A Mountain View, California, company is launching a platform designed to let developers create telephony applications they can embed in Web pages and existing Web-based services.Ribbit's back-end technology includes a software switch that essentially connects Internet-based voice communication services with mobile phones, landline phones and text messages. On top of that connection is the Ribbit API (application programming interface) that lets developers build applications that unify the wide variety of communication methods.Developers can build applications that include functions such as recording, sending and receiving voicemail, and making and receiving calls. The applications can be built using Flash, embedded into any Web site, and integrated into existing Web-based services. The platform supports many existing Web-based calling services, such as Skype, GoogleTalk and MSN.Developers can charge end-users for the applications, and Ribbit can handle the billing for them. There are several ways developers can offer and charge for their products, and in some cases Ribbit will share revenue with developers.Ribbit showed off one application a developer has created that embeds phone capabilities into Salesforce.com. By keying a code into a mobile phone, users essentially replace their current voicemail with Ribbit for Salesforce. Then users can listen to or see text transcripts of their mobile voicemail messages within Salesforce. They can send the messages to colleagues and tag them for easy sorting later.Users can also make and receive phone calls through their Salesforce page. Such calls are automatically logged in their Salesforce application.Ribbit for Salesforce will cost $25 per user per month for end-users. It is currently in a private beta with more than 90 companies, and should be widely available in February, Ribbit said.Salute America's Heroes, a veterans' association, has built essentially a call center application that lets veterans who work for the group make and receive phone calls while at home through a browser. The capability is integrated into a Web site that also hosts tools they use while making the calls. The capability allows the association to take on the cost of the calls rather than reimbursing workers for the use of their home phones.Ribbit designed its own softswitch, which runs on Linux blades and has been certified in an Alcatel-Lucent lab to meet the capabilities and reliability that telecommunications providers typically require, said Ted Griggs, CEO and co-founder of Ribbit. Ribbit's network operations center is hosted by a third party in Virginia, and the company is working on opening one on the West Coast to offer geographic redundancies. It can add capacity simply by adding more servers.Another, more consumer-oriented application is available to try on the Ribbit developers page. The AIR iPhone is essentially a software-based voice over IP phone that looks just like Apple's iPhone. Users can make and receive calls to mobile and fixed-line phones, including from the contact list in the phone, on their computers.Ribbit hasn't quite yet configured its offering in terms of pricing for such consumer applications, but expects to in the first quarter of next year. In the case of the AIR iPhone, Ribbit would share revenue from end-users with the developer.Ribbit says that more than 650 developers are working on new applications, although on Friday only two were listed on the developers site. "Dozens" are near release, a few additional applications should be available on Monday, and many more should be available in the early months of next year, Ribbit said.Ribbit opened its offering to developers in August but plans to officially launch the company, along with details about how its technology and business model work, on Monday.


Multiple forest fires sweeping across southern Greece have claimed at least 37 lives, destroyed numerous homes and put a damper on political campaigning ahead of next month's national elections, according to officials.


High blood DHA levels may lower dementia risk

NEW YORK  - High blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which belongs to the class of nutrients called essential fatty acids, may protect against the development of dementia and perhaps Alzheimer's disease, Massachusetts-based researchers report in the Archives of Neurology. DHA is an abundant in the brain and fish is the primary dietary source.


Not quite yet, but weak fundraising and poor strategy leave the ex-front runner with an unprecedented climb


Female fashion models and many  celebrities are "too thin," say four in every five consumers  from around the world, a new online survey showed on Thursday.


Venezuelans in South Florida Turning to Radio to Blast Chavez: Expatriates in Florida Among Shows' Audiences

By Tal Abbady, South Florida Sun-Sentinel  Feb. 4--Taking a cue from the Cuban-American exile community, Venezuelans in South Florida are turning to radio to slam their homeland's controversial leader and unify their community.


The Dutch Cabinet said Friday it wants to ban burqas from all schools and prevent government employees from wearing the head-to-toe Islamic robes, but said it was impossible to outlaw them altogether.


Biomet Inc.  on Thursday accepted a sweetened takeover bid of $11.4 billion from a group of private equity firms after a influential shareholder advisory firm urged the orthopedic device maker's shareholders to reject a previous $10.9 billion offer.


Three members of a Pakistani religious group are killed in a shooting in the southern port city of Karachi.


Swiss bank UBS said that it expected 2008 to be a difficult year after it unveiled $26.6 billion in new exposure to risky American mortgages.


Lebanon to bury anti-Syrian MP killed by car bomb

Lebanon prepared to bury anti-Syrian legislator Walid Eido on Thursday, a day after he was killed in a car bomb attack his allies blamed on Damascus.


Doctors Behind Bars: Treating Pain Is Now Risky Business

Dr. Frank Fisher's ordeal lingers as a cautionary tale of what can happen to doctors who treat pain aggressively.


Ford won't have big European reorganization

Ford Motor Co's  strategic  overhaul will not lead to a big revamp in its profitable  European operations, Ford of Europe President and Chief  Executive John Fleming said on Thursday.


Head Of Aid Organization Kidnapped In Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Al-Jazeera television says an "armed group" announced it kidnapped the director of CARE International's operation in Iraq.


With zero titles in an otherwise storied career, Mark Martin again heads into the Chase for the championship as the sentimental favorite. This is supposed to be his final full-time season, his last chance to make a desperate grab at an elusive NASCAR crown.


Cupertino is still a far cry from Hollywood.


Montecarlo, 15:34 - F1, GP MONACO; MASSA: SORPRESE SEMPRE POSSIBILI

Felipe Massa non si abbatte nonostante il terzo tempo nelle qualifiche del Gp di Monaco. ''Le sorpre...


Iraq Plans to Suspend Checkpoints at Syria, Iran Borders

BAGHDAD, Feb. 13 -- Iraqi officials on Tuesday announced the temporary closure of checkpoints at the Syrian and Iranian borders, as well as an expanded nighttime curfew in the capital, as part of the new Baghdad security plan.


NBA Game Summary - Seattle vs. LA Lakers

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Caron Butler scored 18 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers to a 117-91 preseason victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.


Test of Brain Device Is Setback for Maker

Results from a crucial clinical trial showed that Northstar Neuroscienceâs brain-stimulating device failed to help stroke victims recover the use of their arms and hands.


Keyboard, mouse to get company in Windows 7

Natural interfaces such as touch, speech and ink will play a much bigger role in the successor to Windows Vista, Chairman Bill Gates tells CNET News.com.


Monster Patch Tuesday Covers 17 Vulnerabilities

Microsoft issued 11 security bulletins on Patch Tuesday covering a total of 17 vulnerabilities, 10 of them critical. The 11 patches address the Windows operating system, the Internet Explorer Web browser, Microsoft Office and other programs.


Br, dopo 23 anni di carcere libero Giovanni Senzani

Giovanni Senzani, l'ideologo delle Br, Ã¨ tornato in libertÃ . Senzani, 62 anni, era in regime di semilibertÃ  dal 1999. Era stato condannato al'ergastolo per l'omicidio di Roberto Peci, fratello del brigatista pentito Patrizio.


Only three months after their first meeting, the super-model-turned-pop-singer Carla Bruni married the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.


Lake St. Clair Study Finds Threat From Lawn Fertilizer

By Steve Neavling, Detroit Free Press  Jun. 4--Dangerous levels of contaminates are threatening wildlife and the water quality of Lake St. Clair, one of the most popular bodies of water for boaters and anglers in the Great Lakes region, data released today shows.


Sirius, XM expect deal to close by end 2007

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. expect their merger to close by the end of 2007, according to presentation slides for an analysts' conference call on Tuesday.


AP Poll: National Security Captivates U.S.

WASHINGTON - National security issues such as the war in Iraq and terrorism are dominating voters' attention in the final weeks before Election Day, Associated Press polling found.    Along with security issues like war and terrorism, the economy and health care were near the top of the list of the nation's most important problems in an AP-Ipsos poll...


Damiano, spero che acconto Fiat faciliti il contratto


ISPAT to become world's biggest steel company:

[World News]: New York, Oct 25 : Global steel major Ispat International Monday announced it was acquiring LNM Holdings of the Netherlands to become the world's largest steel producer.


Prima ancora dell'educazione o della scuola da scegliere


Attempt to redefine .eu rules fails over sex.eu case

What's in a name? A company which claimed a right to the domain name sex.eu under an unusual legal interpretation of the rules has lost its case. It has emerged that the firm behind the attempt had failed in a previous attempt to win casino.eu on the same basis.â¦


Where is Osama bin Laden? We have heard from him via video and audiotape. But despite one of the most aggressive manhunts in history, his capture has proven elusive.


Barry Larkin , a 12-time All-Star shortstop who spent his entire 19-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, announced his retirement yesterday and joined the Washington Nationals in their front office as a special assistant. "I just felt it was time," Larkin, 40, said. "I had some opportunities with other teams to play, but I didn't feel that I could make ...


Time is running out for the best deals on student loans.


"I don't think 'Sexy' is suggestive" - Balki

In at least two major articles on Sunday the Cheeni Kum director Balakrishnan(Balki) has been criticized for naming his 7-year old protagonist 'Sexy' .


Crowded House progeny set for solo American strike

Liam Finn will be a 24-year-old unknown to most Americans when his debut solo album is released in the United States on Tuesday, but Crowded House fans have already heard his work -- nearly two decades ago.


Oil prices fell below $61 on Friday as easing U.S. supply concerns spurred a bout of profit taking.


America Online, the world's largest  Internet service provider on Monday launched an overhauled  online shopping center it hopes will help it keep pace with  competitive offerings by Yahoo Inc.YHOO.O, Google Inc.  GOOG.O and Shopping.com, executives said.


Kenya's Anti-Corruption Commission says its ability to investigate corrupt politicians has been sabotaged


Tony Benn was asked to quit by PM James Callaghan in 1977 , according to the National Archives.


A bus trying to pass another vehicle on a winding mountain highway collided with an oncoming truck and taxi Saturday, killing 29 people and injuring 30 others, the official news agency MAP reported.


New Yorkers sue IBM over toxic contamination

Lawsuit alleges IBM efforts to clean up contamination are inadequate and problems persist.


The Prime Minister claims his drawdown of troops will actually help Bush's war plan. And maybe bolster his own legacy


Less than a week after a standards-setting group rejected Microsoft's scheme to stymie spam, America Online added to the company's woes by dumping the software giant's proposed Sender ID.


