Wikipedia founder speaks on the Essjay controversy

(InfoWorld) - Jimmy Wales, founder of the Wikipedia user-generated and edited encyclopaedia, said he expects contributors to the site who claim certain credentials will soon have to prove they really have them. The new policy, which is currently under discussion by the community of users who regularly write and maintain the site, is being considered after it emerged this month that one of Wikipedia's most respected editors didn't hold the qualifications he claimed. The user, who went under the pseudonym "essjay," described himself in an online profile as a "tenured professor of theology" and said he taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in the subject. He also said he held a bachelor of arts in religious studies, a master of arts in religion, doctorate in philosophy in theology and a doctorate in canon law. But it wasn't true. Essjay was actually Ryan Jordan, a 24 year-old from Kentucky, who revealed his true identity when he joined Wikia Inc., the for-profit company run by Wales that seeks to use the community content model to make money. "I decided to be myself, to never hide my personality, to always be who I am, but to utilize disinformation with regard to what I consider unimportant details: age, location, occupation, etc.," he wrote on Wikipedia when questioned about the different profiles, according to a copy of a now-deleted page kept by Wikipedia Watch. Jordan said he lied about his job and educational background in order to protect his identity, but when he was hired by Wales to work at Wikia came clean on who he really was. However, the controversy didn't stop there. Essjay was interviewed for a story in The New Yorker magazine in 2006 so the revelation of his fake profile prompted an editor's note in a recent edition. That spread the controversy well beyond Wikipedia's message boards. Subsequent investigations into his claims on his Wikia profile indicated that some of those could also be false. "It's a bit of a mess," Wales said in an interview in Tokyo. Wales arrived in Japan at the beginning of the week, and plans to stay there a month. "We're not happy about it," he said. "To discover that someone had been deceiving the community for a long time really was a bit of a blow to our trust. Wikipedia is built on the idea of trusting other people and people being honest and we find that in the most part everyone is, so it was a real disappointment." As a result of the problems contributors are now likely to be asked to back up any specific claims they make regarding qualifications, especially when they are relevant to articles being written, edited or altered, said Wales. If editors are using their real name then this can be quite a simple task but for those editing anonymously it could be trickier, he said. "In that case we'll probably just discourage them from prominently featuring their credentials," said Wales. "You know, it's fine if you want to edit and don't want to go through that process but you shouldn't be writing about your credentials unless you can prove them." The revelations came at a bad time for Wikipedia. In recent months the site has been in and out of the headlines for various issues but its credibility is continually being questioned -- not because it's full of errors but because it doesn't know the identity or motivation of its contributors. Wales initially pledged his support for Jordan, and that set off the site's critics. The Wikipedia founder now admits that was a mistake and says he reacted in the way that he did because he didn't initially fully understand the specifics of the case. "I didn't think it was all that important because I didn't realize he was relying on credentials as a professor," he said. "He treated it really as a bit of a joke and the actual credentials he claimed were a bit ludicrous. After the fact you can look back and say, 'Well that was a bit odd,' but I never really looked into it and that was the big mistake that I made in the whole process." Essjay has now given up his work on Wikipedia. At least that's what he said in a final post, but whether Jordan is still at work on the site is impossible to know simply because contributors are anonymous. He also resigned his position at Wikia. For Wales, "The great irony is that he is a fabulous editor and did really an amazing amount of good work." "He spent most of his time reverting vandalism, mediating disputes and was always a very kind and loving and thoughtful person who, you know, anytime people were having a dispute it was always good to see Essjay show up because he was quite good at getting all parties on the same track." Wales said he thinks what's happened is unfortunate for Jordan. "My view is when he first came on the site he made up this persona not really thinking very much about it and not realizing he was going to become very active and respected in the community and then I think he felt a bit trapped," he said. "I talked to him the other day and of course he's not very happy about all of the press coverage. One doesn't want to become famous for something like this but he feels a bit relieved that it's all over so I'm hoping the world will let him grow up in peace and he'll be successful in life." REFERENCES: Wikipedia breaks into U.S. top 10 sites, Feb. 17, 2007Wikipedia has to do what it has to do . . ., Network World (US), Jan. 27, 2007


Chip Tuttle first became interested in horse racing almost two decades ago as a sportswriter for an evening paper on the North Shore. At the time, he was writing about Suffolk Downs chairman Jim Moseley and his battle to reopen the track.


Cagliari, 19:38 - CALCIO, CAGLIARI; CELLINO: QUEST'ANNO NON MI BASTA LA SALVEZZA

Massimo Cellino chiede al Cagliari qualcosa in piÃ¹ della salvezza: ''Abbiamo una squadra competitiva...


The Lib Dems prepare for the start of their conference with optimism over an electoral breakthrough.


Holocaust survivors on Sunday marked the 70th anniversary of the Buchenwald concentration camp's founding by honoring more than 38,000 victims whose identities had previously been unknown.


Federal agency heads would be able to offer employees bonuses of up to 100 percent of their annual salaries as an incentive to join or stay in the federal work force under legislation the House passed Wednesday.


Sarandon ventures to "Valley" with Haggis

- Susan Sarandon is joining the cast of "In the Valley of Elah," Paul Haggis' follow-up to his Academy Award-winning hit "Crash." Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron already have been cast in the Warner Independent Pictures mystery thriller.


Intel Introduces "Extreme" Chip For Gamers

Intel released its Extreme Edition Pentium 4 processor on Monday, a new platform that the chip-maker says is especially designed for people who like to push their PCs to the limit.


CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South African police arrested Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, early Wednesday on allegations he was involved in a plot to overthrow the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, police said.    Thatcher, 51, was taken into custody during a raid on his home in the upscale Cape Town suburb of Constantia shortly after 7 a.m...


US health officials say the flu season is off to a slow start and that means the public has more time to get a flu shot. There was a huge turnout to receive flu shots in Grove City, making it hard for some at-risk people to get their vaccine.


Football's lawmakers give the go-ahead for the development of goal-line technology at a meeting in Manchester.


Update 2: US Cybersecurity Chief Abruptly Resigns

The government's cybersecurity chief has abruptly resigned from the Homeland Security Department amid a concerted campaign by the technology industry and some lawmakers to persuade the Bush administration to give him more authority and money for


While others kick off, Patriots will kick back

FOXBOROUGH -- Some of them watched playoff football yesterday afternoon and again last night. Some will be back on the sofa or Barcalounger today when the Colts take on the Broncos at 1 p.m.


Dati Federserd, dipendenza riconosciuta come disagio mentale


Roma, 14:30 - BASKET, MARMARINOS LASCIA ROMA E TRATTA CON NAPOLI

Dimitros Marmarinos ha rescisso il contratto con la Lottomatica Roma. Il centro greco è in tr...


By Doug Smeath Deseret Morning News  A $50 million project to quiet trains on Salt Lake City's west side -- as well as make way for future parks and the possible restoration of City Creek -- is a step closer to reality.


Germany said on Tuesday budget  consolidation and higher national savings in the United States  and more Asian exchange rate flexibility were among measures  that would help avoid a disorderly unwinding of global  imbalances.


Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and   Poseidon both star big boats. The comparisons end there.


Togo's government frees some 500 prisoners, after they were pardoned by President Eyadema.


DANIA BEACH, Florida  - A Florida medical examiner was performing an autopsy on the body of former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith on Friday as her mother said drugs may have contributed to her daughter's sudden death.


Georgia court throws out 10-year teen sex sentence

A Georgia court on Monday ordered the immediate release of a man sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with a girl when the two were teen-agers.


By Beccy Tanner, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.  Feb. 14--About 1,100 families in Wichita are being encouraged to get blood tests for their children because their water may be contaminated with lead.


Staff members of the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday issued a report raising several questions about an experimental drug from Procter & Gamble (PG:NYSE - news - research) designed to improve sexual desire in women whose ovaries have been


Immigration raids Koch Foods Ohio chicken plant

More than 300 U.S. immigration agents raided the Koch Foods Inc. chicken plant in Fairfield, Ohio, and arrested more than 160 employees as part of a criminal operation against illegal immigrants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Tuesday.


Winehouse refused US visa for Grammys: publicists

Amy Winehouse has been denied a visa to enter the United States, preventing the troubled British singer from appearing at this weekend's Grammy awards ceremony, her publicists said Thursday.


Thousands give Arafat emotional farewell

asser Arafat was buried Friday to gunfire and mob devotion as his people stormed buildings and overran his walled compound in a frenzied send-off the guerrilla warrior wouldn't have had any other way.


Manisharma's music is youth oriented but Pa Vijay's lyrics spoil the show.


Icahn makes $2.43 bln takeover bid for Lear Corp

Activist investor Carl Icahn has made a $2.43 billion offer for U.S. auto parts supplier Lear Corp. , the two parties said on Monday.


John McCain hoped to seal the deal. Mitt Romney wanted to stay alive. Either outcome was possible.


The Russian parliament is divided over plans backed by the Kremlin to ban the consumption of beer in public.


Microsoft, Pfizer file parallel suits on Viagra spam ring

Software giant Microsoft and pharmaceutical maker Pfizer announced parallel lawsuits against two "international pharmacy spam rings" selling purported generic versions of Viagra on the Internet.


With time, palace and church change their tune on divorce

So the Prince of Wales is marrying a divorce, and hardly anyone cares. What a difference nearly seven decades (and millions of British divorces) can make.


There are certain tools that every SEO should have in their toolbox. Here's one of the best, borrowed from the developer's toolbox.


Freescale unveils dual-core PowerPC architecture

Freescale, Motorola's semiconductor subsidiary until July of this year, announced first details about its dual-core core strategy for the e600 PowerPC platform.


EXPORTS of British meat and livestock products have crashed through the 1bn barrier for the first time in more than ten years. Preliminary figures from the Meat and Livestock Commission show sales of lamb have reached 230m, beef 90m and pork 100m.


Costituito collegio legale, decisa mobilitazione generale


Companies with growing yields can make you rich in more ways than the obvious.


U.S. Army Mulls Shorter Iraq, Afghan Combat Duty

The U.S. Army is considering  shortening yearlong combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan amid  concerns the long and perilous duty is making it hard to  attract new soldiers and keep current ones, officials said on  Monday.


Two British girls are due to appear in juvenile court in Ghana Wednesday accused with trying to smuggle cocaine worth ÃÂÃÂ£300,000 into Britain.


New Delhi: Baazee.COM, whose Chief Executive Officer, Avnish Bajaj, was on Saturday remanded to judicial custody after the Delhi police arrested him in connection with the multi-media messaging scandal on Friday, has expressed shock and surprise over the


Birthing: Elective Caesareans Tied to Breathing Problems

Babies delivered by elective Caesarean sections are significantly more likely to have respiratory problems than those delivered vaginally or by emergency surgery, a new study finds.


