Fashion house Gucci more than doubled its operating profit in the second quarter thanks to higher sales and narrower losses from its Yves Saint Laurent brand, bringing


Live Nation Finds a Buyer for Its Theater Business

Live Nation has sold most of its North American theater business to Key Brand Entertainment, a company owned by a British producer and run by an American entertainment executive.


World ; IAEA Head Seen Unswayed by US Hostility to New Term

World News, VIENNA - The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency is unlikely to drop plans for a new term despite US anger after pre-election revelations of missing Iraq explosives, a diplomat close to the agency said Saturday.


Mixon: U.S. Troop Reduction Could Begin in Jan. 2008

A U.S. troop reduction in northern Iraq could begin as early as January 2008 and would cut in half the U.S. military presence in the region over the following 18 months, the top U.S. commander for the area said today.


NEW YORK - Crude oil futures fell for a fourth day Friday, settling below $43 a barrel for the first time since August and extending the week's decline in oil prices to 14 per cent.


Roma, 20:05 - RUGBY, PRODI E MELANDRI: ITALIA IMPRESA STORICA

Il presidente del Consiglio, Romano Prodi, e il ministro dello Sport, Giovanna Melandri, hanno telef...


Schools in the Russian town of Beslan re-open two weeks after gunmen staged a bloody hostage-taking raid.


Arts & entertainment: A sex video and alcohol addiction almost ruined Rob Lowe's career. Here he tells Jay Rayner how he rescued his career and became a political junkie.


Israeli troops kill two young Gazans: Palestinians

Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinian youths in the northern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel, Palestinian medical staff said on Friday.


Bosnia Envoy Sacks Bosnia Serb Officials Over Hague

Bosnia's peace overseer fired six Serb  police officers and three other officials on Thursday to punish  the Serb Republic for failing to arrest war crimes suspects and  obstructing the process of hunting them down.


With the 2004 presidential race still a tossup, President Bush and challenger Democrat John Kerry charged into the final two days of the contest trying to turn to their advantage an


Cardiff's airport reports no delays despite  enhanced security after attacks in Glasgow and London.


Three firms indicted over tainted pet food: media

Two Chinese businesses and a U.S. company were indicted on Wednesday for their roles in making and importing a tainted pet food ingredient that federal prosecutors said resulted in the deaths and serious illnesses of many animals in the United States last year, the Associated Press said.


Champions League: Important week for the 'Lucky again' Arsenal ...

Watching the Birmingham game on Saturday it brought back memories of games such as Middlesbrough three years ago when Silvinho and Edu both scored own goals and Arsenal lost 3-0.


Google, the search engine which floated on the Nasdaq market last week, has the worst corporate governance structure of any company in the S&P 500 index, according to an influential investor advisory group.


Hundreds of swimmers in fancy dress brave the cold at Welsh beaches on Boxing Day to raise money for charity.


Dozens of army recruits 'executed' in Iraq, first US diplomat ...

BAQUBA, Iraq : Almost 50 new Iraqi soldiers were gunned down in an execution in a remote area of eastern Iraq, officials said, while a US diplomat was killed in a mortar attack on a military base in Baghdad.


He's in. He's out. So it goes in the wild and crazy Triple Crown racing season among the so-called contenders.


Despite media reports and industry pundits over the years relegating Netscape to Internet history books, AOL has restarted the browser's development. The company plans to bring back a refreshed Netscape browser based on Firefox, which will incorporate an enhanced user interface and several new features. A prototype of the new Netscape will debut on November 30.


Meltdown: Arctic wildlife is on the brink of catastrophe

Polar bears could be decades from extinction, a survey into global warming has found. Steve Connor reports on the crisis that threatens the polar ice-cap.


Calcio, Fiorentina; Miccoli con RiganÃ² Ã¨ tutto piÃ¹ facile

"Il rientro di Christian RiganÃ² porterÃ  benefici alla squadra e con lui in campo per la Fiorentina sarÃ  tutto piÃ¹ facile: ha il gol nel sangue. La sua presenza mi toglierÃ  anche qualche problema psicologico


Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert   will seek a peace summit with Palestinian President Mahmoud   Abbas if gunmen in the Gaza Strip release a captive Israeli   soldier, Olmert's senior deputy said on Tuesday.


Sci-Fi Dreams We Could Build if They Weren't So Damn Expensive

Orbiting hotels, transatlantic tunnels, android armies -- these are all technically feasible projects given today's technology, if you just have a big enough budget. But how big exactly? Wired's Rob Beschizza does the math.


[TS] Sports of The Times: With Sweetheart in Final, the Sponsors Exhale

Maria SharapovaÂs army of sponsors, subsidizing her to the tune of a reported $19 million a year, couldnÂt be more pleased with her finals appearance.


Maoist Rebels Bomb Kathmandu Building, No Injuries

Maoists rebels set off a powerful  bomb in the Nepali capital on Thursday, causing no casualties  but leaving a large part of a government building in ruins,  police said.


Going .500 gets fans upset, coaches in trouble and players released — except in this year's NFC, where a break-even mark is looking playoff-worthy. And a winning record makes you a Super Bowl contender.


It was the biggest blowout of the season for the Rockets, who won for the fourth time in five games. The Hawks have lost three straight games, and nine of their last 11.


Texas A&M opened Big 12 play with a win as convincing as its last seven. Dominique Kirk scored 15 points and freshman DeAndre Jordan added 14 to lead the 11th-ranked Aggies to an easy 86-69 victory over Colorado on Saturday, their eighth straight win by at least 15 points.


The tenth-largest US airline, ATA Airlines has filed for bankruptcy protection and sold off airport slots and other assets to AirTran Airways for $ 87.


Vioxx woes put FDA process under scrutiny

Americans should feel reasonably safe taking government-approved prescription drugs - with a few caveats - even after a popular arthritis medication was pulled from the market, medical experts say.


Chicago Bull's player Scottie Pippen will join former teammate Michael Jordan in retirement. He is reportedly to announce his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday.


Redshirt Freshman Moten Gets the Call for Terrapins

Redshirt freshman Adrian Moten will start at strong-side middle linebacker when Maryland opens its season Saturday.


Seattle team traces origin of ivory via elephant DNA map

By analyzing elephant DNA, a research team led by Seattle scientists has discovered a way to trace the origins of ivory and help stem the poaching that still threatens the giant beasts across much of their habitat.


Duke lacrosse team earns NCAA title game

The Duke lacrosse team has taken its season of redemption to the brink of a championship. The top-seeded Blue Devils blew a seven-goal lead, then got the winner from Zack Greer with 3 seconds left to beat previously unbeaten Cornell 12-11 Saturday and advance to the NCAA Division I title game.


A Long Deadly Day in Gaza as Israeli Forces Push Into Camp

In one of the bloodiest days of the past two years, at least 23 Palestinians and 3 Israelis were killed today as Israeli troops pushed into a densely packed refugee


How can you possibly test modern software fully?

Pairing up for fun and profit The common assumption about software testing is that "more is better", and testing all the possible states and variable combinations guarantees you will find all the bugs.â¦


Building systems and aerospace products maker United Technologies Corp. said Thursday that NASA selected its flight systems manufacturing unit as the prime contractor for extravehicular systems work that could


Utile netto poco variato, debolezza in mercati riferimento


Bush to referee between Karzai, Musharraf

President Bush jokes that he'll study the body language of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf at the dinner table on Wednesday to see how far their relationship has frayed.


President Bush has chosen to use his veto pen three times — twice on the stem cell issue where politics, ethics and science collide.


Photo owned by Elton John isn't indecent

A picture by American photographer Nan Goldin and owned by Elton John isn't an indecent image, British prosecutors said Friday.


Four Commit Suicide in Australia Child Porn Case

Four Australian men have committed  suicide after being caught up in an investigation into child  Internet pornography that has resulted in more than 200  arrested and charged for 2,000 offences, police said on  Saturday.


Senator on escort service list admits "sin"

A Republican U.S. senator whose telephone number was discovered in the phone records of a woman accused of running a Washington prostitution ring has apologized publicly for committing "serious sin" in his past.


Suit Blaming Automakers Over Gases Is Dismissed

A federal judge ruled that the courts do not have the authority or the expertise to decide injury lawsuits concerning global warming.


Reality television has been called a lot of things but rarely, if ever, socially progressive. We have Charla Faddoul to thank for even allowing the thought to cross our minds. Charla is the little person booted off The Amazing Race 5 this week (along with ...


The dollar was a whisker away from a record low against the euro on Friday after the currency succumbed the previous day to weak U.S. economic data, including disappointing housing figures.


Paul McGinley steps down from his position as an assistant captain to Nick Faldo for next year's Ryder Cup.


Bedsores may seem simple, but they are a serious matter for medical professionals.


'Scotty' Making Final Public Appearances

James Doohan beamed his way through the first of a series of events honoring him in what are expected to be his final public appearances.


NEC Shoots to Regain Supercomputer Title

Less than a month after IBM claimed the world's fastest computer crown from NEC, the Japanese company announced it is trying to win it back with a new supercomputer that will be available at the end of the year.


Opposition chief's poisoning dominates Ukraine campaign

The poisoning of Ukraine's opposition icon Viktor Yushchenko overshadowed the country's presidential election campaign after the Western-leaning candidate accused the government of trying to kill him and his pro-Russia rival denied any knowledge of the case.


England-South Africa pits World Cup winner versus Tri-Nations ...

The last time England faced South Africa at Twickenham, the English were on the climb and the Springboks were on a steep slide. The result two years ago was a 53-3 thrashing for the South Africans.


BILLERICA -- They probably could have played until morning. With both goaltenders playing flawlessly, Austin Prep and Woburn went 53 minutes and four shootout attempts of scoreless hockey before one finally blinked.


Powell and Japanese Leaders Urge North Korea to Join Talks

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell joined with Japanese leaders today to appeal again to North Korea to resume the stalled negotiations over the future of its nuclear


Report says Lehman will captain next US Ryder Cup team

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. The "Palm Beach Post" says golfer Tom Lehman will be named the US captain for the 2006 Ryder Cup. The paper says the announcement will come tomorrow at Amelia Island, Florida, where the


American Bandstand's Dick Clark suffered a mild stroke on Monday, but is said to be 'doing fine' as he recovers in a Los Angeles hospital.


Ex-Yukos executive to get AIDS treatment

A gravely ill former executive of the dismantled oil giant Yukos will be transferred from jail to a civilian clinic for treatment for AIDS-related cancer and tuberculosis, Russian prison officials said Thursday.


