Google Apps aims beyond Microsoft Office

(InfoWorld) - Following Google's announcement on Thursday that it would offer an enhanced version of its Google Apps, dubbed Google Apps Premier Edition, the company left no doubt about the direction in which it was heading. Not only has it added key business applications -- a word processor and spreadsheet -- to Google Apps, but the company is offering the kind of support corporate IT would expect: IT management tools, technical support, and service level agreements for uptime. Even all that, however, does not tell the entire story or give the scope of Googleâs plans. In its press announcement and in an interview with a Google executive, Dave Giroud, vice president and general manager of the Enterprise Unit, Google made it clear that it will offer APIs for business integration, thus creating a business platform not unlike what Salesforce.com offers with AppExchange. [Related story: "Avaya to add VoIP to Google Apps" | Podcast: Google's Rajen Sheth discusses Apps | Talkback: "Can Web-based applications outwit, outplay, outlast the desktop?"] If that happens it could become the center of an application ecosystem that leaves traditional desktop applications in the dust. Both Avaya and Postini participated in the Google announcement on Thursday saying they would develop a "variety of solutions" based on Google's APIs. Included among those third-party applications will be e-mail gateways, enhanced security, calendar synchronization, and VoIP integration between Avaya and Google Talk. The reason some analysts have characterized the announcement as historic rests with the fact that Google is the first top-tier company to offer a 21st century solution that will compete with Microsoft Office, a suite of applications created in the 20th century and well before the Internet or HTML existed. With the addition of word processing and a spreadsheet as well as support, Google Apps could very well represent a watershed moment in a wave of online applications from many other new companies that some day might overwhelm giant Microsoft. However, Josh Greenberg, senior analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting, offers more cautions than he does encomiums about Google Apps and how successful Google can be against the Redmond giant. "Google is the number one media company and they have a great search. That doesn't mean they have the credentials to be a player in desktop applications," Greenberg said. Greenberg says Google needs to "dress up" Google Apps to make it look corporate in terms of security, feature functionality, and interoperability. But perhaps more importantly, Microsoft is not standing still, Greenberg adds. Microsoft is no longer a collection of stand-alone applications. It is morphing into a strategic interface for ERP and other transaction processes, Greenberg says, pointing out the recent deal with SAP and the co-developed Duet technology. "Every single enterprise player of note has an Office interface," Greenberg said. And despite Google's wide appeal in the consumer market, corporate uptake of Office drives a tremendous amount of personal use, he added. Is this a play on Google's part to go head to head against a player in its own backyard, Salesforce.com and its AppExchange? For that to happen it would require a huge uptake on the part of third-party application developers. Tony Meadow, president of Bear River Associates, an application development company, says the promise of a huge, available market for third-party applications does not always guarantee that developers will follow it. Meadow says that idea already exists with Microsoft and it has only been successful to a limited extent. "There are people who develop complete spreadsheets with Excel that are sold as products, so it is not inconceivable that it will happen with Google but at this point it is an unknown," Meadow said. Despite the roadblocks to gain entry into the enterprise all indications point to Google gearing up to do just that. Sources say Google is buying up a great deal of dark fiber all around the country and at the same time hiring telecommunications engineers and delivering during the past year or two thousands of server blades to what are called Peering Centers, datacenters where networks converge to optimize connectivity. This could be happening so that Google can offer the kind of quality of service, so-called five 9s uptime, required by the very biggest of enterprises before they would consider using an online streaming application. Finally, Google executives are already making it quite clear where they are heading. Both Douglas Merrill, CIO and vice president of Engineering at Google, and Eric Schmidt, CEO, are increasingly going on the record about Google Apps in the enterprise. "The hardest thing to build is a million-user consumer application with no downtime. We have taken that opportunity to bullet proof [for] large scale enterprise applications," Schmidt said. Merrill even touches on the current climate of government regulations and the fact that Google Apps were built to meet those new demands. "We built applications to meet regulatory requirement for even the largest enterprise companies. That means Google Apps already have enterprise security built into them," Merrill said. Nevertheless, Google isn't the first company to attempt an Office killer. Whether it is Sun's Star Office most recently or WordPerfect from a previous generation, with 450 million users, chipping away at the Microsoft Office user base won't be easy. Greenberg has reservations about whether or not Google understands this part of the market well enough to be a serious competitor. And he warns that one of the lessons of capitalism in the 20th century is that "extreme verticalization" doesn't succeed. Companies need to outsource functions that companies are not an expert at. And, some would say, what Google does best is search and they should not get diverted by what other companies do best. Only time will tell. Jeffrey Falk, director of product development at The Members Group says his company, which has about 150 people and revenues in the $50 million range, would consider Google Apps as a replacement for Microsoft Office mostly for the cost savings. But, he added it would have to meet a number of stringent requirements first. "If we could find an ironclad solution that would deliver a quick time to market as far as the learning curve for us and we could overcome the hurdles of security and become comfortable with that, Google Apps has some legs," Falk said.


