Italian president in crisis talks after Prodi quits

Italy's president holds crisis talks with political leaders on Thursday to see if Romano Prodi, who has resigned as prime minister after nine months in power, can still head a government.


Boeing Scrubs Planned Heavy-Lift Rocket Launch

Boeing Co. scrubbed a planned launch of a Delta IV heavy-lift rocket on Sunday as engineers sought to determine what caused a temperature control system to malfunction after an aborted launch on Saturday.


Massive Hurricane Frances Slams Ashore in Florida

COCOA, Fla.  - Hurricane Frances roared into  eastern Florida late on Saturday with stinging rains and fierce  winds that ripped away roofs, trees and boat moorings and cut  power to 1.3 million homes and businesses.


DoH sticks to 'opt out' for patient e-records

Patients have a 'realistic' period to opt out The Department of Health (DoH) has stuck by the "implied consent" model for the central collection of electronic patient records in England, but will provide support for those who want to opt outâ¦


Wii, "Call of Duty" top U.S. charts in November

Nintendo Co Ltd's  Wii  held on to its spot as the No. 1 video game console in the  United States in November, selling 981,000 units, industry data  showed on Thursday.


President Bush, clashing with Congress on several fronts, tried to pressure lawmakers Tuesday into taking up what's left of his shrinking domestic agenda.


A Santa Claus rally pushed Wall Street's blue-chip stocks to their highest close in 3-1/2 years on Tuesday, boosted by a rebound in drugmaker Pfizer Inc.


Russia signed a $1 billion deal with Indonesia on Thursday to provide the world's most populous Muslim nation with assault helicopters, amphibious tanks and advanced submarines — expanding Moscow's military clout in Asia.


Spain has won the Davis Cup for the second time in its history, four years after its first title, amidst wild scenes here at the Estadio Olimpico in Seville.


A group of companies led by Sony Corp. of America put a lock on its acquisition of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. for about $2.


By Anonymous  BLOGOSPHERE  Plus: Google's fading luster, Bud TV and typo trouble  Microsoft beats Apple at reviewer relations? Blogger James Gaskin recently discussed small-business servers, but left out Apple.


Parigi, 14:38 - RUGBY, MONDIALI: IL XV DELL'AUSTRALIA PER L'ESORDIO

L'Australia ha scelto la formazioni che sabato affronterà il Giappone nell'incontro valido pe...


Bush: Kerry Has 'Election Amnesia' on Iraq

FORT MYERS, Fla.  - President Bush said on  Saturday that Sen. John Kerry has a case of "election amnesia"  that led him to shift his stance on Iraq, painting his  Democratic rival as a waverer unfit to lead America in  threatening times.


The Republican presidential race is so unsettled that some party officials are openly talking of a scenario that seemed almost unthinkable until now: the first contested GOP convention in 60 years


CfH report confirms confidentiality risk

Keeping mum on care records Plans to upload medical records onto a central database - the so-called spine - will put patient confidentiality at risk, Connecting for Health (CfH) has been told by its own consultants.â¦


Opening his latest presidential campaign swing through Iowa, Democrat Barack Obama singled out rival John Edwards for criticism, arguing that the former North Carolina senator doesn't have a track record to back up the sharply populist themes he sounds on the campaign trail.


Investment in robots reaches record levels

A joint UN-industry study says investment in industrial robots has increased by double digits to the highest level ever recorded. The Geneva-based UN Economic Commission


NEW YORK - Former President Clinton was alert and talking on Tuesday, a day after undergoing a heart operation to bypass four severely clogged arteries.    Clinton remained in intensive care at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia and was "resting comfortably," according to a statement by his office...


Found in the search marketing forums: What to Do Now?; Do You Think SEO Is A Con?; Broad Match Just Got Dangerous; and more.


Dow, S&P near flat; Target's view hurts retail

U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday after Target Inc  cut its sales forecast and depressed retail shares, offsetting gains in major energy companies as oil hit a one-month high.


Ahern and Blair hope to revitalise NI process

Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair meet today to try to find a way of breathing new life into the faltering efforts to restore devolution to Northern Ireland.


Make-up, another thing the Romans did for us

The first analysis of a rare Roman skin cream shows that it is similar to modern equivalents and suggests that women went to the same lengths to look beautiful two thousand years ago as they do today.


US Chamber Asks Court to Overturn Rule on Mutual Fund Boards

The United States Chamber of Commerce said on Thursday that it had asked a federal court to overturn a rule requiring mutual fund boards to have independent chairmen and majorities of independent directors.


Top Gear resumes filming after presenter's smash

Filming for a new series of the popular British car show "Top Gear"  has resumed  two weeks after one of its co-presenters was seriously injured in a high-speed jet car crash, a BBC spokeswoman  has said.


Rafael Furcal hit a three-run triple, Chad Billingsley struck out seven in six strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their eighth straight game with a 10-2 victory over the Florida Marlins on Saturday.


Tasso piu' alto dal maggio 2001, in Italia +2,6%


BAGHDAD - Two suicide car-bombings killed at least 17 people in Baghdad yesterday as US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld began an unannounced visit to Iraq.


Lucent Technologies Inc. LU.N, among  the world's largest makers of telecommunications equipment, on  Wednesday said quarterly earnings rose sharply, helped by  improvement in its wireless networks business and lower costs.


Nokia teams with Sprint, Reuters on worldwide mobile ad network

Nokia's new mobile ad network will be run in partnership with Sprint and some 70 major Web-based content providers worldwide. Meanwhile, Nokia is reportedly talking about a Windows Mobile deal with Microsoft.


Aiutare lo Stato a combattere la mafia e' aiutare se stessi


In Remarks, Paulson Notes Housing Downturn

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson acknowledged the United States is experiencing a âsignificantâ housing market downturn but the economy should avoid recession.


Still no idea what it's for though ETSI has finally agreed a standard for high-speed access to the SIM used in GSM mobile phones, after several years of prevarication and filibustering the winner is... USB.â¦


By James Edward Deseret Morning News  Chris Klein has been down this frustrating, unpredictable path before.  As a member of the Kansas City Wizards for eight years prior to joining Real Salt Lake last season, rumors were always circulating about the future of the Wizards.


Ashado stakes claim as top 3-year-old filly

Ashado for 3-year-old filly champion. No doubt about it, after her winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff here yesterday. The Kentucky Oaks heroine had gone through a summer


Hip-Hop Acts Lead Voter-Awareness 'Race'

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Ludacris, Public Enemy and Mase are  among the acts that will perform at Race to the Polls, an Oct.  14 voter awareness concert at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.


ProactiveNet buy will help BMC Software develop the analytics portion of its business service management software.


From CQ Weekly: Corporate PACs Still Tilt Right

Casual observers might expect corporate political donors to be giving Democratic candidates a significantly bigger slice of the pie this fall Ã¢ÂÂ to reflect the distinct possibility that Democrats could gain control of one or both houses of Congress five weeks from now.


UK scientists using the Cassini probe find a new ring and one, possibly two, new objects orbiting Saturn.


UK confirms U.S. to free three Guantanamo inmates

The United States has agreed to release three British residents held at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and send them back to Britain, Foreign Secretary David Miliband confirmed on Thursday.


Kerry still has one advantage: He's not Bush

Democrats need to get a grip on themselves. John Kerry is not down for the count. He still has a good chance to capture the presidency on Nov. 2, even though the


Mixed Results for Bush in Battles Over Judges

After more than three years of appointment battles, President Bush's ambitions for the courts are clear, but his record is mixed.


AT&T softens position on open access spectrum

(InfoWorld) - AT&T Inc. has backed away fromÂ earlier complaints about proposed open-access rules on parts of theÂ 700MHz spectrum to be auctioned by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission by early next year. Draft auction rules floated by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin have "struck an interesting and creative balance between the competing interests" that are lobbying the commission, AT&T said of its understanding of those rules in a statement Wednesday. Just last Thursday, AT&T Vice President Robert Quinn had written the FCC saying the so-called Google plan for open-access rules for part of the auctioned spectrum "would turn the clock back on a decade of bipartisan consensus on the proper approach to wireless deregulation." In addition, open-access rules could expose the FCC "to a reversal in the courts," with lawsuits delaying the auction winner from using the spectrum, Quinn wrote on July 12. The open-access proposals would diminish the value of the spectrum and amount to "corporate welfare," AT&T said. Since then, AT&T has gained a better understanding of Martin's draft auction rules proposal, AT&T said Wednesday. Martin's proposal, as AT&T now understands it, would "allow" the auction winner to experiment with some open access rules, Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, said in a statement. "The plan would enable the introduction of an alternative wireless business model without requiring changes in the business models of AT&T and others in what is a highly competitive wireless industry," Cicconi added. Google Inc. and several consumer groups have called for open-access rules on a portion of the 60MHz of spectrum to be auctioned. Under open-access rules, auction winners would be prohibited from blocking or slowing Web content from competitors, and they would have to connect to any wireless devices customers wanted. In addition, under open-access rules proposed by Public Knowledge and other groups, the auction winner would have to sell spectrum access to competitors at wholesale prices. Open-access rules are needed to encourage a third national broadband competitor to the large cable and telecom carriers, the groups have said. "We urged the commission not to rely on a status quo approach to the upcoming auction," wrote Richard Whitt, Google's telecom and media counsel, in a letter to the FCC July 9. "Rather, the agency must do what is necessary to bring about robust forms of ... broadband competition." Public Knowledge, a digital rights group, has said Martin's draft rules don't go far enough. While Martin wants device portability and no blocking of Web applications, he hasn't called for wholesale access to the spectrum. Without wholesale access, it's unlikely a third broadband service could challenge cable and telecom services, Public Knowledge has said. Art Brodsky, communications director for Public Knowledge, called the new AT&T position a "remarkable turnaround." But Randolph May, president of the conservative think tank, The Free State Foundation, said he disagrees with AT&T's interpretation of what the auction rules would allow. "My impression (perhaps erroneously) had been that Chairman Martin's proposal would mandate an open access ... regime in the one block [of the spectrum]," May wrote in an e-mail. "There is a significant difference between 'allowing' and 'mandating.' My understanding is that absent a mandate, nothing at all in any existing or proposed FCC rule would prevent the winning bidder from voluntarily adopting an open access business model."


Delta Reaches Deal With Pilots, Averting Chapter 11 Filing

Delta reached a tentative agreement with its pilots' union Wednesday night on wage and benefit cuts, averting a threatened bankruptcy filing, at least for now.