Some Mobile Home Parks Changing: DEADLINE LOOMS FOR REPAIRS

By Shawntaye Hopkins, The Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky.  May 29--There are signs of improvement in Lexington mobile home parks: sealed skirting, repaired porches and mounds of trash that have been replaced by litter and light debris.


The ninth Cricket World Cup begins on Tuesday - with holders Australia favourites once again.


$150,000 mortgage for only $610/month. Lower your mortgage - free quotes.


Gul warns against Armenian genocide bill

Turkey's foreign minister said Tuesday a proposed resolution in Congress to condemn as genocide the early 20th century killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians would harm Turkish-American relations if it passes.


Iraq's electoral commission on Thursday detailed what would be considered crimes during this month's election process, ranging from carrying weapons in or around polling stations to forgeries and bribes.


Members of the U.N.'s new human rights watchdog formally agreed Tuesday to continue their scrutiny of Israel while halting investigations into Cuba and Belarus — a move that immediately drew fire from the United States.


Genova, 15:53 - MORTE POLIZIOTTO: SAMPDORIA, FERMIAMOCI SUBITO

"Fermiamoci subito, fermiamoci ora". E' lo slogan, scritto a grandi lettere, che campeggia sulla hom...


The answers were so good, Republican candidates wanted to use them as their own. The embarrassment was at least seven did.


U.S. Spooks NATO Allies with Afghan Command Call

POIANA BRASOV, Romania  - The United States urged  NATO on Wednesday to produce plans to take control of all  military operations in Afghanistan, possibly from next year, in  a call which spooked some of its alliance partners.


Settlement in Bill Monroe Mandolin Fight

The son of bluegrass music pioneer Bill Monroe and a Kentucky foundation — fighting over ownership of the legend's prized mandolin — reached a settlement Friday, just days before a trial was to have opened in the dispute.


Obama Girl, Britney boy top YouTube videos

Videos by a self-styled Obama Girl, a fan's tearful defense of Britney Spears and an attack by a herd of buffaloes on a pride of lions, were among the most popular clips on YouTube.com in 2007.


U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben  Bernanke said on Friday that Chinese policy-makers risk losing  control of their economy unless they let their yuan currency  rise in value and strengthen their financial system.


Europe's bourses are seen slipping slightly at the start of trade on Thursday after Wall Street trimmed its gains late on overnight and the dollar further weakened against the euro and the yen.


EU opens talks with Turkey on 2 new areas

The European Union opened negotiations  with Turkey on two more reform areas on Wednesday as part of  Ankara's bid to join the bloc.


world business BRIEFING | EUROPE: Belgium: VW to Move Golf Production

Volkswagen said it would stop production of its Golf model at its Brussels plant, shocking workers and government leaders who fear more than 3,500 jobs could be lost. The company said it would move all Golf production to plants in MÃ¶sel and Wolfsburg in Germany as part of plans to cut production in Western Europe because of falling demand. A VW spokeswoman, Evelyne Helin, said 1,500 jobs could be salvaged of the 5,300 at the assembly plant.


Nurse's Trial to Move; Jury Pool Too Small

The murder trial of a nurse accused of killing 10 elderly patients with drug injections will be moved and delayed a few weeks because the two sides could not find enough unbiased prospective jurors in Archer County.


NYSE Chief: 8:30 A.M. Start 'Good Guess'

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Chief Executive John Thain said on Friday that the exchange had not decided whether to change its hours but that an 8:30 a.m. EST opening would be a "good guess" if it did.


Iraq says protests against shelling by Turkey

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


A record sixth-wicket stand lifted England to 263 for six off their 50 overs in the second of four one-day internationals against Zimbabwe here.


Ovechkin takes big deal to All-Star game

Alex Ovechkin's big week got even better Friday when the super scorer received his second straight selection to the NHL All-Star game.


Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday said his country would not beg world powers to allow Iran to have a nuclear program.


Force still comes out a winner despite loss

John Force Racing had a better weekend than John Force did. And John Force the father had a better weekend than John Force the racer.


Handing over more greenfield land to housing will not curb rising prices, say campaigners.


Rigged Vehicle Rams Terminal At U.K. Airport

LONDON, June 30 -- Two men rammed a jeep into the entrance of the main terminal at Glasgow Airport on Saturday, sending a burst of flames into the air and terrifying bystanders. Authorities said the attack was linked to two attempted car bombings Friday in London and raised the national alert to...


Malnutrition threatens flood-hit Bangladeshis

Bangladeshi children and women face acute malnutrition after the worst floods in 15 years swept the impoverished country, the United Nations has warned.


Boston Communications says to restate some past results

Boston Communications Group Inc.  , which sells billing systems to mobile phone  companies, said on Thursday it would restate certain past  financial results to reflect charges for stock-based  compensation costs.


Mike Lamb went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs to lead the Houston Astros to their ninth straight win with a 10-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.


The wife of John Edwards, the Democrat vice-presidential candidate, has had a biopsy revealing that a lump in her breast has not spread, a spokesman said.


Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., whose founder is scheduled to begin serving a prison sentence Oct. 8, said it had agreed to work with the television producer Mark Burnett to create


Barcelo Crestline to Acquire Missouri-Based Hotel Group

Barcelo Crestline Corp., a privately held McLean hotel company, said yesterday it plans to acquire a Missouri-based firm that is one of the country's largest independent owners and operators of hotels.


Island to Disappear to Make Way for Wetlands It Was Used As a Repository for Intracoastal Dredge Material.

By DREW DIXON  An island is literally being removed just south of Atlantic Boulevard between the Intracoastal Waterway and Neptune Beach to make way for a return of wetlands.


Body of Chinese hostage leaves for Beijing

ISLAMABAD (Pakistan) - A Pakistani military plane left for China on Saturday carrying the body of a Chinese engineer who was kidnapped by Al-Qaeda-linked militants and then killed during an attempt to rescue him and another hostage.


Scientists at St Andrews University are pioneering credit card sized, disposable medical detection kits.


A Spanish supercomputer built by IBM has captured the world speed record for a machine using standard blade servers.


"Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria engaged

Actress Eva Longoria, who plays a divorcee on the prowl on the hit television drama "Desperate Housewives," is engaged to marry her basketball star boyfriend Tony Parker, her spokeswoman said on Thursday.


President Bush and first lady Laura Bush leave "Richardson's Cuisine of New Mexico" restaurant in Phoenix with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.


All of her life, Zoila Meyer believed she was an American. She even won election to the City Council of Adelanto.


Flood-hit communities in England and Wales are warned to prepare for the threat of further heavy rain.


Three British artists are nominated for the Shortlist Prize - the US equivalent of the Mercury Music Prize.


To China's migrants: Stay west, young man

Rising wages on China's more prosperous eastern coast are pushing some factories inland where labor is cheap.


Martin Brodeur made 27 saves, and Brad Richards, Kris Draper, and Joe Sakic scored to help Canada beat Russia, 3-1, last night in Toronto, giving the Canadians a 3-0 record in round-robin play of the World Cup of Hockey.


U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul  Wolfowitz vowed any new plan to replace the Air Force's aging  fleet of KC-135 mid-air refueling tankers would require  competition, according to a letter released on Monday.


Blog: Garmin offers some APIs so Web sites and its GPS units can communicate, while MapQuest announces a beta version of an ActionScript interface for Flash fans.


Apartment Blaze Damages 21 Units: Holly Hills Fire Causes More Than $400,000 in Damage

By Lily Gordon, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.  Dec. 8--Tiffany and Norman Washington of Columbus sat hopelessly amazed Wednesday night as they watched their apartment go up in flames.


Computer Sciences To Restate Its Results

Computer Sciences, an information technology company whose biggest client is the U.S. government, said yesterday that it would restate financial results back to 1996 to correct mistakes made in accounting for stock option grants.


Â· Highest fertility rate in 26 years 'unsustainable'Â· Thinktank calls for better funded family planning


A suspected Russian mobster is believed by U.S. law enforcement to be behind a series of phishing scams.


Cisco Buys Network Design Firm For $34 Million

BCN Systems' routing architecture will be used to to speed development of converged networks for data, voice, and video. By Networking Pipeline News.


Nepali Army to Step Up Anti-Guerrilla Offensive

KATHMANDU, Nepal  - Nepal's army vowed Friday to  strike decisively to force Maoist rebels fighting to topple the  monarchy to begin peace talks just days after the king sacked  the government, arrested political leaders and seized power.


Jury selection begins in boot camp death

Chanting demonstrators carried photographs of a teenager who died at a juvenile boot camp as jury selection began Monday for the manslaughter trial of seven guards and a nurse charged in his death.


Settembre 2006: ÂPerchÃ© nei territori di missione l'intero Popolo di Dio avverta come propria prioritÃ  la formazione permanenteÂ - Commento allÂIntenzione Missionaria indicata dal Santo Padre a cura di Sua Eminenza il Card. Ricardo J. Vidal, Arcivescovo di Cebu (Filippine) Cebu (Agenzia Fides) - I missionari pensano spesso a se stessi come a degli evangelizzatori. Lo zelo missionario li porta a concentrarsi sulla necessitÃ  di condividere la Fede con gli altri nella speranza di condurre tutti gli uomini e le donne a Cri...


Kenya government turns on critics, Odinga hailed

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's government went on the offensive against critics on Monday, condemning opposition economic boycott plans as "sabotage" and summoning the British ambassador for a ticking off.


The San Diego Padres traded one of their extra outfielders, Terrence Long, to Kansas City for left-hander Darrell May and right-hander Ryan Bukvich on Monday.


[Health and Science] Smoking Cessation and Weight Gain

Everyday smokers are told numerous reasons why they should quit smoking. They are told repeatedly that smoking is bad for their health and that it is bad for the people around them.


Il provider ha chiuso recentemente l'acquisizione di Pipex


GM ends $4.1 bln credit line, says liquidity okay

General Motors Corp  on Friday said it had terminated a $4.1 billion standby credit agreement with a syndicate of banks, saying it had sufficient liquidity without the borrowing arrangement.


All people have tried to keep children out of harm's way because they represent the future. But the hostage-takers shattered the futures of so many children.


S. Lanka Peace Bid at Critical Low - Norway Envoy

Sri Lanka's bid to forge lasting peace with Tamil Tiger rebels after two decades of civil war is at its most critical ebb since a 2002 truce, Norway's peace envoy to the country said on Wednesday.