Football video game giants, FIFA and PES, brace for play-off

The European launch on Thursday of the latest edition of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES 2008), a video game developed by Japan's Konami, sets the stage for a new battle against its US rival, the FIFA series by top game publisher Electronic Arts (EA Sports).


Londra, 18:40 - CALCIO, G-14: DAVID DEIN NUOVO PRESIDENTE

Cambio al vertice per il G-14, l'associazione che rappresenta i club calcistici  piÃ¹ ricchi e import...


We're dying sooner because the cul-de-sacs, subdivisions and strip malls are spread far and wide. We waddle our fat butts into our SUVs and drive rather than hoof it to the buffet.


Nyon, 20:29 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: UEFA RESPINGE RICORSO LILLA

L'Uefa ha respinto il ricorso presentato dal Lilla dopo la partita persa di misura contro il Manches...


Tom Cruise's production company, which broke ties with Paramount Pictures last week in an unusually public dispute, has signed a two-year financing deal with an investment partnership headed by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.


ACHIEVEMENTS need goals. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's list of priorities, listed in yesterday's National Day Rally speech, clarifies the external and domestic realities that the new Government has to deal


In this promotional photo released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, actors Paul Giamatti, left, and Thomas Haden Church appear in a scene from "Sideways.


Military announces that it has successfully tested a lethal new air-delivered bomb.


World ; Death Toll from Israel's Gaza Offensive Rises to 100

World News, GAZA - Israeli air strikes killed five Palestinians in Gaza Thursday as the Palestinian death toll rose to 100 in a 16-day-old army offensive aimed at crushing militants behind rocket salvoes into Israel.


MILWAUKEE - Jay Haas became the second-oldest Ryder Cup player, joining Stewart Cink as the two captain's picks Monday for a U.S. team that will try to regain the cup from Europe next month...


Global warming severest in Arctic: Four-year, eight-country scientific study

EDMONTON (CP) - A comprehensive scientific study of the Arctic climate has confirmed what Canadian Dene and Inuit have been saying for years: the North is melting, and faster all the time.


Super star della prima puntata Francesco Totti


Two of the UK's largest insurers,  Friends Provident and Resolution,  are in talks to merge according to reports.


Heavy Pesticide Exposure May Up Parkinson's Risk

NEW YORK  - People who come into regular  contact with pesticides at work -- such as farmers and  pesticide sprayers -- appear to have a slightly higher risk of  developing Parkinson's disease, according to new study findings  released Monday.


No. 4 LSU Edges Oregon State 22-21 in OT

BATON ROUGE, La. Sept. 4, 2004 - LSU can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening victory.


Next on the Worry List: Shaky Insurers of Bonds

The notion that the failure of even one big bond insurer might touch off a chain reaction of losses across the financial world has unnerved Wall Street.


Hillary Clinton handily wins Democratic primary in New York

Senator Hillary Clinton won handily her Democratic Party's primary election in New York for a chance to face Republican John Spencer in general elections on November 7.


No. 13 Texas Tech Tops Oral Roberts 79-46

Cisti Greenwalt had 18 points, 14 rebounds and blocked seven shots to lead No. 13 Texas Tech to a 79-46 victory over Oral Roberts on Thursday night.


For men seeking true romance there is now a new mating game with an unusual twist -- it is virtual and mobile. A fantasy world in which lovesick men can wine and dine a virtual girlfriend


'Serve un cambio di rotta, la trattativa cosi' non va'


Brown pressed on military action in Iran

Prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown refused Saturday to rule out military action against Iran over its programme of nuclear enrichment, the BBC reported.


If Philadelphia wants to upset the New England Patriots' juggernaut in Super Bowl XXXIX, it will have to sully quarterback Tom Brady's duds.


Six die in Palestinian raid on Gaza army post

Three Israeli soldiers and three Palestinian gunmen were killed yesterday in battles near the Gaza Strip settlement of Morag. The clash came a day after a woman suicide bomber killed


Julia Roberts Admitted To Hospital With Early Contractions

Julia Roberts, who is seven-months pregnant, has been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after experiencing early contractions. into an undisclosed LA hospital on Saturday, according to Reuters.


Meghan Daum (Craig Wadlin) On Wednesdays, this blog is the delivery vehicle for âLiving With Music,â a playlist of songs from a writer or some other kind of book-world personage. This week: Meghan Daum, an essayist and novelist, and a columnist on the opinion page of the Los Angeles Times. Meghan Daum's February 2008 Playlist: 1) Crazy [...].


The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council's recent track record on Beacon Hill is the envy of most other industry lobbies. On issues from blocking drug price-control efforts to state funding for job training, the council has successfully persuaded the Democrat-controlled Legislature and Republican Governor Mitt Romney to vote its way.


but the UK has emerged as the company's strongest European market, reports the Sunday Times. The Sunday Times Business section yesterday published


Israel kills seven militants in Gaza raid

Israeli troops and armor crossed into the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing seven Palestinian militants, including six from the Islamist Hamas group that controls the coastal territory.


Pelosi Calls Iraq War 'Grotesque Mistake'

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Saturday called the war in Iraq a "grotesque mistake" that has not made the United States safer.


Sant'Egidio oasi di pace e risorsa per la diplomazia


Gallo to launch "Martha Stewart Vintage" wines

Martha Stewart is at it again. The lifestyle guru is adding wine to a brand empire that already includes everything from towels and wall clocks to patio furniture and houses.


Rice welcomes NKorean invite for nuclear inspections

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday welcomed nuclear-armed North Korea's invitation for international inspection for closure of its key atomic plant but cautioned the reclusive state against reneging on its obligations.


There's not enough snow in Europe and not enough dough in America. In a surprise announcement Wednesday night, Guenther Hujara, director of the men's World Cup, said there wasn't enough sponsorship dollars for Colorado resorts to hold some of the ski races that have been scrapped by warm weather and a lack of snow in Europe.


Diabetes drug side effect reports triple

In the month after a surprising analysis revealed possible heart risks from the blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia, reports of side effects to federal regulators tripled.


The Rev. Jerry Falwell says a White House run by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton would energize his base of religious conservatives even more than if the devil were the Democratic nominee.


MGM Gives Blow-By-Blow Report of Sale Process

In a filing that could dispel rumors that the recent auction for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. was not competitive, the studio said winning bidder Sony Corp.


Blasts Rock Indian Northeast in Rising Violence

GUWAHATI, India  - A fresh wave of bombs ripped  through streets and marketplaces in India's northeastern state  of Assam Sunday, killing four people and wounding 40 in  escalating violence blamed on tribal separatists.


China reiterates support for roadmap plan

Visiting Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan has reiterated China's support to the roadmap peace plan for the Middle East. Visiting Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan has


Candidates bet on Internet to set record straight

In televised debates, when a single misstep could spell political ruin, candidates strive to place their best foot forward. Beyond this careful choreography, the audience is ready


Palmer leads Bengals to revenge win over Steelers

Carson Palmer threw four touchdown   passes to help the Cincinnati Bengals stay unbeaten with a   28-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.


Paige Davis is moving out of TLC's "Trading Spaces." The perky host of the popular TV show about couples who redecorate each other's homes is leaving, the cable network announced Monday. TLC said Davis' departure is part of a spring transition to a host-less format.


Three US Marines were killed in Iraq's western Anbar province on Thursday, a US military spokesperson said. The deaths were reported as US troops fought resistance fighters in the city of Fallujah, which is located in Anbar.


Tyson Foods cutting costs, looks to expand

U.S. meat company Tyson Foods Inc.   TSN.N, said its cost-cutting efforts are on track as it works   to restore profits, but that it expects only break-even or a   loss of up to 10 cents per share for the fiscal fourth quarter,   which ends September 30.


WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Severe, persistent asthma is more likely to strike obese individuals than people who are not overweight, U.S. researchers report.


Palestinian rockets hit Israeli town, two wounded

Palestinian rockets struck a southern Israeli town on Sunday and two people were wounded, a day after Israeli air strikes killed five Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.


Chemicals given off by household products may increase the risk of childhood asthma, a new Australian study has found, prompting questions about the adequacy of existing guidelines for indoor air quality.


Malaysia seeks World Heritage listing for historic port

GEORGE TOWN, Malaysia  - The sweet smell of incense from a centuries-old Chinese temple, the perfume of a Hindu shrine decked in flowers and the call to Muslim prayer.


Israeli military prosecutors say the use of cluster bombs last year in Lebanon was legal under international law.


Japan economy recovering but oil prices cause for concern: bank ...

TOKYO : Japan's economic recovery is on track as structural reforms take root but soaring global oil prices pose a question mark, the central bank chief said on Monday.


Ivanov Agrees to Send Warships on NATO Patrols

POIANA BRASOV, Romania -- Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov agreed Thursday to send warships to help NATO's naval patrols monitoring suspicious vessels in the Mediterranean as part of a drive for closer counterterrorism cooperation between Russia and the


Google Planning To Index Entire Libraries

For a long time there have been rumors going around about Project Ocean, a project by Google to index all the pre-1923 content in the Stanford Library.


The phone rang Sunday night, after CBS missed Tom Brady's touchdown plunge because it was late coming back from a commercial. An important play? It virtually clinched the Patriots' 20-3 victory over the Colts.


Last of The Drifters, Bill Pinkney, dies at 81

Rhythm and blues singer Bill Pinkney, the last surviving member of The Drifters, was found dead in his hotel just hours before he was due to perform in a July 4 celebration, police said on Thursday.


Briefly: Israel, Egypt and US trade pact

Egypt, Israel and the United States have reached an agreement that allows Egyptian industry to sell products using Israeli parts duty free in America.


Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! play pots-and-kettles 2.0

Welcome to the information super threeway !!!!! Microsoft and Google engaged in skirmishing by statement this weekend as they began what is likely to be a rancorous, drawn-out battle over the future of Yahoo!.â¦


Former Texas Rep. Martin Frost dropped out of the race for Democratic national chairman on Tuesday after failing to win the backing of organized labor, winnowing the field to front-runner Howard Dean and three challengers.


Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday urged the Pentagon to plan quickly for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, yet she refused to say how she would vote on a war spending bill.


ADV: Distance Learning Directory - Online Degrees

Bachelor, Master and Post-Grad degrees online from accredited colleges and universities. Business, Education, IT, Healthcare, more. Browse by degree or program. Request info and get started today.


Torino, 20:29 - CALCIO, TORINO; VENTOLA: SPERO DI ARRIVARE IN DOPPIA CIFRA

Conferenza stampa di presentazione nel ritor di Malles per il nuovo attaccante del Torino Nicola ven...


PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks made a  big splash in the free-agent market on Thursday by signing  third baseman Troy Glaus to a four-year contract.