Aussies: Kyoto should have been ratified

Australia should have ratified the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions years ago instead of becoming isolated on the issue along with the United States, two former Cabinet officials said.


The Bulldogs used power running and a dominant defense to beat Central Florida Saturday and earn a milestone win for the once-dormant program.


The layoffs of 55 employees at Miramax last week on the heels of similar layoffs last month leave the studio diminished just when it most needs muscle.


Dalai Lama Leads Prayers in South Russia

Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims trekked to a temple in the southern republic of Kalmykia on Tuesday for prayers led by the Dalai Lama during his first visit to Russia in a decade.


With abortion, gay marriage, and other core issues at stake, Democrats and Republicans angle for any advantage.


Torino, 18:09 - CALCIO, JUVE: IL RITIRO A PINZOLO DALL'11 AL 22 LUGLIO

La Juventus ha deciso di tornare in Trentino, a Pinzolo, per il tradizionale ritiro estivo di precam...


The latest news as Roger Federer takes on Andy Roddick in the US Open final.


If the victory of best-picture champ "Crash" over front-runner "Brokeback Mountain" last winter proved one thing, it's that nothing is ever certain at the Academy Awards.


Blog: Flickr says it is being blocked in China, while blogger Violet Blue says her Flickr images have been put behind a members-only wall


SMART-1 Swan Song: Valuable Data Until Final Moments

Right up to its final orbits, SMART-1 continued delivering valuable data, extending the mission's legacy as a technology and scientific success.


Mystery bidder snaps up main Yukos oil business for Â£4.8bn

The main production unit and jewel in the crown of Yukos, the beleaguered Russian oil group, was bought by a mystery shell company yesterday for a fraction of its real value, in


IAEA due in N.Korea for start of nuclear shutdown

Senior U.N. inspectors will arrive in North Korea on Tuesday to agree steps in verifying a promised shutdown of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said.


Bremer: US 'Paid a Big Price' For Failing to Deploy Enough Troops ...

The former US administrator in Iraq says the United States "paid a big price" for failing to deploy enough troops on the ground immediately after the ouster of Saddam Hussein.


Almost half a million homeless in Britain: NGOs

Britain has almost half a million homeless people, two non-governmental organisations said, describing the official number of 100,000 given by the government as the tip of the iceberg.


Consultant: How to deal with Oracle licensing

A consultant offered advice Tuesday regarding how Oracle customers can get the best deal and protect themselves while licensing software from the enterprise software giant.Oracle's licensing practices have been maligned as overly confusing and unfair. But Eliot Arlo Colon, president of Miro Consulting, an independent firm in Fords, N.J., didn't get into specifics about particular policies, instead organizing a webinar around four categories: compliance, discounts, ongoing annual support costs, and terms and conditions."When I look at e-mail subject lines, these are the things we get hit with," Colon said."Compliance is the foundation. Without it, nothing else matters," he said, adding that it is "not a gray area. Either you're compliant or you're not. ... If you consider areas [of use] gray, or your vendor considers areas gray, you should be concerned."Companies should self-audit their licenses twice a year, and it should be a "thorough review," not a couple of mass e-mails, he said: "It's definitely more of a bear than most people would anticipate."A third party should review the audit, and the company must possess a "stated and defendable" position on gray areas, he added. It is also wise to get assumptions confirmed in writing: "If it's not stated in your agreement that you have that right, chances are you do not have that right," he said.Oracle vigorously defends its intellectual property, according to Colon. "You always have to assume an audit is only 30 days away," he said. "We've worked with companies that say 'We're a strategic partner, we're in the Oracle top 50,' and then they're audited."Colon offered a range of advice concerning license cost. While Oracle and other vendors tend to offer better deals at certain times of the year, customers shouldn't be easily tempted by a low price, he said: "Waiting until a vendor's end-of-year, end-of-quarter may not be in your best interest if it's changing your business process. ... Everyone wants to get a good deal, but discount isn't the whole game. It's total cost of ownership."To that end, organizations should take a close look at their existing annual support costs, he said: "You may find that your support is a lot better than you thought, or you might find products that you're supporting and not using. ... or that Oracle has acquired half the software you've got and now it can be supported under one envelope."In fact, enterprises should review their annual support spending at least twice per year, Colon argued.IT shops should also seek to rework any complex and ambiguous language in license contracts; determine how globalization and consolidation has altered their company's licensing needs; mull the ramifications of licensing among mobile workers; and ensure they have collected all proofs of purchases for storage in an asset management repository, Colon said. His company advises enterprise-software customers of companies, including Oracle and Microsoft.When renewal time comes, companies should weigh whether it makes more sense to renew the existing pact or formulate a new one, according to Colon. "Businesses are very dynamic. If you have an agreement signed four years ago, chances are it doesn't work for you today," he said.Firms must also ensure they and Oracle are working from the same set of terms and conditions, Colon warned: "You want to make sure you're protected -- believe me, Oracle is going to make sure they're protected."


Sony's first consumer HD camcorder is expected to arrive in the U.S. soon.


Anche Hollywood contagiata, in bio-film lo fa Cate Blanchett


Health authorities in Ireland say Russian ex-Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar has not been the victim of radiation poisoning.


Jennifer Lopez Show Biggest New York Fashion Buzz

She's already a pop diva, a major movie star and gossip column favorite -- now Jennifer Lopez is set to make her debut as a fashion designer, in the most sought after show at New York's fashion week.


NASA's high hopes for a clean reading of the Sun's atomic signature seemed dead Wednesday after the 450-pound Genesis spacecraft came tumbling down in Utah, where it landed with a terrible thud.


Live on an autistic island? Not me, says blogger

Amanda Baggs, a 26-year-old woman with autism, became a bit of an Internet sensation after she posted videos she made about how someone with autism experiences reality.


Kerry stumps at churches; Bush ad blasts rival on terror

President Bush's campaign intensified criticism of Sen. John Kerry's views of the war on terrorism Sunday and the Democratic challenger fought back forcefully as


Gordon Bulloch was named captain of Scotland's rugby union side Monday for next month's four-match test series. The 28-year-old last served as captain in a World Cup match against the United States last year.


Jurors said Monday they were deadlocked on one of two charges in the case against the leader of a polygamous sect who is accused of sex crimes in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older cousin.


Mining Giant Was Warned on Pollution in Indonesia

An internal company report sheds new light on operations at Newmont Mining Corporation, which has drawn the rising ire of environmental groups.


Nova Scotia backbencher to introduce bill to elect Senate replacements

HALIFAX (CP) - A Nova Scotia government backbencher is stepping forward to try to fulfil a promise made by Premier John Hamm to hold elections for Senate vacancies.


The first of three presidential debates focused on foreign policy, with most of the discussion on Iraq. Students turn attentively to television sets on Sept.


Qatar group launches takeover for Sainsbury supermarket group

The British supermarket group J Sainsbury said Wednesday it has received a takeover approach from a Qatari investment group.


Queen's ex-secretary denies role in Diana death

Lord Fellowes tells inquest he was in Norfolk church hall on night of fatal Paris crash


Archaeologists unveil new tombs in Egypt

Archaeologists unveiled the tombs Tuesday of a pharaonic butler and a scribe that have been buried for more than 3,000 years — proof, they say, that Egypt's sands still have secrets to reveal.


Major to Blair: stop acting like Nellie Melba and go now

Sir John Major today calls on his successor to quit Downing Street and hand over power to Gordon Brown as soon as possible.


The Hidden Gems selection continues to disappoint investors.


VENICE, Italy  - Venice International  Film Festival organizers declared a collective mea culpa Monday  after the first half of the event was beset with exasperating  delays and logistical problems.


Roma, 12:51 - CALCIO, PETRUCCI: PANCALLI STA RICEVENDO AMPI CONSENSI

"Sostengo Pancalli, per il Coni. Non posso sostenerlo per altre realtà, perchè non spe...


Raelians Rocket From Clones to Clitorises

The free-love, extraterrestrial-themed Raelian Movement made headlines with its dubious claims of successful human cloning. Now it's enlisted top reconstructive surgeons in its latest cause: to restore women in Africa who've suffered genital mutilation.


Lucent Technologies Inc. signed a four-year agreement to supply equipment for Cingular Wireless' rollout of its nationwide 3G high-speed wireless data system.


Rudolph W. Giuliani, who was hospitalized overnight this week, said he was âfeeling good, I got a good nightâs sleep.â


Pondexter, Mercury Force Deciding Game 5

Cappie Pondexter scores 26 points and the Mercury defeats the Shock, 77-76, to force a deciding fifth game in the WNBA finals.


WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Layoff announcements by US companies surged 45 percent in September to nearly 108,000, the highest number of planned job cuts since January, outplacement firm Challenger Grey & Christmas said Tuesday.


Iraqi forces can take over by June 2007, says PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday his government's forces would be able to take over security command from U.S. troops by June 2007 -- a move which could allow the United States to start withdrawing.


Those the gods wish to destroy, they first make really dumb


Peter Glaskowsky analyzes the potential benefits of AMD's new quad-core Opteron processors for data centers.


Don Reisinger's latest column about the RIAA made some cringe.  But if you enjoyed that, take a look at the full transcript of the interview to see just how bad it was.


Roma, 18:59 - GINNASTICA RITMICA, EUROPEI: ARGENTO ALL'ITALIA

Straordinario argento della squadra italiana di Ginnastica Ritmica agli Europei di Mosca. Con due es...


Candice Wiggins is healthy and headed back to the NCAA tournament. Wiggins scored 20 points and No. 6 Stanford staved off a late rally to beat eighth-ranked Arizona State 62-55 in the championship game of the Pac-10 tournament Monday night, giving the Cardinal an automatic NCAA bid.


Oprah Winfrey: reigning queen of daytime talk, book club guru and   newly minted automobile fairy.


A songwriter composes a tune inspired by our very own medical/technology blog. Sing along with us now, won't you? In Bodyhack. <img


World Community Grid will harness the vast and unused computational power of the worldâs computers and direct it at research designed to help unlock genetic codes that underlie diseases like AIDS and HIV, Alzheimerâs and cancer, improve forecasting of


Carrefour sees 2004 results short of target as third quarter disappoints

French retail giant Carrefour warned that 2004 results would not meet its targets, as it reported weaker-than-expected sales for the third quarter.


Central European Media Enterprises (CME), the Nasdaq-listed east European broadcasting company, is to retake control of the largest Czech commercial station in a deal worth $642m.