Il piccolo aveva sette anni, accusati di spionaggio


MATCH-WINNER Lee Carsley celebrated Everton's first derby win at Goodison in seven years by declaring: "It feels like we've won the title itself!


Doggedly Persistent, Untying Medicare Knots for the Elderly

Frederic Riccardi is an attack dog disguised as a health insurance counselor.


Hands On With the PS3's New DVD Features

PC Magazine - Released this week, the version 1.80 system software update for the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console adds HD-resolution upscaling for DVD video and PlayStation/PlayStation 2 games. The verdict? Better results in some video formats, and worse results in others.


Misano, 11:42 - MOTO, GP SAN MARINO; PRIME LIBERE: MELANDRI IL PIU' VELOCE

Marco Melandri su Honda è stato il piÃ¹ veloce nelle prime prove libere del Gp di San Marino c...


Fifth seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile became the biggest casualty of this year's Wimbledon when he lost 6-3 3-6 6-3 4-6 8-6 in the third round to Serb Janko Tipsarevic on Friday.


Wataru Misaka, the first Japanese-American to play basketball in the N.B.A., remains a gentle reminder of the sport's first steps toward diversity.


Taylor Case Defendant Considering Plea Deal

The lawyer for one of the four men charged with killing Sean Taylor said Friday that he was talking with prosecutors about a plea agreement that may include testifying against the others.


Europeans, Americans wary of China economy: poll

Nearly 60 percent of Europeans and  Americans see China's growing economic power as a threat  although they are becoming more positive about globalization in  general, an opinion poll showed on Monday.


New service scans your postal mail so you can read it online.


The worst housing slump in 16 years and upheaval in financial markets have cast a shadow on the economy, leading lawmakers to question federal regulators about the path ahead for anxious consumers.


By Associated Press  Phil Mickelson is so enthused about how well he is hitting the ball that he was looking forward to tough, windy conditions along the ocean Friday at Pebble Beach.  He didn't get what he wanted and had few complaints.


Castro's fall raises questions about his health

Most Cubans did not see Fidel Castro fall after a televised speech, but by Thursday morning street corners, living rooms and workplaces were filled with hushed chatter.


UPS to buy out local partner's share in China joint venture? ...

US express mail operator United Parcel Service Inc. will take direct control of a large share of its joint venture operations in China next year, the company said Thursday.


JAKARTA - Official results have confirmed former army general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the winner of Indonesia's first direct presidential election, while incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri urged her nation Thursday to wait for the official announcement


Despite emergency end, many Pakistanis feel duped

While the government hailed an end to  emergency rule, many Pakistani politicians, voters and the  media said on Sunday that President Pervez Musharraf remained  entrenched in power with elections next month skewed in his  favor.


Zend Developer Zone: PHP Abstract Podcast Episode 32: Introduction to symfony

The Zend Developer Zone has posted episode #32 of their popular PHP podcast series (PHP Abstract) - "Introduction to symfony" as hosted by Stefan Koopmanschap.   Today's special guest is Stefan Koopmanschap. Stefan is web application developer and professional services consultant for Ibuildings.nl. He is the initiator of the SymfonyCamp event in 2007, and is also trying to promote symfony in The Netherlands with his local website symfony-framework.nl. His own website can be found at www.leftontheweb.com   You know the drill - there's three ways to get this latest and greatest show:   listen on the web via the embeded player Download the mp3 for immediate satisfaction Subscribe to their feed in your aggregator of choice


War Torn: Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles

The Times found 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war.


Currys and PC World owner DSG sees sales rise, but says profits will be hurt by poor sales of Vista-related goods.


Â«No allâinceneritoreÂ»: bloccata lâautostrada

NAPOLI â I manifestanti che protestano contro la realizzazione dellâinceneritore di Acerra hanno bloccato lâautostrada A1 Napoli Roma nei due sensi di marcia, allâaltezza dello svincolo di Afragola.


Confusion Surrounds Seizure of Iraqi Mosque

NAJAF, Iraq  - Iraq's interim government said it had defused a Shi'ite rebellion in Najaf on Friday without a shot being fired, but rebel militiamen denied police had seized the city's sacred Imam Ali Mosque from their control.