A Win, and They're In More Than the Playoffs

Sunday's game against the Cowboys is about more than making the playoffs -- a win would make the Redskins part of the national conversation again.


Shuttle looks OK, Soyuz docks at space station

An inspection of the U.S. space shuttle   Atlantis on Wednesday found no sign of damage but cautious NASA   managers ordered closer scrutiny of the ship's protective heat   shield and other critical systems just to be sure.


Once relegated to a back shelf in the electronics store, external units will soon don brushed aluminum cases, decorator colors and glowing lights.


Nokia adds Smartner email and hints at more

Nokia Corp has unveiled plans to bring Smartner Information Systems Oy's mobile email and personal information management offering to its latest Communicators.


Morgan Stanley has sold its 7.2 percent stake in The New York Times Co. , people close to the matter said yesterday, marking the end of a bitter fight between one of the bank's asset managers and the company.


Life & style: Nick Bishop has cerebral palsy. He explains how he deals with everyday obstacles like a pint with his mates


IOC opens investigation into allegations against Jones

LONDON (Ticker) - The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday it has begun its investigation of doping allegations against American gold medal-winning sprinter Marion Jones.


Teenage angst on Vodafone Live! Social networking site MySpace will be exclusively available through Vodafone Live!, the companies announced today.â¦


Bemba followers attack Congo court in poll protest

Supporters of Congolese former rebel chief Jean-Pierre Bemba attacked the Supreme Court on Tuesday, which was set ablaze as they rioted to protest against results showing he had lost a presidential election.


Per consentire il pagamento degli stipendi di gennaio


Afghan Candidate Claims Fraud in Elections

KABUL, Afghanistan - The chief rival of interim President Hamid Karzai said he has evidence of organized fraud in Afghanistan's election and accused the U.N.-Afghan electoral commission on Monday of ignoring his complaints.    In the second deadly incident surrounding the election, five people - including at least one election worker - were killed by an explosion as they drove near the Pakistan border, the joint U.N.-Afghan electoral commission said...


Tim Gunn tapped to "make it work" at Liz Claiborne

Tim Gunn, whose fashion know-how on  the popular television reality show "Project Runway" has made  him a household name among fledgling designers, will become the  new chief creative director of Liz Claiborne Inc., the company  said on Thursday.


Taiwan Acknowledges Minister's `Improper Wording' on Singapore

Taiwan Foreign Minister Chen Tan- sun, who dismissed Singapore as ``a country the size of a booger,'' regretted his ``improper wording,'' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Michel Lu.


Kidnapped Italian agents freed in Afghanistan

Two Italian military intelligence officers kidnapped in Afghanistan were freed on Monday during a raid by NATO-led troops in which nine kidnappers and an Afghan hostage were killed, Italy's defense minister said.


Kerkorian aide quits GM board, stock drops

Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian on Friday shelved plans to raise his stake in General Motors Corp.  and his financial adviser on GM quit the automaker's board days after GM nixed a three-way alliance with Renault-Nissan.


Which child rules the roost in the Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt family? "I bet if you asked Brad, he'd say Zahara," the 31-year-old actress tells People magazine in an interview posted Wednesday on its Web site.


Romance film "Atonement" tops Golden Globes

BEVERLY HILLS, California  - Two movies set against different wars, "Atonement" and "Charlie Wilson's War," dominated the Golden Globe nominations on Thursday with "Atonement" earning seven nods, including a bid for best drama, to lead all film contenders.


Nokia on Tuesday invited some phone users to start playing with its delayed new N-Gage gaming service and rebranded its video- and photo-sharing service.The world's largest handset maker has begun branching out to offer services as a way to bolster profits. The services could help produce a new revenue stream in a mobile-phone market that is quickly shifting volume sales to developing markets, where people tend to spend less on mobile phones.Nokia invited users of its N81 phones to download a prerelease version of the N-Gage application and start buying and using games on their phones. A handful of games and applications are now available to them, said Camilla Pagliaroli, a Nokia spokeswoman.Nokia hopes that the users will offer feedback so that the company can refine the software and begin offering it for more devices. The company expects to add more games in the coming weeks and will add support for more devices as the software evolves, Pagliaroli said.N-Gage originally included a stand-alone handheld gaming device developed by Nokia. But the company discontinued the device, promising to launch a new N-Gage platform late last year that would work on regular Nokia phones. That launch had been delayed until now.This week, Nokia also rebranded Twango, the photo- and video-sharing site aimed at mobile users, to be called Share on Ovi. The service is based on one developed by Twango, a company Nokia acquired in July last year.Share on Ovi becomes the first Ovi-branded service, said Pagliaroli. The service is still in beta but anyone can use it, she said.Ovi is a Nokia site designed to be a central spot where phone users can visit to access a variety of mobile services. The site already includes Nokia's music download service, available in the United Kiingdom; Nokia's mapping offerings; and N-Gage. Nokia also plans to launch a service there that lets users sync their mobile calendar and contacts information online.The mobile market is closely watching Nokia's Ovi offerings because the services may compete with those offered by the phone maker's operator customers. They'll also compete with those offered by big names in the computer-based Internet world, such as Google and Yahoo. Those companies are increasingly expanding their services for access by mobile customers.


With troop shift, Britons fear Iraq 'mission creep'

Britain is expected Wednesday to grant a US request to move forces north, near Baghdad.


Religious extremists in 3 faiths share views: report

Violent Muslim, Christian and Jewish extremists invoke the same rhetoric of "good" and "evil" and the best way to fight them is to tackle the problems that drive people to extremism, according to a report obtained by Reuters.


Yen Spikes Up After Japan Sentiment Data

The yen darted higher against the dollar on Wednesday after the Bank of Japan's "tankan" survey showed the deterioration in Japanese business sentiment was not as bad as some had feared.


Texas Tech could be without its top receiver this season following an NCAA ruling that denied a waiver for Jarrett Hicks' academic eligibility.


Eagles Tight End Lewis to Miss Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without tight end Chad Lewis for Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6 due to a Lis Franc sprain in his foot.


Hewlett Packard's top lawyer resigns before a hearing on whether it broke laws while investigating media leaks.


A giant hydrogen gas cloud will create new stars when it hits our galaxy in 20-40 million years' time.


S. Williams Struggles, but Advances in French Opener

Serena Williams struggles through the first set before a long rain delay allows her to regroup and dominate Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria on the opening day of the French Open.


E' giudice onorario, competente e' Procura della Capitale


Millions of Britons are heading off on Christmas trips on Thursday, some to enjoy festive delights in the UK while others escape to warmer climes.


President of major civil rights group resigns

The president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bruce Gordon, is stepping down after 19 months at the nation's largest civil rights organization, the NAACP said on Sunday.


Roma, 14:07 - RUGBY, GIAPPONE: IL XV PER IL GALLES

John Kirwan ha annunciato il XV che giovedÃ¬ a Cardiff affronterà il Galles nella sfida valida...


Federico Biancuzzi: Virtualized rootkits - Part 1

Virtualized rootkits - Part 1 >> Advertisement <<  ALERT: "How A Hacker Launches A Blind SQL Injection Attack Step-by-Step"!" - White Paper  Blind SQL Injection can deliver total control of your server to a hacker giving them the ability to read, write and manipulate all data stored in your backend systems! Download this *FREE* white paper from SPI Dynamics for a complete guide to protection! https://download.spidynamics.com/1/ad/bsq.asp?Campaign_ID=701600000004c29


The European Parliament, in its specialised committees here, on...

The European Parliament, in its specialised committees here, on Monday begins to hear candidates for membership in the European Commission (EC), the executive body of the European Union.


Rodriguez smashes two more homers in Yankees win

Alex Rodriguez hit his 50th and 51st  home runs of the season to propel the New York Yankees to an  11-5 road victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.


Londra, 14:00 - CALCIO, INGHILTERRA; MCLAREN: CON MACEDONIA PRIMO VERO TEST

Steve McLaren considera la sfida di mercoledÃ¬ con la Macedonia ''il primo vero test per l'Inghilterr...


Radioactive Materials Seized in Central Russia

Russian security services seized two containers filled with highly radioactive material at a scrap yard in central Russia, Interfax news agency said on Tuesday.


WebSideStory Recognized As Best Software Company of the Year

WebSideStory, Inc. (Nasdaq:WSSI), a leading provider of real-time  customer intelligence solutions, today announced it has been named "Software  Company of the Year" for 2007 by the  Technology Council of Southern California.


Deaths From West Nile Virus Climb to 14 in California

The West Nile virus has taken a firm hold in California, killing 14 people this summer and infecting almost 500, health officials said on Friday.


Martial law cools China's ethnic violence

Martial law remained in place Wednesday in the villages in central China's Henan province where ethnic violence killed at least seven people last week.


La bozza delle regole per eleggere l'Assemblea costituente del partito democraticoDovranno essere approvate, o corrette, tra il 10 e il 12 luglio. Al voto il 14 ottobre dalle 7 alle 20                                          Donne, sedicenni, immigrati Per il Pd dai 2400 ai 2900 seggi                                                                                Resta aperta la questione di come liste e candidati devono essere collegati al segretarioLe candidature definite tra la fine di luglio (segretario) e 14 settembre (liste) di CLAUDIA FUSANI


South Korean president says 6 percent growth achievable

South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak told the country on Monday that his government would achieve annual economic growth of about 6 percent in 2008, while preventing inflation from rising sharply.


When introducing former vice presidential candidate John Edwards at a book signing this week, a family friend mentioned a bumper sticker she'd seen around town: "Edwards-Obama." The giddy audience roared with approval.


Best Buy to sell AT&T's Internet phone service

Telephone giant partners with electronics retailer to market voice over Internet Protocol offering.


Analysis:'Great sage grouse controversy' boils down to science

The advocates and lobbyists on both sides of the great sage grouse controversy in the West were claiming to have science on their side Friday after the Bush administration


53 die from cholera in Republic of Congo

At least 53 people have died of cholera since mid-November in the Republic of Congo, according to official figures released Sunday. Local officials said they believed the real toll was much higher.


Australia stick with the same squad for the fourth Ashes Test, with Glenn McGrath saying a 5-0 sweep would be a "fitting result".


Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers  have reportedly agreed in principle to trade Shawn Green to the  Arizona Diamondbacks.


REDWOOD CITY, California (CNN) -- Scott Peterson's former mistress, Amber Frey, faces cross-examination Wednesday after jurors heard her break up with her onetime lover and heard Peterson protest his innocence in taped phone calls played in his double ...