Japanese Schoolgirl Watch: Coin-Op Aerobics

Exercising is a problem for Tokyo gals. Manga club meetings and cram school fill up their free time, and there's no money for a gym membership after paying for cell phone bills and Pocky snacks.


Single-parent job plan fuels divorce frenzy

Chinese education officials have scrapped a job cut plan that allowed single-parent teachers with children to stay in work after it prompted a rash of divorces, a Chinese newspaper said on Wednesday.


Cyprus gives its heart to US Open native son

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis faces Andre Agassi on the tennis court Thursday night.


N.Korea eyes nuclear test in coal mine: source

North Korea is "more or less ready" to conduct a nuclear test deep inside an abandoned coal mine but might hold off it can win concesssions from the United States, a Chinese source briefed by Pyongyang said on Friday.


A furious China has shut down over 1,600 Internet cafes and arrested people in a bid to curb the menace of content which is harmful to public morality.


Crude oil prices slide below US$50 a barrel in Asian trading

SINGAPORE : Crude oil prices slipped below US$50 a barrel in Asian trading on Tuesday as the market waited for the outcome of the US presidential elections, dealers said.


Il cda sottolinea che si e' arrivati quasi a 5 miliardi


US health regulators say they found quality-control problems at a flu vaccine factory in Liverpool, England, in June 2003 but did not begin a full inspection of the plant again


By AIJAZ HUSSAIN  SRINAGAR, India - There will be no more "Desperate Housewives" for residents of Indian Kashmir. They will have to do without "Friends" reruns, too.


Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson often schedules walking tours during stops in small Iowa towns, and he didn't let deep snow change his plans Friday.


The commander of the Army Reserve unit that failed to report for a planned fuel convoy in Iraq has been relieved of that duty at her own request, the Army announced Thursday


Violent end to life of crime for India's most wanted bandit

NEW DELHI : India's most wanted criminal, Koose Muniswamy Veerappan, has been shot dead after driving into a police trap. Veerapan, who has been accused of more than 100


Last cheque's in the post The Post Office has lost its Â£8m contract for Amazon.co.uk's second class deliveries.â¦


Quattrone Asks Appeals Court To Seal Some Support Letters

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Former star technology banker Frank Quattrone has asked a federal appeals court to seal some letters written in his support in order to protect his family's privacy.


Nationalists rally in Russian town near Chechnya

Hundreds of locals rallied in the town of Stavropol in southern Russia on Tuesday, demanding the eviction of ethnic Chechens, witnesses and media said, reviving memories of racial riots in other parts of the country.


Mavericks forward Josh Howard is suspended for the first two games of the regular season as punishment for a fight with Kings center Brad Miller.


Terrorismo. Al tribunale del riesame la richiesta di arresti domiciliari della Banelli. La Procura: resti in carcere. Non c'era lei, non c'erano i suoi avvocati. Cinzia Banelli, la Br che ha cominciato a collaborare


Key logging app exposes child abuse offender Keylogging software helped a UK mum warn police about a US-based predator who was grooming her 15-year-old son for child abuse.â¦


Jolie says disappointed not filming in Pakistan

Angelina Jolie says she and Brad Pitt are disappointed they are not shooting "A Mighty Heart," a film about U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, in Pakistan where he was abducted and murdered in 2002.


Israel to Free Egyptian Students - Cairo Media

Israel will release within hours six Egyptian students arrested in August and charged with conspiring to abduct and kill Israeli soldiers, the Egyptian state newspaper al-Ahram reported on Sunday.


A dizzying somersault on the markets left traders and everyday investors biting their nails, and wondering  what lies ahead.


Why I Will Not Seek a Best Documentary Oscar

I had dinner recently with a well-known pollster who had often worked for Republicans. He told me that when he went to see "Fahrenheit 9/11" he got so distraught he twice had to go out in the lobby and pace during the movie.


If recent results continue, look for these dozen rising companies to contend for future appearances on our Fab 50 listings.


Turkish president approves pro-EU, reform cabinet

New Turkish President Abdullah Gul on  Wednesday approved a pro-EU cabinet, reflecting Prime Minister  Tayyip Erdogan's determination to push ahead with stalled  political and economic reforms needed to join the bloc.


Tra le cause aumento dei prezzi e modesta ripresa di consumi


(AGI) - Madrid, 19 ott. - Con l'arresto di sette presunti miliziani islamici, la polizia spagnola ritiene di avere sventato un attentato dinamitardo che era stato programmato contro la Corte Suprema. Un comunicato


Steganography is the science of hiding one message inside another message - hiding in plain sight, so to speak.  Think of steganography as the soft-spoken yet elegant sister of cryptography. Where cryptography scrambles a message to prevent unauthorized people from reading it, steganography opts instead to hide the message in such a way that it is not obvious that there is anything there to see.  Read on for a description of steganography, with examples.


Tale of woe for former British European champions

Two former British European Cup winners Liverpool and Celtic suffered another blow to staying in the competition after both lost in the latest round of Champions League matches on Wednesday.


Film star Owen Wilson asks to be allowed to 'heal' following reports he was taken to hospital in Los Angeles after a suicide attempt.


Staring down Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the rest of the Americans, Europe got off to a stunning start Friday in the Ryder Cup.


The Liberal Democrats want to change "the face of council housing" by building a million social homes.


Chile zone is Asia's gateway to Latin America

IQUIQUE, Chile/SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia  - At first glance, the only thing Chilean about the sprawling duty-free car zone in Iquique, set between the Pacific ocean and the Bolivian border, is that it is in Chile.


Bats Blog: Torre, 12-Year Veteran, Rejects Yankees Offer

The Yankees say they will move quickly to find a replacement for Joe Torre, who turned down a salary of $5 million with a possible $3 million in bonuses.


Russian pipeline blast was sabotage - police

An explosion that damaged a pipeline near Russia's war-torn province of Chechnya and halted gas supplies to neighbouring Azerbaijan was an act of sabotage, local police said on Thursday.


Two Schools to Make Pitch to Join Gateway

By Randy Reinhardt  Representatives from North Dakota State and South Dakota State universities will make presentations at the Gateway Conference's annual meeting in St. Louis on Monday with the hope of being extended an invitation to join the football-only conference.


Steve Finnanâs recall to the Liverpool starting line-up for Tuesday nightâs Premiership clash with Portsmouth at Anfield was one of six changes made by displeased manager Rafa Benitez, but the Reds were hit by an injury time equaliser from Pompey


A man has lost his wife and sister to a form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) which strikes one in a million people. Barry Harper's wife Phyllis, from Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, died last month after battling


Santiago: US President George W Bush sharply warned Iran about reports that the Islamic republic has accelerated production of uranium material that could be used to make nuclear weapons.


Reunited Van Halen eyeing fall arena run

A proposed summer amphitheater tour  by a reunited Van Halen that was derailed when guitarist Eddie  Van Halen checked into rehab now could be resurrected as a fall  arena run. Several arena holds are in place in major markets  for potential Van Halen dates, Billboard.com has learned.


A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 has shaken northern Japan in the same region that was hit by a deadly tremor last month, but there are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.


Hamas hopes for softer U.S. line on unity deal

Hamas said on Tuesday it still hoped Washington would soften its position toward a Palestinian unity government despite Israeli statements that the United States and Israel would shun it until it met several conditions.


Pressione tributaria al 27,7% del Pil nel 2005


Alitalia, ancora in una fase 'iniziale e non esclusiva'


Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Monday his group possesses an arsenal of rockets that can reach all of Israel, including Tel Aviv.


A transport system used by the malaria parasite to infect blood cells could be a target for new treatments, scientists hope.


The duel between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant stretched into a ninth straight season Saturday afternoon, though the stakes had changed considerably since they last saw each other at the Staples Center.


The Founding Fathers keep earning interest on their loot. Nicolas Cage's "National Treasure," about a race to find a fortune hidden by the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was the top movie for a third straight weekend with $17.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.


The sun was finally out over South and Central Texas on Sunday after days of torrential rain that left an Amtrak train stranded, flooded roads and sent Boy Scouts on a camping trip fleeing for their lives.


Arsenal's out-cast German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he will make a decision on his future within the next week as he weighs up offers to leave the north London giants.


Soybean rust disease was confirmed  on Friday in Georgia, making it the fourth U.S. state to be  infected with the devastating crop fungus in nine days, state  officials said.


Hubble Telescope: Solved and Unsolved Mysteries

Beyond snapping extraordinary pictures of faraway nebulas, the revolutionary Hubble Space Telescope has completely transformed our view of the universe since it was launched in 1990. By capturing the clearest, deepest images of the cosmos ever, Hubble has shed light on some long-standing mysteries perplexing scientists-while uncovering far deeper ones that have yet to be solved.


Due coniugi e una ragazza di 25 anni vittime di un incidente vicino ad AgnanoCoinvolte una Ford Fiesta e una Lancia. Poi sopraggiunge un Suv Bmw che investe le auto                                          Napoli, travolti mentre litigavano Tre morti sulla tangenziale


ASPEN, United States  - Croatian Janica Kostelic won a women's alpine World Cup slalom ahead of Sweden's Anja Paerson and Finland's Tanja Poutiainen.


The Federal Aviation Administration told its employees yesterday that they would receive a 3.08 percent pay raise and a geographic-based increase that will average about 1 percent plus an additional raise based on individual job performance.


New foot and mouth cases suspected in south England

All the sheep on a farm in southern  England will be slaughtered after blood tests suggested they  had contracted foot and mouth disease, the British agriculture  ministry said on Monday.


Movie review: Animated 'Shark Tales' is a good bet for families

with "Shark Tale," an amusing, computer-generated cartoon about life on a coral reef where the sharks are gangsters and every other sea creature tries to stay out of their way.


Islamic School Set Ablaze in Netherlands

Suspected arsonists set an Islamic elementary school on fire Tuesday amid a string of attacks following the killing of a Dutch filmmaker by an alleged Islamic extremist.


Cadbury Schweppes sets bid deadline for US drinks arm

Cadbury Schweppes, the British confectionery and soft drinks giant, has set a deadline of Friday for bids for its US beverages arm amid interest from private equity consortiums, a report said Thursday.


Czech President Vaclav Klaus won a second five-year term Friday when lawmakers chose him over a University of Michigan economics professor.


any landing you walk away from is a good one - might have to be amended: "but you have to be able to afford the fuel to fly in the first place.


Indonesia to Buy $1B in Arms From Russia

MOSCOW, Sept. 6 -- On a one-day visit to Indonesia on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin witnessed the signing of a $1 billion arms deal that many analysts here see as part of a broader Russian effort to restore diplomatic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and make some money as well.