Microsoft: Office training fears overblown

(InfoWorld) - Many corporate IT managers have voiced concerns that the dramatically different user interface in Microsoft's new Office 2007 software will force them to undertake more carefully planned migrations than they've had to do in the past, with an increased amount of end-user training. But Chris Capossela, corporate vice president of the product management group in Microsoft's Business Division, insists that companies won't have to devise "some big sophisticated training plan" to roll out Office 2007. During an interview at Monday night's Windows Vista and Office 2007 launch event in New York, Capossela said IT departments can find plenty of freely available interactive training materials on Microsoft's Web site. Excerpts from the interview follow. CW: Many IT managers say they'll have to do more strategic planning for their Office 2007 rollouts because of extra training time that needs to be built in for users. What would you say to companies that are concerned about that? Capossela: Well, we certainly didn't do this lightly. We've been working on how to do this as well as we could for the past three years. We started by unveiling the new user interface many, many, many months ago to make sure people understood there was a big change coming. And then we did dramatically more end-user testing than we've done on any other piece of software. So I would say to any of the corporations that are considering this: you should know that we've tested this thing incredibly deeply to make sure that your average Office user is going to get up and running very quickly. And the feedback we're getting is that it's far less of a concern than people think it will be initially. There are two data points that we talk about. No. 1 is, for your average Office user, we see that it takes them about two days of working with the product before they say, "I'll never go back." For your power user -- the people who know the ins and outs of Excel, maybe the finance team, or the legal team when it comes to Word -- it takes them more like two weeks before they'll say, "Please don't ever take this away." And that was a little bit counter to what we first thought. We thought the more casual user would be more scared, and instead, it actually turned out to be the more die-hard user, because they know exactly where everything lives in the old version. So it takes them longer. But that's not two weeks of no productivity. That's two weeks before they say, "I'll never give this product up." When they launch the product for the first time, we've designed that very first ribbon so that the vast majority of the common things are right there. There's no hunting around for it. It's literally easy to see: how do I change a font, how do I print a file, how do I open a file, how do I save a file. CW: For those who haven't looked at Office 2007 yet, can you describe the ribbon? Capossela: The ribbon takes the place of menus and toolbars. You used to have menus that dropped down and toolbars that stacked up on top of each other. Now the ribbon is one strip of icons and galleries that you can choose from to author your documents. The vast majority of people -- something like 85 percent of our beta users -- said they were going to be far more productive with [Office] 2007 than [Office] 2003. The other thing we set up to do was to not put the training burden on the shoulders of the IT staff. We really wanted to build the training right into the product and connect that to the Web, where we have really rich training materials. The No. 1 guide I point the IT staff to is something called the interactive guides. There's an interactive guide for Word, for Excel, for PowerPoint. The interactive guide is on the Web, and it lets a user point to their favorite menu item or toolbar item in Word 2003 in a little Web page, and then we play a little video that shows how you do that exact thing in Word 2007. It's essentially a transition tool that you can use. And IT doesn't have to roll anything out. If you hit help within Office, within the product, you get access to that training material. CW: So you don't think IT departments need to build in any training, period? They can just rely on your Web site? Capossela: Absolutely. The best thing for them to do is just take a set of users and do a pilot, where they take a group, a department, and roll out Office 2007. Obviously, do it to a small enough group that IT is going to feel comfortable supporting it and see what kind of support they need for the new user interface. I think people will be very surprised that it's far less jarring than you might think. And again, we credit that to the user feedback that we got in building the product itself. CW: To sum up, then, you think the fears of IT pros about the need for more extensive training are unfounded? Capossela: I think they're rational to be concerned, and planning is a good thing. But all the data we have shows us that it is something that is much, much simpler than you at first think when you hear that the user interface has changed. CW: You said that user feedback has been far more extensive than ever before. By what magnitude? Capossela: Certainly with the focus groups and the usability tests, where we are literally bringing people together and we're watching them and talking to them, etc., I'd say that we've probably done an order of magnitude more than we've ever done before. But the thing that was really the breakthrough this time around was the instrumentation that was built right into the product. When you were using the beta of Office 2007, we were, with your permission, tracking all the things that you were doing with the mouse, all the commands that you were using. And that data was getting sent back to us so that we knew how long people were spending doing certain tasks. That's something we've just never been able to do on this type of scale before. We'd never had 3.5 million people downloading the beta and playing with that. The numbers are just absurd compared to what we've had in the past. We did 600,000 downloads in two days of the beta, and that was more than we had for the entire [Office] 2003 beta cycle. In two days. The vast majority of [beta testers] were sending information back to us, and that's how we got the 1 billion sessions that were tracked. We've just never done anything of that scale before. CW: Do you have any demographic information about the pool of testers? Capossela: It was a mix between consumers, small businesses and corporations. And it was all over the world, because we did the beta in many, many different languages. So it wasn't like it was a financial services thing in New York City. It really was incredibly broad because the download was available for anybody. CW: Did you ask the testers for any information about themselves? Capossela: A little bit of data, but we don't force a lot of profile information. Otherwise, people aren't going to be more likely to play with it. For us, it's not that important to know women between the ages of 24 and 32 beta-tested it. For us, it's just, "Hey, the more beta testers we can get, the more representative that is of the 500 million people that use the product." CW: Are you getting any feedback on the new default file format -- Office Open XML? Capossela: I think it's going to be something that corporations take different approaches on. Some companies, I think, will want the improved security. They'll want the more compact file size. And they'll want to know that they're archiving data in a format that is completely open and that 100 years from now, they won't need a copy of Word to get into one of those files. Then there are corporations that are going to say, "You know what? This is going to take us some time, and we're going to turn the default back to the binary formats because we know those binary formats will work with everybody who has older versions of Office, without them having to download a patch. So, we are going to take a more cautious approach." Some of it depends on what is important for the corporation itself. If they're worried about security attacks against the binary formats, XML is far and away the best way to get secure because that file format was built as a much, much more robust format. It's much harder to break into that format. CW: Isn't it only a question of time before the hackers figure out how to break into it? Capossela: With any piece of software, it's just a matter of time, if somebody wants to dedicate their life to do something like that. But I think it gets a lot harder. It's a little like piracy. Do you do nothing because there will be pirates out there? Or do you do things to really stop the casual pirates, stop the casual hackers [and] make it as hard as you possibly can for people to break into your applications. That's certainly what we're doing. CW: How tough is it to revert back to the binary formats? Capossela: It's a single switch in the Options dialog that says, for my default format, I want to use the binary formats instead of XML. It takes me about two seconds to do it on any machine I walk up to. IT, of course, will do that before they roll Office out. So it's not like you have to go do that to every machine.