California Man Faces Murder Charges in Train Crash

Los Angeles authorities filed  murder charges on Thursday against a man who parked his car on  train tracks in an aborted suicide attempt that caused a  commuter train crash and killed 11 people.


Test Confirms Anthony Not Father of Child

A third paternity test has confirmed that Marc Anthony didn't father a child with a Cuban dancer as she has claimed, the singer's lawyer said.


Australia is bracing itself for a renewed round of conservative reform following Prime Minister John Howard's fourth election victory, handing him power not enjoyed by any Government for more than two decades.


Banned Dutch abortion ship vows to take Portugal to court

The operators of a Dutch boat made into a floating abortion clinic vowed to take Portugal to court after the country refused permission for the ship to enter its territorial waters.


Google Inc. on Wednesday introduced a way to move its online software applications off the Internet, hoping the flexibility will encourage more people to use the free services and extend the company's clout beyond its ubiquitous search engine.


-- Bill France Jr., who transformed NASCAR from a small Southern sport into a billion-dollar conglomerate during his 31 years as chairman, died Monday. He was 74.


Ford raises borrowing plan to $22 billion-$23 billion

Ford Motor Co.  plans to raise the amount of a borrowing plan to roughly $22 billion to $23 billion from an original $18 billion, as it increases the size of a revolving credit line and a convertible note sale.


LOURDES, France - A frail Pope John Paul II celebrated an open-air Mass on Sunday as several hundred thousand pilgrims, many in wheelchairs, crowded onto a field near a French shrine to the Virgin Mary that is associated with miraculous cures of the sick.    The Mass was a highlight of the Pope's two-day visit to Lourdes, a town in the Pyrenees where Roman Catholic tradition says St...


and, in many cases, downright disastrous. But in the managed health-care industry, deal-making has become a necessity for growth. An


It doesn't take large wads of cash to make large wads of cash investing in stocks.


Report: Two Italian female hostages executed in Iraq

Another group of militants claimed Thursday to have killed the two Italian women hostages in Iraq and promised to provide film proof of their beheading.


NI Policing Board chairman and the chief constable are to meet to discuss the Omagh bomb judgement.


Polluted Beijing voted China's most beautiful city

Dirty, polluted, congested and razed of  many old buildings -- but Beijing has still been chosen as  China's most beautiful city.


Sox want to end series before Angels wake up

Boston couldn't be more confident heading back to Fenway Park, looking to close out the once-hot Angels. By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer.


Number of children taught in schools with more than 2,000 pupils has trebled since Labour came to power


Tarantino leads the charge for B-getting more recognition

VENICE, Italy- Anyone who thought the Venice Film Festival existed on some kind of artistic plateau doesn't know Quentin Tarantino.


Movie theater exec urges using NC-17 rating more

Movie theater owners on Tuesday urged  Hollywood to "revitalize" the NC-17 ratings and to stop  marketing DVDs as "uncensored," saying presidential hopefuls  might try to challenge the voluntary film ratings system if it  was ignored.


Australian business confidence dips as survey shows growth still strong

Australian business confidence fell slightly in August amid signs the central bank is set to hike interest rates before year's end, according to a National Australia Bank (NAB) survey.


Artie Shaw, Famed Bandleader of '30s-'40s, Dies, AP Reports

Artie Shaw, a clarinetist and bandleader who symbolized the Big Band era of the 1930s and 1940s, died today in California, the Associated Press reported, citing his manager Will Curtis.


Rare Pneumonia Found Among U.S. Soldiers in Iraq

A rare and sometimes deadly pneumonia  has hit 18 U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq, and Army medical  investigators are at a loss to explain the cause, according to  a study published on Tuesday.


People injured in a nightclub fire are helped outside the nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec. 31, 2004. The fire swept through the crowded nightclub, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 200, police said Friday.


Ryan, No. 2 BC rally past No. 8 Va. Tech

Put that comeback at the top of Matt Ryan's Heisman resume. Ryan threw a 24-yard touchdown pass on the run and across the field to Andre Callender with 11 seconds left and No. 2 Boston College remained undefeated with an improbable 14-10 victory over No. 8 Virginia Tech on Thursday night.


The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, will meet reporters at 1 p.m. (1700 GMT) as he faces calls for his resignation over the handling of a sex scandal involving a fellow Republican Congressman who resigned.


Goth rockers The Cure are enjoying an unexpected revival, but frontman Robert Smith isn't letting it go to his head. "It's very flattering," Smith told Reuters Television


A quick global warming fix using pipes in the oceans is proposed by climate thinkers James Lovelock and Chris Rapley.


Organisers admit a Cricket World Cup venue in Trinidad will not be ready on time and a different ground will now be used.


A malicious Symbian OS Worm is spreading on mobile phone networks and affecting several Nokia handsets.


Cicada infestations boost nutrients for forests

WASHINGTON - Insects that emerge every 17 years in the eastern United States provide valuable nutrients to forest ecosystems when they die, an ecologist says.


A bordo 33 immigrati, tra cui tre donne e un minore


'I don't know why Salman is misunderstood'

Phir Milenge is a love story set against the backdrop of AIDS, says director Revathy


Jurors reviewed videotapes of two psychiatrists' interviews with Andrea Yates and asked to review the state's definition of insanity in their second day of deliberations to determine if she was sane when she drowned her five children.


Vice President Dick Cheney said Friday he hasn't reached out to "Cousin Barack" Obama since reports that the two share a distant relatives.


L'importo sarebbe elevabile fino a 700 milioni


Former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was at the site of the World Trade Centre minutes after the first plane hit on September 11, 2001, has been nominated


NEW YORK  - Obese men are more likely to be   infertile than their slimmer peers, according to the first   study to look at whether a man's weight influences a couple's   fertility.


How many people have gone home after a blindingly stressful day and realise theyâve forgotten some important event or errand? Well, now at least thereâsa scientific explanation for the oversight: stress makes you forgetful.


Report: Entire 'Daily Show' going online today

The Los Angeles Times reports that the popular fake news show, hosted by Jon Stewart, will be available for free in its entirety online in the form of over 13,000 ad supported clips.


Merrill in talks for bigger boost to capital: report

Merrill Lynch & Co  is in talks with Chinese and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds that could lead to the sale of another big stake in the U.S. bank, British newspaper The Observer reported, citing sources in London and New York.


including out of print volumes -- soon will become part of the vast Google database. Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford, and the New


Moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln   Chafee battles for political survival against a conservative   challenger in Rhode Island on Tuesday as voters in nine states   choose candidates for November elections.


Stock Market Gains After Steep Decline on Tuesday

After suffering its steepest drop in nearly four years, the stock market showed some tentative signs of recovery today. Global markets continued to feel the fallout from Tuesdayâs global dive.


Blood swirled in knee-deep flood waters as workers stacked bodies outside the hospital morgue yesterday. Carcasses of pigs, goats, and


Opposition to San Ramon Development Project Surfaces

By Scott Marshall, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.  Sep.


The leading Ulfa rebel group in the north-east Indian state of Assam turns down an offer of talks with Delhi.


DOHA, Qatar Two Russian intelligence agents jailed for life in Qatar for killing a Chechen rebel leader will be sent back to Russia to serve out their sentences, the state news agency QNA reported on Thursday.


G7: Oil Prices a Risk to Economic Growth

High oil prices pose a risk to the  global economy, but the economic outlook for 2005 is still  favorable, the Group of Seven nations said in a statement  following their meeting on Friday.


Udine, 18:06 - CALCIO, UDINESE; GALEONE: IL 4-3-3 E' LA STRADA GIUSTA

Dopo l'incredibile rimonta, da 0-3 a 3-3, subito dalla Sampdoria, il tecnico dell'Udinese Giovanni G...


More than 40 miners were trapped in a coal  mine in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday when a mixture of coal  powder and methane exploded, a spokesman for the emergencies  ministry said.


Aaron Baddeley birdied three of the final four holes and took advantage of Jeff Quinney's late collapse for a one-stroke victory in the FBR Open.


In his first season as a defensive coordinator in the N.F.L., Steve Spagnuolo has clearly won the trust and, especially after victories, the affection of his players.


Security Measures Failed to Spot Protesters

A multi-million pound security operation today failed to prevent dramatic protests marring Tony Blairâs Labour conference speech.


Fridman: First a break, then start working for Beijing

Windsurfer Gal Fridman said in Athens yesterday that his plans for the immediate future were to take a month-long break from the sport, after he won Israel's first ever Olympic gold medal Wednesday.


Former Blue Jays Pitcher Cerutti Found Dead

Former Blue Jays pitcher and television  commentator John Cerutti was found dead in a Toronto hotel room  on Sunday. He was 44.


Skepticism, anger on both sides of Mideast conflict

Israeli cable technician Elram Weitzman thinks the Palestinians deserve a state of their own. But he doesn't spend too much time thinking about it.


Daisuke Matsuzaka, his agent and Red Sox executives boarded a private plane Wednesday in Souther California and were headed to Boston, principal team owner John Henry said, signaling a deal for the Japanese ace may be near.


Mike Karney had no dances prepared and he obviously hadn't practiced his spike, which bounced sideways instead of up.


R&B star Alicia Keys and rock band Linkin Park join an MTV tsunami relief concert in Bangkok.


Giornata di tensione per il guardasigilli.Prodi in allarme chiama Di PietroMarini: "Niente fiducia, la Cdl non sta facendo ostruzionismo"                                          La via crucis di Clemente tra i ribelli "Non mi faccio impiccare dalle toghe"                                                                                Ma l'altra notte una parentesi "leggera": in elicotteroa Benevento per una festa organizzata dalla moglie di LIANA MILELLA


Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma yesterday called compromise the only way out of Ukraine's deepening crisis over the disputed presidential election, as governors in eastern Ukraine met to discuss autonomy.


Swedish poets have broadcast their work into outer space by radio to give alien life forms -- if they exist -- a taste of earthling literature.


Gallery: Homemade Bombs, From Richard Reid's Shoe to Kaczinski's Envelope

Homeland Security uses simulated bombs and substances to test airport screeners, and we find a tidy display of them at a security conference, along with replicas of some famous bombs.


Michele Bartoli ha annunciato il suo ritiro agonistico. Alla base della decisione del leader del team Csc c'Ã¨ la mancanza di stimoli per essere ancora un corridore di primo piano: "La mancanza di motivazioni


Computer failure grounds United flights systemwide

United Airlines, a unit of UAL Corp., on Wednesday said it was suffering "residual delays" some three hours after resolving a system-wide, computer failure that grounded its flights around the world.