Londra, 12:26 - CICLISMO, TOUR DE FRANCE; CONTROLLI ANTIDOPING PER 4 SQUADRE

A due giorni dalla partenza del Tour de France da Londra, alcuni corridori di Milram, Euskaltel, AG2...


Confident Manning leads Giants back to work for Super Bowl

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey  - Quarterback Eli Manning said the New York Giants had an extra bounce to their step on Thursday as they got back to work in preparation for a Super Bowl clash with the unbeaten New England Patriots.


Fire crews tackle a chemical blaze at an industrial estate at Andoversford near Cheltenham.


International PHP Magazine: Poll Question: What Do You Look for in Frameworks?

The International PHP Magazine has posted the results from their latest poll conducted over the week. This time they asked developers what they looked for in a framework.   The options this time were:  An O-O MVC structure ORM / Active Record Good Controller Structure Ajax Interoperability Ability to Incorporate Testing Open Source/Free License Security Good Helpers Scaffolding  With the first option "an OO MVC structure" leading the pack with almost twenty percent. Next in line was (in order of votes): having an Open Source/fre license, bundled with good helpers, good security, and a good controller structure.   Be sure to check out their latest poll too. It asks about security architectures and what developers out there think they should contain.


The Cordless Phone Tries to Catch Up to Its Cool Cousin

A cordless phone borrows a trick from its cellular cousins, shrinking toward the vanishing point.


Via's Mobile ITX board now expected next year

Via Technologies is not likely to ship its supersmall Mobile ITX motherboard, aimed at ultramobile PCs (UMPCs) and other light portable devices, in production volume until next year, company officials said here at the CES show Monday.The company attracted industry attention when it unveiled the board at Computex in Taipei last June, declaring that it would find its way into markets this year.But "manufacturability issues" will likely prevent the board from being used in commercially launched devices this year, according to Alp Sezen, a sales director for Via based in Fremont, California. Via expects to announce the Mobile ITX production schedule at this year's Computex, and will probably just manage to ship sample boards by the end of the fourth quarter, he said."It's normal to take about a year between announcing a board to production," he said. He acknowledged, however, that ultimately in the case of the Mobile ITX, the time between its unveiling and production is going to be more than 18 months.Like prototypes running last year, current Mobile ITX boards use 1GHZ CZ-M ULV (ultra low voltage processors) and CX700 chip sets. The board measures 7.5 centimeters by 4.5 cm -- smaller than a credit card -- and to get it that small, the spaces between the pins underneath the processor need to be shrunk to 0.5 millimeters from the current 1.0 millimeters in the company's current Pico ITX board, Sezen said.It's not easy to do this and ensure more than 90 percent of the boards coming off production lines are error free, Sezen said.Chip packaging technology needs to improve, he added. Via is a fabless chip developer and, on its own, faces difficulties developing new, cost-effective packaging technologies.In a sense, Via is dependent on Intel ramping up volume of new generation, 45-nanometer process chips. As Intel does so, new surface-mount technology for chips will be developed that can also be used to manufacture the Via Mobile ITX boards.Although the Mobile ITX is not likely to appear in UMPCs and other light portable devices until next year, the reduced package chip set incorporated into the board will likely be used in com modules for embedded systems by the end of this year, Sezen said. A manufacturer for these embedded systems is likely to make a public announcement this month, he said.Some would-be makers of new lightweight mobile devices, however, are chomping at the bit to get their hands on the new Via board. The MTube project, a research and development project sponsored by the Taiwan government's Science and Technology Group (STAG), was showing off a Linux-based, prototype Mobile Internet Device (MID) that incorporates the Mobile ITX board and measures 3.3 by 3.3 by 0.8 inches. It sported a 2.8-inch VGA touch screen and supports full rate video playback.The project wants to spin off from STAG and deliver a commercially available product as soon as it can get its hands on a motherboad with the specs that would make it viable, according to H.T. Kung, the project's advisor. However, to date, neither Via nor Intel could promise to deliver a commercially usable board within that timeframe, he said.


Thanksgiving Recipe Searches Doubling Recipe Site Traffic

Recipe sites experience the doubling of traffic during the Thanksgiving holiday week according to a recent Hitwise study, which shows that traffic to online recipe sites was up 17.5% last week. The bulk of the recipe searches are centered around traditional deserts such as pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie. A bit of irony as [...]


Too Much Caffeine Ups Risk of Kidney Stones

People who are prone to kidney stones should limit their caffeine intake, new research suggests. When investigators gave people with a history of kidney stones


No agreement on DHL expansion in Belgium

No decision was reached on the DHL crises on Tuesday after a long and tense day of discussion, when a Belgian parliamentary deadline had been laid down.


The Fantasy World of a Mysterious Artist

Jessica Yu's excellent documentary explores the life and work of Henry Darger, one of the world's best-known outside artists.


New Haven architect to design Adriaen's Landing science center

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


Syrian president in Iran to discuss Iraq

Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in Iran Saturday to discuss Iraq and other Middle East issues with President Mahmoud Ahmadinajed, state-run television reported.


The pound crept up against the dollar and euro on Monday after a slight rise in producer prices was interpreted by investors as a sign that the Bank of England (BoE) will be forced to raise interest rates.


Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic raises blood pressure even while people sleep, research suggests.


"Pirate Master" a summer version of "Survivor"

LOS ANGELES  - Mark Burnett is a producer who believes in planning ahead. Knowing that the "Survivor" season ends with the May sweep, he was prepared with a new series.


(InfoWorld) - The specter of moderate global IT growth continues to hang over vendors' financial news, which this week includes IBM's stock buyback, distributorÂ CDW's plan to go private, andÂ layoff news from Motorola. These moves are examples of how tech companies are dealing with global IT growth that most analysts say will be moderate -- somewhere in the 6 percent to 7 percent range. That's not a bad growth rate for a mature industry but nowhere near the double-digit growth rates that IT saw in the late 1990s. In this climate, organic sales alone are often not enough to achieve the kind of growth that inspires investors and instills confidence in volume buyers. The types of moves announced this week often provide temporary excitement but leave questions about long-term consequences. IBM announced Tuesday it completed part of its previously announced stock buyback program, purchasing 118.8 million shares for $105.18 per share. That equals about $12.5 billion. IBM shares closed the day of the announcement at $105.91, up by $0.73. One reason investors like this sort of news is that with fewer outstanding shares on the market, companies find it easier to report robust per share growth. The long-term question, though, is whether companies would be better off spending money on product development, equipment, acquisitions, or other investments. IBM is considered an R&D leader, so in this case, the stock purchase was not criticized. Another way of dealing with the pressure of having to show steady growth quarter after quarter is to simply get out of the public stock market altogether. CDW's announcement this week that it entered into a pact to be acquired by private-equity investment firm Madison Dearborn PartnersÂ for $7.3 billion is one such move. With the announcement, on Tuesday, CDW followed in the footsteps of similar moves to go private by companies, such as electronic payments companyÂ First DataÂ and customer information management software developerÂ Acxiom. The advantage of going private is that it's easier to focus on long-term strategy when company managers have to deal with a small cadre of investors. But new owners sometimes strip company assets and sell them off or enact drastic cost cutting measures. To assuage customers (and employees) John Edwardson, CDW chairman and CEO, said in a conference call Wednesday that he didn't expect layoffs and that CDW management would stick around. CDW shares jumped to $83.11 on the day of the announcement, up from $75.56 the day earlier. Cost cuts are another way of dealing with a tight market and falling profits. On Wednesday, Motorola said it will lay off 4,000 workers, expanding previous plans for layoffs. The company, which lost money last quarter, said the latest move would save $600 million annually. While investors often applaud cost control measures, staff reductions ultimately do nothing for the central issue facing tech companies: product development and marketing. Addressing this issue Wednesday in an investors meeting, CEO Ed Zander said the company willÂ increase profits by developing an array of multimedia mobile devices rather than rely on single blockbuster products like its Razr phones. Investors took a "show-me" stance. Company shares lost ground on the day of the announcements. Dell fared better after it announced, late Thursday, thatÂ it will cut its 78,800-strong workforce by 10 percent. Within 30 minutes of the announcement, made as part of its quarterly report, Dell shares jumped in after-hours trading by $1.63. Dell profits have slipped over the past year, and it is still embroiled in an accounting inquiry, but investors have applauded cost-cutting moves by Dell over the last few months, especially because they have been accompanied by complementary plans to break with tradition and start selling through retail.ADVERTISEMENTIBM Information On Demand 2006Industrial Industry Leaders, please join us at IBM's premier information management global event, IBM Information On Demand 2006, October 15-20, Anaheim, CA. More IBM business and technical solutions content in one place than ever before! Select from  over 800 sessions. Register today!


Players' association ready to offer new proposal

The National Hockey League Players' Association has invited the NHL to the bargaining table next week in Toronto in order to present a new proposal and end an almost three-month stalemate in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.


Cheney says Greenspan criticism is "off the mark"

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday disputed former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's portrayal of the Bush administration's economic policies as fiscally reckless.


Scottish Football Association chief executive David Taylor has defended the length of time taken to appoint new national manager Walter Smith.


Toshiba Concedes Defeat in the DVD Battle

The Japanese electronics giant threw in the towel on its HD DVD technology, announcing that it would no longer develop, produce or market disc players for the format.


LATHEN, Germany  - A high tech magnetic train smashed into a maintenance vehicle on a test run in northern Germany on Friday, killing 23 people, authorities said.


Nokia starts to roll out gaming, networking sites

Nokia, the world's largest cellphone  maker, started to roll-out its online gaming service N-Gage on  Tuesday as it expands into mobile Internet services.


The UN Secretary General calls for efforts to end escalating violence in the Gaza Strip.


Si dedicano piu' al lusso che alla difesa dell'ambiente


Fast Forward columnist Rob Pegoraro hosted the final discussion on The Washington Post's holiday tech buying guide and answer your personal tech questions.


Israel sends candies and Christmas greetings to Bethlehem ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank Israel is passing out candy as it allows people to freely travel into Bethlehem this Christmas Eve. Officials say they expect some five thousand people today and tomorrow to visit the town where Jesus was born.


Iraqi Forces Detain Suspects in Recent Attacks

Iraqi authorities say 50 suspected insurgents have been detained in connection with Sunday's suicide car bombings in the nation's two holiest Shi'ite cities, Najaf and Karbala.


Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips refused to sign deals Tuesday to keep pumping heavy oil under tougher terms in Venezuela's Orinoco River basin, signaling their departure from one of the world's largest oil deposits.


Even as Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected any dialogue with Chechen separatists, blamed for at least 335 deaths in the school hostage siege, hundreds of thousands joined rallies against terrorism.


Court OKs Ballot Description of Prop. 106  Land Initiative

By Howard Fischer, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES  PHOENIX - Home builders have won a crucial victory in their effort to defeat an initiative to set aside up to 690,000 acres of state trust land as off- limits to development.


Mauritania seizes a boatload of Africans heading for Europe for the first time.


Nortel plans to cut about 3,500 jobs, most of them affecting middle managers, in a move to save $450 million to $500 million per year.


Welsh hospices say they are facing a financial crisis which threatens the future of their services.


Iran says Western nuclear pressure failing

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said on Thursday the West had failed in efforts to put pressure on the Islamic Republic over its atomic activities.


Operazione contro spaccio droga in locali notturni


It's easy to beat up on Target and other retailers who shout in flyers trying to get us to spend, spend spend, but refuse to let the Salvation Army set up collection kettles outside their doors.


Nuova pagina di apertura, 60 contenuti diversi in un click


Nolan Set to Become San Francisco 49ers Coach

The San Francisco 49ers are set to name Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan as their new coach, the team said on Monday.


Yahoo may consider Google alliance: source

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK  - Yahoo Inc  would  consider a business alliance with Google Inc  as one  way to rebuff a $44.6 billion takeover proposal by Microsoft, a  source familiar with Yahoo's strategy said on Sunday.


In Georgia election, Saakashvili's mandate weakens

The pro-West president called Saturday's snap polls after beingcriticized for authoritarianism. With early results giving him 48 percent ofthe vote, opponents protest fraud.


Michael Vick backed out of a scheduled appearance on a nationally syndicated radio show Tuesday morning, a day after pleading guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge.


Merck & Co Inc. should have pulled the arthritis drug Vioxx off the market in 2000, because there was enough evidence that showed it was associated with an increased heart attack risk, according to researchers.


Thousands flee Hurricane Felix in Central America

Thousands of people fled Central America's Caribbean coast on Monday to escape the powerful winds and torrential rains of Hurricane Felix, but many others were left to ride out the approaching storm.


Ivan Appears To Be Making Northwest Turn

MIAMI -- It appears Hurricane Ivan is finally making its turn more to the northwest, while its outer bands lash the Florida Keys. Ivan is now centered about 85 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba, heading into the Yucatan Channel.


Five Days: A Plunge, Mixed Data and Some Mixed Messages

Worries about the global economy rattled stock markets around the world this week, paring billions from the value of investorsâ holdings.


Iran wants to brief powers on atom plans: TV

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to brief members of the U.N. Security Council about his country's nuclear program, state television reported on Sunday.


Elisha Cuthbert on 'Dot' as Star, Producer

Elisha Cuthbert, star of the current No. 1-selling video "The Girl Next Door," has committed to shoot the indie thriller "Dot," which is targeting a mid-September start.


Singapore rejects US sex slavery charges

SINGAPORE Aug 30 - Singapore has questioned a US government assessment that it has become a sex slave centre and asked Washington to back its charges with evidence.


The pilot of a civilian World War II stunt plane died Friday after the plane crashed while practicing just hours before an air show, officials said.


New York Heir Pleads Guilty in Texas Plea Deal

GALVESTON, Texas  - New York real estate heir  Robert Durst pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two criminal  charges in a plea bargain that will get him out of jail in two  years or less.


President Bush is piling up strategy sessions on Iraq, aiming to reverse the course of the war and energize his final two years in office.


Experts Reduce Estimate of India's HIV Population by Half

NEW DELHI, July 6 -- India's HIV population, thought to be the largest in the world, is actually half what experts had previously estimated, according to new figures released Friday by the country's Health Ministry.


Bush to Press Allies for More Help in Middle East

President Bush is in Estonia seeking more help from allies amid growing impatience at home with the war


Hungarian Socialists choose alternatives as new prime minister

Hungary's ruling Socialist Party approved two alternative candidates to replace outgoing prime minister Peter Medgyessy who resigned after a row with his liberal coalition partners.


Gonaives - Devastating floods unleashed by tropical storm Jeanne are feared to have killed more than 2 000 people in the northern Haitian city of Gonaives, the city's mayor said on Monday, as searchers keep discovering more bodies 10 days after the storm


Rice urges nations to find cleaner fuels

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice challenged the world's biggest polluters Thursday to "cut the Gordian knot of fossil fuels" by shifting toward energy sources that will reduce global warming — without harming their economies.


Satellite Spotters Glimpse Secrets, and Tell Them

Hobbyists uncover some of the deepest of the governmentâs secrets and share them on the Internet.


Langdon Gilkey, 85, Theorist on Nexus of Faith and Science, Dies

Langdon Gilkey was a prominent Protestant theologian who argued for a rational, even satisfying, co-existence between science and faith.


Fulham boss Coleman backs life ban for taking bungs

Fulham manager Chris Coleman has supported European football's governing body UEFA who say anyone convicted of receiving money illegally in transfer dealings should be banned for life.


A new scheme is launched where women are trained to offer parenting advice to new mums.


Blair backs Annan over oil-for-food scandal

The prime minister has thrown his weight behind beleaguered secretary general of the United Nations as Kofi Annan faces stringent criticism over the UN oil-for-food scandal in Iraq.


FOOTBALL was plunged into mourning yesterday with the news that Scotland keeper Bill Brown has died at the age of 73. He began his success-strewn career with Dundee and made 274 appearances for the Dark Blues.


Torture Victim Had No Terror Link, Canada Told U.S.

A Canadian report offers rare insight into the flimsy evidence used by the U.S. to deport a Canadian man for his alleged ties to Al Qaeda.


Former US Open champion Corey Pavin finished third Sunday in the inaugural Vietnam Masters, which was won by Angelo Que of the Philippines.


Soy nuts reduce blood pressure and cholesterol

NEW YORK  - One half of a cup of soy nuts each day may work as well as anti-hypertension medication to lower blood pressure, a new study in postmenopausal women demonstrates.


Nurses are not given enough help and support from their bosses in dealing with violent patients, researchers say.


Francis Mayer, chairman and chief executive officer of French state-owned bank CDC, has died at age 56 in Paris.Comment


Stock in AK Steel Corp. and other publicly traded US steel companies posted large gains Monday on news of a three-way merger that'll create the world's largest steelmaker.


The government is raising billions of pounds more in green taxes than it needs to cut the UK's "carbon footprint", a report says.


A technique that helps heal spinal injuries in dogs may lead the way to future methods of preventing paralysis in humans who've suffered spinal damage.


Microsoft launches campaign against Google-DoubleClick

(InfoWorld) - Microsoft has teamed with public relations and marketing agency Burson-Marsteller on a campaign to garner industry support for asking regulators to scrutinize and potentially blockÂ the proposed merger of Google and DoubleClick. [ Plus:Â DoubleClick launches mobile ad platformÂ ] Called the Initiative for Competitive Online Marketplace, or iCOMP, the group's mission, according to its Web site, is "to highlight important principles in online services and begin important industry discussions around copyright, privacy, and competition." So far, Microsoft and Burson-Marsteller seem to be the only companies behind the initiative, though Gavin Grant, the U.K. chairman of Burson-Marsteller, said the names of companies and organizations that have signed iCOMP's online petition should be listed on the Web site by the end of Monday. Microsoft and Burson-Marsteller were planning to go public with iCOMP in a few weeks, but published reports broke news of the initiative Monday. On behalf of Microsoft, Burston-Marsteller has been sending out e-mails for several weeks to companies, organizations, consumer advocacy groups, and the like who are interested in "creating a competitive and dynamic online marketplace," Grant said Monday. Those companies have been asked to review the Web site and to sign a petition based on a set of principles inspired by concerns raised around the Google-DoubleClick deal. Grant declined to name any of the more than 100 companies or organizations that were contacted, and said he did not know if Google was among them. Google did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Grant did not explicitly come out and say that iCOMP was formed to directly block the Google-DoubleClick merger. Microsoft and Burson-Marsteller are interested in fostering a discussion to ensure that the digital marketplace remains competitive and they hope that other companies and consumer interest groups that have raised concerns about the merger will join them, he said. However, the iCOMP petition clearly points to the group's interest in taking a stand against the Google-DoubleClick deal, which opponents claim would give Google control of 80 percent of ads served on the Internet. For example, the first principle on the iCOMP petition asks signers to agree that "regulators should carefully scrutinize any transactions in the online advertising sector that would create or enhance a dominant market position, substantially reduce existing or future competition, or leave advertisers, online publishers, or consumers with fewer options." Google announced plans to acquire DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in April, a deal that immediately hadÂ competitors and industry groups crying foul over how much of the online advertising market the combined company would ownÂ and also how much access to consumer information it would have.Â U.S. government agencies scrutinizing the deal include the Federal Trade CommissionÂ and two congressional committees. Google has defended itself in blog posts saying that competitors like Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL also are buying up companies to help them boost online advertising and consumer marketing strategies. The company claims its move to buy DoubleClick has not prevented other companies from competing. Microsoft naturally doesn't see it that way. In an interview Monday company spokesman Jack Evans was more willing to voice his company's concern about the merger and to link iCOMP to Google-DoubleClick opposition, acknowledging that without that merger on the table, there would likely be no iCOMP. "Like others, we believe this proposed merger raises serious questions about the future of competition in the online advertising market as well as about consumer privacy and copyright protection," Evans said. When asked aboutÂ Microsoft's own anticompetitive practices, something for which the European Commission recently upheld a $613 million fineÂ against it, he said that Microsoft never attempted to purchase a competitor to become a leader in a market, something Microsoft and others believe Google is doing with DoubleClick. "It's one thing to earn your way into a dominant position in the marketplace, it's another thing to buy your competitors to lock up the marketplace," he said. Though there are legitimate concerns about privacy and competition to be had over Google-DoubleClick, to some, the formation of iCOMP might appear to be sour grapes on the part of Microsoft. The company was rumored to be in a bidding war with Google for DoubleClick, hoping to acquire the company to boost its own advertising revenue.Â Microsoft eventually settled for a $6 billion purchase of interactive digital services firm aQuantive, a deal that closed last month. And it wasn't so long ago that Microsoft was in the position of being scrutinized for consumer-privacy issues surrounding a Web services initiative called Hailstorm. The company in 2001 proposed Hailstorm as a central repository it would maintain for online user identity so Web users would have easy access to their personal information for online transactions. Hailstorm didn't fly with consumers or other companies because no one wanted Microsoft to be the sole owner of people's personal information.