Israel frees funds for Abbas; Hamas calls it bribery

Israel agreed on Sunday to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's new government, a move Hamas dismissed as "bribery" to fuel tensions with Islamists controlling Gaza.


Napoli, 20:06 - CALCIO, EMPOLI: PER POZZI SI TEME LA ROTTURA DEL CROCIATO

L'attaccante dell'Empoli Nicola Pozzi, autore del secondo gol dei toscani al San Paolo, a seguito de...


Belgrado, 18:44 - CALCIO, CHAMPIONS: STELLA ROSSA OFFRE STADIO A INTER

Il Marakanà di Belgrado offerto all'Inter per l'andata del match del 21 febbraio con il Valen...


The Jab We Met actress will soon have something in common with John Abraham.


Leading Republicans and Democrats in  the U.S. Congress introduced legislation on Tuesday that would  create a new intelligence director and implement other  recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission.


Norwegians fathered by German soldiers in World War II go to court in Strasbourg demanding compensation.


UBS in shareholder plea as subprime fallout weighs

UBS AG  said it cannot predict the final impact of the subprime crisis but that a new capital injection would strengthen its position as it called on shareholders to support its emergency capital hike.


Microsoft Corp. will drop a much-touted new technology for organising and storing data when it releases the next version of its Windows operating system as expected in 2006.


Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch are on target as in-form Liverpool plunge West Ham deeper into relegation trouble.


Cars are set alight in an Amsterdam suburb in a sixth day of unrest after a Moroccan man was shot dead by police.


Roma sempre a -11, l'Empoli raggiunge il quarto posto


Casey Stoner holds off Valentino Rossi to win the season-opening Qatar MotoGP.


GoldenGate Software Provides Near Zero-Downtime Operations for Customers Migrating From HP Tru64 Unix Operating System to HP-UX

GoldenGate Software Inc., the leading provider of high availability and  real-time data integration solutions, today announced that its  Zero-Downtime Operations solution will be available to help customers  migrate critical applications from HP Tru64 UNIX operating system to  HP-UX.


Terrorismo: annullata espulsione dell'Imam di Carmagnola

TORINO - Il Tar del Lazio annulla l'espulsione dell'Imam di Carmagnola. Fadlallah Mamour, alias Abdul Kadel, alias el Fkih, cittadino del Senegal, noto come "Imam di Carmagnola", era stato espulso dall'Italia


The US State Department has announced the cancellation of Secretary of State Colin Powell's planned lightning visit to Athens to attend the Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday.


Exit polls in Ukraine's presidential election appear to show that none of the 24 candidates has won the election outright. The vote has been largely split between the prime minister Viktor Yanukovich and the main opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.


EU Court Says File Sharers Don't Have to be Named

The EU's top court ruled that telecoms do not have to reveal file-sharers' names when subpoenaed in civil cases.


Gabe: Pokemon League is tonight. Congrats to everyone that got their first gym badge at the last meeting. We're starting a new season tonight so I hope everyone worked on getting any illegal cards out of their decks. You can find the current modified legal card list here. I believe we're entering the Pastoria City season which means we'll all be playing for our Fen badges. If you have not registered on Go-Pokemon.com yet, be sure and do that so you can start earning points towards your badge. We'll try to get the matches started as close to six as possible. If you'd like to show up early to trade feel free. See you all tonight.  -Gabe out


Fiji troops block roads around government offices

Heavily armed Fijian troops set up roadblocks on Tuesday around government buildings which included the office of embattled Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.