Israel declares Gaza "enemy entity" as Rice visits

Israel declared the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity" on Wednesday and said it would reduce its fuel and power supplies to the Hamas-run territory in response to rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.


Up to 5 reported slain in Utah mall shooting

A shooting Monday at a trendy mall in Salt Lake City has left as many as four or five people dead, Fire Department spokesman Scott Freitag told CNN.


Berners-Lee pushes Congress on 'nondiscriminatory' Web

Web father says his invention should never be controlled by a single entity, but declines to endorse a specific Net neutrality bill.


MICHAEL Vaughan last night dreamed of capping a spectacularly successful summer for England with an appearance in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy.


Phelps, Coughlin Advance in Olympic Pool

ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic 200-meter freestyle with a conservative swim Sunday, although rivals Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband and teammate Klete Keller were faster.    Americans Tara Kirk and Amanda Beard earned spots in the 100 breaststroke semifinals, setting up a showdown with Australians Brooke Hanson and Leisel Jones...


The assembly must review its ministerial code, the ex-parliamentary commissioner for standards says.


The mafia's laws are simple: avoid killing if you can, and kill discreetly if you can't. However, laws were made to broken.


Italian Team Ordered to Play Without Fans

NYON, Switzerland - The Italian team Lazio was ordered Friday to play its next European game without fans as punishment for a game last month marked by racial taunts from the stands.


Congress passes tax bill, ending dispute with EU

WASHINGTON The US Senate gave final approval Monday to a bill that would resolve a long-running trade dispute between the United States and Europe, as well as hand out about $140 billion in corporate tax breaks.


Milano, 15:55 - CALCIO, INTER; MANCINI: VINCERE SENZA PRENDERE GOL

Senza rivali o quasi in campionato, per l'Inter arriva il momento della verità in Europa. Bis...


Fiji's newly-installed prime minister says the Pacific island's recent coup was "illegal" but necessary.


Chiesti 270.000 anni di carcere per i 7 principali imputati


By Izwan Ismail  WEB administrators need to constantly look for ways to make their Web sites relevant to the people. This includes providing content that the people want and being user-friendly.


The Red Cross launches an appeal in Nepal for information on more than 800 people missing after the insurgency.


A vaccine designed to treat patients with Type 1 diabetes is to be tested on humans for the first time. The Times newspaper reports that scientists will begin the trials on 18 patients with Type 1 diabetes


EU to fine Microsoft 200-300 mln euros: sources

The European Commission will fine  Microsoft  between 200 million ($255 million) and 300  million euros on Wednesday to punish it for failing to carry  out antitrust sanctions, sources familiar with the situation  said on Tuesday.


For many dancers life after retirement can be traumatic. But the options are improving.


Sister Lucia put on sainthood fast track

Pope Benedict XVI has put Sister Lucia, the last of three shepherd children who claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary during apparitions in 1917, on a fast-track to possible sainthood, the Vatican said Wednesday.


Australia's government on Thursday released graphic pictures of Japanese hunters harpooning whales and dragging their bleeding carcasses onto a ship near Antarctica, calling it evidence of the "indiscriminate" slaughter of the animals.


Calif. court OKs suit against Nextel billing 'spam'

Millions at stake, but for whom? A US consumer lobby group has won an appeal to sue Nextel over "text messages spam" sent to customers â three years ago.â¦


Wal-Mart annual earnings flat on sluggish US

Global retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has recorded flat growth in its annual earnings, with overseas acquisitions offsetting a sluggish US performance.


Penalty Drops Earnhardt Out of First Place

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. was knocked out of first place in the Nextel Cup by a slip of the tongue...


More second-term blues for Bush on immigration

The collapse of a White House-backed overhaul of U.S. immigration laws was the starkest sign yet of President George W. Bush's dwindling influence during a second term undone by chaos in Iraq and last year's congressional election losses, analysts said.


âI have to admit that signing a former world champion is something truly special for me,â said team boss Peter Sauber in a statement.


U.S. Are Davis Cup Final Underdogs, Says Roddick

CHARLESTON, South Carolina  - World number two  Andy Roddick says the United States will probably be the  underdogs in the Davis Cup final against hosts Spain in  December.


Register to win a $2,400 scholarship for you or a family member. Simply fill out the 3-step form for additional information from any of our colleges and you will automatically be entered.


EU welcomes Ukraine election result; confident for country's future

BRUSSELS, Belgium  - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Monday praised the outcome of Ukraine's presidential election and insisted that the divisive campaign should not lead to the breakup of the country.


The UK Independence Party suspends one of its MEPs, while alleged financial irregularities are investigated.


Israel tells Powell: 'We back Palestinian elections'

Israel leaders today assured Colin Powell that they will do their utmost to ensure that Palestinian elections to choose a successor to Yassir Arafat go smoothly, including easing


When the Carolina Panthers' coaches look at the final stats from Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, they will probably circle two things -- penalties and turnovers.


Asian shares fell on Monday, led by  banks such as Macquarie  after surging U.S. inflation  and high oil prices fanned concerns the Federal Reserve may be  unable to make deeper rate cuts to prevent a possible  recession.


More than 100,000 Afghan and foreign security forces were on high alert Friday, the day before the country's first direct presidential election after more than two decades of war.


Otis Ferry is cleared after snatching car keys from two photographers he claimed were hounding actress Sienna Miller.


Rich new compact would give one tribe the exclusive rights to the San Francisco Bay area

SACRAMENTO  In a deal worth billions of dollars, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to give a small Santa Rosa Indian tribe an exclusive gambling franchise for the entire San Francisco Bay area.


British oil worker hostage killed, Italian injured

A kidnapped British oil worker was killed and an Italian injured when Nigerian security forces attempted to rescue a group of seven foreign oil workers held hostage by armed men in the oil-rich Niger Delta, the Italian oil group Eni said in Rome.


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates A collapse at a construction site at the Dubai airport on Monday killed five people and injured a dozen, the Department of Civil Aviation said.


Democrat Barack Obama ended the first half of the year with a formidable $34 million cash on hand for the presidential primary contest, while boosting his overall financial picture from April through June with a vigorous fundraising drive, the campaign said Sunday.


Colleges turn to eBay to sell unwanted goods

Texas A&M University couldn't give away a fleet of 20-year-old buses, so it sold them - on eBay. With starting bids of $500 each, three buses went online for a weeklong auction.


TALIN/SARAJEVO, October 18 (FENA) - BiH Foreign Affairs Minister...

BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic and Estonian Foreign Affairs Minister Kristina Ojuland discussed in Talin today the current political situation in both countries, the situation in the Balkans and ...


Bob Benenson's Jigsaw Politics: GOP Incumbent Exodus Reflects -- and Abets -- Dems' Extending Majorities

Lost in the fuss over next week's Super Tuesday presidential contests is the fact that the 2008 congressional campaign also has its official kickoff that day, with primaries in Illinois. Not that this event is being greeted with enthusiasm by many Republicans, who appear desperate to hold the White House to counteract the near-certain extension of the majorities Democrats won in both the Senate and the House in 2006.


Al termine incontro con primo ministro israeliano Olmert


Mariano Rivera's hands were stretched coast-to-coast in disbelief, and the TV cameras caught him shouting, "Catch the ball, come on.


Researchers creditapple with cancer-fighting power

Add colon cancer prevention to the possible list of reasons that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Studies in lab rats show that certain antioxidants found in apples sharply reduce pre-cancerous


For BizRate, a New Identity and a New Site, Shopzilla.com

BizRate, one of the most popular comparison shopping Web sites, will introduce a new service today, called Shopzilla.com, to compete with a host of rivals like Shopping.com.


The EU should ban the sale of cars that do under 35 miles to the gallon, the ex-chairman of oil giant Shell says.


Acquisita Fuping Cement per 70 mln di dollari


A man described as one of the nationâs most prolific senders of spam was among 11 people accused in a federal indictment of defrauding people by manipulating Chinese stock prices.


NATO calls al Qaeda attack tape 'fiction'

The purported al Qaeda video showing fighters firing missiles at a U.S. base in Afghanistan is "video fiction," a NATO official said Saturday.


Sailors rescued after 8-day drift off England

Five sailors, who were stranded in a life raft in the sea for 8 days after their yacht sank, were rescued off the coast of Cornwall in southwest England by British coast guards on Wednesday.


UAW singles out GM, rallies for possible strike

Local leaders with the United Auto  Workers union on Thursday began preparing to walk picket lines  as soon as Friday if contract talks with General Motors Corp.   break down after the UAW singled out the No. 1 U.S.  automaker as its strike target.


After the Bell-Texas instruments up after sets share buyback

Shares of Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) rose after the market close on Thursday, after the chip maker said it plans to buy back $1 billion in stock


Don't Forget to Bring Your Own Truth Serum

At $7,500, you can bond with Barry Bonds at a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Friday. There is one problem: How will you know if Bonds's love is real?


E.P.A. Seeks New Life for Old Cellphones

The E.P.A.  is launching a public education campaign aimed at getting consumers to recycle their old phones.


Little-known actor Chris Pine is chosen to play the young Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek movie.


Malicious hackers post poisoned entries to blogs in a bid to infect visitor's PCs.


Suicide blast wounds three in Afghan restaurant

KHOST, Afghanistan  - A suicide blast at a restaurant wounded three people on Wednesday in the southeastern Afghan town of Khost, a police official said.


First planet with water is spotted outside Solar System

Astronomers on Wednesday announced they had spotted the first planet beyond the Solar System that has water, the precious ingredient for life.


European ministers seek to stem illegal immigration

Ministers from southern Europe met here to thrash out ways of stemming the flow of illegal immigrants arriving on the shores of their countries after perilous sea crossings from Africa.


Islamic treasure fetches 1,000 times estimate in sale

A rare 11th century rock crystal ewer, misidentified as a 19th Century French claret jug, has sold for 220,000 pounds at auction, more than one thousand times its pre-sale estimate, the Art Newspaper said on Monday.


Pop star Britney Spears has given   birth to her second baby in 12 months, according to celebrity   magazines, but the middle-of-the-night arrival may not have   gone as planned.


Head restraints in dozens of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans provided only poor or marginal protection from neck injuries in simulated crashes conducted by the insurance industry.


Scientific research shows stress increases heart-attack risks

WORKING in a high-pressure environment to tight deadlines can cause a six-fold increase in the risk of having a heart attack. The research, published today, found that short-term intense pressures have a greater


Home improvement retailer Home Depot  Inc , pressured by the slumping housing market, on  Thursday said it would cut 500 jobs at its Atlanta store  support center, or about 10 percent of the headquarters staff.