Consistency isn't sexy. It's not a quarterback throwing bombs, or backs bursting into the secondary, linebackers in their wake.


Louisville Spoils Boise State's Bid for Perfect Season

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sports Network) - Stefan LeFors threw for a  pair of touchdowns and ran for another as seventh-ranked  Louisville put an end to the nation's longest win streak with a  thrilling 44-40 victory over No. 10 Boise State in the Liberty  Bowl.


Robbie Keane hit a stunning brace as Tottenham marched into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 win at Fulham.


Il colosso di Mountain View lancia enciclopedia "Knol"


A police officer stands outside the home of Ozzy Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, in Chalfont St Peter, England, Monday Nov. 22, 2004.


Cheri Kenah, the five-time runner-up at the US Indoor 3,000 meters who gave birth to twins less than a year ago, will be running. So will last year's BAA Half Marathon winner, Marie Davenport.


Sudan negotiator denies need for AU peacekeepers in Darfur

The head of Sudan's delegation to African Union-sponsored talks on the conflict in the western province of Darfur said there was no need for the AU to send peacekeeping force to the troubled region, insisting that Khartoum could handle the security situation.


Unlike last year when health officials urged more people to get flu vaccines, authorities are asking the public to save the supplies for those most at risk after half of the nation's anticipated supply of vaccine became unavailable last week.


Tens of thousands protest plan to expand US air base in Italy

Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in Vicenza, Italy, against the planned expansion of a US military base, an issue which has split Italy's centre-left government.


Shell's New Strategy: Spend, Sell Assets

Royal Dutch/Shell Group on Wednesday said it will spend $45 billion and sell off up to $12 billion worth of assets to reinvigorate its underperforming oil and natural gas business.


Nintendo, GameStop to guarantee Wiis after holiday

Nintendo Co Ltd said on Friday it will offer a "rain check" program to deliver the Wii in January to shoppers who can't buy the game console during the holiday season due to inventory shortages.


The video game industry has a lot in common with the movie business, in that both industries bank heavily on special effects, big releases and even glamour.


Bush Mocks Kerry for 'Changing Positions' on Iraq

President Bush on Monday mocked his Democratic rival John Kerry for shifting his positions on Iraq so many times he could "debate himself" in this week's face-off between the two candidates.


M&T Bank Profit Climbs on Fewer Bad Loans

M&T Bank Corp. MTB.N, which counts  billionaire Warren Buffett as its third-largest shareholder, on  Tuesday said quarterly profit rose a greater-than-expected 19  percent, helped by growing fees and a drop in bad loans.


Summary: Probe Enters Titan's Atmosphere

THE MISSION: The European Space Agency's Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan in a mission to provide clues to how life arose on Earth.


RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- A Saudi-American released after being held by the US military for three years in solitary confinement without charge said in an interview broadcast yesterday that he cooperated with his jailers, calling himself ''an innocent man."


U.S. Open: With New Serve, Sharapova Moves On

Maria Sharapova has remade her service swing and begun to incorporate serving-and-volleying into her game and it produced a second straight demolition of an opponent.


Starbucks 4th-Qtr. Earnings Up 49 Percent

Starbucks Corp. said its earnings rose 49 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter as the coffee retailer benefited from aggressive expansion.


Students from a radical mosque on Saturday raided an acupuncture clinic they said was used as a brothel in Pakistan's capital and kidnapped nine people, including Chinese women, police said.


The German chancellor recalls the Nazi horrors of Auschwitz and urges vigilance against anti-Semitism.


Families of Young Women Ponder Dreams Unfulfilled

Renee Nicole Shelkin graduated from West Potomac High School on Thursday afternoon in a white dress. The 18-year-old waved to her family in the audience, excited to be in the spotlight with her friends.


Nokia to Further Expand Henan GSM Network

Nokia Corp. will further expand a digital GSM mobile network for Chinese Henan Mobile Communications Corporation Ltd., in a deal valued at $200 million (euro150 million).


Team USA failed miserably in the team performances of the Ryder Cup golf tournament this weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with golf, the Ryder Cup is the Davis Cup of golf, where the US takes on Europe in a series of different match-types.


INTERVIEW: Titan Petchem Sees No Flagging China Demand

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China's thirst for oil has created boom times for tanker companies. And despite Beijing's efforts to cool the economy, demand for oil isn't likely


A city agency voted Tuesday to revive a plan to force chains to post calorie counts for their foods right on the menu, hoping the fat-filled truth will shock New Yorkers into eating healthier.


Eeek! Imagine a rodent that weighed a ton and was as big as a bull.


Best Buy Smashes Analysts' Q3 Views, But This Quarter's Outlook Not So Hot      (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - Flat-panel TVs, notebook computers and video game consoles are hot items this holiday season. And apparently, Best Buy stores are where consumers want to buy them.


Google clout seen aiding antitrust OK for Microsoft

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO  - Google Inc  so  dominates the online search and advertising market that  regulators are unlikely to challenge a merger of Microsoft Corp   and Yahoo , two antitrust experts said on  Friday.


Investment bank Bear Stearns & Co.   Inc. BSC.N on Thursday said third-quarter net income rose,   helped by strong sales and trading results.


German defence minister says Berlin backs subs for Israel (Deutsche...

German Defence Minister Peter Struck said in an interview published Thursday that the Berlin government would approve the delivery of two submarines to Israel.


PepsiCo Profit Up, Cuts Jobs, Shares Rise

PepsiCo Inc. PEP.N, the world's No.  2 soft drink company, on Thursday said quarterly profit rose  due to tax benefits and strong earnings at its key Frito-Lay  snack and North American beverage units.


Evgeni Malkin tied the game late in the third period after Pittsburgh wasted a multiple-goal lead for the third game in a row, then teamed with Erik Christensen to score in the shootout as the Penguins rallied to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 Wednesday night.


Intel Shifts To Next-Gen Strained Silicon

Intel Corp. will shift to a second-generation strained-silicon technique within its forthcoming 65-nanometer process technology, the company will announce on Monday.


Israeli prime minister rules out ceasefire saying his military is fighting 'true war' with militants


Former Enron Exec Will Pay $1.49 Million

Enron Corp.'s ENRNQ.PK former  director of investor relations has agreed to pay $1.49 million  to settle fraud charges related to the bankrupt energy company,  U.S. securities regulators said on Wednesday.


Pfizer to offer medicine without meth ingredient

Pfizer Inc. plans to release a new version of Sudafed that eliminates an ingredient used to produce the highly addictive drug methamphetamine in homemade labs.


Clinton speaks out on stem cell research

A child with diabetes and a paralyzed 23-year-old joined Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday in urging President Bush to loosen restraints on money for embryonic stem cell research.


Letâs not lose the plot. In defense of âbadâ words in childrenâs books.


President Bush said yesterday that the leaders of China, Japan, South Korea and Russia are united in their determination to get North Korea and Iran to abandon their nuclear-weapons programs.


Too many people with mental health problems end up in prison when they need specialist care, a report says.


Israel fires on targets in Gaza, killing 2

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israeli missile strikes hit a succession of militant targets in the Gaza Strip yesterday, killing two, while Hamas fired more rockets toward Israel. Palestinian factions met to discuss a possible truce with Israel.


Belo to cut 250 jobs, mostly at Texas paper

Media owner Belo Corp. said yesterday it would cut 250 jobs, more than half of them at its flagship newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, and that an internal investigation into circulation overstatements showed the projected circulation decline at the newspaper would be slightly steeper than forecast last month.


FEMA Official Apologizes for Staged Briefing With Fake Reporters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized yesterday for leading a staged news conference Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.


It will be the tech Sector's most closely watched court ruling since US Federal Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered the breakup of Microsoft Corp.


Florida basketball staff assistant Major Parker and a co-defendant were indicted Tuesday on drug charges.


US Davis Cup Brings 9-Year Title Drought to Final Versus Spain

Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and the Bryan brothers hope to add to Davis Cup lore this weekend when they assume the monstrous underdog role, facing Spain on their home red dirt in front of an expected record-setting crowd in Seville.


Report: Israel soldier may be freed soon

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said negotiations for the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants are in their final stage, according to a newspaper report on Wednesday.


Harrington's perfect timing lines up Langer's ideal hat-trick

Graeme McDowell, possibly a Ryder Cup player of the future, could prevent a third successive victory for a member of Bernhard Langer's team, who head to the States tomorrow.


Bin Laden, al-Zarqawi benefit in alliance

An audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden suggests the al-Qaida chief has accepted Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi's offer to unite the world's most famous terror group and the bloodiest


Simpson says Lachey's dating was painful

Jessica Simpson says she was stung when ex-husband Nick Lachey jumped back into dating after their high-profile breakup.


A series of grenade blasts has rocked an opposition party rally in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, killing at least 13 people. There were seven or eight explosions at the Awami League headquarters, as leader Sheikh Hasina addressed a crowd.


President Hu congratulates Sihamoni on becoming king of Cambodia

Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message to Norodom Sihamoni on Thursday to congratulate him on his election as the king of Cambodia.


Singolare iniziativa del quotidiano lumbard. Il direttore lanciaun concorso: "Inviateci i vostri slogan, saranno il titolo di sabato"                                          Cdl in piazza, la Padania ai lettori "Sfottiamo Prodi tutti insieme"


Iraq has closed its borders with Iran and Syria as part of a security crackdown aimed at stopping foreign fighters and weapons entering the country, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said on Thursday.


US to Give $23.5 Million for Palestinians

The Bush administration announced Wednesday that it would provide $23.5 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority to help conduct elections


At least 4 killed in suicide attack in Tel Aviv

At least four people were killed and 30 wounded in an explosion which ripped through an open market in central Tel Aviv on Monday, Israeli rescue workers and police said.


EU considering concession to Iran ahead of nuclear meeting next week

The European Union is considering making concessions to Iran ahead of a nuclear meeting next week in order to get it to abandon uranium enrichment but the hardline United States is unhappy with such a compromise, a Western diplomat told AFP.