Some of the world's top scientists, ethicists and policy experts on stem cell research gathered yesterday at the Salk Institute in La Jolla to speak about both the promise and ethical perils tied to the young field.


NEW YORK/DUBAI  - Nasdaq and Borse Dubai agreed to buy stakes in one another in a deal to create a group of exchanges with unprecedented reach, linking the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.


Secondo l'Isae a dicembre indice e' passato da 155,6 a 110,1


Despite gaining their freedom by signing pledges to renounce violence, at least seven former prisoners of the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have returned to terrorism, at times with deadly ...


Late rally sees Wall Street end week on a positive note

US BLUE-chips recovered from an early fall to end higher as a drop in oil prices offset a profit warning from aluminium maker Alcoa, while a rise in Oracle fuelled a rally in technology stocks after a judge rejected a government attempt to block a


The Orange Order in Portadown  confirms it is prepared to talk to nationalist residents of Garvaghy Road.


Not following Warner Hollywood-based Paramount Studios has denied claims that it will be dropping the HD DVD format and returning to Blu-ray Disc.â¦


Picking the men's winner of the US Open, which will begin today in Flushing Meadows, NY, is no sure thing, based on what happened at the year's two previous Grand Slam events.


Ex-Cisco Executive to Lead Joost, Internet TV Provider

The high-profile Internet start-up Joost plans to announce today that it has hired Michelangelo Volpi, 40, as its new chief executive.


The suicide bomber who killed 22 people and injured dozens hugged his comrades goodbye and asked that God welcome him before he detonated the deadliest explosion to date


US Air Curbs Free Travel in First Class as a Perk

US Airways, in its latest effort to cut costs under bankruptcy protection, is stripping former executives and board members of their ability to travel free in first class, the airline said yesterday.


(InfoWorld) - Apple collects secrets like a pack rat collects shiny things. It's part of the company's culture. So when someone breaks the code of silence, it sets virtual seismographic needles scratching. That happened this week, when Sun's CEO Jonathan Schwartz said Apple's upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard would rely on a file system that engineers at his company have spent years creating: ZFS. What does ZFS stand for? At one time, it was an acronym for Zettabyte File System, but Sun now prefers that the name stand on its own. "Zetta," by the way, is one of the standard SI prefixes -- as are the much more familiar kilo, mega, and giga -- and represents 10^21, or 100,000,000,000,000,000,000. According to Sun, "The largest SI prefix we liked was 'zetta.'" Sun was obviously seeking to evoke a really big number to remind everyone of the file system's data (and number of files) capacity. Sort of like Super Size Me -- the movie -- but bigger. Way bigger. Got it. Now what is it? ZFS is a 128-bit file system that Sun announced in 2004 but didn't integrate with its Solaris operating system until 2006. Among ZFS' selling points is huge capacity, storage pooling, fast data snapshots, and copy-on-write. As a 128-bit file system, it can store 18 billion times more data than current 64-bit systems, such as NTFS, which is Microsoft's file system for Windows. According to calculations on Wikipedia, it would take about 9,000 years to max out ZFS' file limit if 1,000 files were created every second. Pooling eliminates partitions and much of the hassle with storage, such as figuring which "volume" to stick files on, or how to manage a new external drive. "You don't have to worry about the details of what's going on with your disks, your storage, or your file systems," Jeff Bonwick, chief architect of ZFS, said when Sun rolled out the file system in 2004. "You add disks to your storage pool, file systems consume space automatically as they need it, and administrators don't have to get involved." And copy-on-write, which copies modified data to a new block rather than overwriting existing data, is pertinent here because it's one of the most common methods used to take quick "snapshots" of a disk (or in the case of ZFS, the storage pool) as point-in-time backups. Okay. So why am I hearing about ZFS now? Blame Schwartz, who at one point during a new product introduction on Wednesday spilled what sounded like a secret. "This week, you'll see that Apple is announcing at their Worldwide Developers Conference that ZFS has become the file system in Mac OS X," he said. Most alert listeners keyed on the word "the" and heard it as in "the default" or "the only." Swap out the Mac's 22-year-old Hierarchical File System? Between now and October? Wow. The supposition seemed confirmed when a second exec, Marc Hamilton, Sun's director of technology for global education and research, wrote on his blog that "Jonathan noted that Apple will announce this week that the ZFS file system from OpenSolaris will become Apple's new default file system." What's in it for me? Rumblings immediately after Apple's 2006 WWDC pinned ZFS to Time Machine, one of the most touted features of the upcoming Leopard operating system. Time Machine and ZFS seemed a marriage made in heaven, what with ZFS' snapshot skills. Storage-centric bloggers like Robin Harris, who writes StorageMojo, and others like John Siracusa of Ars Technica, laid out the case for a connection last August. A new file system that drove Time Machine -- arguably the coolest made-public feature in Leopard -- while eliminating data corruption and the volume concept would be a very good thing, even if it was under the hood and therefore hidden from most users. Bottom line: Mac OS X would make another major technological stride and blow by Microsoft and its Windows yet again. Xerox this, Redmond! Sounds great? Where do I get it? Actually, ZFS is already in Leopard, according to reports of recent test builds and posted screenshots. The new file system, however, can't be used on the root partition, meaning it cannot be used as the file system for a Mac's boot drive, such as the hard disk inside a MacBook Pro. That's a limitation of ZFS, by the way, not Leopard. Solaris, in fact, has only recently managed to boot its own Solaris operating system from ZFS. The thinking, of course, is that by the time October rolls around and Leopard goes final, the ZFS boot problem, and others, will have been solved by Apple engineers, who are presumably hard at work in an undisclosed location. You might hear a "But ..." coming. And you would be right. Almost as soon as ZFS made the news, Sun scuttled away from its "the default" quote. Only hours after his initial posting, Sun's Hamilton revised his blog so that the ZFS line read: "Jonathan noted that Apple is planning to use the ZFS file system from OpenSolaris in future versions of their OS." In the blog comments, he also added: "I hope this clears up some of the confusion and concern I may have caused." So is ZFS in or out? Cupertinologists are betting it's in, but not as the default file system. HFS+ still rules. Again, Harris on StorageMojo: "I'll stick to my prediction that Apple, as with HFS+, will put ZFS on OS X Server first before bringing it out later for the great unwashed." But Harris does see one possibility for those "unwashed" users: ZFS would be a great fit for flash disks, the nonmechanical drives making their way into laptops. The big reasons for a no-go on ZFS seem to focus on effort required versus time available, Apple's penchant for homegrown core technologies rather than slapping someone else's in place, and Time Machine's actual mechanics. On the latter, the best analysis remains Siracusa's from August 2006. With Apple, however, there's always a caveat. Maybe this is one of the Leopard pieces that Jobs wouldn't divulge last year for fear "... our friends in Redmond [will] start their photocopiers." And though it may be a coincidence, a revised Apple patent application was made public last month that could play to ZFS. This application specs out in-place file system conversion -- it uses the example of converting Microsoft's FAT32 file system (the default in older editions of Windows) to Apple's HFS+ -- so users wouldn't have to wipe and reinstall to switch. One interesting line in the application: "In general, any file-system used to organize and store files can be converted based on the location of the files(s), which is typically readily obtainable from the original file-system." HFS+ to ZFS, anyone? What does Apple have to say about this? Nothing. But Jobs' keynote at WWDC starts at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) Monday, and if ZFS is to be "the" Mac's file system, we'll hear about it then. Of course, if you believe in the Tao of FSJ (Fake Steve Jobs), this blog entry in The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs gives some good clues. Money quote, as FSJ would say: "As soon as I figure out what this thing is, I'll let you know."


Palestinians not doing enough, says Sharon

Israel accused the Palestinian authorities on Monday of doing nothing to prevent attacks after five soldiers were killed in the deadliest assault since the death of Yasser Arafat more than a month ago.


Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, who made stars of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, dies, aged 83.


advantage. Already he has beaten Russia's Evgeny Makarenko, the two-time defending world champ, who arrived at the Games with a bulging rsum.


Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank are named best male and female actors in the US Screen Actors Guild Awards.


Penn & Teller will host the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony. The two "defy labels and their genre of magic and offbeat humor will no doubt provide us with one mind-boggling show," Spike Jones Jr., the show's producer, said Tuesday.


The dwarf planet formerly known as Xena received a new name, while Pluto was given a number to reflect the loss of its status as a planet.


A study says high levels of computer technology can improve school results, but the picture is mixed.


A month after distribution began, the over-the-counter version of the morning-after pill is now available at pharmacies nationwide. Planned Parenthood celebrated Wednesday with a free giveaway of the emergency contraceptive, while critics insisted that Plan B's accessibility will soon be a cause for regret.


A man died from asthma after being bitten several times by his pet hamster in a city north of Tokyo, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Tuesday.


A Libyan court is to deliver its verdict in the retrial of six foreign medics accused of infecting children with HIV.


Ovitz was too elitist for egalitarian Disney

Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner told a court yesterday that the troubles of his former colleague Michael Ovitz were rooted in a sense of elitism, pointing


Russia Plans Space Station Launch on Oct. 11

Russia will launch a three-man crew to the International Space Station on Oct. 11, two days later than initially scheduled due to problems with the docking system, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Wednesday.


Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr is to play Iron Man, the latest comic book hero to be turned into a movie.


Chiron's flu vaccine plant in Liverpool, England, had such poor conditions that the Food and Drug Administration says the vaccine made there was "adulterated" and


Allergen-Free Homes  Won't Stop Kids' Asthma

THURSDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDayNews) -- Reducing the levels of cat dander and dust mites in your home won't prevent your child from getting asthma, British researchers report.


Stocks Open Near Flat as Oil Near Record

U.S. stocks opened little changed on  Monday as crude prices remain near their record highs, but  early reports of victory for the Venezuelan president in a  referendum on his rule eased fears about the country's oil  exports.


Directors at the UK's top 100 companies have built up a pension pot worth a total of Â£1m, the TUC claims.


Certain health supplements and raisins imported from the United States failed to meet Chinese safety standards and have been returned or destroyed, the country's food safety agency said Friday, turning the tables on the U.S. amid growing worries over dangerous Chinese products.


A mere 43 weeks since the 2004 PGA Tour season teed off, we can finally catch a glimpse of the finish line. That's because the Tour Championship gets


IBM's decision to free up design specifications for its blade server system has stimulated interest in the tech community. The company said more than 100 companies have embraced the BladeCenter spec to build various hardware products.