Successo di pubblico e rassegne a Vienna e Salisburgo


CIA Cable Bears Dire Predictions for Iraq

Description: A classified cable written by the CIA's outgoing station chief in Baghdad, the contents of which were reported in The New York Times, paints a bleak future for Iraq.


Coldiretti, 130 mln bottiglie spumante made in Italy


WisdomTree's new offering is the first India-only ETF.


The Sacramento Kings named former  player Reggie Theus as their new head coach on Wednesday.


Spammers are winning--and it's not even close

At this point, there is only one thing for us to do, says analyst Jon Oltsik. Purchase the best antispam protection that money can buy.


Andamento utile per azione supera di 1 cent alcune stime


Former Toronto Manager Bobby Mattick Passes Away

TORONTO (Sports Network) - Former Toronto Blue Jays manager  Bobby Mattick has died after suffering a stroke. Mattick was  89.


MTV Turns Up Celeb Heat in Sizzling Miami

An already broiling Miami prepared for even more sizzle on Sunday as MTV brought the annual party known as the Video Music Awards to the city for the first time in the awards' 21-year history.


France flew home its nine dead soldiers from the Ivory Coast yesterday. The nine died in violence at the weekend that presented a bleak contrast to the long-cultivated image of the


Magnitude 6 quake off eastern Japan, no damage

A magnitude 6 earthquake was registered southeast of Japan's eastern coast, the Meteorological Agency said on Thursday.


Right-wing Australian politician Pauline Hanson says she will contest next month's general election.


An inquiry is launched after a Warwickshire man died at a Children in Need event.


The academy says the show, regardless of the strike, will go on.


U.S. farm wives out of kitchen and off the farm

Across the U.S. Midwest, women are keeping farms running, not by driving trucks or feeding cows, but by working in stores, offices and factories.


Nvidia's Hybrid SLI: Power when you need it, efficiency when you don't

Blog: In an apparent answer to similar AMD technology, Nvidia is working on a dual-graphics solution it's calling Hybrid SLI.


U.S. Immigration Could Spell Big Business

The largest immigration boom in U.S.  history is expected to lift earnings at companies from discount  retailers to telecommunications providers, putting dollar signs  in the eyes of investors looking to cash in on the wave of  newcomers, mostly from Latin America and Asia.


McCain wants Ballmer as ambassador to China

'Your government is like Linux' Irascible chair-flinging corporate tyrant Steve Ballmer could be in the running for a top government job, it was revealed last week.â¦


University researchers challenge Bush win in Florida

According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, counties with electronic voting machines were significantly more likely to show increased support for President Bush compared to counties with paper ballots or optical scan equipment.


ASIA/CINA - La scomparsa del Vescovo piÃ¹ anziano della Chiesa in Cina, Mons. Giuseppe Meng Ziwen morto a 103 anni, di cui 20 ai lavori forzati: ÂSenza quegli anni di prigionia non sarei oggi cosÃ¬ forte e in buona salute. Tutto quello che ho potuto fare Ã¨ stato un dono di DioÂ. Nanning (Agenzia Fides) - Il 7 gennaio scorso Ã¨ deceduto Sua Ecc. Mons. Giuseppe Meng Ziwen, Arcivescovo di Nanning, nella provincia di Guangxi (Cina Continentale), situata a 2.767 chilometri a sud ovest di Pechino. Il Presule aveva 103 anni, essendo...


Heavy rain is leading to flooding across Northern Ireland and is making driving conditions  treacherous.


The future of Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach is the subject of intense discussion after the draw in Austria. Has the Swede lost the confidence of the nation or does he remain the best man for the job?


Las Vegas, Nevada - Danny Williams, the unlikely British challenger for a share of boxing's heavyweight crown, said he must improve 30 to 40 percent from his knockout of Mike Tyson to dethrone Vitali Klitschko.


RHM Takes Both Sides in UK's Campaign to Cut Salt Intake

RHM Ltd., the UK's biggest baker, is backing a government campaign to reduce salt in processed food such as the company's Hovis bread.


Privacy group sues Army over surveillance of soldiers' blogs, Web sites

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a lawsuit seeking more information about a U.S. Army unit that scours the Web looking for sensitive military information posted on blogs and Web sites by military personnel.


[TS] Sports of The Times: Back Story That Wasnât Heard âRound the World

Clem Labine, who pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers, played a key role in their 1951 pennant race against the New York Giants.


Shares of coffee shop owner Starbucks Corp.  fell more than 7 percent on Thursday after the company's January same-store sales came below some analysts' expectations.


The US music industry sues 750 computer users believed to be distributing music illegally over the internet.


Potenza, 16:01 - Calcio, serie C2: rinviata per neve Potenza-Gela

La partita Potenza-Gela (serie C2, girone C, seconda giornata di ritorno) Ã¨ stata rinviata a data da...


Denunciati dai carabinieri 4 sedicenni e un diciannovenne


U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sought European support Friday for his plan to give regional heavyweights such as Brazil and Japan more clout at the United Nations.


Eight dead, 46 injured in French motorway pileup

Eight people were killed and 46 injured, most of them Portuguese coach passengers, in a pile-up of five vehicles on a motorway in southwest France, authorities said.


Con lo slogan 'Costruire il nostro futuro' sono partiti questa mattina i cortei di protesta contro la manovra finanziaria e la riforma fiscale dell'esecutivo. Sono migliaia i lavoratori che sono scesi in piazza nelle oltre 70 manifestazioni organizzate.


Champions League: Group A review - Liverpool in rapture as Gerrard ...

All that was missing from Liverpool's 3-1 win at Anfield over Olympiakos in Group A last night was the sight of a young, ginger striker by the name of Fairclough running around, arms aloft in a state of delirium.


Totti e Blasi, nozze vicine Ma la data resta top secret

VICENZA, 13 SETTEMBRE 2004 - Nozze in vista per Francesco Totti e Illary Blasi. E' la voce che arriva da 'Orogemmma', la Fiera di Vicenza: "la data delle nozze c'e', ma non si dice''. Totti e Blasi sono intervenuti


Oil import prices fuel 7% jump in US trade deficit

THE US trade deficit widened in August to its second-highest level on record, fuelled by the highest oil import prices in 23 years and record imports from China.


Gov't Gives Najaf Militants 'Final Call'

NAJAF, Iraq - Prime Minister Ayad Allawi issued a "final call" Thursday to Shiite insurgents to disarm and withdraw from a revered shrine after his government threatened a massive onslaught by Iraqi forces. As the peace deal for Najaf unraveled, militants bombarded a police station with mortar rounds, killing seven police and injuring 31 others...


Vertice un successo, passo avanti per nuova cooperazione


Il Parco della Vandea una Disneyland sul Sèvre

A Nantès, un enorme "theme park" vivente sulla sanguinosa storia francese. Su Viaggi


The big news in digital audio recently was Sony's NW-HD3, the company's first hard-drive-based digital audio player to support the MP3 format right out of the box.


Quake Activity Rises at Mount St. Helens

Earthquake activity has increased at Mount St. Helens, but scientists said Saturday there was no reason to raise the volcano's alert level.


US and North Korean envoys are due to start talks in New York aimed at normalising relations.


ASIA/CINA - La Giornata Missionaria a Pechino vissuta nella speranza per lÂordinazione di 5 nuovi sacerdoti e nella caritÃ  fraterna Pechino (Agenzia Fides) - Nella Giornata Missionaria Mondiale, domenica 21 ottobre, oltre 3.000 fedeli hanno gremito la parrocchia del S. Salvatore  dellÂArcidiocesi di Pechino, che sta tornando allo splendore del suo ruolo di Cattedrale, per accogli...


Looking back warily, Israel exits Lebanon

The Israeli army left all but one divided border town in Lebanon Sunday, fulfilling a key condition of the truce.


Watch and learn as TechRepublic dives into the innards of a vinyl-to-MP3 turntable.


The U.S. basketball team arrived in Asia two weeks before the world championships tipped off so the players could adjust to a different time zone.


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Sept. 8  â Sam Keller nearly gave away the game during his first road start for Nebraska. Zack Bowman jumped up to take it back for the Cornhuskers.


Blacklisted bar promoting party for U.S. soldiers

The Granada Discotheke is planning a party for soldiers. Problem is, if American soldiers from nearby H.D. Smith Barracks in Baumholder attend, they'll be defying a direct order to stay out of the club, which ...


Yushchenko Apparent Winner in Ukraine; PM Won't Quit

KIEV, Ukraine  - West-leaning opposition leader  Viktor Yushchenko looked certain Monday to become Ukraine's  next president, but his opponent, the prime minister, refused  to concede defeat in the bitterly fought contest.


Sunni community in helpless state as street protests against US-led assault on Fallujah have not been witnessed. By Nadra Saouli - BAGHDAD.


NEWCASTLE, England -- Graeme Souness suffered his first serious setback as Newcastle manager after Kieron Dyer was ruled out of action for several weeks with a recurrence of the hamstring problems that have dogged him throughout his career.


U.S. Jets Hit Insurgent Areas in Fallujah

FALLUJAH, Iraq - U.S. jets pounded insurgent positions in Fallujah for a third straight day Thursday, killing at least five people in the Sunni city dominated by militants about 30 miles west of Baghdad, officials said...


New Level of Caution Over Antidepressants in Britain

British medical regulators urged physicians on Monday to show greater caution in prescribing antidepressant drugs and said they should be clearly labeled with warnings about their use.


Ryan Smyth scored his first goal with New York and Miroslav Satan added two goals as the Islanders defeated the Capitals, 6-2, last night in Washington.


Another bomb shakes Green Zone checkpoint

A car bomb exploded early today near a checkpoint leading to Baghdad's Green Zone, the second attack in two days on the entrance to the heavily guarded district that houses


Romney first choice in conservative poll

Mitt Romney won the most support for the Republican presidential nomination in a straw poll of GOP activists attending an annual conference.


Stocks rise on renewed takeover optimism

U.S. stocks rose in light trading before a holiday on Friday as takeover news, including Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.'s  plan to buy a Nordic exchanges company, revived appetite for equities.


U2, iPod e iTunes: il triangolo perfetto

Elegante livrea nera con ghiera rossa (e le firme dei quattro musicisti irlandesi riprodotte sul lato posteriore del lettore), 20 GB di memoria con possibilitÃ  di archiviare fino a 5 mila canzoni (lâintero âHow to dismantle an atomic bombâ e brani


Frederick Gets 8 Years in Iraq Abuse Case

The highest-ranking U.S. soldier charged in the Abu Ghraib prison case was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison, the severest punishment so far in the scandal that broke in April with the publication of photos and video showing Americans humiliating and abusing naked Iraqis.


