significant impact on local rainfall, according to a scientific study.


Wildly popular soccer star George Weah announced this week he'll run for president next year.


Police said Friday they were suspending the use of a highly sensitive form of DNA testing criticized by a judge who acquitted the only person charged with murder in Northern Ireland's deadliest terrorist attack.


Next month, Apple TV owners will have the option of watching all that user-generated video has to offer on their big-screen TVs.


Films from AgnÃ¨s Jaoui and Mike Leigh are among those screening at the 42th New York Film Festival.


Real Madrid are in talks with Chelsea to sign Dutch winger Arjen Robben.


Presidente, 'Canova Finanziaria' non e' un venditore


The departure of Karl Rove, a key defender, may have had something to do with it. That and the August doldrums


Orange unsure of own upcoming smartphone

Too much Egg Nog? Orange has become the latest company to suffer from Christmas confusion, developing amnesia about which handsets itâs actually selling.â¦


Brooke Hanson has claimed her sixth gold medal of the World Short Course Championships with a win in the women's 200 metres breaststroke in Indianapolis.


Ucraina, voto contestato: democrazia in bilico

Divisa sui risultati di elezioni definite "non rispondenti alle norme democratiche" dagli osservatori dell'Osce, L'Ucraina Ã¨ sull'orlo di una pesantissima crisi istituzionale dalle conseguenze potenzialmente drammatiche.


No Prosecution for Dutch Baby Euthanasia - Study

Dutch doctors have ended the lives of  babies born with disabilities but have not been charged despite  euthanasia being illegal for children, a study said on  Saturday.


Bush, Kerry Turn Focus to Domestic Policies

President Bush and Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry turned their focus to domestic issues on Saturday, sparring over tax cuts and other economic policies as they campaigned in battleground states.


Sony Corp. unveiled its new PlayStation Portable in the United States for the first time Wednesday, signaling an intensifying battle with Nintendo Co. to rule the burgeoning handheld video game market.


Microsoft warns of "critical" security flaw

Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O on   Tuesday released three security patches to fix holes in its   Windows and Office software and warned one of the   vulnerabilities was "critical" because it could allow an   attacker to take over a user's computer.


International and Afghan forces say they have killed 40 militants in clashes in southern Afghanistan.


Iger: Disney Throws Weight Behind Blu-Ray DVD Format

Once upon a time, Betamax was more than a winning answer in Trivial Pursuit: It was a real competitor with the VHS videotape format.


Misery loves company when it comes to spam

I'M FEELING a little bit better about the hundreds of junk e-mails I get every day now that I've read that someone else has much bigger e-mail troubles.


Prime Minister Tony Blair will discuss the fight against terrorism and Middle East peace with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf when they meet tomorrow, officials say.


Brazil Plans to Break Patents on Foreign AIDS Drugs

Brazil will break the patents next year on between three and five foreign drugs used in the anti-AIDS cocktail central to its innovative program to fight the illness, the government said on Tuesday.


No sign of revival for struggling Deportivo

Bad luck and bad refereeing were the explanations offered by an out-of-form Deportivo Coruna for Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Monaco in the Champions League.


With $100 rebate, Sears brings a Linux desktop PC from Linspire to a major national retailer that doesn't specialize in electronics.


Blog: Six models of Nokia and Pharos brand enterprise-class phones show up on Dell.com.


Bomber kills 70 in Baghdad, Bush talks to generals

A suicide bomber targeting poor laborers killed 70 people in Baghdad on Tuesday, a day when President Bush was talking to his military chiefs in Iraq to help him draft a new U.S. strategy.


Harley-Davidson Profit Down 15.3 Percent

Net income for the third quarter was $265 million on continued sluggishness in U.S. sales. But the earnings decline still beat Wall Street projections.


Web sites for President Bush's campaign and the Republican National Committee suffered outages for several hours on Wednesday.


A new device capable of detecting and throttling encrypted BitTorrent traffic hits the shelves. The game of cat and mouse between ISPs and BitTorrent users continues. In Monkey Bites.


UK, U.S. at odds on threat from Guantanamo inmates

Surveillance which the United States demands Britain carry out on prisoners from Guantanamo Bay as a condition of freeing them would divert vital resources from more urgent threats, a British official has testified.


Olympic hammer champion Adrian Annus has  been stripped of his gold medal after failing to take a drugs  test, the International Olympic Committee said on Sunday.


BOISE, Idaho  - Long-serving Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, embroiled in a sex scandal and finding little support from his party, said on Saturday he will resign from the U.S. Senate.


Car Bomb Explodes South of Baghdad; 2 Dead

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded in a town south of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 10, the latest in a spate of attacks that have killed some 150 people in the last four days.    Meanwhile Wednesday, militants released a Turkish man taken hostage in Iraq, according to a videotape obtained by Associated Press Television News...


At least one Fox Broadcasting Co. affiliate has balked at airing Monday night's 90-minute special "Who's Your Daddy," which has raised the ire of adoption advocacy groups for a premise that revolves around an adopted woman trying to pick her biological father from a group of eight candidates.


In Dysfunctional Locker Room, Giants Search for a Leader

One day after defensive end Michael Strahan unleashed a rant at a reporter who asked him about his comments assessing Plaxico BurressÂs effort, the Giants still could not present a unified front.


Companies failing to exploit value of IP, says PwC

While tech execs think lawsuits are harassment techniques Over half of all technology companies do not extract the full value from their intellectual property, and 69 per cent of executives believe their IP management is too often treated as a legal issue, according to research (pdf) published by PricewaterhouseCoopers this week.â¦


Update 1: Andrx Misses Forecast on Drug Delays

Andrx Corp.'s third-quarter results missed projections, as the launch of some generic products was delayed and the company's exclusivity rights to two drugs expired.