McDonald's Same-Store Sales Rise 5.2 Pct

McDonald's Corp. MCD.N on Tuesday  said sales at its hamburger restaurants open at least 13 months  rose 5.2 percent in January, as strong sales in the United  States and Europe helped it beat some analysts' expectations.


Napoli: fallito assalto a furgone portavalori

NAPOLI - Una rapina a un furgone portavalori a Napoli e' fallita questa mattina per la prontezza del conducente. Un gruppo di malviventi armati, forse 8-10 auomini, ha tentato di bloccare il mezzo, ponendo


The dollar falls below the $1.35 level to a new record low against the euro as data fuels new concerns about the US economy.


AP pinpoints 5 vulnerable hurricane areas

Just because Katrina was the perfect storm — a catastrophic combo of the wrong hurricane in the wrong place at the wrong time — doesn't mean that history can't repeat itself, leaving another city obliterated by another tempest. It can.


Men driving donkey carts to the market and refugees crouching in the shade finally have something to break the boredom of life in this arid Darfur border village — news, hip-hop and Arabic music coming in on cranky transistor radios.


Hezbollah's Moughniyah killed in Syria blast

Hezbollah military commander Imad Moughniyah was killed by a car bomb in Damascus on Tuesday, the Lebanese group said, announcing the death of the man believed to be behind Western hostage taking in Lebanon in the 1980s.


Barry Bonds is headed back to the All-Star game. If Tim Lincecum keeps this up, it won't be long before the rookie right-hander is there, too. Lincecum struck out a career-high 12 batters and got a key hit — and rare praise — from Bonds as the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-0 on Sunday.


Broadhurst homes in on title win after difficult few years

A MONTH after becoming a father for the fourth time Paul Broadhurst is hoping to have something else to celebrate tomorrow night - his first European Tour victory since 1995.


Il ministro per la SolidarietÃ  Sociale replica oggi alle protestedelle associazioni del terzo settore e assicura: "Nessuna scelta politica"                                          Finanziaria, Ferrero: "Il 5 per mille tolto per errore, lo riproporremo"


Despite Warner Bros. set back, the HD DVD maker vows to renew its efforts marketing the hi-def video players.


Movie shows how firefighters earn respect

Little in "Ladder 49" can be called groundbreaking or startling, but the movie about a firehouse of Baltimore smoke-eaters nevertheless manages to cause a lump in the throat.


Confident Customers Could Boost PeopleSoft

I went into this week's PeopleSoft Connect user conference expecting to find the shadow of Oracle's hostile takeover bid casting a pall over the proceedings.


La cifra si avvicina sempre piu' ai 9 milioni di unita'


West Bromwich Albion are refusing to comment on reports they have approached Bobby Robson to take over at The Hawthorns from sacked Gary Megson.


The number of people dying from cancer and cardiovascular disease has fallen in the last decade in England, according to government figures.


The world's first 45nm gaming CPU Review Intelâs 45nm 'Penryn' update for its Core 2 microprocessor family has been an open secret for many months. It's first desktop incarnation, the Core 2 Extreme QX9650, is due to be formally introduced on 12 November, but today we can tell you how it will perform.â¦


Auto insurer posts strong earnings, but a down cycle may be about to begin.


Office-supply retailer OfficeMax Inc.  said on Wednesday the president of its retail division resigned, but the departure was unrelated to a probe into improper billing.


Iraq Cleric Agrees End Uprising, Fighting Rages On

NAJAF, Iraq  - A radical Iraqi cleric leading a  Shi'ite uprising agreed on Wednesday to disarm his militia and  leave one of the country's holiest Islamic shrines after  warnings of an onslaught by government forces.


Studentâs Ad Gets a Remake, and Makes the Big Time

In a trend known as consumer-generated content, an 18-year-old student and Apple devotee was hired to make a television commercial for Appleâs new iPod Touch.


Technology ; Yahoo to begin testing desktop search

Yahoo's product will use licensed technology from Pasadena, California-based X1 Technologies to help users search e-mail and a variety of files -- from photos and music to PDF-format documents -- on their hard drives.


I dati del nucleo di valutazione sul legame tra etÃ  e trattamento previdenzialeVantaggi modesti restando tre anni in piÃ¹. PiÃ¹ 20% se si va via a 65 anni                                            Chi lascia a 63 anni guadagnerÃ  l'8-10% CosÃ¬ chi rimanda arricchisce la pensione                                                                                di ROBERTO MANIA


Obiettivo: emissione zero. La ricetta del Comune: biocarburanti e incentiviMobilitato il mondo dello spettacolo, molti tour "climaticamente innocenti"                                            Siena capitale dell'energia verde Carbon free entro il 2015: "Primi in Italia"                                                                                Un progetto per assorbire il gas serra come previsto da Kyotodi ANTONIO CIANCIULLO


Ceduta al fondo Trident settore su garanzie e contratti


Japan's Princess Kiko gave birth on   Wednesday to a baby boy, the first imperial male heir to be   born in more than four decades and the answer to the prayers of   conservatives keen to keep women off the ancient throne.


Rafa Benitez believes that the return to action of Steven Gerrard will give Liverpool the impetus they need as they prepare for the crunch Champions League trip to Monaco.


ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sports Network) - Anaheim Angels second  baseman Adam Kennedy will miss the remainder of the season  after tearing ligaments in his right knee during Monday's 5-2  victory over the Seattle Mariners.


Geiberger, Rollins set early Greensboro pace

American Brent Geiberger, under pressure to retain his PGA Tour card for next year, charged into a tie for the early lead at the Greensboro Classic in North Carolina on Thursday.


Clemensâs Legal Team Adds Private Investigators

Roger Clemensâs lawyer has hired private investigators to try to challenge the credibility of Brian McNamee, who said that he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone.


Saviola wants to emulate Morientes at Monaco

Monaco's new loan signing Javier Saviola is keen to emulate Spain striker Fernando Morientes who helped the principality team to the Champions League final during a spell with them last season.


Iraq vows action after truck bomb kills 135

Iraq's government on Sunday renewed its pledge to crack down on militants after a massive suicide truck bomb killed 135 people in a mainly Shi'ite area of Baghdad.


Atlantis shuttle gets three chances to launch next week

NASA will attempt to launch the Atlantis shuttle next Wednesday as the orbiter successfully weathered Tropical Storm Ernesto this week, the US space agency said.


Russia: scelta ritiro 'intelligente e coraggiosa'


Circa 2000 persone affrontate da polizia davanti a La Moneda


Satellite repair robot launches from Florida

A prototype satellite  repair robot that can refuel, upgrade and repair satellites was  launched from Florida on Thursday night to begin a three-month  orbital field test.


Londra, 16:14 - TENNIS, WIMBLEDON: IVANOVIC IN SEMIFINALE

La serva Ana Ivanovic, testa di serie numero 6, si è qualificata per le semifinale del singol...


AL Wrap: Ford, Radke Help Twins Sweep Tigers

Lew Ford homered and drove in a pair of runs and Brad Radke pitched seven strong innings to lead the streaking Minnesota Twins to a 5-3 road win over the Detroit Tigers in American League action on Monday.


Blistering heat and hot dry winds have fanned the fires. Forests fires that have ravaged southern Europe during the past month were some of the worst on record, the European Commission has said. via Jackaranda


Detectives reveal the last man to see a missing Polish student was a registered sex offender.


All-Pro left tackle Jonathan Ogden signed a new seven-year contract Thursday with the Baltimore Ravens.


Alexander Netkachev's Blog: PHP IDE with debugger 0.1.6 is out

Alexander Netkachev has an update posted about the PHP IDE package and a new version that includes debugger support - 0.1.6.   This is, probably, the first PHP IDE that supports debugging for state-of-the-art PHP 5.2. To turn on debugging on your web server just add ZendDebugger.dll in PHP.ini   You can grab the latest download of the IDE from here or here (win32).


A federal judge today overturned a Pennsylvania law aimed at restricting access to web sites hosting child pornography. Pennsylvania Statute 7330 required ISPs to block access by the customers to child porn sites.


Microsoft hypes BI, adds reporting tools for end users

Microsoft unveiled plans Wednesday to integrate business intelligence reporting into the next version of SQL Server, placing new reporting tools in the hands of end users.


The learning curve toward victories over good to very good teams has been a slick hairpin turn this season for Wake Forest, a point that was again painfully evident after last night's 20-17


Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has given his backing for a plan to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland.


Haniyeh resigns to launch Palestinian unity deal

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas resigned on Thursday in a procedural move aimed at launching a unity government with President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, an official in Haniyeh's office told Reuters.


Iraq, N.Korea on agenda as Cheney arrives in Japan

Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in  Japan on Tuesday on a visit to reassure America's close ally  that a troop build-up will help quell violence in Iraq, just  weeks after Japan's defense minister said starting the war was  a mistake.


Voters lured to neo-Nazi parties in German elections

NEO-NAZI parties made sweeping gains in vital regional elections in Germany last night to further tarnish the countryâs image and plunge Chancellor Gerhard SchrÃ¶derâs ruling coalition party into fresh crisis.


Nepal and Maoist rebels sign peace agreement

KATMANDU, Nepal -- The government and Maoist rebels signed a peace agreement yesterday to end a 10-year insurgency, marking the start of an uncertain political era in this Himalayan nation, the world's last Hindu monarchy.


US car giant Ford is expected to tell Jaguar workers on Friday that it will close the firm's historic Coventry factory


Amazon.com, FedEx Among US Companies Helping Tsunami Victims

Amazon.com Inc., Coca-Cola Co., FedEx Corp. and Pfizer Inc. are among US companies that have taken steps to provide aid to the survivors of the earthquake and tsunamis that struck South Asia on Dec. 26.


Jacob Goldfield has resigned as chief investment officer of George Soros' $8.3 billion hedge fund to start his own investment management company.


Justin Timberlake is starting a new project, a new movie called "Alpha Dog." He stars opposite Sharon Stone and Dominique Swain in this crime drama which is based on a true story about a group of California teenagers engaged in kidnapping and mu...


Thomas T. Roberts Is Dead at 84; His Ruling Angered Baseball Owners

Mr. Roberts was a prominent arbitrator best known for his ruling that major league baseball owners had improperly colluded to prevent free-agent players from obtaining richer contracts.


Dairy Industry Crushed Innovator Who Bested Price-Control System

In the summer of 2003, shoppers in Southern California began getting a break on the price of milk.


The makers of the best-selling Grand Theft Auto games are "aggressively pursuing" the pirates who leaked the latest version of the series.