Kerr Shoots 61, Surges Ahead of Sorenstam

Cristie Kerr's 61, the lowest single-round score on the LPGA Tour this year, gives her the second-round lead at the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic.


TAMPA, Fla. -- When Chris Simms said he welcomed competition for Tampa Bay's starting quarterback job, he surely didn't envision the Buccaneers going to such great lengths to find challengers.


Doppiette Del Piero e Pandev, bianconeri secondi con Roma


Stock Sell-Off in China Hits Wall Street

A plunge in Chinese stocks rippled across global markets yesterday, triggering a massive wave of selling in the United States that sent the Dow Jones industrial average down 3.3 percent, or 416 points, its biggest decline since March 2003.


Democratic congressman indicted in bribery probe

Democratic Rep. William Jefferson, accused of hiding $90,000 of intended bribes in his freezer, was charged on Monday with soliciting bribes and paying off a Nigerian official.


The Yankees, desperate for a victory against Minnesota in Game 2 of their American League Division Series, came across the ideal strategy in the early going: Swing very hard against


Thwarted U.S. May Seek Lone Push on Iran Sanctions

Iran escaped U.N. censure over its nuclear program but Washington, which accuses it of seeking an atomic bomb, said on Monday it reserved the right to take the case to the Security Council on its own.


Abbas rejigs Palestinian govt as emergency ends

RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejigged his government on Friday at the end of a month-long state of emergency declared when Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip.


Alfonso Soriano gave Chicago a perfect ending to a ninth inning that already featured a blown five-run lead and a fan charging at Cubs closer Bobby Howry.


ViewSonic, societÃ  californiana leader nella Visual Technology, ha da poco presentato un nuovo videoproiettore DLP. Si chiama ViewSonic PJ755D e promette colori brillanti, immagini dettagliate e una qualitÃ  video eccezionale.


Blunkett wins first round of court battle

British Home Secretary David Blunkett was granted a High Court hearing over access to his ex-lover's son Friday. Kimberley Quinn had asked the High Court to postpone any hearing


MUNICH, Germany - Paul Casey, David Howell and Ian Poulter of Britain and Paul McGinley of Ireland cemented their places in the European Ryder Cup team with top-25 finishes at the BMW International Open on Sunday.


UK immigration chiefs will not reconsider the decision to deport a dying Ghanain woman, whose visa expired.


Google Earnings Fall Short of Expectations

Google said that its profit jumped 17 percent in the fourth quarter, but the earnings fell short of analystsâ expectations, and the companyâs shares fell after hours.


KarstadtQuelle sets back target for returning to profit

KarstadtQuelle, the crisis-ridden German retail giant, does not expect to turn in a profit until 2006 instead of 2005 as expected, the group's chairman Christoph Achenbach told shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting in Duesseldorf.


Islamist group executes Italian hostage in Iraq: Al-Jazeera

An Islamist group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq has executed Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni after holding him for a week, Arabic-language satellite news channel Al-Jazeera reported.


Man Released in Ill. Faces Charges in Mo.

A killer whose life was spared last year when Illinois' governor emptied out death row could again face a death sentence — this time in Missouri — if convicted of murdering his boss in St. Louis.


Re Fiorello e nonna Veronica scatta l'Operazione Gossip

Il meglio dalle riviste della settimana: l'inchiesta sui compensi delle star dello spettacolo, lo shopping della signora Berlusconi. E ancora baci, figli e litigi al buio


Australia's Aborigines win native title to major city

A surprise Federal Court decision granting Aborigines native title to one of Australia's major cities, Perth, sent lawyers, homeowners and officials scurrying to assess the impact.


Movie Review | 'Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film': A Portrait of the Artist as a Visionary, a Voyeur and a Brand-Name Star

Ric BurnsÂs absorbing four-hour critical biography of the seminal pop artist is devoted to the proposition that Warhol was the greatest artist of the second half of the 20th century.


The Treasury and Revenue & Customs propose tax exemptions for many foreign dividends.


As the Knesset vote on disengagement from the Gaza Strip approaches, the American Jewish Committee sent a letter of support on Sunday to Ariel Sharon to express support for the prime minister's plan.


Scientific studies on deep sea vents may not be as damaging to a unique shrimp species as previously feared.


Are shorts trying to make short work of these stocks?


More French Troops Are Sent to Ivory Coast as Violence Flares

France sent 600 more troops to Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abijan, as mobs rampaged against French expatriates.


Iraqi kidnappers seized two Americans and a Briton from their home and office in Baghdad Thursday, CNN reported. US and British officials in Iraq said they were looking into the report from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior.


Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp  said on Friday it successfully removed unauthorized code from its systems that had allowed access to an internal database.


Lindsay Lohan robbed at London's Heathrow airport

Film star Lindsay Lohan had a   handbag stolen at London's Heathrow airport on Thursday, her   spokeswoman said.


YouTube brings life, weirdness to Spain election

If it weren't for YouTube, a man wearing  a little black dress and a pearl necklace would be unlikely to  get a question in for the leader of the Spanish opposition.


Iraqis May Extend Election Amid Violence

Iraq may modify plans for its first  free election to give people more time to vote next month,  officials said on Wednesday as suicide bombers and gunmen again  struck Sunni Muslim towns north and west of the capital.


Figlio del presidente del Ciad aveva precedenti penali


Spain's National Court convicted 47 people Wednesday of being linked to armed Basque separatist group ETA via a network of ostensibly legitimate social and political organizations.


Physical: Cheney's heart condition stable

Vice President Dick Cheney's high-tech pacemaker is working properly and has not been activated by any irregular heartbeats, according to his annual physical on Saturday that showed his overall heart condition was stable.


Zimbabwe opposition urges Mbeki to stand up to Mugabe

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday urged South African President Thabo Mbeki to show some "courage" and pressure Robert Mugabe ahead of next month's elections.


Muslim pilgrims stone wall and cut hair at haj

MINA, Saudi Arabia  - Muslim pilgrims threw pebbles at a stone wall outside Mecca, shaved their heads and bought sacrificial animals on Wednesday, the third day of the annual haj pilgrimage to the Mecca area.


Japan Defense Policy Breaks Cautiously with Past

Japan unveiled a revamped defense policy on Friday that eases a decades-old ban on arms exports and, in carefully couched words, suggests a shift from the purely


Queen Elizabeth draws attention to vulnerable in Christmas message

Queen Elizabeth II, in her annual Christmas Day message to Britain and the Commonwealth, on Tuesday urged people to take responsibility for vulnerable individuals excluded by modern society.


Iran Recovers 940 Stolen Antiquities, Arrests 36

Iranian police have smashed an  antiquities smuggling ring, arresting 36 people and recovering  more than 940 stolen treasures, the Web site of the state  Cultural Heritage Organization said Tuesday.


Crude oil futures fall below $49 US a barrel as oil supplies grow

Oil futures prices fell Wednesday after an American government report showed US supplies of crude rising sharply, allowing traders to shrug off the fact that inventories of heating oil are still tight.


What's Wired This Month: Bionic Woman, DailyLit.com, Air Guitar Nation

This month's Playlist ranges from sci-fi TV remakes to classic books in bite-size bits.


Roughly a quarter of about 250 ABC network affiliates, including Richmond's WRIC-Channel 8, pre-empted a Veteran's Day airing of "Saving Private Ryan.


A Touch too much Our analysis of the prospects and possibilities for the new iPod Touch got readers very excited. Not a single reader used the words "locked-down, overpriced PDA", which would have been a natural retort. But not one person could get excited about YouTube, either.â¦


Study: Wild Monkeys Resort to Use of Tools

Wild South American monkeys routinely use fist-sized rocks to crack open seeds and to dig in dry Brazilian soil for grubs and edible tubers, researchers report in the journal Science.


A 14-year-old boy who admitted setting his friend on fire did not intend to do it, a jury decides.


Simon Jones emerged from two years of injury frustration to deliver a match-winning spell and put England firmly on course for an historic victory over South Africa in the opening Test.


Part of the Odyssey entertainment complex in Belfast is close to being sold, the BBC learns.


Chile extradites Peru's ex-leader Alberto Fujimori to face charges of human rights abuses and corruption.


Health Impact from 9/11 Extensive, Government Says

Nearly half of the over 1,000 screened rescue workers who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks suffer from new or exacerbated respiratory, mental and other health problems, according to a government report released on Thursday.


Former OLPC CTO aims to create $75 laptop

A laptop under $100 could reach desks if a new venture formed by the former CTO of One Laptop Per Child, Mary Lou Jepsen, can deliver on its promises.A "spin-out" from OLPC, the company, Pixel Qi is looking to create a $75 laptop and trying to advance low-cost computers and power-efficient laptops, mobile phones, and other consumer electronics that are sunlight readable, Jepsen wrote on the company's Web site.Jepsen left OLPC two weeks ago to commercialize technologies she invented with OLPC, she said in an e-mail to the IDG News Service at the time. A patent lists Jepsen as one of the inventors of a display system optimized for low-power operation."Spinning out from OLPC enables the development of a new machine, beyond the XO [laptop], while leveraging a larger market for new technologies," Jepsen wrote.There is a big commercial market for technology spawned by OLPC, Jepsen wrote. Prices for next-generation hardware can be brought down by allowing multiple uses of key technology advances, she wrote.The company will continue to work with OLPC by providing products at cost, and it will sell devices at a profit to commercial organizations.A similar promise to introduce a low-cost laptop came from OLPC, when it launched the $100 XO laptop in 2005. Since then, the effort has been afflicted by production delays and rising costs, which caused the laptop's estimated price to rise to $200. It is now beset by waning orders and competition from commercial vendors that threaten to sideline the nonprofit effort.As CTO, Jepsen was responsible for hardware development for the rugged and power-saving XO laptop, designed for use by children in developing countries. Though the laptop has struggled to find buyers, it has been praised for its environmentally friendly design and innovative display, hardware and networking features.Her departure from OLPC spawned a debate, with critics charging that Jepsen was taking advantage of OLPC's nonprofit inventions for personal gains, but supporters shot back, saying it was the right time for her to leave a sinking ship.Jepsen, who is attending the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, was not available for comment.


A space "sleigh" loaded with food, water and some holiday goodies docked at the International Space Station a little later than planned on Christmas night.


If they are partying on Bourbon Street, the Saints aren't taking part. Not yet.


Toyota puts pressure on GM to be the world's biggest carmaker, as global sales rise by 6%.