Roma, 12:30 - Calcio, Spagna: Irureta-Deportivo, divorzio prossima stagione

Javier Irureta non sarÃ  il tecnico del Deportivo la Coruna nella stagione 2005-2006. La decisione an...


Firenze, 17:02 - CALCIO, CORVINO: NOCERINO VOLEVA VENIRE A FIRENZE

Giallo risolto, Antonio Nocerino resta alla Juve. La Fiorentina ne prende atto ma precisa. ''Alla ba...


Chirac flies to Asia with eyes on China's booming economy

President Jacques Chirac embarks on an eight-day Asian tour aimed at winning France a bigger slice of China's super-hot economic pie by playing on political and cultural relations that have grown noticeably closer.


Parma state their intention to keep coach Claudio Ranieri amid reports linking him to Man City.


A 77-year-old man who lost his eye after developing a rare cancer is given an acrylic replica which fits to his glasses.


North Korean Nuclear Talks Proceed as Outlook Dims

BEIJING -- Deadlocked on Sunday over energy aid to North Korea, envoys to six-nation talks on the Pyongyang government's nuclear weapons program gave themselves one more day to reach agreement on first steps toward eliminating the program.


Calif. plane hits sewage tank, killing 3 Japanese

Three Japanese men died when their small plane crashed into a tank full of raw sewage in California, an employee at the flight school that operated the aircraft said on Tuesday.


Beersheba, Sept.1 (GUARDIAN NEWS SERVICE): At least 16 people were killed and almost 100 injured after Israel's five-month period of relative peace was shattered yesterday with adouble suicide bombing on two buses in the southern town of Beersheba.


Japan  Extends Its Military Presence in Iraq

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's cabinet agreed Thursday to extend the deployment of Japan's 600 non-combat troops in Iraq for up to one year despite widespread public opposition and condemnations by political opponents.


Iran leaves nuclear freeze to last minute

Iran suspended sensitive nuclear work yesterday in the hope of averting a referral to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions over fears that it is seeking to develop a nuclear bomb.


NY cleans up after asbestos-tainted explosion

Workers cleaned asbestos-tainted debris on Thursday from an explosion of a steam pipe that rocked Manhattan as some New Yorkers questioned official reassurances that the air was safe to breathe.


Britons win right to pursue Saudi torture case

Four Britons who claim they were tortured in jails in Saudi Arabia won the right to pursue their case in Britain's courts.


San Bernardino, Riverside Counties Weigh Land Transfer Between School Districts

By Adam C. Hartmann, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.  Feb. 7--Two county committees on school district organization may need  more time before making a recommendation that could change the future of the  Yucaipa-Calimesa and Beaumont school districts.


Terza serie del 'legal drama' da lunedi' 7 gennaio


"I hope I die before I get old" ... no way! The elderly rockers known as The Zimmers entered the British Top 40 chart Monday at No. 26 with their guitar-smashing take on The Who's "My Generation."


Candidates see Sarkozy as beacon of change

Excitement is stirring in the presidential campaign over a politician who's been talked about in the same breath as John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.


Indonesia tightens security on Bali island

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia's police on Tuesday were ordered to tighten security on the resort island of Bali on the 2nd anniversary of Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, and injured 500 others.


President Vicente Fox presented a plan Friday to improve Mexico's checkered human rights record, pledging to eradicate torture and to hold corrupt and abusive authorities accountable for wrongful arrests and shoddy police work.


Bank of America Corp  said on  Tuesday it would eliminate 650 corporate and investment banking  jobs and sell its equity prime brokerage business, as the  second-largest U.S. bank retrenches in the face of difficult  credit market conditions.


Charter Details Exec's Severance Package

A former Charter Communications Inc. executive left jobless when the nation's third-largest cable television provider eliminated his position without explanation last month will collect nearly $600,000 in severance, the company announced Friday.


Hu stronger as China unveils new leadership team

China on Monday unveiled a new leadership team expected to give President Hu Jintao a stronger hand in ruling the country for five more years while a successor is groomed to take over in 2012.


Sanjay-Manyata marriage hits legal snags

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt's registered marriage with his partner Manyata may face legal hassles as it is in violation of the Muslim Personal Law (MPL), according to a legal expert.


Crescita eccezionale della pay tv, 2,32 miliardi


Premiato 'Il timore di Dio' del regista Kiziltan


Ban Ki-moon sworn in as 8th U.N. secretary-general

South Korea's Ban Ki-moon was sworn in as the eighth U.N. secretary-general on Thursday, pledging to be a "bridge-builder" and lead a dynamic and courageous United Nations when he takes over on January 1.


Roma, 11:22 - CALCIO VIOLENTO: SI' DEL SENATO A DECRETO

Il Senato ha espresso un sÃ¬ unanime al decreto legge contro la violenza nel calcio. Il provvedimento...


To SpongeBob and spectators, parading is like walking on air

As the unofficial star of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floated past the screaming throngs along Broadway yesterday, one particular fan could not contain his glee.


Adottato formalmente l'elenco dei vettori poco sicuri


Playing another aggressive game, Bryant scored 25 points as the Los Angeles Lakers posted a 113-102 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.


Just four months after picking up PreventSys, McAfee brings another security-compliance vendor into the fold with acquistion of Citadel Security Software, following the latter company's delisting by NASDAQ.


Microsoft, EU battle over antitrust order

Microsoft Corp. on Friday began round two of its fight to have the European Union's sweeping antitrust ruling lifted, arguing it had gone out of its way to meet EU concerns


Peru's disgraced ex-President Alberto Fujimori says he plans to run for the presidency in 2006, despite being banned.


Check tecnici sul posto, operazioni richiederanno 24-48 ore


The musical gear specialist rocks the holidays to cap off a turnaround year.


Ryder-What players are saying about the 2004 Ryder Cup

Seven-times European number one Colin Montgomerie, who will play in his seventh Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills next week, was selected by Europe captain Bernhard Langer as one of his two wildcard picks.


Prince Harry was involved in a scuffle outside a nightclub early today which left a photographer with a cut lip. Clarence House said the 20-year-old royal pushed back after he was hit in the face by a camera


Apple sold 525,000 iPhones since launch: report

Apple Inc.  sold about 525,000  iPhones at Apple and AT&T Inc.  stores in the first  weekend since its June 29 launch, the Los Angeles Times  reported on Monday, citing an analyst.


Attempting to soothe concerned consumers over a lack of PlayStation 3 shipments in the market, Sony reaffirmed its target to sell six million consoles by the end of March. No word on expected results this year, however.


An adviser to Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigns over a row centred on Italy's Telecom Italia.


Christmas Eve came and went, and the Dolphins were still waiting for St. Nick. Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga and team president Eddie Jones flew to Baton Rouge, La


Putin accuses 'complicit' West of harbouring Chechen terrorists

THE Russian president, Vladimir Putin, yesterday accused the West of harbouring Chechen terrorists, speaking hours after rebel leader Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for the Beslan school massacre.


Cristie Kerr, comforted by a new putter as she battled a head cold, opened with a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the storm-delayed Wegmans LPGA.


Britney, K-Fed to continue joint custody

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline will continue to share custody of their two young sons this month, following the terms of a January custody agreement, Federline's attorney confirmed Thursday.


United hold their nerve to avenge 2005 exit

Manchester United survived a jittery start to advance to the Champions League knockout stages as winners of Group F after a 3-1 win over Benfica.


Roddick and Federer Struggle, and Only Roddick Advances

Pumped up after a dramatic victory, Andy Roddick bumped into Roger Federer in the locker room and asked how he had fared.


Immigrants who want to become British citizens will need to pass tests to "prove their worth", under new plans.


'Shark Tale' Stirs Up Box Office Feeding Frenzy

DreamWorks' underwater animated adventure "Shark Tale" was still the big fish of the weekend box office when final receipts were tallied on Monday but it fell short


Newest Planet Found With Small Telescopes

Astronomers have found the latest planet in another solar system â-r "exoplanet" â -ng telescopes no bigger than those you might find at a garage sale.


'Scooter' Libby given 2Â½ years for perjury

Â· Cheney aide 'brought US system into disrespect' Â· Appeal expected in case linked to Iraq invasion


Blog: Gamespot reports that when the new PSP is released in Japan on September 20,  the Japanese market will also get a new accessory, a TV tuner (PSP-S310) that attaches to the PSP's USB port.


Fast Forward columnist Rob Pegoraro hosts the third in a series of discussions on The Washington Post's holiday tech buying guide and answer your personal tech questions.


Court changes loom: Next president may pick several justices

Chief Justice William Rehnquist could be back on the job as early as next week after undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer, but his hospitalization serves as a reminder that Tuesday's presidential election is about more than Iraq, terrorism and the economy


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced a preliminary regulation requiring electronic stability control technology on all new vehicles.


Christians, Muslims must reject violence: Pope

CASTELGANDOLFO, Italy  - Pope Benedict told Muslim   envoys on Monday that Christian and Muslim believers must   reject violence, in an audience meant to defuse anger at his   use of quotes saying Islam was spread by the sword.


As millions of Floridians battled another sweltering day without air conditioning, more than 6,000 utility workers from across the eastern United States streamed into Florida on Tuesday to help state power companies end the misery.


AMR Research Estimates Sarbanes-Oxley Spending Will Reach $5.8 ...

AMR Research estimates that companies will spend $5.8 billion on meeting Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requirements in 2005. Despite initial thoughts that Sarbanes-Oxley spending would be a one-time expenditure


Former President Clinton visits Microsoft

The former president and "Giving" author was on hand to praise Microsoft employees who raised $72 million as part of a just-ended charitable giving push.


Former President Ford receives pacemaker

Former President Ford received a cardiac pacemaker Monday at the Mayo Clinic, a top aide said.


Three weeks after Haiti's worst natural disaster in years the country is trying desperately to attend to its sick, feed its hungry, keep drinking water flowing and remove tons of mud and debris.


New Tools to Predict Genetic Risk for Colorectal Cancer

TUESDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have devised more precise ways to identify individuals who might have gene mutations associated with Lynch syndrome, the most common hereditary form of colorectal cancer.


U.S. Trade Deals Include Few Muslim Countries

Officials of some Muslim nations complain that the United States is failing to provide meaningful export opportunities because of protectionist pressure from U.S. industries.


Adding to the deluge of confusing and often contradictory test data, results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have arrived.


The soldier accused of being the ringleader in the abuse of prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib jail is convicted.


Gillespie handed additional ban for Hunt clash

Sheffield United's Keith Gillespie received an additional one-match ban after admitting a charge of violent conduct and will now miss four games in total following his red card for a clash with Reading's Stephen Hunt on January 20.