MacBook Pros Look Like Older Models, but the Innards Are Different

Apple rarely makes sweeping changes to its product line, which is why its new MacBook Pro laptops look identical to older models.


Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said in a speech Thursday that the central bank is prepared to continue lowering interest rates in order to help keep the economy on track.


Levodopa's Effect on Parkinson's Disease Unclear

Although symptoms of Parkinson's disease often improve when the drug levodopa is given, brain scan results suggest that the drug hastens progression of the disease, according to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine.


Some Apple customers irate over Time Capsule

Some Apple Inc. customers who bought the company's AirPort Extreme wireless router last year are annoyed that the new Time Capsule backup appliance allows for wireless backups -- and the Airport Extreme doesn't.


For Iraq, Common Ground Can Be Found on Soccer Field

Iraq is soccer crazy, and despite bombings and shootings that are sometimes aimed at amateur teams, it remains the national game.


Earnings Manipulation Suggested at Fannie Mae

Federal regulators have found evidence suggesting that mortgage giant Fannie Mae manipulated earnings to facilitate bigger bonuses to executives, according to a lawmaker familiar with the findings.


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A car bomb exploded near Palestinian security headquarters in Gaza City after nightfall Tuesday as security chief Moussa Arafat's convoy was leaving, witnesses said.


The loud Atom evangelist Tim Bray talks about everything from Ruby to simplified equal opportunity.


Sri Lanka president offers talks from former Tiger town

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapkse offered fresh peace talks and asked Tiger rebels to lay down weapons as he visited this former guerrilla-held town.


2 of 12 Beijing Olympic venues completed

Two of 12 new Beijing Olympic venues have been completed and could be handed over to officials as early as next week.


Investors push 90 companies for say on CEO pay

U.S. CEO pay packages will come under greater fire at annual meetings in the next few months as more than 90 U.S. corporations face resolutions from stockholders battered by the credit crunch and economic slowdown.


That's not quite correct. We went to war based on our need to stand behind our leadership on the unanimous passage by the UN Security Council of Resolution 1441, which declared that Saddam must disarm and come ...


SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo Inc. in November will close PayDirect, its online payments service that aimed to compete with eBay Inc.'s PayPal, the company said Friday.


Improved shuttle fuel tank ships to Kennedy this week

NASA will cross off one more goal from its shuttle return-to-flight checklist this week when it ships an improved space shuttle external fuel tank to the Kennedy Space Center, officials said Tuesday.


16 set 15:08 Furti di auto: in calo del 5% ma sparisce una vettura ...

FORLI' - Scendono nel nostro Paese i furti d'auto: nel 2003 la diminuzione e' stata del 5%. Lo rivela un'inchiesta condotta dall'Asaps (Associazione amici della polizia stradale). Il numero di auto rubate


Palermo, 17:56 - CALCIO, PALERMO: DA ZAMPARINI 100 MILA EURO A FAMIGLIA POLIZIOTTO

L'amministratore delegato del Palermo Rinaldo Sagramola sarà presente domani a Catania ai fun...


Russian oil giant wants judge to stop auction of asset

HOUSTON Lawyers for Russian oil giant Yukos have asked a Houston bankruptcy judge to block Sunday's auction of its main production subsidiary.


China to levy tariffs on some textile exports

The US and the EU have responded cautiously to Chinaâs announcement that it would impose export duties on some textile products to ensure a âsmooth transitionâ on the


Operazione sarebbe organizzata da BHP Billiton e Rio Tinto


Next Chief Executive Named for Univision

he private investor group that is acquiring Univision Communications said Tuesday that it had named Joe Uva, president and chief executive of OMD Worldwide, to become chief executive when the acquisition closes.


U.S. retail sales over the Internet rose 0.9 percent in the second quarter of 2004 and gained 23.1 percent compared with the same period last year as consumers continued to turn to e-commerce to make purchases, a government report showed on Friday.


Carlos Chex knows well the struggle of indigenous tribes to control their land, resources and destiny — a battle his fellow Mayans in Guatemala have fought for years.


Legislators meet for talks in Washington aimed at finding a new global deal to curb climate change.


German economic growth has picked up, lifted by strong export demand. Europe's largest economy grew by 0.5% in the three months to the end of June from the previous quarter and 0.2% from the same period a year ...


WASHINGTON -- From a pending invasion of Fallujah to a proposed overhaul of Social Security, President Bush came out blazing immediately after his victory last week with plans for forceful policy strokes at home and abroad -- suggesting he will waste


Douglas to Film New 'Romancing' Sequel in India

Oscar-winner Michael Douglas has signed  up Indian film producers to shoot a sequel to the films that  helped make him a big-screen star two decades ago.


Old Pulp Fiction Never Dies, It Just Finds a New Biz Model

Where do old novels go when they're out of print? Mostly they moulder in used book stores or get boxed away in basements. But sometimes, on the rarest of occasions, they see new life.