Polish liberals vow break with Kaczynski era after poll rout

Poland on Monday looked headed for a new pro-business, Europe-friendly government after the opposition liberals trounced the Kaczynski twins' ruling conservative alliance in a snap election.


US junk bond funds see $26 mln weekly outflow

NEW YORK, Aug 20  - Outflows from US junk bond mutual funds slowed to $26 million in the week ended Wednesday from $91 million a week earlier, AMG Data Services reported late on Thursday.


Three suicide car bombs, including one that exploded near the Iraqi prime minister's party headquarters in Baghdad, and a roadside explosion killed at least 16 people Monday as insurgents pressed their deadly campaign to disrupt national elections, which Iraq's defense minister said could be postponed to give the Sunni minority time to participate.


Some Diplomats Ambivalent on 2nd Bush Term

For some world diplomats, it's like being invited to a party for someone they don't like.


Putin hints at China alliance for Yukos oil

Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly, could team up with the China National Petroleum Corporation to develop the Yukos oil company's main production asset, sold to a mystery bidder on Sunday.


Sprint to slash 4,000 jobs after subscriber losses

Sprint Nextel  reported  deeper-than-expected subscriber losses on Friday and said it  would cut about 4,000 jobs, sending its shares down 19 percent  to their lowest level in more than five years.


Jermaine Pennant needs surgery on his right leg, Liverpool football club revealed on Friday, meaning he will be out of action for 10 weeks.


Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile

Pakistan test-fired on Wednesday a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of hitting targets deep inside arch-rival India.


IRAQ US Air Strike Kills Two in Iraq's Falluja

US planes bombed the Iraqi city of Falluja overnight, killing two people, in a new strike on rebels digging in for an expected US-led offensive.


New iMac Could Give Apple a Needed Boost

Apple has been gaining share in the higher-margin laptop business, and its iPod franchise is a hit, but the company's worldwide market share in PCs fell from a peak of 9.6 percent in 1991 to 2 percent last year.


Two Impressionist paintings stolen in one of Europe's largest art thefts have been recovered in an abandoned car, police said Tuesday.


The U.S. economic outlook dimmed on  Tuesday after reports said business productivity grew more  slowly in the third quarter than first estimated, labor costs  rose and other indicators signaled softening activity.


Business & money: Finance chiefs from the G7 warn the global economy will slow down as a result of US mortgage crisis


US hedge-fund Amaranth sees losses reach about $6bn after misplacing a bet on the direction of natural gas prices.


China vows to clean up toxins amid food scares

China will clamp down on foods tainted with illegal and excessive chemicals as it seeks to quell domestic and foreign alarm about toxins in meat, seafood and vegetables, the country's top agriculture official said.


The war in Iraq has proven the lethal effectiveness of roadside bombs. But the war has also proven the value of a new tool to deal with the bombs: small, agile robots that disarm or detonate the bombs at the direction of soldiers who operate the robots from a safe distance.


Finland starts national screening program for colorectal cancer

Finland launched the first phase of what is set to become a nationwide screening program for colorectal cancer, the third deadliest form of cancer here after lung and breast tumors, officials said.


Yemen Seaports on Alert for Possible Terror Attack

Yemen has received information that  foreign terrorists are planning to attack its sea ports, a  security source said on Wednesday.


In giugno l'azienda aveva firmato altri due contratti


U2 to Release 'Atomic Bomb' Album in November

Irish rock band U2 Tuesday disclosed the  title and set the release date for its next album, "How to  Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," which will hit record shops on Nov.  23.


Modena, 20:10 - CALCIO, MODENA: ALLA RIPRESA TERAPIE PER TRE

Ripresa degli allenamenti per il Modena, con la squadra che ha svolto una seduta atletica terminata ...


China is to abolish tuition fees for 150 million rural students in a bid to tackle rural poverty, state media say.


Thompson's Senate career faces scrutiny as nears WHouse race

Fred Thompson, a Hollywood actor turned White House contender, had a reputation while a U.S. senator of being frustrated with the slow-moving legislative process and preferring dining with friends to late-night congressional sessions.


Tokyo stocks fell on Thursday as caution  about earnings hurt Kyocera Corp. and other tech firms after  disappointing outlooks this week from Elpida Memory Inc. and  Nintendo Co.


UN chief Kofi Annan urges Iraq's interim government to reach out to the Sunni Muslim minority ahead of elections.


Sebrle soars as Americans struggle in first day of decathlon

Reigning world champion Tom Pappas suffered from a crisis in confidence Monday as he faded from the medal picture in a tough first day of the Olympic decathlon.


Thousands of supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition paralyzed parts of central Beirut on Saturday as defiant Prime Minister Fouad Siniora won fresh international backing.


More Bad News for Press as R.I. TV Reporter is Sentenced

Editor and Publisher - Jim Taricani, an investigative reporter for a television station in Providence, R.I., was sentenced late this afternoon to six months of home confinement for refusing to reveal the source who provided him with an FBI videotape, according to the Website of WJAR-TV, where he works.


Top English football club wages are set to break the Â£1bn barrier for the first time in the Premier League's history, a report says.


"The Price Is Right" needs a host, and Rosie O'Donnell is interested. Very interested. The 45-year-old said on her blog recently that she was meeting with the "Price" people this week and that she "sure would" accept the job if they offer.


LOS ANGELES - Howard Stern's move to Sirius Satellite Radio will unlock the one key regulatory advantage possessed by the satellite radio industry: Stern can finally say exactly what he wants on the air.


The family of the British hostage Kenneth Bigley confirm that he has been killed by his captors in Iraq.


Investors shrugged off rising crude futures Wednesday to capture bargain-priced shares, sending the Nasdaq composite index up 2 percent ahead of Google Inc.'s much-anticipated initial public offering of stock. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more ...


Trojans overcome mistakes, weather to rally past Beavers

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Thirty-seven years ago, a top-ranked USC team came to this Pacific 10 Conference outpost and could not overcome a muddy field in a stunning loss to Oregon State.


Hornets Guard Davis Out With Ankle Injury

New Orleans guard Baron Davis missed Monday's game against Philadelphia because of an ankle injury.


Americans Carly Patterson, Michael Phelps Win Gold

Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Carly Patterson became the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in the women's all-around gymnastics competition since Mary Lou Retton in 1984, while US swimmer Michael Phelps won a fourth gold medal in Athens.


Iraqi Soldiers Dragged Off Bus; 12 Shot Dead

Insurgents dragged Iraqi soldiers off a  bus and shot 12 of them dead in the bloodiest attack on  security forces since last weekend's historic election, the  Iraqi army said Thursday.


Presentavano falsi certificati, scoperti da Gdf R.Calabria


Struggling German retailer KarstadtQuelle on Thursday agreed with employee representatives on a cost-cutting plan that will include eliminating some 5,500 jobs, or 12 percent of its work force, and a three-year pay freeze.


Chelsea and Man Utd will meet in the last four of the Carling Cup, while Liverpool play Watford.


Avvocato, interrogatorio e' stato molto corretto


The last of four suspects in an alleged plot to blow up New York's JFK airport surrenders in Trinidad, police say.


In Wide-Open Big East, Rutgers Still Has Chance

After a weekend in which Rutgers beat South Florida and Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati, the Big East standings are a jumble.


Pomp, ceremony but no public at Mahfouz's funeral

Nobel Prize-winning author Naguib Mahfouz   was given a state funeral on Thursday but the everyday   Egyptians his novels depicted were kept out of sight by heavy   security.


Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wins the backing of a small religious party and appears ready to form a unity government.


Sen. John Kerry is sharpening his criticism of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq -- and not a moment too soon. Many Democrats were growing anxious about the Bush team's effectiveness in defining


We sift through the best that South America's largest country has to offer.


Yahoo to Buy Musicmatch for $160M in Cash

Internet portal Yahoo Inc. said Tuesday that it agreed to buy Web-based digital music and software provider Musicmatch Inc. for $160 million in cash, in a deal which will supplement the offerings of Launch, Yahoo's digital music site.


Ciampi: il presidente riprende le normali attivita

ROMA - Riprende a lavorare il capo dello Stato, dopo l'intervento chirurgico con cui, sabato, gli e' stato applicato un pacemaker. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, che ha trascorso il fine settimana nella tenuta presidenziale


Canada's Grandi ends 12-year wait for first victory

The night before Thomas Grandi captured a giant slalom for his first victory in his 12 World Cup seasons, he was approached by a youngster who predicted he would win.


Microsoft, Others File More Anti-Spam Lawsuits

Microsoft Corp. and other Internet access providers filed three new lawsuits on Thursday to stop the spread of unsolicited e-mail messages touting everything from home refinancing to miracle health cures.


A cheap drug has been discovered which could cut Aids-related deaths in African children by almost half. Tests on the new antibiotic drug in Zambia were so successful that the trial was halted early to make the drug available more quickly.


Chinese chipmaker licenses IBM's 45nm tech

IBM has licensed technology for making 45-nanometer chips to Shanghai-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation.


Georgian president elected amid protests

Thousands of Georgian opposition protesters denounced as fraudulent a presidential election that swept Mikhail Saakashvili to a second term, threatening instability in the former Soviet republic once considered a beacon of reform.


Premiums for job-based health insurance jumped 11.2 percent on average this year across the nation, according to a survey released Thursday, the latest evidence of a painful rise in medical costs that is placing an increasingly heavy burden on employers


Tens of thousands of troops fanned out across Pakistan on Tuesday to bolster security ahead of next week's parliamentary elections, but senior military officials say they would not try to interfere with the vote


Suicide Car Bomb Kills 17 in Northern Iraq

KIRKUK, Iraq  - A suicide bomber detonated his  vehicle near a police academy in the city of Kirkuk on  Saturday, killing at least 17 people and wounding 36, police  said, in the latest attack on Iraqi security forces.


Rapidshare's future in doubt following legal defeat

The popular file-sharing service may be forced to shut down if it can not control the uploading of pirated music to its service after a German court ruling.


Rescuers scouring the Nevada desert for missing US adventurer Steve Fossett widen their search area.


American eighth-graders improved their math and science scores on an international test last year, but fourth-graders' scores were flat and all students


House chairman stands firm on intelligence overhaul

The Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee insisted Saturday that proposed intelligence overhaul legislation must allow the Pentagon to control battlefield satellite information.


Andata primo turno, decisiva la rete di Dessena


GREENSBORO, N.C. -- After her first day of classes this week at the University of North Carolina's campus here, Aleyna Castillo crossed a field, passing joggers and cyclists and students sprawled on the grass, reading in the sunshine. She didn't linger at her brick dormitory. The Loudoun County...