With Loss, Holyfield Continues His Decline

Even if Evander Holyfield is not ready to leave boxing, most of his skills have already departed. Losing for the fifth time in his last eight bouts, Holyfield (38-8-2) was beaten by Larry


British Terror Suspects to Appear in Court

Eight British terror suspects charged with conspiracy to commit murder in a plot linked to security alerts at financial targets in New York, New Jersey and Washington make their first appearance in court on Wednesday.


J.R. Reynolds scores 23 points as Virginia gains sole possession of first place in the ACC with its seventh straight victory, 69-65, over Maryland on Tuesday night.


VATICANO - Papa Benedetto XVI al Congresso internazionale dei Farmacisti cattolici: ÂNon Ã¨ possibile anestetizzare le coscienze, ad esempio sugli effetti di molecole che hanno come fine quello di evitare l'annidamento di un embrione o di abbreviare la vita di una persona. Il farmacista deve invitare ognuno a un sussulto di umanitÃ Â CittÃ  del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) - Il Âruolo educativoÂ dei farmacisti verso i pazienti, per guidarli ad un uso corretto dell'assunzione dei farmaci Âe soprattutto per far conoscere le implicazioni etiche dell'utilizzazione di alcuni farmaciÂ Ã¨ sta...


Chelsea's ten-men triumph thanks to Drogba

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba's superb strike secured a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, but the success was marred by the dismissal of Michael Ballack.


China introduces tough measures against internet pornography, including possible life imprisonment.


Russia Errors Help Basayev Elude Capture

MOSCOW Sept. 19, 2004 - He is Russia's homegrown version of Osama bin Laden, but with a trademark all his own: dramatic mass hostage-takings that have often turned to bloodbaths.


Blair calls for changes in Western fight against extremism

British Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a "complete renaissance" of the global approach to tackling extremism, with as much emphasis on "soft" power as military might.


Brazilian actress Alice  Braga will join Jude Law and Forest Whitaker in the futuristic  thriller "Repossession Mambo."


U.S. Senate to Weigh Bill Targeting Web Song Swaps

After weeks of negotiations, the  U.S. Senate could take action this week on a bill that would  make it easier to sue "peer-to-peer" networks like Kazaa and  LimeWire that allow users to copy music and movies over the  Internet.


Microsoft is tops in Web traffic in December

(InfoWorld) - Microsoft drew the largest number of Web site visitors worldwide in December, a recurring accomplishment that makes the company's disappointing online ad business all the more disconcerting. Close to 509 million unique visitors, ages 15 and up, went to Microsoft Web sites in December, comScore Networks said Wednesday. Google came in second with a little over 494 million, while Yahoo landed in third place with almost 477 million unique visitors. Microsoft also led in March 2006, and its lead over Google was bigger. Microsoft had almost 539 million unique visitors to almost 496 million for Google. Third place went to Yahoo with little over 480 million. However, the difference in online ad revenue between Microsoft and its two rivals is massive, a sign that, despite heavy investments in the past three years, Microsoft isn't close to matching their ability to monetize Web site traffic, especially Google's torrid growth in the search engine space. In the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2006,Â Google's revenue, which comes mostly from search engine ads, grew 70 percent to $2.69 billion, whileÂ Yahoo's revenue, mostly derived from various forms of online ads, came in at $1.58 billion, up 19 percent. By comparison, in that same quarter, Microsoft's Online Services Business, which includes online ad and Internet access sales, generated only $539 million in revenue, down from $564 million in the same quarter the previous year. Microsoft executives have acknowledged that the Achilles heel of its online ad business is its search engine segment. In December, Microsoft's share of U.S. search engine queries continued to fall, landing at 10.5 percent, a distant third place from leader Google, which nabbed 47.3 percent, comScore said in a separate study. In July 2005, Microsoft's U.S. search engine query share stood at 15.5 percent and Google's at 36.5 percent, according to comScore. Overall, unique Web site visitors grew 10 percent globally from December 2005 to December 2006 to almost 741 million. Microsoft and Yahoo both grew 5 percent each. However, Google topped the market growth category with a 13 percent increase, in part due to its international appeal and to the rising popularity of some of its non-Web search services, comScore said. For example, Google's image search engine grew its unique visitors by 40 percent, Gmail by 71 percent, and Google Maps by 62 percent.


Gabriel Agbonlahor's equaliser ends Chelsea's 100% home record and keeps up Aston Villa's unbeaten start.


Eagles WR scores winning TD in grudge match against Ravens

Terrell Owens found a new way to celebrate touchdowns: He mocked Ray Lewis. Owens had an 11-yard TD catch and David Akers kicked three field goals, helping the Philadelphia Eagles beat


New Russian-US crew ready for launch to space station

A Russian-US expedition will take off Thursday morning to the International Space Station (ISS) on asix-month mission, local media reported Wednesday.


A protester dressed in a Batman costume scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace yesterday and perched for more than five hours on a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions.


BRUSSELS After refusing its approval three weeks ago, Parliament voted Thursday in favor of a new European Commission, ending a period of uncertainty in European Union politics.


Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket group, says that it faces a "tougher year" as interest rates rise.


A memorial to victims of an IRA bomb attack in County Down is vandalised, just two days after it was unveiled.


ROMA - Le riforme istituzionali approvate dalla Camera modificano profondamente l'architettura istituzionale italiana. Ecco come: Parlamento. E' composto dalla Camera dei deputati e dal Senato federale. Deputati e senatori, un taglio all'organico.


Anna Nicole Smith never finished high school, but the strange twists of the model's life — and now her death — are helping teach lessons at law schools around the country.


AFRICA/MOZAMBICO - Inondazioni: situazione sotto controllo ma si teme lÂarrivo di nuove piogge Maputo (Agenzia Fides)-  ÂLe piogge hanno provocato danni enormi allÂagricoltura ma finora la situazione umanitaria Ã¨ sotto controlloÂ riferiscono allÂAgenzia Fides fonti della Chiesa locale da Maputo, capitale del Mozambico, la cui provincia dello Z...


U.S. arrests 8 in online sports betting operation

U.S. authorities arrested eight people on Monday in connection with a Costa Rica-based online sports gambling operation they said made millions of dollars in profits annually.


Ford: No way we'll make four-door Mustang

Ford Motor Company released a statement today calling reports that the company would make four-door variants of its Mustang sports car "not true."


THE MUNICH City Council is set to press ahead with a huge Linux project, despite fears of future patent problems. According to Reuters, the council is expected to take a calculated risk and approve the switch


France's Sarkozy wins reform mandate despite setback

French President Nicolas Sarkozy met his prime minister on Monday after securing an unexpectedly small parliamentary majority and losing a senior minister -- setbacks that nonetheless left his reform program on track.


Supporters of fox hunting are expected to take part in the practice on the last day before it is banned.


ATLANTA - Today in Athens, Georgia and Georgia Tech resume the stateâs most bitter rivalry for the 96th time (if you believe Georgia) and the 98th time (according to Tech).


Furor Continues Over Specter Comments on Nominees

Several influential conservative Republicans indicated yesterday that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who is in line to become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee next year, has not succeeded


BT gets EU backing to raise wholesale broadband prices

Ofcom deregulation plan a goer thanks to unbundling European regulators have backed a move by Ofcom to drop regulations that force BT to offer competitors price-capped wholesale broadband nationwide.â¦


Hurricane Lane roars along Mexican Pacific coast

LOS CABOS, Mexico  - Hurricane Lane quickly picked   up strength and raced along Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday,   threatening to become a major storm over the weekend but   veering away from a luxury resort popular with U.S. tourists.


New York | Martha Stewart's media and merchandising company said Wednesday it plans to expand its furniture line amid strong demand from consumers.


Iran says its first atom plant to start in mid-2008

Iran's first atomic power plant will start operating in mid-2008, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday, two days after the country received a second delivery of nuclear fuel from Russia.


Are kennel amenities for the bet's benefit, or the pet owner's?


State Bar Weighs Law License of Duke Prosecutor

Michael B. Nifong, who brought rape charges against three Duke University students, could face disbarment.


Developing nation splits may hinder climate talks

Talks on global warming in the United States next week may be complicated by differences among developing countries as their climate policy positions diverge.


In Conservative Chile, a Push for Change

SANTIAGO, Chile -- Emma de RamÃÂ³n recently bought a condo here. But even before she moved in, she said, everyone in the building knew one fact about her: She's gay.


Boston was tingling with anticipation on  Saturday as the Red Sox prepared to host Game One of the World  Series against the St. Louis Cardinals and take a step toward  ridding themselves of a hex that has hung over the team for  eight decades.


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger refuses to speak about an alleged training ground fall-out with Thierry Henry.


Michael Kasprowicz's match-winning form has given Australia a happy selection problem for the ICC Champions Trophy. Kasprowicz took 5-47 in Saturday's 10-run one-day international warm-up victory over Pakistan at Lord's.


They were so close to the finish, Athens and Vanderlei de Lima - the city and the athlete, each about to complete a job well done.


Matthew and Maria have been revealed as the most popular forenames for Maltese babies in 2003.


If nothing else, âMeeting Resistanceâ should dispel any lingering misconception that the Iraq insurgency is mainly the work of outside agitators.


Milano, 12:35 - CALCIO, MILAN-CELTIC: GIA' VENDUTI QUASI 30.000 BIGLIETTI

Il Milan ha reso noto che fino ad oggi sono stati venduti già 28.570 biglietti per la sfida d...


Ovitz Tells Court He Tried to Get a Position at Sony

In testimony on Friday, Michael S. Ovitz, the former president of the Walt Disney Company, described an aborted attempt to join the Sony Corporation and was questioned


European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned Wednesday of "consequences" for the European Union's political and trade relations with neighboring Ukraine if the government there does not allow a full review of contested presidential election results.


News Analysis: The Only Consensus on Iraq: NobodyÂs Leaving Right Now

Despite the DemocratsÂ victory, the idea of a rapid American troop withdrawal is fast receding as a viable option.


Wildlife officials in eastern India are to use satellites to track endangered gharial crocs.


Report urges hazmat inspection improvement

WASHINGTON -- The government needs to do a better job monitoring and inspecting hazardous materials shipped aboard airlines, according to a report released Friday by the Transportation Department's inspector general.


India hopes to breed endangered Tibetan antelope

Conservationists in the Indian Himalayas want to set up a programme to breed an endangered Tibetan antelope that is slaughtered in huge numbers to make super-fine shahtoosh wool.


Navy, GSA Say Contract Led to Waste, Maybe Fraud

An effort to buy floating barriers to protect the nation's fleet from attacks several years ago led to millions of dollars in waste and may have involved criminal fraud by a government employee and contractor, officials of the Navy and the U.S. General Services Administration told a House...