Jazeera: Hostage Asks British Troops to Leave Iraq

Iraqi-British national Margaret Hassan who is held hostage in Iraq urged Britain to pull out troops and release Iraqi women prisoners, Al Jazeera television said Wednesday.


Channel 4 will air images of the crash that killed Princess Diana, despite appeals from her sons.


David Beckham quit as England captain on Sunday, the morning after his side lost in the World Cup quarterfinals to Portugal.


Eight Indicted on Terror Charges in Spain

A Spanish judge indicted eight people on terrorism charges Monday, saying they had provided logistical help and false documents for suspects in the Sept. 11 attacks.


Small Israeli force enters southern Gaza: witnesses

A small Israeli ground force entered the southern Gaza Strip at dawn on Friday, the army and local residents said.


Even as antismoking campaigns have sharply reduced tobacco use, a recent study suggested that more than half of poor, black young adults smoke cigarettes.


US stocks were set for a slightly lower open Thursday as disappointing results from coffee shop chain Starbucks and volatile oil prices may take the steam out of yesterday's rally.


Weakened typhoon moves into northern Japan

TOKYO Typhoon Chaba hit northern Japan on Tuesday after leaving at least 11 feared dead elsewhere in the country, while the Northern Mariana Islands braced for another storm and the death toll from flooding in the Philippines rose to 43.


(InfoWorld) - Google Inc.'s acquisition of security company GreenBorder Technologies Inc. is a sign the search giant wants to bolster confidence in its browser-delivered applications amid growing threats from malicious software on the Internet. The acquisition,Â made earlier this month but revealed this week, gives the company a security product to offer with browser-delivered applications such as Docs and Spreadsheets, its productivity suite. Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer (IE) and Mozilla's Firefox are the most commonly used browsers, but have experienced serious security vulnerabilities. For Google, which doesn't have a browser product itself, that's bad news and could put off IT managers from using browser-based applications. With the GreenBorder buy, Google is trying to instill confidence in enterprises and users. "Our belief is not that they wanted to get in the security business, but they want to make the browsing experience safe," said Jay Heiser, a research vice president with Gartner Inc. Google hasn't detailed how it will offer GreenBorder, designed to block "untrusted" programs, including malware, from affecting the underlying system. The program works with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Microsoft's Outlook as well as other browsers and e-mail programs. GreenBorder offered a free consumer version and sold enterprise versions of its program. If a user gets infected by visiting a malicious Web site or downloads a worm from an e-mail attachment, the bad program will only run in an isolated environment, or a "separate logical domain," according to a February 2005 evaluation from KeyLabs, a security testing company now owned by AppLabs Technologies Pvt. Ltd. When users notice their systems are slowing, the malware can simply be flushed out by resetting GreenBorder, and there are no traces left on the system. It's not easy technology to build: "Desktop security suites have not utilized an approach similar to GreenBorder's due to the extremely high degree of complexity," KeyLabs' report said. And it's also not a replacement for antivirus software. Most desktop AV suites receive regular updates, called signatures, that allow the programs to identify and remove malware. GreenBorder doesn't use signatures or sweep a machine clean of malware. GreenBorder also won't stop bad software that's already on the machine, the KeyLabs report said. Still, GreenBorder has received good reviews from some users. Christian Mohn, a system administrator for the Norwegian shipping company, Seatrans AS, wrote on his blog that GreenBorder was easy-to-use and didn't slow down Internet Explorer. "All in all, I'm impressed," Mohn wrote on his blog . Whatever limitations GreenBorder may have, increased confidence in software-as-a-service applications could be a worrisome issue for companies such as Microsoft, which has competing desktop products and is trying to figure out how to turn them into online services, said Christian A. Christiansen, program vice president, security products and services, at analysis company IDC. Â ADVERTISEMENTIBM Information On Demand 2006Industrial Industry Leaders, please join us at IBM's premier information management global event, IBM Information On Demand 2006, October 15-20, Anaheim, CA. More IBM business and technical solutions content in one place than ever before! Select from  over 800 sessions. Register today!


Fourteen years ago, right here on the Old Course, I hit the greatest shot of my career-a horrifyingly hung-over lilac long iron that won the Dunhill Cup for Ireland.


NHL Season in Jeopardy as Talks End Without Agreement

Talks between team owners and  locked-out players broke off without agreement Thursday,  leaving hopes for an ice hockey season hanging by a thread.


Mac, Linux BBC iPlayers in the offing, says PM

Not that I control the Beeb or anything The Beeb's controversial decision to roll out its iPlayer TV-over-IP platform on Windows only seems to have been overruled, presumably by its own governing body.â¦


BBC education correspondent Mike Baker considers whether early years pressures can be counter-productive.


Extra is not responsible for the content of external Internet ...