Florida digs out from Hurricane Frances today, while Bill Clinton recuperates from bypass surgery in New York. Meanwhile, John Kerry's quest for his own recovery winds


Boise State Coach Hawkins Signs Extension

Boise State coach Dan Hawkins signed a five-year, $2.6 million contract extension on Tuesday that could keep him with the Broncos through the 2009 season.


Coast Guard Tries To Contain 20-Mile Oil Slick

PHILADELPHIA -- The US Coast Guard has deployed thousands of feet of protective boom to contain a 30,000-gallon oil spill in the Delaware River between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.


Keith David is set to  star as leader of a secret police squad in Spike TV's pilot


August employment grew at the slowest rate in four years.


Alitalia Tugs on Italian Heart Strings, Wallets

When discount rival Ryanair scrawled the words "Arrivederci Alitalia" on one of its planes two years ago, it probably seemed like a bad joke.


Bergamo, 18:56 - CALCIO, ATALANTA: RUGGERI IN CONDIZIONI CRITICHE MA STABILI

Restano critiche ma stabili le condizioni del presidente dell'Atalanta, Ivan Ruggeri, ricoverato da ...


Southwest Air Sets Pay for Departing Executives

The chairman and president will get $400,000 a year each for five years, plus possible bonuses, after they give up their titles and board seats next year.


Views you can use to get clues on tomorrow's news.


ArborGen a Partner in New National Bioenergy Center

A team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has won a bid from the  Department of Energy for a $125 million bioenergy research center that  will seek new ways to produce biofuels. ArborGen, LLC, a world leader in  tree research and development, was named as one of the partners.


India's batsmen have offered little resistance to Australia's attack in Bangalore with the hosts' top order collapsing to leave the tourists on the brink of winning at the close of play on day four of the first Test.


It took the bluntest-talking member of the Bush administration - Richard L. Armitage, who is leaving his post as deputy secretary of state - to explain the strategy


Alleged Zarqawi audio tape urges insurgents to attack US supply ...

An audio tape allegedly from al Qaidaally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi called on insurgents in Iraq to attack US supply lines to prevent US-led forces from attacking other cities after Fallujah, Sky News TV reported Monday.


DARPA seeks $750m for hypersonic roboplane testbed

Bad news for tinfoil-sporting 'Aurora' diehards DARPA*, the Pentagon research hothouse where only the most exotic notions bloom on a rich mulch of taxpayer greenbacks, is bidding for a cool three-quarter-billion in funds to build a hypersonic plane.â¦


The full emissions costs of producing biofuels are higher than those of producing of conventional fuels, scientists said.


Microsoft is aiming to offer a higher-quality alternative to JPEG, saying Thursday that it planned to standardize its HD Photo graphics format. The new format is said to offer better quality, less data loss, and advanced functionality.


Il pm di Milano, consulente Onu, dopo il blitz di Perugia


Per negozi nel centro immobiliare di Santa Giulia a Milano


Arabs Say US Destroys Hope Over Jewish Settlements

Palestinians, backed by the Arab League, accused the United States on Sunday of destroying the Middle East peace process after Washington signaled it could accept some growth of Israeli settlements.


CHICAGO -- On his first day at work as chief executive of Ford Motor Co., Alan Mulally had a question that no one could answer: Why get rid of the Taurus?


OPEC set to resist pressure for more oil

OPEC is widely expected to resist consumer calls for more oil when it meets on Friday, worried by a slowing U.S. economy and the onset of seasonally lower demand in the spring.


Spera di raccogliere almeno un milione di dollari


Dramatic Tension Building and, Oh Yes, Can You Name That Soprano?

Each piece that James Sewell is showing at the Joyce Theater has brief passages where accomplishment turns into mastery, and others that turn into something less than accomplishment.


Calcio, Carraro scrive a Berlusconi per Europei 2012

Ci vuole una risposta chiara da parte del governo per proseguire nella candidatura dell'Italia per l'Europeo del 2012: Ã¨ questo l'invito che oggi il presidente della Figc Franco Carraro ha rivolto al presidente del Consiglio Silvio Berlusconi, nel corso


Upul Tharanga's one-day international best of 120 was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's 20-run victory in the first one-day international against England as the tourists went 1-0 up in the five-match series.


Bush Criticizes Anti-Kerry Television Ad

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday criticized a commercial that accused John Kerry of inflating his own Vietnam War record, more than a week after the ad stopped running, and said broadcast attacks by outside groups have no place in the race for the White House.   "I think they're bad for the system," added Bush, who had ignored calls to condemn the ad while it was on the air...


AMD delays chip shipments, aims for 2008 profit

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO  - Advanced Micro Devices Inc  has delayed shipment of major chip products until next year but aims to return to profitability in 2008, Chief Operating Officer Dirk Meyer said on Thursday.


Milano, 15:02 - CALCIO, GALLIANI: ANCELOTTI AL REAL? NON RISPONDO

Ancelotti cercato dal Real Madrid? Adriano Galliani non vuole polemiche: ''Siccome siamo in Quaresim...


"The board concluded that PeopleSoft is worth substantially more than Oracle's latest offer. We are a vibrant, strong company with a focused, motivated management


Network Solutions amends Net registration process

Facing criticism, Network Solutions has stepped back from some elements of a new process to register Internet domain names.


Retirees with company-sponsored medical benefits face higher costs, more restrictions and different plan options as their former employers move to curb their spending on such perks, a new study said.


Occhi puntati su Hopa dopo no a nozze di Unipol


New-Art Appreciation: Profiles in Concept

If you are new to contemporary art, you might find âArt:21 â Art in the Twenty-First Centuryâ a useful, mildly engaging introduction. Informed viewers will find it annoyingly superficial.


Davidson was due to test with Williams in Spain next week as the team evaluates candidates for a race drive next season, but while BAR were seemingly prepared to offer Davidson to Williams for one year, the Grove-based team are said to have refused.


When Wall Street gets back to work this week after the Thanksgiving holiday, the focus will be on jobs and retail sales.


Two teenagers were arrested Saturday in the theft of a laptop and hard drive containing sensitive data on up to 26.5 million veterans and military personnel, authorities said.


U.S. Commander Predicts Iraq Confrontation

The top U.S. commander in Iraq on Monday predicted a "major confrontation" on the streets of Fallujah as a U.S.-led force of as many as 15,000 troops pressed to retake control of the Sunni Muslim city.


Air strike kills 7 civilians in Afghanistan: police

HERAT, Afghanistan  - An air strike targeting a Taliban commander has killed seven civilians from one family in southwestern Afghanistan, provincial officials said on Monday.


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


After scoring four goals in his first two games for the US national team, 20-year-old striker Eddie Johnson is garnering headlines.


CNNfn, the financial news cable  network owned by Time Warner Inc., on Thursday said it will  cease business operations by mid-December, after fighting a  losing battle against the far larger rival CNBC.


Circuit CityÂs profit rose more than sevenfold, benefiting from increased sales in flat-panel TVÂs and digital-imaging products.


Flightless New Zealand Icon Claws Back from Brink

WELLINGTON, New Zealand  - An imaginative plan and  a dose of national guilt could save New Zealand's flightless  icon, the once abundant kiwi, from extinction.


After eight months of struggle, pain and hope, the racehorse finally loses his battle. But that he made it this far was a medical miracle


(InfoWorld) - Cisco Systems executives hinted at major changes in the company's consumer strategy on Wednesday even as theyÂ voiced optimism about networkingÂ and the world economy. The vendor boughtÂ LinksysÂ to enter the home networking market in 2003 and recently has gone deeper into the consumer market by acquiring video infrastructure and set-top box maker Scientific-Atlanta. It's one of several new directions for Cisco, a large, 23-year-old company looking for continuing revenue growth. Cisco's consumer business brings in about $3.5 billion per year and is growing between 10 percent and 20 percent per year. That's compared with nearly $35 billion in total revenue for the company's last fiscal year. But Chairman and CEO John Chambers believes consumer-oriented technologies such as social networking have a big future in enterprises and wants to bring new capabilities to homes, such as a less expensive version ofÂ Cisco's TelePresence conferencing system. Meanwhile, Microsoft and other IT vendors have designs on networked home entertainment, too. The company will never be a majority player in consumer electronics by following its current path, Chambers said during a roundtable discussion with reporters on Wednesday. Cisco is used to being the dominant player in an industry, as its switching and routing businesses are juggernauts. "One of the major decisions we face in the next twelve months ... is, are we going to continue along the current path ... and is there a path that gives up sustainable differentiation, especially given where the markets are going?" Chambers said. Collaboration, TelePresence, and unified voice, text, and video communications are among the technologies he expects to see in that arena. One change that's likely to happen eventually is theÂ demise of the Linksys brand, which Chambers has hinted at before but Cisco has hastened to downplay. It will take time, he noted. "Linksys often has a higher brand recognition to the retail consumer, but over time you'll see us move under the whole Cisco brand," Chambers said. This is the reason Cisco streamlined its logo last year, he said. The company also wants to establish an "audio brand," a sound people associate with the company, he added. The San Jose, California, company has much to gain from better home broadband, and Cisco believes local government is a major hurdle in the U.S. "I think the developing countries are out-executing the U.S. broadband buildout," including slashing their prices faster, Chambers said. Before they can improve the key "last mile" of networks to homes and businesses in the U.S., service providers have to negotiate with local governments and work through complex regulations, said Charles Giancarlo, senior vice president and chief development officer. Clearing the path requires municipalities recognizing broadband as a priority similar to water and electricity, he said. The executives downplayed municipal wireless initiatives in the wake of EarthLink Inc.'s pullback from that industry. "Eventually, major service providers will get into the provisioning of broadband wireless and will follow a traditional service-provider model," Giancarlo said. However, Chambers cautioned that others will step in if the carriers drag their feet on broadband. "When it isn't provided from the traditional way ... we as individual users or companies will look for other ways," Chambers said. Giancarlo took a jab at Cisco's key competitor in unified communications when asked about Microsoft's Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007, launching in October. It may combine collaboration with voice features, but it probably won't be an effective full telephony system, he said. "I expect it to be, frankly, somewhat of a 1.0 product in the real-time communications area," Giancarlo said. However, Cisco does have a number of projects with Microsoft to incorporate OCS features such as presence federation into Cisco's CallManager platform, he added. As it wrapped up a daylong conference with financial analysts at its headquarters, Chambers said the future for Cisco looks bright. Most of Cisco's customers believe the world economy is in good shape and central banks will be able to handle possible credit problems caused by home foreclosures in the U.S., he said. Cisco expects service providers to keep up big spending on infrastructure, though the enterprise networking industry may be bumpy, he added. Â


Word of the ambush attack inside a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University on Thursday sent panic throughout the sprawling campus.