Another New York-bound Olympic Airways jet is diverted after a bomb alert - this time to Ireland.


Comedy Writer Suing Disney over 'Hannah Montana'

A comedy writer is suing The Walt Disney Co., alleging he came up with the idea for the teen television show Hannah Montana but was never compensated. Buddy Sheffield filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday alleging br...


Music is becoming the dominant entertainment on mobile phones, reports BBC Click.


SYDNEY - Prime Minister John Howard looks set to become Australia's most powerful leader for a generation, with his easy election victory effectively giving him control of both Houses of Parliament and letting him pursue a stalled conservative agenda.


Roma, 22:28 - CALCIO, MILAN; ANCELOTTI: PATO PUO' FARE 10 GOL

Secondo Carlo Ancelotti, Pato ''puÃ² fare dieci gol'' in campionato. Il tecnico del Milan è pr...


Guantanamo prisoner urges release of BBC journalist

A television cameraman held prisoner for years at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has issued an impassioned plea for the release of a fellow journalist kidnapped in Gaza.


German industrial output up strongly in January

Industrial output in Germany rose by 1.9 percent in January, after edging up by 0.1 percent the previous month, data published by the German Economy and Technology Ministry showed on Thursday.


Chirac Says War in Iraq Spreads Terrorism

On the eve of a visit to Britain, President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday that the world was more dangerous because of the American-led invasion of Iraq.


Critics of Blair protest before party rally

Tens of thousands of protesters  marched on Saturday against British Prime Minister Tony Blair  on the eve of a rally of his Labour Party where a struggle over  the leadership looked set to eclipse debate on policy.


Dollar slide has only a muted short-term impact on EADS: CEO

BEIJING : The dramatic fall of the dollar against the euro will would have only a muted short-term impact on Europe's largest defense company but if sustained, it would affect future profitability, the head of EADS said.


FCC aims to help telcos offer TV service faster

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission this week hopes to do what Congress could not accomplish this year -- help AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications get into the television business faster.


And with Jim Tressel at the OSU helm, playing Michigan seems to bring out the best in the Buckeyes. Unlike his predecessor, Tressel, born and bred in Ohio, knows what it means to beat Michigan


I know itâs hard to believe, but during the past 12 months I sometimes went two or three weeks in a row without finding anything to mock, deflate or be disappointed by.


U.S. Group to File Iraq War Crimes Case in Germany

Lawyers acting for a U.S. advocacy group  will Tuesday file war crimes charges in Germany against senior  U.S. administration officials for their alleged role in torture  at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.


Former U.S. sailor arrested on terror charges

Police in Arizona arrested a former U.S. Navy sailor on charges of spying and providing material support to terrorists, authorities said on Wednesday.


The Office of Fair Trading announces it is launching an investigation into the housebuilding industry.


Geek Take: Fred Thompson Good on Cybersecurity, Bad on Free Culture

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson is known for calling hacker Kevin Mitnick to Washington and making federal agencies account for their cybersecurity woes. But Thompson's record on copyright shows he's no friend of the public domain.


LAS VEGAS - Jim Wilkes, Winky Wright's adviser, recalled a conversation he had a few years ago with Kerry Davis, the senior vice president of HBO Sports.


Sunshine Daydream, With Pointed Point of View

âSmiley Face,â about a pot-addled would-be actress stumbling through a long, weird day in Los Angeles, is a contradiction in terms: a âstonerâ comedy with a purpose.


W.Va. Getting Up to Speed: ; State Developing Plan to Get Communities Moving Online

By GEORGE HOHMANN  DAILY MAIL BUSINESS EDITOR  The effort to extend broadband access to all of West Virginia has received lots of attention but the state government's drive to harness technology is much bigger than that, West Virginia's chief technology officer said.


Popularity of IPod Drives Up Apple Stock

Apple Computer Inc. stock jumped to a four-year high Monday after a major Wall Street firm nearly doubled its price target on the stock, saying that customer satisfaction with its iPod music player is creating "wildfire word-of-mouth marketing" for its Mac computers and other products.


Nobel laureate warns of long US downturn

The United States could face a prolonged economic downturn because of its subprime mortgage woes, but is unlikely to plunge into a recession, Nobel economics laureate Joseph Stiglitz said yesterday.


By CityBusiness, N O  Pyramid Hotel Group will open the 220-room New Orleans Marriott Metairie this spring at Lakeway Center, 3838 Causeway Blvd.


CORRUPTION:    Bribery Brings High Costs in Africa and Latin America

BRUSSELS, Dec. 7 (IPS) - The police can be your friend, but the friendship  often has to be paid for: more than half of Africans and one in  three Latin Americans who have had contact with police officers  in the past 12 months have paid a bribe at least once, says a  Transparency International survey.


Lunghissimi applausi hanno accolto l'arrivo dei feretri


Referendum, a Roma si puÃ² firmare ancora fino a domenica sera Appello ai comitati locali perchÃ¨ si affrettino a spedire nella capitale le adesioni raccolte                                          Guzzetta: "Abbiamo 500 mila firme" Ancora centomila per avere la certezza                                                                                Chiti: "PuÃ² essere una sollecitazione al Parlamento perchÃ¨ faccia una legge migliore" Fini: "In settimana parlerÃ² con gli alleati per capire quale modello elettorale vogliono" di CLAUDIA FUSANI


Ministers believe Briton was tortured by US officers

British ministers believe US interrogators could be guilty of torturing and abusing Moazzam Begg, one of the Britons released from Guantanamo Bay last month, The Independent on Sunday has learned.


Italian prosecutors ask a judge to indict 26 CIA agents accused of kidnapping an Egyptian cleric in Milan.


A court ruled Thursday that a suspect in the killing of two schoolgirls whose bodies were found hidden in a storm drain must remain jailed, despite his lawyers arguing there is no evidence linking him to the girls' disappearance and slaying.


New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez has arthritis in his neck and will be sidelined for three or four days after receiving a cortisone shot.


German film board backs Cruise's anti-Hitler film

Germany's film board will grant  subsidies worth 4.8 million euros ($6.5 million) for a  controversial new film in which Tom Cruise plays a German hero  executed for trying to kill Hitler, officials said on Thursday.


US Wants N.Korea Talks to Resume Very Quickly

The United States and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to keep pushing North Korea to join some form of talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programs before the end of the year, Yonhap news agency reported.


City Room: Is an M.T.A. Fare Increase Justified?

A new report from the state comptroller urges the M.T.A. to hold off on raising tolls and fares until the fate of Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal is clearer.


Torino, 19:41 - CALCIO, TORINO; AD ANTONELLI BLINDA ROSINA: RESTA DA NOI

"Non vendiamo i giocatori di talento, Rosina lo è senza alcun dubbio, per cui resterà ...


Firenze, 17:04 - CALCIO, FIORENTINA: IN PRIMA GARA INTERNA SCARPA D'ORO A TONI

Il centravanti della Fiorentina Luca Toni riceverà la 'Scarpa d'oro' come miglior cannoniere ...


A Mexican judge has dismissed charges against a former domestic security chief accused in the disappearance of six reputed guerrillas at the height of the government's "dirty war" against insurgents.


Georgia, Japan square off for championship

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- David Umphreville Jr. had a two-run single and shortstop Zane Conlon snared a line drive to end a fifth-inning threat as Warner Robins, Ga., advanced to the Little League World Series final with a 5-2 win yesterday over Lubbock, Texas.


Israeli army foils suicide attack at Erez Crossing

The Israeli army said it foiled early Tuesday morning a suicide bombing attack by a Palestinian at Erez Crossing on the northern tip of Gaza.


L'esecutivo ha disposto un sostegno di 45 euro per ettaro


The Lure of Treatments Science Has Dismissed

Exploring the reasons people swear by treatments that have no scientific evidence backing them.


Sudan and the UN launch an appeal to raise $20m to help more than 400,000 people hit by recent flooding.


What is left of this interesting and repulsive week after the dust settles is not the lies, the ostensibly sudden betrayals, the payments to the ultra-Orthodox, the sleazy style, or even Ehud Barak's horror show or Shimon Peres' maneuvers.


The United States warned its citizens Friday to avoid the northeastern Sinai Peninsula for the next three months after suicide bombings hit three Egyptian hotels in the area.


Nucor sees earnings well below analysts' view

Steelmaker Nucor Corp.  said on Monday it expects second-quarter earnings to be well below Wall Street expectations, hurt by softness in the automotive and residential construction sectors.


Like a shot from a Gatlin gun American takes fastest race at 9.85 ...

Athens -- A hush settled over Olympic Stadium on Sunday night as 80,000 fans held their breath in anticipation of the Greatest 10 Seconds in Sports.


Banca Intesa, Sanpaolo IMI shareholders approve Italian banking merger

Shareholders of Italian banks Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI approved their merger to create the second-biggest Italian bank by market capitalisation, company sources and news reports said.


COLIN MONTGOMERIE let slip a festive cash bonanza after finishing a poor fourth in the Target World Challenge in California. Monty, who started the day two ahead of the field, ended three


Nick Clegg is preparing for his first Prime Minister's question time as Liberal Democrat leader.


Roma, 11:26 - TENNIS, RANKING ATP: E' SEMPRE FEDERER IL RE

Roger Federer, recente vincitore dell'Australian Open, mantiene la prima posizione nel ranking Atp d...


Non esclusa ipotesi di ritocco a squadra dopo finanziaria


Friburgo, 11:27 - CICLISMO, DOPING: LICENZIATI MEDICI TELEKOM

L'università di Friburgo ha licenziato Andreas Schmid e Lothar Heinrich, i due medici che han...


L'epicentro del sisma a 72 km a sud-est di Lima


European Union governments should work together in deciding rules for using biotech foods, rather than forge their own policies and risk inviting legal action against the 27-member bloc, the EU trade chief said Thursday.


Zuma on course for South African presidency

POLOKWANE, South Africa  - South Africa's ruling ANC elected Jacob Zuma as its new leader on Tuesday, dumping President Thabo Mbeki and putting the populist politician on course to lead the country in 2009.


Top seed Serena Williams advanced to the China Open quarterfinals Wednesday, edging past Russia's Dinara Safina for a thrilling 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win.


DOMANI SUL VENERDI'                                          L'altra faccia di Sarkozy                                                                                Dopo il trionfo mediatico e le aperture (ricambiate) alla sinistra, il presidente francese si Ã¨ messo al lavoro. E, mentre le sue grane private riempiono i giornali, i suoi primi provvedimenti, come quelli sugli immigrati, dividono la Francia di MARCO CICALA, ANNA LOMBARDI e LEONARDO MARTINELLI


GRAHAM Guy was dozing when it happened. Outside, the bush was an inky blur as the Cairns-bound tilt train hurtled through the night.