Army whistleblower claims racism, sexism and demotion threats


Iraq Shi'ites Debate PM Choice, Allies After Poll

Iraq's main Shi'ite alliance, fresh  from winning landmark elections, gathered on Monday to choose a  candidate for prime minister and the allies it needs after  failing to win an absolute majority.


Australia's Rod Pampling took a four-stroke lead in the centennial Australian Open on Friday, shooting his second straight 4-under 67.


Verizon turns cell phone into credit card

Verizon Wireless subscribers will soon be able to access "mobile money" using their cell phones, the cellular operator says.


Sontag juggled contradictions in life and work

Susan Sontag, critic, novelist, public intellectual and woman of conscience, died of leukemia Tuesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.


Bulgarian Tourists in Asia Want Back Home

Politics: 30 December 2004, Thursday. Most of the Bulgarian tourists who are on a holiday trip to various parts of South East Asia want to return preliminarily, but find no cooperation from Bulgarian consular ...


Investors applaud stronger third-quarter earnings from the bottler.


It has long been suspected that manâs best friend has a special ability to sense when something is wrong with us. Now the first experiment to verify that scientifically has demonstrated that dogs are able to smell cancer.


SERBIA & MONTENEGRO:  Plea For Refugees' Right To Choose

BELGRADE, Oct 25 (IPS) - For more than a decade, the problem of refugees  in  Serbia was only expressed in numbers, exploited by politicians or   simply put aside.


Blasts hit Baghdad as deaths hit new high

Nine people were killed in bomb blasts in central Baghdad and mortars rained down on a Sunni neighborhood on Thursday as new figures showed that Iraqi civilians deaths edged up to another record in January.


Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is scheduled to appear in court in Georgia later this month on obstruction charges from an incident with police last year, The Tennessean reported Wednesday night.


Genesis mission specialists are to begin the task of examining the remains of their capsule that crashed in the Utah desert.


Best Buy Lowers Its Forecast as Profit Falls 18%

First-quarter earnings were hurt by weak profits in China and increased sales of lower-margin products like notebook computers.


New York, 10:05 - HOCKEY GHIACCIO, RISULTATI NHL

Risultati delle gare del campionato americano di hockey ghiaccio (NHL) disputate nella notte: Washin...


ADV: Long Lasting Chest Congestion Relief

Order Mucinex Expectorants online through the official site.  Learn how Mucinex tablets provide fast acting relief.  Visit the site for local flu conditions.


Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller girded for a heavier workload this season, and Lindy Ruff, his coach, has had no choice but to take advantage.


Qwest to Pay $250 Million in Fraud Probe

Qwest Communications International Inc. yesterday agreed to pay $250 million to settle Securities and Exchange Commission charges that the company fraudulently booked $3.


Police detained the top surviving leader of the Khmer Rouge on Wednesday over his role in the notorious former Cambodian regime that caused the deaths of 1.7 million people in the late 1970s.


Senior doctors are warning many emergency Caesareans may be unnecessary.


Aging donors, poor donation rates reduce heart transplants

HALIFAX - Surgeons are transplanting fewer hearts in Canada, especially among babies and children, because there aren't enough donor organs available, according to a new report.


U.S. Contractor Banned by Iraq Over Shooting

The Iraqi governmentâs authority to bar Blackwater USA, a security company that was involved in the deaths of eight Iraqis, appeared to be in question.


SLCC '07: Chicago is the metaverse's metropolis

Blog: The Windy City has more in common with 'Second Life' than you'd think. Also, nonprofits may be reaping the benefits of the virtual world better than their corporate predecessors could.


Bayer Unit to Pay $33 Mln Fine, Plead to Price Fixing

Bayer AG's US unit agreed to plead guilty and pay a $33 million fine for participating in a conspiracy to fix the price of chemicals used to make plastic grocery bags, shoe soles and


Rap Mogul Damon Dash Launches Electronics Entity

Startup consumer electronics company  ROC Digital on Monday unveiled its Rocbox line of digital music  players, further expanding the $350 million hip-hop generation  properties of music mogul Damon Dash.


Nutrients may help older people fight flu

NEW YORK  - A nutritional supplement containing antioxidants, minerals and other nutrients can boost immune function in frail older people living in nursing homes, researchers report.


A Palestinian dies of wounds suffered in a riot at an Israeli jail, as Palestinians accuse guards of provoking the trouble.


Calcutta: Team India captain Sourav Ganguly and his South African counterpart Graeme Smith joined hands with captains of seven other Test playing nations to lend support to the fight against HIV/AIDS on the occasion of World AIDS Day on Wednesday.


Pirate attacks have increased sharply, especially in Somalia and Nigeria, an international maritime watchdog agency said Thursday.


Avastin helps stem kidney cancer progression: study

The drug Avastin helped stem the progression of advanced kidney cancer better than standard therapy alone, according to a study released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting on Saturday.


US Airways Gets Permission for Gov't Loan

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A bankruptcy judge gave US Airways Group Inc...


Mobile Phone Firms Link for New High-Speed Standard

Leading wireless carriers and telecoms  equipment makers have agreed to develop an advanced mobile  phone standard capable of sending high-resolution video in an  instant, Japan's NTT DoCoMo said on Friday.


To 17-year-old Rachel Ward, the Lacoste shirt with its signature crocodile logo is the cutting edge of fashion.


Esteban Loaiza got an ovation from the fans at Yankee Stadium, the game ball from Mariano Rivera, the lineup card from Joe Torre and his 100th win as a big-leaguer last night.


Yemeni sentenced to death, others jailed over Limburg bombing

SANAA Aug 28 - A Yemeni was sentenced to death and 14 others to jail on Saturday over the 2002 bombing of the French supertanker Limburg and for other attacks, an AFP correspondent said.


The Ministry of Defence is urged to improve relations with the defence industry in a report by a committee of MPs.


Serious knife injuries have been increasing, say UK trauma experts after a hospital survey.


Roma, 18:02 - CALCIO, SERIE B: BOLOGNA BATTE MANTOVA, VOLA IL PISA

Risultati della 20/a giornata del campionato di serie B: Ascoli-Modena 1-1, Avellino-Bari 3-2, Bolog...


Gillette's Kilts says do the right thing

(Note language in final paragraph)     By Brad Dorfman


Liverpool Residents Refuse Editor Apology

A politician who tried to ease hurt feelings instead faced angry criticism Wednesday when he traveled to the hometown of a man beheaded in Iraq to apologize for his magazine's assertion that Liverpool residents were "hooked on grief."


LONDON, Dec. 3 -- The level of violence in Iraq is "much worse" than recent civil wars, outgoing U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a BBC interview to be aired Monday.


Standing in his rhinestone-studded Elvis suit with a Massachusetts license plate dangling from his neck and a Boston Red Sox hat on


Olympics: Hoop dreams turn into a nightmare

The picture of defeat is the best basketball player in the galaxy slumped on a chair in the waning minutes. The picture of defeat is a coach shaking his head in disbelief, watching his team disintegrate.


Wal-Mart Stores said today that it would rapidly expand the financial services offered in its stores, extending the reach of its retailing empire into the bank accounts of its shoppers.


Country's largest utility to be created in a merger with Public Service Enterprise Group.


E-mail platform vendor Visto said Monday that it has released software that enables wireless operators to provide real-time e-mail service similar to that provided by Good Technology and Research In Motion's BlackBerry platform.


ADV: $150,000 Mortgage for Under $690/Month

Mortgage rates are at record lows. Save $1000s on your mortgage payment. Free quotes.


Chief Constable Hugh Orde is to give the Policing Board another briefing on the Â£26.5m Belfast bank raid.


Bank Group Says Speculators Account for Many Home Defaults

Investors who tried to turn a profit on the housing market are having an outsize influence on surging mortgage defaults in former boom states like California and Florida, a banking industry group said Thursday.


ShengdaTech Provides Guidance for Fiscal 2007

TAIAN CITY, Shandong, China, June 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ShengdaTech Inc.


Seahawks can clinch playoff berth with win

SEATTLE - Thereâs plenty at stake with Seattle and Arizona meeting in late December, a showdown that carries implications for the division title and postseason.


Felix Geisendorfer's Blog: Sorting Challenge

Felix Geisendorfer has a quick little sorting example posted today showing on way to sort a multi-dimensional array.   Quick challenge, lets say you have an array and you want to iterate through your products by [the key of each subarray in $products] Product.ordering ASC. Whats the fastest way to do this?    His solution involves using an array_flip call on the extracted information (using Set::extract), ordering it with ksort and pushing the values back into the $product array in the right order.   Check out the comments for more examples including ones that make use of array_multisort.


Protesters, police clash after Rostock anti-G8 demo

German police clashed with  hundreds of protesters in the port of Rostock on Saturday  following a much larger peaceful demonstration against next  week's Group of Eight summit in a nearby Baltic resort.


Media Repeat Bid to Unseal Bryant Records

The dismissal of the sex assault charge against Kobe Bryant underscores why records in the case should be made public, media organizations said in motions Monday to unseal the evidence.


Tabu enters Bhumika Chawla's room with a bunch of plump women garbed in loud shimmering chiffons and begins to chat up all and sundry. A Cut! is called for.


JERUSALEM - A Palestinian teenager blew herself up at a busy Jerusalem bus station Wednesday, killing two Israeli policemen who stopped her for a security check and wounding 16 bystanders in an attack that evaded Israel's clampdown on the West Bank for the Jewish holidays.    Early Thursday, two armed Palestinians infiltrated an Israeli army outpost in a Gaza Strip settlement, killing at least three Israelis in a fierce gun battle before being shot dead, Israeli media reported...


Darling plays wait and see on HMRC disc loss

No intelligence pointing to fraud - no intelligence at all The chancellor Alistair Darling today batted away MPs questions on how his department handled the loss of 25 million child benefit records by repeatedly deferring to a report not due for several months.â¦


Preparations begin for Clinton heart surgery

NEW YORK A hospital source says doctors began preparing former President Bill Clinton for a heart bypass operation today. Preparations for the surgery began at about 6:45 this morning in the operating room


E. Coli Found Near 2 Calif. Spinach Farms

E. coli similar to that linked to a recent deadly outbreak has been found in eight fecal samples collected near two California farms that may have been a source of contaminated spinach.


Egypt Internet video sharpens torture debate

The grainy video purports to show an Egyptian man, naked from the waist down, writhing in agony as he is sodomised with a stick by a police officer. A handful of other officers stand by watching.


Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn and Dido are the latest stars to sign up for a new Band Aid charity single.


HIV infection raises lung cancer risk: study

Independent of cigarette  smoking, infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is  associated with an elevated risk for developing lung cancer, a  study shows.