Bratislava, 23:16 - CALCIO, EURO 2008: SLOVACCHIA-IRLANDA DEL NORD 2-2

Slovacchia ed Irlanda del Nord hanno pareggiato 2-2 (1-1) in un incontro valido per le qualificazion...


Roma, 22:50 - CALCIO, SAMP; MAZZARRI: RIGORE OPINABILE, MERITAVAMO DI PIU'

Walter Mazzarri è rammaricato: la sua squadra ha seminato tanto e raccolto poco all'Olimpico ...


Belarus' president on Friday dismissed speculation that his two days of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin were aimed at a quick union between the two countries that Putin would head.


Music Review | 'Jenufa': Big Trouble for a Small-Town IngÃ©nue

In Janacekâs âJenufa,â which played on Monday night at the Metropolitan Opera, a jealous obsession turns to violent rage, and then marriage.


La senatrice teodem commenta le parole del cardinal Ruini


A mysterious case of CJD raises the possibility of a new group of people falling prey to the illness.


Palestinian Leaders Going Ahead with Arafat Visit

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian leaders were  going ahead with a visit to France to see critically ill  Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, a senior Palestinian  official told Reuters on Monday.


American wants delay in Boeing deliveries

American Airlines is in talks with The Boeing Co. to defer delivery of some aircraft as airline capacity exceeds demand and pushes down ticket prices, Chief Financial Officer James Beer said.


Paypal claims its stemming the tide of phishers

Paypal has long held the inauspicious title of the Web's most frequently spoofed phishing target, but it says it is now seeing some success in stemming the tide with user education programs and pertnership with large ISPs, and Web mail services.


Icy feelings between Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini are sure to be a hot topic today, but what about the other NFL head coach with strong Patriots ties?


Embroidering the Fate of the First Man Who Thought He Was Napoleon

Antoine de Caunes's densely plotted costume drama suggests that Napoleon's demise might have been an elaborate hoax through which he escaped into anonymity.


Highland Council tenants vote against transferring ownership of  14,500 homes to a housing association.


AUSTRALIA's Olympic athletes will train and compete regularly in Beijing over the next three years after an historic co-operation agreement was signed today by the Australian and Chinese Olympic Committees.


A French gendarme kills his two children and a colleague before shooting himself in Paris, officials say.


In a widely anticipated move, Mr. Amit Khanna has been unanimously re-elected to serve as the President of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India.


LONDON, England -- The English Football Association have charged Tottenham captain Jamie Redknapp with serious foul play. The Spurs captain was guilty of a late challenge on Tim Cahill that resulted in the


Study: Insured cancer patients do better

Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles.


A former Bosnian Serb general who is considered the third most wanted war crimes fugitive in the Balkans was arrested on the Bosnia-Serbia border Thursday, police said.


Electronics carnival opens with rallying cry for free trade

The world's largest consumer electronics trade show opened Monday with a rallying cry for the United States to shun protectionism and throw its borders open wide to trade and immigration.


Iraq Blames US-Led Forces for Army Massacre

Iraq's U.S.-backed government said on  Tuesday that "major neglect" by its American-led allies led to  a massacre of 49 army recruits at the weekend.


Britain culls 160,000 turkeys in bird flu outbreak

Britain aimed to complete the cull of 160,000 turkeys on Monday as a government crisis team met to tackle the nation's first exposure to the latest deadly strain of the bird flu virus in farmed poultry.


The highlight of Ryan Palmer's rookie season on the PGA Tour came seven months ago across town at Bay Hill, when he met Arnold Palmer for the first time.


Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters will not play again this season, but won't need surgery for her latest wrist injury.


In beauty shops, churches and living rooms, organizers for Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are in a fierce competition for the support of black voters in the upcoming first-in-the-South presidential primary.


Rafferty, Reading run away from Stoneham

Stoneham finished 3-8 last season but came into this Thanksgiving 7-3, so it looked as if the program had turned over a new leaf.


Previsto inoltre il buy back di 3.992.026 azioni


Gas fonte primaria per produzione energia elettrica


With two trips to rehab behind her and a litany of legal problems ahead, Lindsay Lohan joins a long list of young Hollywood talents who've faced high-profile battles with drugs and alcohol. Some went on to enjoy healthy careers. Others died young.


While Vogue's September issue is still offering its famously dramatic images of 6-foot beauties clad in high fashion, the publication is adding an extra element that is a bit more utilitarian - online shopping.


The $50 Ticket: A Lottery Boon Raises Concern

Critics say that instant scratch-off games are more likely to contribute to problem gambling.


Aloisio Lorscheider, one of Latin America's most influential cardinals, died Sunday after a lengthy hospitalization. He was 83.


Wall Street seen higher, banking shares may support

Stock futures were up on Monday after Wall Street's near 2-percent drop on Friday, benefiting from media reports about fresh financial support for U.S. banks Merrill Lynch  and Citigroup .


Violent crime kept climbing in 2006, a top FBI official said Wednesday, previewing a report detailing nationwide increases in murders, robberies and other felonies for a second straight year.


A suicide bomber attacks a book-selling area in the centre of the Iraqi capital, killing at least 26 people.


SNB sets terms for dollar term auction facility

The Swiss National Bank on Friday  released terms of its temporary term auction facility:


Afghans may reconsider stance on poppy-spraying

KABUL, Afghanistan - In the face of pressure from the American government, the administration of President Hamid Karzai is seeking the formation of an international scientific committee to review the safety of chemical herbicides to combat Afghanistan's opium poppy crop, Afghan and Western officials say.


Police obtain permission from a 91-year-old man to break into his grown son's computer. The court that allowed this search might want to reconsider.


The Cleveland Browns were busy yesterday, locking up quarterback Ken Dorsey and signing former Patriots defensive end Bobby Hamilton .


Pakistan withdraws troops from main town in Al-Qaeda hunt zone

Pakistan has withdrawn soldiers from the main town in a tribal area near the mountainous Afghan border after months of bloody offensives against Al-Qaeda-linked militants, officials said.


Stocks rise in short session on Apple, M&A

Stocks gained in a holiday-shortened session on Tuesday, lifted by fresh takeover talk and after a report suggesting Apple Inc.  will generate fat profit margins on its iPhone.


More Study Needed to Settle Gun Debate - Report

No one has done the right studies to  prove whether gun ownership laws increase or decrease crime, or  whether the tens of thousands of gun deaths in the United  States each year could be prevented by gun control, a committee  of experts said on Thursday.


A Las Vegas court granted bail of $125,000 on Wednesday to former American football star O.J. Simpson, who faces criminal charges stemming from what police say was an armed robbery of his own sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel.


The message in âFriday Night Lightsâ doesn't just apply to the sport of football. And you don't need to love football or be able to tell the difference between a wide receiver and a running back to understand


Dr. Phil cancels his Britney Spears show

Television's "Dr. Phil" McGraw has pulled the plug on plans for a one-hour show that was to examine Britney Spears' latest public meltdown.


DaimlerChrysler, GM in ioint hybrid plan

BEIJING, Dec. 14 -- General Motors and DaimlerChrysler will jointly develop a gasoline-electric powered car to match Toyota and Honda in so-called hybrid vehicles that save fuel and cut emissions.


Will analysts stick with Apple this time?

com. Apple Computerâs stock price continues to set post-Power Macintosh G4 Cube records, most recently last week with a closing price of $68.44 per share on Monday, November 29.


Thailand nabs hunted Canadian pedophile suspect

Canadian pedophile suspect Christopher Neil, unmasked by nifty computer work by German police and a unique Interpol Internet appeal, was arrested in rural Thailand on Friday after a week-long manhunt.


Tom Glavine was just happy to get back on the mound. Glavine pitched for the first time in a few weeks after being sidelined by a blood clot in his pitching shoulder. He didn't get the win as New York beat Houston 8-7 Friday night, but he was pleased with the outing.


Body Resembling Japanese Hostage Found in Iraq

A body resembling a Japanese hostage has  been found in Iraq and is being shipped to Qatar for  identification, Japanese officials said on Saturday, after  Tokyo refused a demand by his captors to pull out its troops.


A Vienna manifestazione beneficenza a favore vittime Aids


Yemenis are voting in elections seen as a test of government commitment to reform.


Fred Thompson thinks there isn't enough "star" power in the GOP presidential field, so the professional actor and former Tennessee senator is considering getting into the 2008 race.


The federal judiciary will increasingly fail to attract the best-qualified lawyers if judges' pay doesn't improve, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Wednesday.


Dopo sentenza Milano, accusa di terrorismo internazionale


U.S. targets Swift & Co in immigration probe

U.S. immigration agents raided Swift & Co. meat plants in six states on Tuesday, temporarily shutting them down, as part of a 10-month investigation into identity theft involving illegal immigrants, federal officials said.


Bear Stearns shakes up asset management unit

Bear Stearns Cos. Inc.  on Friday replaced the head of its asset management business after two of the investment bank's hedge funds hit rock bottom by making bad bets on risky mortgages.


L'estrema cura adoperata per la scelta dei materiali, per la grafica e per le tonalitÃ  di colori faranno di questo cellulare il modello piÃ¹ apprezzato da chi Ã¨ estremamente attento alla moda, la funzione tri-band consente di effettuare chiamate ovunque


Ray Reed scores 10 points and Georgetown holds San Jose State to a season-low point total in a 58-40 win over the Spartans.


Kerry and Bush Take Aim at Key Swing States

Democratic Sen. John Kerry stressed his faith and values during a visit to the critical state of Florida on Sunday, while President Bush scoured New Mexico for votes and said it was "up in the air" if the United States could ever be safe from terrorism.


Letter Bomb Explodes in Germany, No One Hurt

A letter bomb addressed to a local politician exploded in the southern German town of Regen Monday -- the first device to explode in what police say they suspect is a four-month campaign by a mystery attacker.


Troops help stranded Chinese as snow kills 50

Troops fanned out across large swathes of China hit by snow storms that have killed about 50 people as Premier Wen Jiabao apologized to stranded railway passengers ahead of a major holiday.


Security features expected within Mac OS X Leopard

Apple touts eleven specific features it says will make Leopard secure.