Economy has gained 'some traction,' Greenspan says

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress yesterday that the economy has "regained some traction" after a lull in late spring, reinforcing expectations of higher


French Ex-Hostages Finally Free, Dispute Rages

Two French journalists freed from a four-month hostage ordeal in Iraq finally found total freedom on Thursday after being held for a day following their return home to be debriefed by France's DSGE intelligence ...


Foreign medics sentenced to die in Libya case

A Libyan court sentenced five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor to death on Tuesday for deliberately infecting hundreds of children with the virus that causes AIDS, provoking a chorus of Western condemnation.


U.S. pressing Pakistan on counter-terrorism

Five years after Pakistan was revived as a key U.S. ally after the September 11 attacks, the new Democratic-led Congress is pressuring Islamabad and the Bush administration to do more to combat militant groups and stabilize the South Asian country.


Nose tackle Barry Cofield is the only rookie expected to start for the Giants in their season opener Sunday night.


Thousands of girls in Guinea face abuse as domestic workers, a human rights report concludes.


Summary: Ukraine's Yushchenko Claims Win

THE RACE: Ukrainian voters selected a president for a third time Sunday, more than a month after the Supreme Court threw out a fraudulent run-off election in which Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was declared the winner.


Turkey's PM accuses the EU of treating Turkey unfairly by deciding to slow down membership talks.


Cubans see Castro comeback after lively radio chat

After hearing his unmistakable voice in a good-humored chat played on state television, many Cubans are now convinced Fidel Castro is no longer at death's door and could even return to lead them.


NASA Compiles Images on Searchable Website

Partnering with the nonprofit Internet Archive, NASA plans to collect images from the Apollo moon landings, Voyager planetary flybys and space shuttle missions to post on one searchable website. The project will consolidate digital images spread over 3,000 websites and digitize stills, film and video stored in space centers.


This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half. EMC today announced Express Solution


Forecasters predicted thunderstorms in parts of the South and cold rain in parts of the Rocky Mountains on Saturday, while the region stretching from the Mississippi Valley to the Northeast was expected to be cool, clear and dry.


Scientists have said a woman who died of bird flu probably contracted the disease from her daughter.


Police investigating an explosion in a teacher's car will visit the school to speak to pupils, parents and staff.


Roma, 00:13 - CALCIO, PRELIMINARI CHAMPIONS: QUALIFICATE FASE A GIRONI

Risultati delle gare di ritorno del terzo turno preliminare di Champions League disputate questa ser...


Tesco apologises after tests show some of its corn-fed chickens had not eaten enough maize to qualify for that label.


Intel wants to offer servers in your size

Chipmaker looks at moving toward product lineup with lots of different choices depending on a customer's workload.


Black children left out of Irish schools

Almost all the children who could not find elementary school places in a Dublin suburb this year were black, the government said Monday, highlighting Ireland's problems integrating its increasingly diverse population.


A family, including a grandfather, has been attacked by two men armed with a broken bottle.


Fire Threat Eases in Australia's West As Favorable Conditions Forecasted

Fire threat eases in Australia's west as favorable conditions forecasted    CANBERRA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The threat of a large bushfire in Australia's west has eased as latest weather forecast is predicting favorable conditions for firefighters, according to a local media report Wednesday.


Va. Judge Drops Murder Charges Vs. Sniper

FAIRFAX, Va. Oct. 1, 2004 - A judge threw out capital-murder charges Friday against sniper John Allen Muhammad in the slaying of an FBI analyst in a Home Depot parking lot, saying prosecutors waited too long to bring him to trial.


NAJAF, Iraq, August 25.âThe Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has called on Iraqis to go to the sacred city of Najaf to expel the US troops and save it from attacks by the occupying forces, stated Hamad Al-Jaffaf, head of his cabinet, on Al Arabiya television


Ketchup maker HJ Heinz Co. (HNZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday reported a 9 percent drop in quarterly profit after spinning off some brands, but demand for new items like Ore-Ida Extra Crispy fries helped to boost sales.


Fear has won. My head is swooning and my fingernails are dug in. I'm sitting on a rock face just flat enough to keep me from sliding off into the oblivion I'm trying not to look at below.


Iraqi Group Holds 2 French Journalists Hostage

An Iraqi militant group has kidnapped two Frenchmen and given the French government 48 hours to end a ban on Muslim headscarves, Arabic television station Al Jazeera said on Saturday.


NEW YORK - A disappointing earnings report from General Motors Corp. and another rise in crude oil prices sent stocks lower Thursday as investors grew even more nervous about the economy...


Najaf. Migliaia di fedeli sciiti si sono diretti oggi verso il mausoleo dell'Imam Ali a Najaf, dopo l'accordo raggiunto tra Moqtada al Sadr el'Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani per porre fine agli scontri scoppiati tre settimane fa nella citta'.


O'Connor: DoubleClick Hires Investment Bankers To Explore Sale

The end of the line for an Internet icon? DoubleClick (nasdaq: DCLK - news - people ) on Monday said it has retained Lazard Freres to "explore strategic options," including the sale of all or part of its business.


One day after several tournament favorites fell nationwide, top teams returned to form with a few notable exceptions.


Poco verosimile un possibile 'spacchettamento' di Vodafone


Militant Chief Wounded in Israeli Strike in Gaza

A militant leader survived an Israeli  missile strike on his car in Gaza on Thursday in Israel's first  assassination attempt in the Palestinian territories since  Yasser Arafat died in a Paris hospital.


Music Review | Contemporary Legend Theater of Taiwan: Stories of Eunuchs, Consorts and Emperors

Wei Hai-ming returned to New York in a performance of âThe Tipsy Concubineâ as part of the opening night of the Lincoln Center Festival.


Chemical Ali will be the first to be tried, minister announces

One of Saddam Hussein's most feared lieutenants, known as Chemical Ali for ordering gas attacks on Kurdish villages, will appear in court in Baghdad within days, an Iraqi minister said yesterday.


Caterer exposes celebrity party to Hepatitis A

A Sports Illustrated bash for its annual swimsuit issue has turned into a health scare for stars in Hollywood after a caterer working for celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck may have exposed them to acute Hepatitis A.


Struggling doughnut chain operator  Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. KKD.N said on Monday it will pay  its new chief executive, Stephen Cooper, the standard hourly  rate of $760 charged by his financial consulting group.


The amount consumers are charged for making mobile phone calls while abroad is to be investigated by EU regulators.


Needle sticks endanger surgeons-in-training

Surgeons in training are accidentally stuck with a potentially contaminated needle once every seven months, increasing the risk that they will develop AIDS or hepatitis, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.


Software glitch disrupts eBay's PayPal online payment service

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The operators of the online payment service PayPal say efforts are underway to fix "intermittent'' outages that have bugged the service for several days.


Packers play political football with win

Packers win. Kerryâs in? If you thought you could turn off your brain to pre-election madness with a little Sunday afternoon football, you thought wrong.


FBI arrests man in 1983 militant robbery

A Puerto Rican militant suspected in a 1983 Connecticut robbery Â then among the country's largest cash heists Â was arrested Thursday in the U.S. territory, where he lived quietly under an assumed name, the FBI said.


LOS ANGELES  — Texas teenager Robyn Troup got a taste of fame — and a super 19th birthday present — as the winner of "My Grammy Moment," a talent contest that culminated live during the Grammy Awards Sunday.


The Detroit man believed to be the leading candidate to purchase the Milwaukee Brewers issued a statement Monday indicating he was out of the running and that the club had been sold to another buyer.


The government says it will guarantee all deposits with the Northern Rock bank, as its shares fall heavily.


Padre giovane indagato alla vedova, 'e' un capro espiatorio'


Zimbabwe Moves Please S. Africa Official

South Africa's foreign minister said Tuesday she is satisfied that Zimbabwe is taking steps to ensure free and fair parliamentary elections — even as the country's opposition leaders protest sweeping security measures, arrests and intimidation.


Kenyan police fire tear gas at Kibaki supporters

Police fired tear gas on Tuesday to disperse supporters of President Mwai Kibaki before former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan starts mediating in the standoff over Kenya's election that has caused weeks of unrest.


With Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski still Great Britain's leading players by some distance, even though Rusedski is currently No80 in the world, it might be argued that Jeremy Bates's role as Davis Cup captain is less taxing than that of the official who


Acton-Boxboro takes tumble out on Boston Latin

It's tough being No. 1. Just last week, the Acton-Boxboro girls were ranked No. 1 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. But after a 1-1 tie with Newton South last week, Acton-Boxboro's stay at the top was a short one, as it dropped it No. 3.


Governor Deval Patrick's proposal to inject $1 billion into medical research and biotechnology is a complex plan whose details have yet to be worked out, and it depends on the Legislature's willingness to fund it over a decade. But his strategy could also be more flexible and cost effective than competing plans in California and other states, according to policy ...


Cautious optimism fills air of Azad Kashmir

Passion for a resolution of the Kashmir problem in line with the wishes of the people is strong in the capital city of Pakistani-administered Kashmir.


Opposition blasts 'obviously inferior' subs

OTTAWA - As HCMS Chicoutimi's 57 crew members continued to brave inclement North Atlantic weather aboard a powerless, damaged submarine, the search began in Ottawa for someone to blame over Canada's latest embarrassing naval mishap.


Abbas hints at dissolving Hamas-led government

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday he might opt to dissolve the Hamas-led government and that unity talks with the Islamist group had broken down.


American Airlines Says More Job Cuts Arriving

FORT WORTH, Texas -- American Airlines says more job cuts are on the way after the airline had already planned about 1,000 layoffs.


Bird flu could kill up to 50 million people, claims WHO

BIRD flu is far more lethal than the SARS virus that struck Asia last year and could unleash a pandemic that could kill up to 50 million people, the World Health Organisation said yesterday.


La lotta alla precarieta' e' la grande frontiera del Pd


WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday tapped the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Leavitt, to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services.


Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes will have talks with new coach Wanderley Luxemburgo before deciding his future. The Spanish international was yesterday quoted as saying that he wished to join his fellow


Magistrati abbandonano l'aula a intervento Alfonso Papa


BenQ Unveils WLAN Smart Phone With Camera

Mobile phone has 802.11b wireless networking capabilities and an integrated 1.3-megapixel digital camera.


Milano, 19:21 - Calcio, Milan: ballottaggio Dhorasoo-Ambrosini

Per i giocatori del Milan lavoro prima in palestra, poi sul campo esterno. Quindi partitella a campo...


Update 10: Crude Oil Prices Slump Below $44 a Barrel

Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, falling below $44 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather.