The government has quietly scrapped its plan for a General Diploma recognising GCSE achievement.


The Tibetan leg of the controversial 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay is a "golden" development opportunity, according to the region's top Communist Party official.


Skater leaves hospital with concussion after fall at Pittsburgh ...

(Pittsburgh-AP) Oct. 24, 2004 - A Russian ice skater is getting out of the hospital, a day after a frightening spill during an event in Pittsburgh.


BBC radio deejay John Peelâs influence has travelled far and wide. RS MURTHI remembers those static-filled nights tuning in to the manâs offbeat programmes.


Zambia president surges in tight race: newspapers

Zambia's presidential race tightened on Saturday as newspapers reported big wins for President Levy Mwanawasa, spurring his main rival to warn of "ghastly consequences" if any poll fraud was detected.


By Bobby White  At a Cisco Systems Inc. sales meeting in Las Vegas last month, new marketing chief Susan Bostrom took the stage to deliver an unorthodox message: Cisco, she said, was no longer just a company that provides network equipment.


Chinese sculptor chosen to carve Martin Luther King memorial

Chinese stone carver Lei Yixin says he was 10 years old when he first read about Martin Luther King Jr. historic "I have a dream speech" at the Lincoln Memorial.


Yukos Cuts China National Petroleum's Oil Supplies

OAO Yukos Oil Co., Russia's biggest oil exporter, will cut deliveries to China's biggest oil company next month after a government freeze on its bank accounts prevented it from paying railway bills.


FINANZIARIA: EPIFANI, NON AIUTA LA CRESCITA E GLI INVESTIMENTI

(AGI) - Vibo Valentia, 16 dic. - "Questa Finanziaria non aiuta la crescita e gli investimenti, e non sostiene i redditi da lavoro". Lo ha detto il segretario della Cgil, Guglielmo Epifani, oggi a Vibo Valentia


Lawsuit Claims Free Speech for Online Casino Ads

An Internet company that publishes information about online gambling has asked a judge to decide whether advertisements for Internet casinos are protected forms of speech.


Magari non ci sono margini politici, dice ministro Economia


Millwall to protest over Budapest violence

English club Millwall are to complain to UEFA about the security arrangements at the stadium of Hungary's Ferencvaros after violence marred the two sides' UEFA Cup clash on Thursday night.


Film shows despair under mountain of debt

Sky-high interest rates on credit cards can make a mountain of debt seem insurmountable. Eventually for some, it is.


Nigeria's Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won Britain's Orange Prize for fiction by women, becoming the first African to take the award in its 12-year history, organizers said Wednesday.


The US Army is studying a possible compromise with Halliburton Co. that might allow the company to keep several billion dollars in disputed billings for work in Iraq, defense officials said on Friday.


Scende anche l'indice di disoccupazione al 7,4 per cento


Mentally ill undertreated globally: study

Most people in the world with mental illness get no treatment at all, and scarce mental health resources are not reaching the people who need them most, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.


Crawford, US sweep up in 200: Trio triumphs to Greeksâ dismay

For the three American runners, getting last night's 200-meter final started was somewhat awkward and tense. But the finish was a thing of beauty -- as Shawn Crawford, Bernard Williams


A Month On, Schools Open But Hardship Persists

Tears and prayers flowed as children in Indonesia's devastated Aceh returned to schools littered with debris on Wednesday, mourning the loss of classmates, siblings and parents a month after the Asian tsunami.


ATA Airlines Inc.'s future will fall to one of three bidders Friday while a fourth contender, America West Airlines canceled its buyout interest Thursday.


Comedian Janeane  Garofalo will star in an untitled CBS drama pilot that follows  the lives and loves of a team of public defenders.


By MARY ESCH  LAKE PLACID, N.Y. - As dusk shrouded the summit of Whiteface Mountain, Juan Klavins aimed his headlamp at the bird in his left hand, its head between his fingers and its wing extended to expose a crimson vein.


The silence at Cameron Indoor Stadium was deafening. Mike Krzyzewski lay on the court after collapsing from an apparent dizzy spell during a timeout in the first half. While his assistant coaches and the Duke training staff gathered around him, even the Cameron Crazies were quiet.


Iraq Rebels Leave Najaf Shrine, Hand in Weapons

NAJAF, Iraq  - Shi'ite fighters left the holiest  shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf Friday and began turning in  their weapons, after tens of thousands of pilgrims celebrated a  peace agreement that ended a bloody rebellion.


At least seven Palestinians were killed in one of the bloodiest days for Hamas since it took control of the Gaza Strip three weeks ago.


GM Europe May Create New Company, Move HQ

General Motors may bundle its European operations in a new company based in Brussels in a move to cut costs and simplify management structures, a German newspaper reported on Saturday.


As Brazil Defends Its Bounty, Rules Ensnare Scientists

A world-renowned primatologistâs research of monkeys in the Amazon has led to a prison sentence of nearly 16 years in Brazil.


NBC Universal agrees to buy Sparrowhawk Media

NBC Universal said on Tuesday it will  double the size of its cable operations outside the United  States with the acquisition of Sparrowhawk Media, the private  equity-backed owner of the Hallmark channel.


Holiday shoppers spent 10 percent more Friday than they did a year ago, according to early reports, but Wal-Mart Stores Inc. dampened hopes for a strong start to the key retail season by


Game Theory: Itâs Nice to Have Minions, Whether for Good or Evil

Jackie Estacado has to wait a little while before any minions show up in The Darkness, a first-person shooter from Starbreeze Studios.


The prime minister is expected to lay the groundwork for the suspected spring general election with an economic speech in Edinburgh.


The famously large underpants worn by film character Bridget Jones are to be auctioned off to raise cash for some of London's most famous green spaces, Britain's Royal Parks Foundation announced Friday.