White House Race a Dead Heat - Reuters Poll

President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry are tied nationwide in a tense race for the White House, but Kerry leads in six of 10 battleground states, according to Reuters/Zogby polls released on Sunday.


Approvato l'emendamento del governo alla Finanziaria (ANSA) - ROMA, 2 DIC - Via libera dalla commissione Bilancio del Senato al nuovo fisco. La commissione ha approvato l'emendamento del governo alla Finanziaria


Two large studies, one focusing on women and the other on men, found that elderly people who walk are more likely to maintain cognitive function.


Asked how the battle was going, Commander Abu Mohammad Hilu showed off his latest trophy - a blood-drenched American boot. There was a large bullet hole in the middle.


Richieste sussidio disoccupazione invariate a 311.000


Read these lips: Bush gets quite continental

Is there too much kissing going on at the White House? President Bush has bussed two women in public in the past two days. First, Condoleezza Rice, whom he kissed on the cheek twice when he nominated her for secretary of State on Tuesday. He went even further with Margaret Spellings, whom he smacked on the lips when he nominated her as secretary of Education on Wednesday.


Spain Bitterly Divided As Terror Trial Begins In '04 Train Bombings

MADRID, Feb. 15 -- Twenty-nine suspects went on trial Thursday for the March 11, 2004, bombings of four commuter trains in Madrid, but Spain's political parties and news media have turned the investigation of the attack into a partisan battle, fraying the country's traditional solidarity against...


FDA recommends restrictions on use of Celebrex, Bextra

WASHINGTON - Doctors are advised to limit their use of anti-inflammatory drugs linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, US regulators said Thursday.


Simple test may help predict breast cancer return

A simple test to measure tumor cells circulating in the blood could make it easier to tell which breast cancer patients are at greatest risk of their cancer returning after treatment, a German researcher said on Monday.


Wal-Mart cuts generic drug prices in Florida

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said on Thursday   it would cut the price of nearly 300 generic drugs to $4 per   prescription starting in the retirement haven of Tampa,   Florida.


After months of rumors, Sony has confirmed that a rumble version of the PS3 Sixaxis controller is coming soon.


Karzai Rival Aims to Be Force in Afghan Parliament

The main political rival to Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday he was forming a new political party to contest a parliamentary election in April after refusing to take a cabinet post.


Storica firma a Roma della Carta Costituzionale europea

Al Campidoglio gli interventi di Berlusconi, Balkenende, Borrel, Prodi, Barroso e Veltroni. Ciampi: "E' un evento unico nella storia del nostro continente. Una svolta nella storia dell'umanitÃ ". ROMA - A


A nine-year-old boy died after his mother spiked his hospital feed with salt, an Old Bailey jury is told.


Spending: When to Hold âEm, and When to Go to Poker School

Poker camps have become hot commodities, offering amateur players a chance to improve their games with advice from the pros.


An Italian judge temporarily suspended on Monday the trial of U.S. and Italian spies charged with kidnapping a terrorism suspect in Milan and then flying him to Egypt, where he says he tortured.


Raketu Tries Combining IPTV, Social Networking

A new application from Raketu Communications Inc. aims to integrate IPTV (Internet Protocol television) with social networking, two of the Internet's hip technologies.


Afghans Repeat Hostage Threat But Show Flexibility

An Afghan militant group repeated a  threat to kill three foreign U.N. workers held hostage since  late last month unless Taliban prisoners were freed, but said  it was willing to be flexible on other demands.


AMD cancels party as act of analyst preservation

Barcelona debacle not implicated From the gossip files: We've learned that AMD has canceled an analyst extravaganza meant to be held next week in Silicon Valley.â¦


Swiss bank UBS seeks backing to sell stakes in the firm as it tries to assess the impact of the US sub-prime crisis


Six French aid workers convicted by a  court in Chad of trying to kidnap 103 children arrived in  France on Friday following a deal that will allow them to serve  their eight-year sentences in a French prison.


Empoli, 17:44 - CALCIO, EMPOLI: SOLO POZZI SALTA LA RIFINITURA

Seduta di rifinitura per l'Empoli in vista della gara di domani sera con il Siena. Il tecnico Cagni ...


Banca di Francia, governo e' stato informato mercoledi'


Notebook: Parcells has dodged his players' punches

Bill Parcells' players have tried to hit him â-nd that's just fine with the two-time Super Bowl-champion coach. "We've had a few" players take a swing at him, Parcells


Remark on Homosexuality Delays Seating of European Panel

The European Union's normally yawn-inducing institutions raised eyebrows on Wednesday when a spat over comments about homosexuality made by an Italian bureaucrat led to the


1. Us Weekly magazine reports that tennis vixen Anna Kournikova has secretly married her boyfriend, singer Enrique Iglesias. The wedding is considered just the latest fallout from the prolonged NHL lockout.


ASIA/INDIA - Il Vescovo del Kashmir riceve il premio Mahatma Gandhi, per la prima volta assegnato a un leader cattolico New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - Mons. Celestine Elampassery, Vescovo di Jammu- Srinagar, nella travagliata regione del Kashmir indiano, ha ricevuto il Premio Mahatma Gandhi per il suo notevole contributo alla societÃ , in particolar modo per le iniziative...


Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights:  The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" held on to first place in the  box-office race while "World Trade Center," Oliver Stone's  recounting of the September 11 attacks, landed at No. 3,  according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.


Kids With Special Needs Have Bigger Medical Bills

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 5 (HealthDayNews) -- Children with special health-care needs have health-care costs three times greater than other children, says a study in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.


Humans May Need Fewer Genes Than Thought

In a blow to human vanity, researchers now say that people have about the same number of genes as a small flowering plant or a tiny worm. The new estimate is down sharply from just three years ago.


Giuliani's mayoral record is complicated

Rudy Giuliani boasts that he reined in crime, welfare and taxes in a city once considered ungovernable.


Argentine first lady seen winning vote with 48 pct

Argentine first lady Sen. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is seen winning the October 28 presidential election by a wide margin, taking almost 48 percent of the vote, a poll showed on Friday.


Lawsuits, founder could derail Inter-Tel acquisition

InfoWorld - Several class action lawsuits and a revolt by the founder threaten to derail a proposed $732 million acquisition of IP communications company Inter-Tel.


Study: Workplace stress ups heart attacks

Swedish researchers say short but intense workplace pressure boosts by a factor of six the chances of a heart attack within the following 24 hours.


TUNCELI, Turkey  - Kurdish rebels killed at least 12 Turkish soldiers and wounded 16 others in an ambush on Sunday, prompting Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to call crisis talks to consider a military strike against rebel bases in Iraq.


Islamists will meet to respond to `American Zionist terror'

German officials are growing concerned about a conference for Arabs and Muslims on "American Zionist terror" that looks like it will go ahead as planned in Berlin, despite calls for its cancellation by a ...


Firmer start seen for Wall St as claws back losses

Wall Street stocks are set for a firmer start to Thursday's session as they claw back some of the previous session's sharp losses, but a cautious tone could prevail as bond market worries continue to grip investors.


Santagata: accordo entro Finanziaria.Ferrero:serve volonta'


Afghan President Hamid Karzai is calling for the U.S. and NATO to cut back on airstrikes in the battle against Taliban and al-Qaida militants, saying too many civilians have been killed.


Bombs exploded on packed commuter trains   and stations in India's financial hub, Mumbai, on Tuesday,   killing over 160 people and wounding hundreds, officials said.


Stern quits Viacom for multimillion radio deal with Sirius

NEW YORK - Howard Stern, the controversial talk radio host who is the scourge of conservative Americans, is quitting Viacom to host his show on the satellite radio service Sirius as part of five-year, multimillion-dollar deal.


On a continent that absorbs 75 percent of the world's UN peacekeeping forces and budget, Ivory Coast's violent downward spiral threatens hard-won gains against West Africa's devastating civil wars of the 1990s.


'Sister Study' Helps Scientists Investigate Breast Cancer

Dr. Dale Sandler said women who share the same genes, have similar experiences and have twice the risk of developing breast cancer offer a better chance of learning what causes it.


Calming winds help crews vs Calif. fires

A merciful easing of the winds fueling Southern California's sprawling wildfires finally gave fire crews a chance to fight back against some blazes Wednesday, and weary residents could take solace in an overriding sign of hope: Just one person has died from the flames.


One of the most famous American band leaders of the swing era, clarinettist Artie Shaw, dies aged 94.


La banda che ha sequestrato la donna a Treviso potrebbe sfruttare le notizie pubblicate sui giornali                                          Tassitani, momento delicato la famiglia chiede il silenzio stampa


President Bush asked Congress on Saturday for $3.2 billion to pay for at least 4,000 extra combat support troops and military police forces that commanders told the president they need in Iraq.


Mortgage lending has declined for the second consecutive month as a result of the slowing housing market, says the Council of Mortgage Lenders.


Sarkozy seen winning large majority in parliament

France votes in the first round of parliamentary elections on Sunday with President Nicolas Sarkozy's party expected to strengthen its hold on power, clearing the way for him to push ahead with reforms.


Indonesian police have made their first arrest in connection with last week's bombing at the Australian embassy in Jakarta. Police chief Da'i Bachtiar said a man had been arrested for carrying explosives for


Known as Pigeon Hill, the Lake Michigan dune towered 30 stories high on the south side of Muskegon. Formed over thousands of years, it disappeared in three decades as its sand was mined for industrial use in the mid-20th century.


Roma, 09:38 - CALCIO, MILAN; GALLIANI: BILANCIO CLUB E' REGOLARE

"Sono tranquillo. Il bilancio del Milan è assolutamente regolare". Lo ha dichiarato l'ad ross...


Fuji Photo Film, better known by its FujiFilm brand name, will begin selling 16X DVD+R media and double-layer DVD+R media later this year.


This is the week of the season when every Giants defensive back needs to have shoulders as sturdy as snowplow blades. But safety Gibril Wilson reported Wednesday that he still had only one good shoulder.


U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday lauded early progress in a military operation against militants in Baghdad, but said Iraqis had to use this "breathing space" to push ahead with reconciliation.


A settembre riprendono le proteste dei lavoratori. Saranno diversi i dipendenti che incroceranno le braccia in segno di protesta giÃ  a partire da lunedÃ¬ 6: le Ferrovie dello Stato hanno proclamato infatti


Agli Arcimboldi Milano con Royal Philarmonic il 2 ottobre


Dance fans can look forward to exotic cross-genre experiments, timely revivals, and tours by international troupes.