AMERICA/BRASILE - La V Conferenza Generale di Aparecida vista dai giornalisti Aparecia (Agenzia Fides) - I giornalisti accreditati a seguire i lavori della V Conferenza Generale dell'Episcopato Latinoamericano e dei Caraibi, svolgono un ruolo fondamentale, perchÃ© sono Âla voce per il mondoÂ del messaggio della Conferenza stess...


Swedes Feel Tsunami Loss Without Closure

About 1,000 Swedes are listed as missing, and that number adds to the confusion and angst.


Laptop Program Dies After Uproar A Letter to Parents is Deemed Too Strong.

By DEIRDRE CONNER  A controversial computer plan at a St. Johns County elementary school has been scrapped.


Evidence of how stress disrupts rational decision-making and short-term memory is reported today in research that could lead to drugs to treat mental illness.


Children in Russian Caucasus learn not to hate

MICHURINO, Russia  - Alexander, a 14-year-old Christian from the southern Russian city of Vladikavkaz, achieved two firsts this summer -- he saw the sea and formed a friendship with a Muslim boy from Chechnya.


Sidney Ponson pitches a two-hit shutout and the Orioles slug three homers to defeat the faltering New York Yankees, 7-0, on Saturday.


Toshiba to Launch HD DVD Notebook PCs in Q4 2005

Japan's Toshiba Corp. said on Wednesday  it would introduce notebook computers with HD DVD technology in  the last quarter of 2005 in a move to pressure rivals in the  battle over formats for next-generation DVDs.


Five U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad bomb blast

Five U.S. soldiers were killed on Thursday in a roadside bomb attack on their patrol in Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Friday, bringing the monthly death toll for U.S. forces in Iraq close to 100.


Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, Allen Iverson added 28 and the Denver Nuggets spoiled the return of Kevin Garnett, holding on for a 124-118 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.


Working Long Hours? Take a Massage Break, Courtesy of Your Boss

Companies across the country are offering yoga and meditation classes to help employees relax, reduce stress and recharge.


Alcatel buys conferencing software developer eDial

PARIS - French telecommunications equipment specialist Alcatel SA has acquired a U.S. manufacturer of conferencing and collaboration products, eDial Inc., Alcatel said Friday.


Digital video recorder maker TiVo Inc. on Thursday reported a wider quarterly net loss as it increased spending to accelerate subscriber growth.


Roma, 16:27 - MERCATO, ROMA; CONTI: POCHI DETTAGLI PER RINNOVO MANCINI

Amantino Mancini e la Roma sono piÃ¹ vicini. Oggi le parti si sono incontrate per discutere del rinno...


Hitachi to Exit Home PC Business, Refocus on Servers

While Japanese consumers have associated the Hitachi name with personal computers since 1978, recently it was more for historical reasons than practical ones. Today, Hitachi decided to close a chapter of its history, discontinuing production of its Prius PC line apparently effective immediately.


Colts lead Chargers 17-14 in 3rd quarter

Reggie Wayne scored on a 9-yard pass from Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts took a 17-14 lead late in the 3rd Quarter of their AFC divisional playoff game Sunday. San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson limped off the field during the second quarter after injuring his left leg.


Howard Keel, the barrel-chested baritone who starred in musicals from MGM's golden age, including Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me, Kate, and who revived his career on TV's Dallas, died Sunday at 85.


China pledges better cooperation with int'l health bodies

Picture taken on Sept. 13, 2004 shows the opening of the 55th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Shanghai.


Aiming for London, Gebrselassie cruises to Madrid win

Names Haile Gebrselassie enjoyed an easy victory in the Almeria Half Marathon yesterday in Madrid, a race the Ethiopian star said he would use to see if he's ready for the London Marathon in April. He covered the 13.1 miles in 1 hour 1 minute 46 seconds -- more than a minute faster than runner-up Alex Kirui of Kenya. Gebrselassie ...


Arnold Daniels' Blog: Migrating from PHP4 to PHP5: A strategy for hosts

One of the biggest problems facing PHP web hosting companies is the big move to PHP5 that that end-of-life announcement. Arnold Daniels has one idea for a solution to help ease the problems - providing customers with a testing environment they can try out their code in.   A few months ago I've posted an article about running multiple Apache instances with different PHP versions. In that article I showed how to make multiple configurations running Apache on different IP addresses. By using different ports instead of different IP addresses, we can give our customers a way to check their site before it goes live.   He modifies the settings in that tutorial with a few updates he includes to make two different apache configurations - one for PHP4 and the other for PHP5. When used together, they can run two different PHP versions on the same code, just on different ports.


As community health educator at the Michael Bach Center in Bradenton that helps people living with HIV/AIDS, he works to create awareness of the disease.


Ecuador's president overturned a ban on the sale of shark fins, which are popular in Asia, but stipulated they can only be sold if the sharks are caught by fishermen accidentally.


Opera star Bryn Terfel adds his voice to calls to keep a clothing factory open as offers of alternative work are revealed.


It is just six days since the 'mulligatawny madness' at Old Trafford, but the shock waves are still reverberating around the Arsenal dressing room.


Oil wealth can often lead to corruption, according to the latest survey by anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International.


Microsoft loses appeal against EU antitrust ruling

A European court has upheld the bulk of an antitrust ruling against Microsoft Corp. made by the European Commission in 2004


France's Le Monde Newspaper: America yes, Bush no

Canada, Mexico, Spain, The United Kingdom, France, Russia, Israel, Australia, Japan, and South Korea: together with nine other newspapers, Le Monde has conducted an opinion poll [concieved of by the Canadian daily La Presse] on the perception of the United States and the stakes of the American presidential election. The rejection of President Bush, in the name of the good relations hoped for with The United States, is massive. Full Article here (Text in French).


Bush presses rebel leader to help on Darfur peace

President Bush pressed Darfur rebel  leader Minni Arcua Minnawi on Tuesday to help implement a deal  aimed at ending the violence in western Sudan, the White House  said.


Middlesbrough striker Massimo Maccarone will play for Italian side Parma this season on a one-year loan.


Exercise at work may protect diabetic hearts

People with diabetes don't have to hit the gym to reap the life-saving benefits of exercise.


New species of fearsome amphibian uncovered?

PITTSBURGH: A geology student on a field trip stumbled across the fossil of an oversized, salamander-like creature with vicious crocodile-like teeth that lived about 300 million years ago, paleontologists said.


U.S. population to hit 300 million in 2006

The U.S. population is on target to hit 300 million this fall and it's a good bet the milestone baby &#151; or immigrant &#151; will be Hispanic.


Laws doubling the passenger duty people must pay when taking flights from the UK have come into force.


The UK's economic growth slowed in the third quarter as manufacturing output declined, preliminary data has shown. Gross domestic output (GDP) increased 0.4% in the three months to 18 October, according to


Healthy-scratch Hull leaves practice in a huff

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A winner of the World Cup of Hockey tournament has yet to be crowned, but newly signed Coyotes player Brett Hull already is assured an award - Most Unhappy Player.


Pope hailed for praying toward Mecca like Muslims

Pope Benedict ended a sensitive, fence-mending visit to Turkey on Friday amid praise for visiting Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque and praying there facing toward Mecca "like Muslims".


NATO general: more Afghan help needed from allies

NATO allies are failing to tackle the drug trade that has funded the Taliban resurgence and the alliance still faces military shortfalls as the Afghan insurgency begins to ramp up springtime attacks, NATO's top commander said on Friday.


Marking Holocaust, Sharon Blasts Israel Critics

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon branded as anti-Semites those critics of Israel who liken its crackdown on a Palestinian revolt to Nazi efforts to exterminate Jews.


ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- After winning three straight National League Championship Series games at Minute Maid Park, the Houston Astros will attempt to advance to the World Series for the first time in their 43-year history when they battle the St.


North Korea delaying multilateral security guarantee: Powell

North Korea's reluctance to resume talks to end its nuclear weapons programs will delay a multilateral security guarantee and aid for the Stalinist state, US Secretary of State Colin Powell told AFP in an interview Wednesday.


Movie Review: British zombie comedy is a bloody good flick

He works at a dead-end job, sleepwalks through his relationship with his more ambitious girlfriend and spends most of his time drinking at the pub or playing video games with his loser flatmate, Ed.


Evelyn Lauder wraps her interests, talents in a pink ribbon

Evelyn Lauder is tickled pink with the success of the breast cancer-awareness initiative she launched 12 years ago that began with the distribution of


Toshiba intros 'world's most capacious' 1.8in HDD

Bigger iPods in January? Toshiba has unveiled what it claims is the world's most capacious 1.8in hard drive, a tiny unit that nonetheless packs in 100GB of unformatted storage space. To achieve that capacity, the company used perpendicular recording.â¦


The mock pundit's mission to insinuate himself in places where he doesnât belong continues apace.


The House of Representatives on Tuesday crushed a bill to reinstitute the draft as Republicans accused Democrats of raising the specter of compulsory military service


Joe Jackson Recovering From Ulcer Surgery

Joe Jackson, father of singers Michael and Janet Jackson, is recovering from surgery for bleeding ulcers, a family lawyer said Wednesday.


Merkel rejects call for early nuclear shutdown

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected  on Tuesday a call from one of her ministers that the country's  utility firms shut down their seven oldest nuclear reactors by  the end of 2009.


Baseball Playoffs: Big Spenders Looking to Cash In

A season that began with the New York  Yankees and Boston Red Sox fighting over Alex Rodriguez and his  $250 million contract ended the same way with the Major  League's two richest teams leading a parade of big spenders  into the playoffs.


A former programmer rants about the evils of technology in this text from O'Reilly.


Symantec CEO John Thompson takes a dim view of Microsoft's new operating system--and that's just for starters.


The main successor agency to the KGB on Wednesday gave a top Russian rabbi copies of archival documents on Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat credited with saving thousands of Hungarian Jews from Nazi death camps.


AMR Corp , parent of the world's largest airline American Airlines, on Wednesday posted a second quarter profit that fell short of Wall Street expectations, weakened by severe weather disruptions.


US oil prices hovered just shy of $44 a barrel on Tuesday, awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Ivan in the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico, where energy companies had evacuated thousands of offshore workers and shut some production.


Time for blogosphere to get real about church-state

Blog: CNET News.com's Charles Cooper says the fuzzy acceptance of "conversational marketing" is leading to confusion among blog readers. Isn't it time to set down clear rules of the road?


Army orders doctor to shut down online war diary

PHILADELPHIA -- A military doctor whose website chronicled the bloody aftermath of the suicide bombing of a mess tent in Iraq has shut down the site after being told his postings violated Army regulations.