The federal government is accusing six companies in the tobacco industry of a conspiracy to mislead the public, including the marketing of cigarettes to youth.


Loosen the belt buckle another notch America: Obesity rates continued their climb in 31 states last year. No state showed a decline.


Moral legacy of Nazi resister takes root in Germany - and abroad

On his centenary anniversary, Helmuth James von Moltke is praised by Chancellor Merkel as a symbol of 'European courage.'


President Bush says he won't weigh in on the 2008 presidential campaign, at least not until after the primaries. He showed Monday, though, that he has no intention of staying out of lower-ticket contests.


âAtonementâ and âSweeney Toddâ Win at Globes

At a Golden Globes ceremony derailed by striking screenwriters, âAtonementâ won for best drama and âSweeney Toddâ won for best musical or comedy.


Sprint to Slash 4,000 Jobs After Subscriber Losses

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


U.S. Mint Unveils New Designs for Nickel

WASHINGTON - Thomas Jefferson appears bolder and bigger on new five-cent pieces, marking his first makeover since he landed on the nickel in 1938.    The maker of the nation's coins, the U.S...


Scottish Power gives its backing to a Â£11.6bn takeover offer from Spanish energy company Iberdrola.


John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Barack Obama's praise of the Republican Party and Ronald Reagan Â an anathema for many Democrats, particularly union members considered crucial to winning Nevada's Democratic caucuses Saturday.


Bill Would Help Providers Refuse Abortions

Congress plans to make it a little easier for hospitals, insurers and other to refuse to provide or cover abortions.


Blumenthal to examine hospital medical supply charges

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is working with federal investigators to examine whether Yale-New Haven Hospital and other nonprofit hospitals in Connecticut are overcharging government agencies for medical supplies.


Retailers seen closing stores, paring growth

U.S. retailers will close stores and reduce square-footage growth plans this year to offset slowing sales, slumping stock prices, a saturated market and a penny conscious shopper, analysts said on Sunday.


ATLANTA - Let there be no doubt: The Auburn football team is the undisputed champion of the Southeastern Conference. And let it be written that Jason Campbell made it so.


Fondo ottimista dopo la crisi dei mutui subprime


Wall Street skids as jobs data stirs recession fear

U.S. stocks tumbled on Friday, with the Nasdaq logging its sharpest decline in nearly a year, after data showing rising unemployment stoked expectations of a recession.


KIRKSVILLE, MO. - At least eight people were killed when a commuter plane crashed into the woods near a Missouri airport on Tuesday night.


How can you have independent directors when the board chairwoman feels free to order investigators to spy on the directors?


Iraq violence lowest since '06 mosque attack: U.S.

Violence in Iraq has fallen to its lowest level since before a 2006 mosque attack which unleashed the deadliest phase of the Iraq war, the deputy commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said on Thursday.


Major election races nationwide that remained unresolved Wednesday morning:


European Judge Questions Moves Against Microsoft

The judge in Microsoft's appeal of the antitrust measures imposed by the European Commission questioned the wisdom of those moves as the hearing wound up.


The UK government has extended by three months a ban on the production of influenza vaccine at Chiron Corp.'s plant in Britain.


Dharam and Jayalalithaa congratulate STF for killing Veerappan:

[India News]: Chennai, Oct 19 : The Chief Ministers of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have applauded the Special Task Force (STF) headed by Addl Director General Vijay Kumar and Superintendent of Police, Senthumari Kannan, for killing dreaded forest


Singer Leona Lewis, the bookies'  favorite to win popular British talent spotting show "The X  Factor," has fallen victim to "celebrity cybersquatting," with  an Internet domain bearing her name up for auction on eBay.


Ukraine's leader calls for new vote to resolve disputed presidential election

Facing a relentless tide of opposition protests, embattled Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said Monday that a new election might be the only way out of a spiralling crisis that threatens to split this former ...


Movie Review | 'Foolâs Gold': Tropical Pursuit of Love, Coins and No Tan Lines

In âFoolâs Goldâ Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, as golden as a pair of rotisserie chickens, squabble and cavort in a tropical paradise.


U.N. envoy will give Serbs more time on Kosovo plan

The U.N. mediator on Kosovo's future status said on Thursday he was willing to grant Serbia more time to consider his complex plan that most see as paving the way for the province's independence from Belgrade.


Forest Was Easy Prey for Raging Tripod Fire

By Hal Bernton, Seattle Times  Sep. 24--CORRAL BUTTE, Okanogan National Forest -- This lookout offers a sobering vista of burned forests, stretching nearly 40 miles along the flanks and ridges of these northeast Washington mountains.


It's not the traditional arrangement of a son working for his father-in-law. Especially not in the supercharged atmosphere of Super Bowl week.