Disney cooks up luxury branding with "Ratatouille"

A movie about a rat in a kitchen  may not appear to be the best hook for a high-end merchandising  campaign, but Walt Disney Co. is using the upcoming film  "Ratatouille" to expand its move into upscale branding.


More Controversy in Men's Olympic Gymnastics Scoring

There has been more controversy at the Olympics in Athens, Greece over the scoring in men's gymnastics, this time in the horizontal (high) bar finals.


Sepang, 12:09 - MOTO, FIORANI: NESSUN VETO HONDA A RITORNO BIAGGI

La Honda non ha messo alcun veto al ritorno di Max Biaggi. ''Ci sono contatti, vediamo se arriva l'a...


Springsteen and REM Seek to âVote For Changeâ

Bruce Springsteen and REM are set to perform a show of music and politics at Philadelphiaâs Wachovia Center. This starts a 10-day series of shows titled âVote For Changeâ.


One giant YouTube leap, for 2008 White House hopefuls

Is it a new dawn in US politics, or just another gimmick in an endless and overcrowded 2008 White House race? Senator Hillary Clinton and Democratic presidential rivals clamber on stage Monday in South Carolina to face questions not from some television news star, but supposedly ordinary voters airing unfiltered demands for answers in YouTube videos.


Report: Mulder to Cardinals for Haren, Calero

ESPN.com is reporting the A's have traded left-hander Mark Mulder to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Danny Haren, Kiko Calero and catching prospect Daric Barton.


A huge swarm of desert locusts which has hit Cairo and the Nile Delta is unlikely to cause widespread crop damage, a UN official says.


Battered City Opens for Business Despite Tsunami

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia  - Butchers, shop keepers  and restaurant owners in this devastated city opened for  business on Thursday, while a traditional marketplace bustled,  as tsunami survivors defiantly began to rebuild their lives.


BERLIN - German airline Lufthansa posted a 125 million euro ($155 million) net profit in the third quarter, more than making up losses from a year ago thanks to stronger demand for air travel, the company said Thursday.


'3:10 to Yuma' is a fine start to Hollywood's fresh batch of Westerns.


An increase in smog sparks a small but measurable increase in deaths, scientists report in a study showing the strongest link yet between smog and damage to health.


The Linux developer says it will now focus on its Qtopia platform and leave the hassles of hardware to other companies.


Oscar-Winning Composer Elmer Bernstein Dead at 82

Oscar-winning composer Elmer  Bernstein, who wrote some of Hollywood's most memorable music,  including scores for "The Magnificent Seven" and "Thoroughly  Modern Millie," has died at age 82, his publicist said on  Thursday.


AltaRoma, collezione realizzata con materiali biodegradabili


China Eastern says Air China's investment proposal is invalid, sending Air China's shares diving.


This is not the first time that Lee Baca, the sheriff who opened the jail door for Paris Hilton, has had his judgment questioned.


Spain takes further step towards gay marriages

Spain's Socialist government approved a draft bill to change the country's legal framework to allow marriages between same-sex couples, despite strong opposition by the Roman Catholic Church.


Ben Roethlisberger, accompanied by bodyguards and wearing a hood to cover facial injuries from a motorcycle crash, visited the Pittsburgh Steelers' offices Tuesday, a newspaper reported.


Wii becomes best-selling next-gen console

Early forecast confirmed Welcome back to the top of the world games console totem pole, Nintendo - for next-gen machines at the very least. Sales data suggests that to date 9m Wiis have been bought, to 8.9m Xbox 360s and 3.7m PS3s.â¦


Costco concludes fiscal year with a bang

Issaquah-based Costco Wholesale Corp. reported better-than-expected financial results on a number of fronts Thursday, and was rewarded by investors who bid up its shares by more than 4 percent.


VA vows to expand mental health services

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson pledged Monday to add mental health services at more than 100 VA medical centers to fight resistance to seeking help for depression and other illnesses.


Abu Dhabi emir elected to succeed his father as UAE president

ABU DHABI  - The emir of Abu Dhabi was elected Wednesday as president of the United Arab Emirates, succeeding his father, who died a day earlier, the official WAM news agency reported.


Stocks flat on mixed retail sales and oil price

U.S. stocks were little changed on Thursday after November sales for retailers highlighted some strong performances such as Federated Department Stores Inc. but raised worries about store chains like J.C. Penney Co. Inc.


Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton has dominated news coverage of the 2008 White House race, partly due to negative segments about her on conservative talk radio, according to a new study released on Monday.


Crude oil futures were up to $93.53 a barrel at the close of exchange trading today, up $1.67 from Friday.


Jersey City Landlords Prosper in New Yorkâs Shadow

Brokers say the Jersey City office market is tight right now and in the last year, rents there have risen smartly.


JERUSALEM "Mommy, what happened to the chicken?" For an instant, the question hung in air rank with the smell of animal pens, dirty feathers and blood. The young boy with looping sidelocks looked up at his mother. She maneuvered a baby stroller through a gaggle of teenage American tourists gather...


W. Nile Reports Jump 32 Percent in Calif.

The number of reported cases of West Nile virus in California has jumped 32 percent since Tuesday to 249, state health officials said Friday.


Fetal cocaine exposure tied to behavior problems

Children exposed to cocaine in  the womb exhibit behavior problems up to at least 7 years of  age, according to a long-term study that enrolled 1,388  children between 1993 and 1995 at four centers.


The US Federal Reserve makes clear its intention to keep boosting US interest rates as it watches out for the risk of higher inflation.


Peru School Raises Guinea Pigs for Eating

LIMA, Peru - After 34 years of patient tinkering, researchers at Peru's most prestigious agrarian university have bred a new culinary export they hope will scamper onto dinner plates throughout America and the world: the super guinea pig.


Londra, 22:05 - TENNIS, WIMBLEDON: PENNETTA FUORI AL PRIMO TURNO

Flavia Pennetta è stata eliminata al primo turno del torneo femminile di Wimbledon (erba, 4.9...


Nigerian pupils and teachers explain how the $100 laptop project has helped education Africa.


And so it has come to pass: Britney Spears has more babies than   Grammys.


Three UN workers released after being held hostage in Afghanistan speak of their joy at being freed.


Former state lawmaker Randy Graf won the GOP primary for an open U.S. House seat despite lobbying from the National Republican Congressional Committee against his candidacy.


Catania, 11:43 - MORTO POLIZIOTTO, MEDICO LEGALE: AUTOPSIA HA FATTO CHIAREZZA

''Sulle cause della morte dell'ispettore Raciti c'è una chiarezza. Ho capito molto ma non pos...


Scotland Plans to Ban Some Public Smoking

Scotland will ban smoking in enclosed public places, First Minister Jack McConnell said, confirming an expected move to follow Ireland in enacting a sweeping ban.


"Juno" wins top prize at Roma film festival

ROME  - The teen comedy "Juno" -- revolving on a pregnant girl who tries to find a couple to adopt her baby -- won the top prize at the second RomaCinemaFest on Saturday.


Senate Wants Intel Chief With Budget Say

WASHINGTON - The committee writing the Senate's intelligence reorganization plan is recommending creation of a strong national intelligence director with spending power, while leaving the Pentagon in charge of some military spy agencies.    Sen...


Disney to Test Character Toys for Lead Paint

The move comes after three separate recalls of Mattel toys were found to contain unsafe levels of lead paint.


A conflict is no longer quite so unthinkable. Here's how the U.S. would fight such a war - and the huge price it would have to pay to win it


Gurkhas soldiers allowed to stay in Britain:

[World News] London, Sep 30 : Britain has announced that Gurkhas who served in its army would be able to apply for settlement and British citizenship on completion of their service.


Vilsack's 5-state tour kicks off '08 run

As soon as Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack arrived at his childhood home in the city's Squirrel Hill neighborhood on Saturday, former neighbor Judith Perman reminded him of his fondness for orange Popsicles and pot pies.


A hallmark of ``Mission: Impossible" was the message that would self-destruct after a spy played it. Now a start-up company promises that same level of secrecy with a Web-based messaging system designed to leave no traces.


NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Hornets suspended Jim Jackson indefinitely on Wednesday for not reporting to the team, two days after he was acquired from Houston in a trade.


Woods' Foundation Gives to Tsunami Relief

The Tiger Woods Foundation is giving $100,000 to tsunami relief efforts in Asia, and the PGA Tour is matching that amount.


Sri Lanka have cancelled their cricket tour of New Zealand following the tsunami disaster that ravaged their country.


4 dead after plane crash on Italian island

A small German tourist plane crashed on takeoff Sunday from the Italian island of Elba, killing four people aboard and seriously injuring one, officials said.


Two British Soldiers Killed in Iraq Ambush

Insurgents in Iraq ambushed a British military convoy in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday, killing two soldiers, a spokesman for the British army in Iraq said.


Chieti, 17:17 - BASKET, EUROPEI DONNE: ITALIA KO CON FRANCIA MA QUALIFICATA

La Francia ha battuto l'Italia 64-48 nel terzo e ultimo incontro della prima fase degli europei fem...


Verona, 16:54 - CALCIO, BRAGA-CHIEVO; PILLON: TENIAMO MOLTO ALL'UEFA

Prima di imbarcarsi sull'aereo che da Verona ha portato il Chievo Porto, Bepi Pillon ha commentato l...


Hollinger continues to sell up as Jerusalem Post sold off

LONDON - Hollinger International is selling the Jerusalem Post newspaper and the Jerusalem Report magazine to Israeli media owner Mirkaei Tikshoret for $13.2m (Â£7.1m).


U.N. European HQ May Be Full of Bugs - Security Source

The United Nations European  headquarters, where a listening device was discovered in a  ministerial meeting room, is probably rife with secret spying  equipment, a U.N. security source said on Friday.


BP and Shell lubricated by buoyant oil price

The FTSE 100 ended the week on a positive note thanks to a powerful performance from the heavyweight oil sector.


Wall Street sees Kerry winning debate battle, still pulls for Bush

Wall Street gave Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry the edge in the first presidential debate, but many in the financial community are still pulling for President George W. Bush to prevail in the November 2 election.


Some actors might balk at being cast as an evil witch. Not Helena Bonham Carter.


Putin warns he will point missiles at Europe: paper

Russia will once again aim its missiles at targets in Europe if U.S. plans to build a missile defense shield near Russia's borders go ahead, President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying on Sunday.


Des Browne responds to claims of neglect for UK troops with a pledge of better medical treatment.