Nuove rivelazioni sul giornalista de l'Ora di Palermo scomparso nel 1970Sospetti degli investigatori sulla vera identitÃ  di un corpo sepolto nel Lametino                                          Calabria, cadavere riesumato potrebbe essere Mauro De Mauro                                                                                Aperta nel cimitero di Conflenti la tomba del pregiudicato Salvatore BelvedereIl corpo venne ritrovato in avanzato stato di decomposizione e fu identificato dal figlio


Tony Blair said Tuesday he has made no decisions about his future once he quits as prime minister, amid reports he may leave politics altogether so as not to overshadow his successor.


Voglio gli azzurri come il Setterosa Primo giorno di Lippi a ...

FIRENZE, 30 AGOSTO 2004 - Primo giorno di raduno della Nazionale a Coverciano. E il ct Lippi fa il punto della sua avventura dopo il disastroso inizio in Islanda: ''Mi piacerebbe che la Nazionale somigliasse al Setterosa. Mi ha commosso.


It is unlikely that global temperature rise can be kept below the EU's target of 2C, a leading climate scientist says.


Some watchers of feisty Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia believe he has launched a "charm initiative" to make himself a stronger candidate for the top spot on the high court if the ailing current chief, William H. Rehnquist, leaves.


Ex-spy accuses Putin after radiation death

An ex-KGB spy accused Vladimir Putin of his murder on Friday in a statement read out after his slow death from radiation poisoning, but the Russian president brushed off the accusations as "political provocation".


Iran could revive atom bomb bid due to IAEA curbs: U.S.

The United States said on Friday that what U.S. intelligence found to be a secret Iranian nuclear arms programme halted in 2003 could easily be revived because of later curbs on U.N. inspections in the country.


The dollar dropped against most major  currencies on Friday, as analysts raised concerns about the  U.S. trade deficit number for July, which came in narrower than  expected, but was still fairly sizable.


Belgians vote in legislative elections, PM facing defeat

Belgians head to the polls Sunday in legislative and senate elections widely expected to dash Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's hopes for a third four-year term in office. via Baku Today


ete Gibernau breathed life into his slim hopes of winning the MotoGP World Championship with pole position for the Cinzano Australian Grand Prix today.


(InfoWorld) - Autonomy Corp.Â is acquiring Zantaz, a provider of e-discovery and content archiving software, for $375 million in cash, the companies announced Tuesday. Autonomy, of Cambridge, England, will operate Zantaz, of Pleasanton, California, as a division of Autonomy. Zantaz CEO Steve King will retain his position at the Zantaz division. The publicly traded Autonomy posted net profit of $48 million on revenue of $250 million in 2006, whileÂ privately held ZantazÂ reported $106 million in revenue, according to a May 2007 IDC research report. E-discovery is an emerging marketÂ within the field of data storage, archiving, and recovery. Organizations are increasingly being called upon to produce copies of electronic documents, such as e-mail, voice mail, and instant messages, to respond to lawsuits or government investigations. IDC reports the global market for e-discovery software and hosted services grew to $477 million in 2006, an increase of 47 percent from 2005's $330 million. The revenue split between software and hosted services is about 60-40 IDC reports. The combination of Autonomy and Zantaz will bring together consolidated archiving, e-discovery, analytics, and real-time policy management services into one system, the companies stated in a news release. Autonomy says the acquisition will produce cost savings of $25 million a year and be accretive to earnings in six months. The deal is expected to close by August, assuming shareholder and regulatory approvals are granted.


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sports Network) - Mike Fratello returned to  the NBA coaching ranks Thursday when the Memphis Grizzlies  selected the former Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers coach  as their new head coach.


To get back to what MSN's new search means, start by thinking of ad dollars. As Foolish paid-search fan Rick Munarriz has pointed out many times, this is a big business, with plenty of room to grow.


Pope Receives Visit From Boy With Cancer

Pope John Paul II had an unexpected guest Wednesday — a small boy being treated for cancer in a ward next to the pontiff's Rome hospital suite.


Former US American Idol winner Ruben Studdard is taken to hospital, suffering from exhaustion.


They were the NFL's hottest team at the end of last season, with numerous reasons to think they will be better still in 2006. Their quarterback's exceptional offseason injury recovery makes them all the more optimistic this could be a championship season.


Sony will release its smash sequel "Spider-Man 2" on VHS and a two-disc DVD during the holiday season, on Nov. 30.


Sometimes, the Real Stars Are Off the Court

Kathy and David Henry spent Valentineâs Day with the love of their lives â basketball.


Cowboys RB Jones out with broken shoulder

IRVING, Texas - The first NFL game for Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Julius Jones will also be his last for quite a while. Jones broke his left shoulder blade during a 19-12 victory over Cleveland on Sunday.


Global Market for Cellphone Ring Tones Is Shrinking

After years of double-digit growth rates, the global ring tone market appears to have come to the end of its crescendo.


President Bush faces widespread opposition to the troop buildup in Iraq, though he has gained support over the past month, an AP-Ipsos poll found.


A Clearer Muddy Story: Fast-Flowing Water Can Form Deposits

New findings suggest that fine clays may be deposited by relatively fast-flowing water.


Harvard President Criticized for Comments

The president of Harvard University prompted criticism for suggesting that innate differences between the sexes could help explain why fewer women succeed in science and math careers.


Roma, 10:17 - F1, FERRARI MONDIALE; PETRUCCI: SUCCESSO CHE INORGOGLISCE

Anche il presidente del Coni, Gianni Petrucci, partecipa alla festa della Ferrari per la vittoria de...


Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain have a big stake in the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday â and itâs not just about winning or losing.


9 held in plot to hit Main Offices in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said the terrorist gang busted during the last week, was all set to cause huge devastation and massive killings in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.


OGGI SU INTERNET/SPAGNA - Contro la politica Zapatero: i Vescovi chiederanno ai cattolici di non votare chi appoggia lÂaborto Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - I Vescovi chiederanno ai cattolici di controllare le proposte che appoggiano lÂaborto o lÂeutanasia o non considerano il matrimonio e la famiglia tradizionali....


Oil prices resumed their march towards $50 in New York on Thursday as peace talks in major producer Nigeria and an unexpected rise in US crude inventories failed to ease traders' fears about supply.


Addio a Philippe Noiret, un grande del cinema

Tanti ruoli in una carriera lunga e pienissima. Famoso anche per la La grande abbuffata, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso,  Il Postino


Entering `Kyoto' Years, Warming World Wo

The ice is melting and the heat is on for international delegates assembling in Buenos Aires next week to find new ways to confront global warming under the 194-nation treaty on climate change.


HK walks out of 68-month deflation cycle

The latest composite consumer price index will be released later Monday, Tang said at the Hong Kong Economic Summit which was opened Monday morning.


5 Locals Named All-American: Four WVC Field Hockey Players Selected

By Lisa Sokolowski, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Times Leader  Dec. 12--In a world that is dominated by the Internet, Wyoming Seminary's Kat Sharkey was thankful she didn't have to use it on Monday.


The family of a British engineer kidnapped in Baghdad issued a plea for his release yesterday, saying they were "devastated" that he had been taken.


Police arrest a 40-year-old man in connection with the death of am unknown man who was left fatally injured in a Newport hospital.


Space Station Astronaut to Vote From Orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Oct. 18, 2004 - The space station's newest astronaut will cast his ballot in the presidential election from 225 miles up, with NASA's help.


Hollywood loves it. Techies hate it. And now, nine senators are signing on to help it pass. That's the latest chapter in the short history of the Induce Act, a bill aimed at cracking down on technologies that can be used to steal copyright works. By Xeni Jardin.


Microsoft's piracy fight gains momentum in China

China's making progress in the effort to squelch software piracy -- but the warez are still easily available, if you know the right alleys to walk down.


US lawmakers assail Bush over weakening G8 climate report

Senior US lawmakers have expressed deep concern in a letter to President George W. Bush over reports the United States seeks to weaken a G8 declaration on climate change.


Fortunately, the risk to end users is low if system has been patched with Microsoft Updates.


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


British Prime Minister leader Tony Blair launched his farewell tour of Africa in Libya on Tuesday, seeking to seal the rehabilitation of relations with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and build support for action on Darfur and climate change.


Picture shows missing four-year-old smiling and dangling her feet in a swimming pool


Milano, 20:19 - CALCIO, SERIE B; MATARRESE: SI PARTE MA ACCORDO NON ANCORA CHIUSO

La B dovrebbe scendere regolarmente in campo sabato. Il condizionale è d'obbligo perchÃ© il vi...


Accounts of who started the altercation leading to Ryan O'Neal's weekend arrest for alleged assault differed sharply Monday, with O'Neal saying he was defending himself against an enraged son and the actor's daughter claiming her father was lying.


Sun nabs innotek's 20MB of open source, virtualized goodness

I believe you have my stapler Sun Microsystems has gone very granola by buying desktop virtualization software player innotek. (The small 'i' stands for big innovation or something like that.)â¦


Christmas came early for fans of the fictional boy wizard Harry Potter on Tuesday, with news that author JK Rowling has finished the sixth book in series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.


Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell calls for underweight models to be banned from catwalks at London fashion week.


Many women at the Los Angeles County jail where Paris Hilton is expected to arrive any day are already angry at the socialite, a former inmate said.


Nicollette Sheridan: Location Holding Up Wedding

Crediting fiancÃ© Michael Bolton for luring her out of her shell, Nicollette Sheridan says there is only one thing holding up their plans to marry, the Desperate Housewives star admits in a new interview.  "We haven't decided where, and as soon as we ...


A VIRTUAL crime simulator expected to be one of the biggest selling computer games of all time has been hit by techno-pirates. The Edinburgh company Rockstar North has made a fortune from its detailed virtual worlds where crime is the aim of the game.


DEARBORN, Mich.  -- The Henry Ford - a venue that includes the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, an IMAX Theatre and the Ford Rouge Factory Tours - is teaming up with one of the country's largest Internet providers...


Argentine president-elect thanks husband

First lady Cristina Fernandez, in her first televised interview since winning Argentina's presidency, thanked her husband for his role in her triumph and wished Hillary Rodham Clinton well in her U.S. election bid.


When Pakistan's prime minister made a rare visit this week to India, plenty of people had little interest in talking about regional peace, or the Kashmir militancy, or nuclear proliferation.


Eleven years after their debut single, Wannabe, swept to the top of the charts, inspiring fans of all ages to proclaim their eagerness to "zig a zig ah", the Spice Girls finally look set to confirm they are to reunite.


Mayor Richard Daley hasn't said if he will seek re-election, but if he does, he has an opponent: the Cook County Circuit Court clerk.