Tripartite summit opens in Madrid as Chirac, Schroeder arrive

The leaders of France, Germany and Spain opened summit talks here Monday with talks on cementing EU unity and fighting terrorism topping their agenda.


Leaders from China, Russia and four Central Asian countries agreed yesterday to boost economic cooperation to strengthen joint efforts in the fight against terrorism.


Bin Laden Releases Video as C.I.A. Issues Warning

Details of a new video emerged as the director of the C.I.A. gave a public warning about Al Qaedaâs growing strength.


Dimissioni Tronchetti, per Cdl 'vicenda ancora piu' oscura'


Intel expects small quad-core desktop sales until Q4 07?

Core 2 Duo to dominate through Q3 2007 Intel does not expect quad-core processors to make any major impact on the desktop PC market through to the end of Q3 2007 if a presentation slide allegedly leaked from the chip giant is to be believed.â¦


OnStar's turn-by turn-navigation system is equipped with operators at the ready to help you safely reach your destination. In Autopia.


DEFENDING champion Ernie Els recovered from a sluggish start to lead Briton Scott Drummond by two holes with two to play after a rainswept opening day of the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth yesterday.


Sallie Mae to Sell Stock to Pay Off a Failed Bet

The troubled student loan giant, said it would raise $2.5 billion by selling stock and use the money to pay off a disastrous bet on its commons stock price.


Let's begin with the caveat that this was the first preseason game of a new era of Sixers basketball. And as head coach Jim O'Brien fairly stated before last night's game against Washington at Duke University


The Cambridge University team which discovered that sheep prefer happy, smiley people has once again pushed back the envelope of ovine understanding with the revelation that sheep cheer up when they see snaps of friends and relatives.


Kyoto can't do the job alone says expert

One of the world's top thinkers on climate change, Eileen Claussen, says more than just the Kyoto Protocol is needed to tackle the issue.


State's Final Plan Keeps Zoar Area Undisturbed

By John F. Bonfatti  The tall trees and spectacular landscape in and along the gorge at state-owned Zoar Valley will remain undisturbed, according to the state's final management plan for the area.


Liverpool is close to becoming the third Premier League club owned by Americans.Comment


Moammar Gadhafi attempts to boost Libya's oil and gas output by bringing back a group of majors.


Biogen Idec still on top in MS drug fight

In early 2002, Serono Inc. launched an assault on the multiple sclerosis market n the United States with its drug Rebif, taking aim at the leader, Biogen Idec Inc.'s Avonex.


Prime Minister Tony Blair described his disgust at photos showing abuse of Iraqi civilians, as news of the courts martial of soldiers accused of carrying out the abuse stunned and shamed the nation.


A row is brewing over planned new laws which critics claim would allow euthanasia by the back door.


China Determined to Crush Taiwan Independence - Hu

China is determined and has the ability  to crush any attempt by Taiwan to declare independence,  Communist Party chief Hu Jintao said on Sunday amid tensions  with the self-ruled island over which Beijing claims  sovereignty.


Update 1: Jobless Claims Decline Sharply Last Week

The number of new applications filed last week for unemployment benefits fell sharply, offering a hopeful sign that the recovery in the job market may be gaining some steam.


DEERFIELD, Ill. Scottie Pippen is about to join former teammate Michael Jordan in retirement. A source has told The Associated Press that Pippen is scheduled to announce his retirement when the Chicago Bulls open training camp tomorrow.


Nuclear technology is now so widespread that it is only political will which stops many countries from making nuclear weapons. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the UN's nuclear regulatory body the


Low-dose vaccine helps block flu, study says

Scientists reported yesterday that flu vaccine given in lower doses appears to provide as much protection to younger adults as regular-strength shots and could


Pdl non e' confluenza An, se ne discutera' per tempo necessario


France, U.S. agree useless to talk to Syria: Chirac

France and the United States agree there  is no point in talking to Syria because the conditions for an  honest dialogue do not exist, President Jacques Chirac said on  Wednesday.


More than 40% of wired Americans have used the net for information about the US election, a study finds.


com staff writers. Rick Hendrick, his family and the Hendrick Motorsports organization are in the process of mourning the loss of their loved ones and friends who were on board the small Beech


A high-speed train derailed in eastern Australia early Tuesday morning, injuring dozens of passengers, police have said. The train, with 157 passengers and seven crew on board, came


Cricket: West Indies Defeats Pakistan, Advances to Champions' ...

The West Indies cricket team has defeated Pakistan by seven wickets at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, and reached the finals of the International Cricket Council's Champions' Trophy tournament.


England must decide whether to risk Andrew Flintoff in the third one-day international against India on Monday.


Tim Henman, the British No 1, lost his rain-delayed opening match against the world No 2 Andy Roddick at the Masters Cup in Houston this morning.


1,200 sign up for drug import plan in first 2 months

Only 1,200 people have signed on to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's program to help residents in Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri import prescription drugs from Europe and Canada, but


Satellite Radio Companies Agree to Merge

XM and Sirius announced a consolidation that is sure to face scrutiny from federal regulators.


Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Coburn, who has been accused of sterilizing a young woman without her permission 14 years ago, now says he has performed similar procedures on "lots" of underage women.


Less than a year after walking away with the three top prizes, England have failed to receive a single nomination in any of the major categories for the annual International Rugby Board awards.


BASEL, Switzerland  - Net profits at Novartis AG  rose by a lower-than-expected 15 percent last year as  restructuring costs weighed, the company reported on Thursday,  but the world's sixth biggest drugmaker said it expects record  sales in 2005.


Women a rare sight in China's corridors of power

There are women to be found in China's halls of power, but most of them are serving tea.


Witnesses Link Accused Zeta-Jones Stalker to Calls

Police investigating the woman  accused of stalking Catherine Zeta-Jones found links to a  telephone calling card used to make death threats against the  Oscar-winning actress, a detective testified on Thursday.


State Task Force on Global Warming Hasn't Formed Yet

By Blackwell Thomas  SPRINGFIELD - Four months after Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed an executive order creating a global warming task force, no members have been announced for the panel and no meetings have been held.


East Timor's capital was returning to normal after Australian troops took to the streets to restore order and stop bloody clashes between the Timorese military and rebel soldiers.


Sony posts Skype-packing PSP firmware update

Go!Messenger teaser included too Todayâs the day that Skype finally comes to the PlayStation Portable (PSP), along with a teaser for the forthcoming Go!Messenger application.â¦


Audit Finds Large FBI Translation Backlog

WASHINGTON - The FBI has a backlog of hundreds of thousands of hours of untranslated audio recordings from terror and espionage investigations, despite large increases in money and personnel for translations since the 2001 terror attacks, a Justice Department audit released Monday said.    In addition, the audit by Glenn A...


Iraq ; Briton Questioned in Kabul Over Role in UN Hostage Release

Iraq News, KABUL, A British freelance cameraman said yesterday he was detained by Afghan authorities for his role in the release of three UN hostages and came under pressure to sign a statement saying he was part of the kidnap gang.


UA's Beard swims to silver in medley debut

ATHENS - American swimmer Michael Phelps collected two more gold medals Tuesday, but even he knew he wasn't the story of the day from the Summer Olympics in Athens.


Volume-license customers can get their hands on the new Microsoft OS, but everybody else will have to wait till January. In Monkey Bites.


Henman is quickly back into a winning groove

Tim Henman showed few signs of ring-rustiness as he opened his campaign yesterday in the Masters Series event with a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over Spain's Albert Costa in his first match for 24 days.


The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States is investigating a high-ranking official in the Defence Department who is suspected of spying for the Israeli government.


Mosul, trovati cinque corpi senza testa. Bombe a Mosul e Ramadi

Simona Pari e Simona Torretta sono state ricevute in Vaticano dal papa. Giovanni Paolo II le ha accolte dicendo: Â«Grazie a Dio siete salveÂ». Le due ragazze, non hanno nascosto la loro commozione e nell'incontro


Sportsmanship slipping away from the hosts

Athens -- It's a good thing the Olympics end today. It seems the American team has overstayed its welcome by a few days. For the most part, the Greeks have been outstanding hosts.


SALISBURY, Maryland - A teacher who did not have time to escort three students to the restroom is under fire for allegedly telling them to urinate in a soda bottle.  The students did as they were told, said Thomas Field, interim superintendent of Wicomico County schools.


By measuring variations in satellite orbits, scientists have found the first direct evidence of one of the hallowed tenets of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity - that the Earth and other large celestial bodies distort space and time as they


The price of a pizza in Iraq: an eye and a leg

Constantine Rodriguez had just fetched chili peppers and was going out to get some onions when he heard the siren for an incoming rocket. All he remembers was a door blasting open and a loud explosion.


A major UK presence in Afghanistan will need to last three decades, says the new ambassador.


In Italia tasso stabile al 6%, in calo dello 0,5% sul 2007


As technologically advanced as our country is today, it's both frustrating and heartbreaking that millions of Americans of all ages and across all social, cultural and ethnic groups are still battling life-threatening and debilitating diseases.


Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus, and Lance Berkman drove in two runs each and the Houston Astros shook off Pirates starter Oliver Perez's dominance in the opener, beating the Pirates, 9-2, for their 13th victory in 14 games and a doubleheader split last night in Pittsburgh.


AKRON, Ohio - President Bush and John Kerry battled over the economy and jobs in a small corner of the campaign's most fiercely contested state Saturday as polls showed a post-convention surge for the Republican in the White House.    With little more than eight weeks remaining to Election Day, a Newsweek survey gave the president a lead of 52-41 over Kerry, with independent Ralph Nader at 3 percent...


American, 3 others kidnapped Mon. in Baghdad

(Baghdad, Iraq-AP) Nov. 1, 2004 - US Embassy officials are confirming that an American is among four foreigners abducted during a bloody assault at their office in Baghdad.


Republican Mitt Romney on Sunday asked Michigan's electorate to vote its self-interest Â and his.


Former Conservative prime minister Baroness Thatcher is meeting Gordon Brown in Downing Street.


Weyerhaeuser Earnings Up, But Costs Weigh

U.S. forest products company  Weyerhaeuser Co. WY.Non Friday posted a higher fourth-quarter  profit but said greater-than-expected costs hurt results and  that bad weather could weigh on first-quarter earnings.


DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah Sept. 8, 2004 - A space capsule holding atoms collected from solar wind was en route to a tricky rendezvous with Earth, offering scientists the first material NASA has brought back from space in nearly three decades.


A Buyout Deal That Has Many Shades of Green

A confluence of business decisions and environmental concerns drove the TXU buyout.


Making investment decisions all boils down to answering two questions.