Local Firms Team Up for Cell-Phone Text Advertising / Madison+Main, OTAir Say Clients Want Messages Paired With Other Media

By JEFFREY KELLEY  Two marketing companies, each specializing in finding ways to grab your attention, have joined hands to deliver advertisements to the latest frontier of ad space: cell phones.


The main U.S. hurricane tracking center  was itself in the eye of a storm on Friday after its staff  called for the resignation of their boss for picking a  political fight with Washington and undermining the credibility  of their forecasts.


Russian President Putin  says a missile test was in answer to US plans to create a defence shield in Central Europe.


Beard, Phelps highlight short course swimming field

Olympic medalists will take another bow and several hopefuls for the 2008 Beijing Games will take out some frustrations for the next five days at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.


Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. investment firm reported on Wednesday holding a 7.4-percent stake in giant auto maker General Motors Corp. , down from 9.9 percent.


Ex premier spinge anche per An e Udc a manifestazione 2/12


Apollo raises bid for Huntsman to $6.5 billion

Apollo Management raised its offer for  chemical company Huntsman Corp.  by 2.8 percent to $6.5  billion on Monday, widening the premium over rival suitor  Basell.


WASHINGTON - Federal regulators on Wednesday fined CBS a record $550,000 for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction," which exposed the singer's breast during this year's Super Bowl halftime show.    The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to slap each of the 20 CBS-owned television stations with the maximum indecency penalty of $27,500...


Hoon confirms US request for new role for UK troops

Britain has received a request from the United States for help from UK troops in Iraq - and the Chief of the Defence Staff is expected to recommend whether to comply


Microsoft adds OOXML to its promise not to sue

In another carefully timed move to garner support for its document format still under consideration for an international standard, Microsoft today altered the terms under which use of its Office Open XML format by developers is permitted.


French Author Francoise Sagan Dies - Hospital

French author Francoise Sagan, who shot to fame with her first novel "Bonjour Tristesse" at the age of 18, died Friday, a hospital spokesman said. Sagan, who was 69, courted controversy throughout her life and lived the Bohemian lifestyle she portrayed in her writing. She was a longstanding friend of late President Francois Mitterrand and was convicted of taking drugs and for tax fraud.


Merrill Lynch raising up to $6.2 billion from investors

Merrill Lynch & Co Inc , hit by huge subprime mortgage losses, said on Monday it would boost its capital by raising up to $6.2 billion in a private placement with Singapore's Temasek Holdings and Davis Selected Advisers.


Bee Staff Writer. Interstate Bakeries Corp., which operates a bakery in Sacramento and recently closed another here, filed Wednesday for bankruptcy reorganization.


Israeli special forces kill at least 3 Palestinians in Jenin

Israeli special troops killed at least three Palestinians on Wednesday in northern West Bank town of Jenin, security and medical sources said.


Piracy in China is smart, hilarious, critics say

CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos finds that software pirates are getting better at marketing and aiming for a classier clientele.


Women are better at  maintaining their self-control when they drink, researchers find.


Cultural and economic shifts pack a one-two punch for print publishers.


Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat arrives in Paris

VILLACOUBLAY, France Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was brought to France on Friday and rushed to a military hospital for treatment of a mysterious illness, which has forced him to leave his West Bank headquarters for the first time in nearly


Roger Federer is playing so well he's trying trick shots that didn't work for him the last time. The top-ranked Federer prolonged his career-best winning streak to 38 matches and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Open with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Italy's Daniele Bracciali on Wednesday.


Shots are fired at a protest in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince as looting impedes the relief effort flood hit Gonaives.


BRIDGETOWN, Barbados Sept. 7, 2004 - Islanders scrambled to put up storm shutters and buy water ahead of Hurricane Ivan, as it churned toward Barbados with 105 mph winds just days after Hurricane Frances tore across the Caribbean.


Marijuana May Be Effective in Treating Brain Cancer

New animal research suggest that cannabinoids, the chemicals responsible for achieving a "high" from using marijuana, may prevent the growth of blood vessels in cancerous brain tissue, the Glasgow Sunday Herald reported Aug. 15.


U.S. President George W. Bush asked Congress on Monday for $189.3 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, another huge request that faced deep skepticism from lawmakers opposed to prolonging the Iraq conflict.


A retinal implant that could help restore the sight of millions of blind people could be available in two years.


Kurt Busch has been doing everything right in his bid for his first Nextel Cup championship. He now has one big hurdle to clear entering Sunday's Ford 400.


A man wanted over the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky may have fled dressed as a veiled Muslim woman, say reports.


For the first time, scientists have created a genetic map of a cow, providing researchers a new tool to reduce animal disease and improve the nutrition of beef and dairy products, the Agriculture Department announced Wednesday.


Lawrence praises acting skills of Will Smith's daughter

Francis Lawrence, the director of I am Legend, is all praise for Will Smith's daughter Willow for her performance in the movie.


The US is giving Turkey intelligence on Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq, the Pentagon says.


A proposal by Medicare and Medicaid to expand coverage for implantable defibrillators boosted Guidant Corp.'s stock price by 5 percent Wednesday as investors bet that the move would increase the company's sales.


A new HIV drug shows promising results in people for whom other treatments no longer work, a study suggests.


Fox ends week high on double dose of "Idol"

Fox pulled out another  strong week with a pair of two-hour episodes of "American Idol"  that overshadowed the rest of broadcast primetime in the adults  18-49 demographic.


British Grand prix at Silverstone is dead

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is finally dead after Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One promoter, decided he could do nothing more to save the nation's biggest auto race.


Sono 27 milioni gli utenti Internet in Italia, per un totale del 47% della popolazione. A fornire questi dati Ã¨ stato l'Osservatorio Permanente della Societa' dell'Informazione. Un dato incoraggiante, anche


Off the Stripper Pole and Into the Movies

She no longer dances naked, but the first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody is still exposing herself.


A Russian passenger plane with 10 people on board went missing Thursday on a flight over Siberia, officials said.


GREEN BAY, Wis. - Ben Steele repaid both the team that believed in him and the one that gave up on him. The tight end, snatched up by the Green Bay when he was cut by Minnesota in training camp, recovered


Microsoft revamps its plans for Longhorn

update To get next version of Windows out on time, company says it will delay some planned features.


Firenze, 14:00 - CALCIO, BUFFON NON HA DUBBI: RACCOGLIERE 6 PUNTI

Ripartire da zero per poter ottenere la qualificazione a Euro 2008. Gigi Buffon non ha dubbi: "Il no...


Monique Currie scores 14 points as No. 3 Duke beats 19th-ranked Maryland, 60-49, on Sunday, before a record-breaking crowd.


Top Colombian Rebel Extradited to the U.S.

Colombia extradited a top leftist rebel to the United States on Friday to face drug and terror charges, an unprecedented move that followed his group's refusal to free dozens of hostages, including three Americans and a German.


Former champions Venus and Serena Williams pulled out of the women's doubles at Wimbledon on Wednesday.


Bush writes Gaddafi to strengthen ties: news agency

U.S. President George W. Bush has written Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi saying Washington wants to strengthen ties with Libya, Libyan news agency Jana reported.


(InfoWorld) - Microsoft's research arm is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this week by patting itself on the back for creating innovating technology and showing off some new work being done in the group. Microsoft Research held an event at Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, campus Tuesday where Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates appeared via video to applaud the organization, Microsoft said. "During the past 15 years, Microsoft researchers have contributed amazing breakthroughs and insights that have advanced the state of the art in dozens of technology fields," Gates said in his talk, according to a press statement. "Their work is a clear reflection of Microsoft's commitment to innovation." Microsoft Research was founded in 1991, and works independent of the product groups to invent new technology. It also works with academic programs and provides grants to help promote IT research and innovation in universities. At Tuesday's event, the research team demonstrated some new technologies currently in development, Microsoft said. They included visualization technologies that combine maps from Windows Live Local with other maps -- such as those of bike trails or bus routes -- to create hybrid maps that can be helpful to users. Other technologies demonstrated included one that allowed images and data to be displayed projector-like on tabletops, walls and other surfaces and manipulated with hand gestures -- thus doing away with the need for a mouse or monitor -- and graphics technology for transforming two-dimensional images into 3D graphics, Microsoft said. While not all of the technologies developed within Microsoft Research make it into actual products, some recent ones that have will be included in the forthcoming Windows Vista OS, Microsoft said. They include new desktop search technologies that allow users to locate anything stored on their computer quickly, as well as technology for providing a unified user experience for searching on both the Web and locally on the desktop, Microsoft said. Microsoft Research has more than 700 researchers at five laboratories around the world. Aside from Redmond, the research group has labs in Beijing; Bangalore, India; Cambridge, England; and Mountain View, California.


Sen. Clinton Makes Appeal to Women Voters

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, seeking to boost Democratic Sen. John Kerry's support among women, argued on Tuesday that another term for President Bush would leave a stagnate economy.


Twenty Britons are confirmed dead after the Asian tsunami, with Thai authorities saying as many as 43 have died.


The world's first spacecraft to use a solar sail for propulsion is set to be launched from a submerged Russian submarine on 1 March next year.


Some House Democrats are coming to the defense of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan after several Republican lawmakers called for his resignation because of allegations of corruption in the organization's oil-for-food program.


Britain guarded at Myanmar election promise

Britain on Saturday gave a guarded response to Myanmar's announcement that a referendum would be held on a new constitution in May before multi-party elections in 2010.


International law needs a consistent implementing institution

It has been striking how many speakers at the United Nations General Assembly this week have raised the three issues of achieving Palestinian statehood, fighting terrorism and promoting democracy around the world.


Judge Rules Against Patriot Act Provision

Part of the Patriot Act, a central  plank of the Bush Administration's war on terror, was ruled  unconstitutional by a federal judge on Wednesday.


Lenovo Recalling Sanyo-Made Laptop Batteries Due to Overheating

By Kyodo News International, Tokyo  Mar. 2--NEW YORK -- Chinese personal computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd.  said Thursday it will voluntarily recall some 205,000 battery packs made by  Japan's Sanyo Electric Co.


Focus on Aust as Russia adopts Kyoto protocol

The major parties' different approaches to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions became starker today after Russia made steps to ratify the agreement.


N.Korea must declare uranium program: U.S. envoy

North Korea's obligatory declaration of its nuclear programs under a disarmament pact must include its secret uranium enrichment, the U.S. envoy in talks with Pyongyang said on Tuesday.


Newcastle star Barton charged with assault - police

Controversial Newcastle and England midfielder Joey Barton was charged with common assault and fighting in public, Merseyside Police said Friday.