Cagliari, 18:52 - CALCIO, CAGLIARI: 40 GIORNI DI STOP PER LOPEZ

Il difensore del Cagliari,  Diego Lopez, dovrà  stare fuori 40 giorni. La diagnosi dell'infor...


Jury split in Spector murder trial verdict

The jury in the murder trial of Phil Spector said on Tuesday it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the charges against the legendary rock producer, and the judge dismissed the jurors for the day.


Spitzer Probe May Give Push to National Insurance Regulation

The creation of a US insurance regulator is gaining support in Congress and among consumer groups after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer disclosed his probe of improper sales practices.


Too early to gauge local effects of vaccine shortage

The effects of an unprecedented shortage of flu vaccine continued to ripple Wednesday, leaving the status of the area's scheduled flu shot clinics unknown.


The Steelers had a routine practice yesterday, but rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger changed convention slightly by not wearing a glove on his throwing (right) hand during the two-hour workout.


IBM Brings High-Performance Computing to Houston

Ziff Davis - The company's third supercomputing center will focus on the energy industry.


The Met Office is celebrating 150 years by unveiling a new supercomputer which they predict will put them at the forefront of weather forecasting.


Miyamoto: Game success takes 'balance' and 'risk'

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto, developer of games like Donkey Kong, offers conference-goers a vision for reaching broad audiences.


Nuclear equipment - and in some cases whole buildings - have vanished in Iraq, the UNâs nuclear watchdog is warning, amid fears that the material could be used to make nuclear weapons.


The Colorado Legislature launched an investigation Tuesday into whether a state lawmaker should be disciplined for kicking a newspaper photographer.


Il malato sardo deciso a ribadire la sua volonta' di morire


With the Big Four in Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters and the Williams sisters alternating injuries this year, the No. 1 ranking has been up for grabs.


Niece of Scientology's leader backs Cruise biography

The author of a controversial new biography on celebrity Scientologist Tom Cruise has found an unexpected new ally: the niece of Scientology's current leader, David Miscavige.


European stocks lost ground on Wednesday as merger speculation surrounding Société Générale failed to offset more subprime writedowns by two leading European banks and nervousness ahead of a US interest rate decision.


Le UniversitÃ  di Roma Tre e Uninettuno (pubblica e privata) lanciano un accordoE un party di fine anno a cui in contemporanea si accede da tutto il mondo                                          Due Atenei si incontrano in rete Festa senza confini su Second Life                                                                                di AGNESE ANANASSO


NEW YORKâCrude oil hit $55 (US) a barrel yesterday as traders worried over thin heating oil inventories ahead of winter and Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan predicted the soaring costs would not crimp economic growth like in the 1970s.


Frustrated Cardinals Can't Hit in Series Loss to Sox

ST. LOUIS  - While the Boston Red Sox celebrated  the end of 86 years of frustration by winning the World Series  on Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals had to deal with some new  frustrations of their own.


In Afghanistan's South, Mixed Signals for Help

KABUL -- Clutching scarves nervously around their faces, the women whispered details of Taliban atrocities taking place in their native Helmand province: A translator's body found in a sack, carved into pieces. A police officer taken hostage, blinded and garroted with wire. A woman shot and hanged...


Intanto si e' aperto oggi a Rostock un 'vertice alternativo'


Biometrics to ease CIOs' cell phone concerns

InfoWorld - A biometric systems vendor has a pitch for CIOs nervous about company executives losing their mobile phones and risking the loss of confidential information.


Helicopters removing hundreds of oil workers from North Sea 'flotel', Ministry of Defence says


Astros' RHP fined for over-the-head pitch in Game 4

St. Louis Cardinals' right-hander Julian Tavarez was fined $10,000 by Major League Baseball for throwing over the head of Astros' batter Jeff Bagwell in the seventh inning of Game 4 of the NLCS, the pitcher told ESPN on Tuesday night.


The BMA urges the Scottish Executive to show "political courage" and ban smoking in public places.


New York Apartment Buyers Face Powerful Co-Op Boards

Imagine buying a new home where your  neighbors can decide how it's decorated, what you cook for  dinner, how big your dog is and what kind of sex you have. And  they can toss you out if they don't like it.


Cleric's Lawyer Denies Lying to US Government

A lawyer accused of aiding terrorism through her defense of a militant Muslim cleric on Tuesday denied charges that she lied to the US government by signing a promise


ST. LOUIS -- The Boston Red Sox committed eight errors in the first two games of the World Series, setting a record for fielding futility, and their defensive alignment will actually get worse tonight.


Justin Langer has defended his Australian opening batting partner Matthew Hayden's decision not to walk after hitting a catch back to New Zealand bowler Paul Wiseman on day one of the second Test in Adelaide yesterday.


"Cars","Pirates" seen driving Disney earnings

DVD releases of "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and ad revenue from ESPN's Monday Night Football are expected to boost Walt Disney Co's  first-quarter earnings by a double-digit percentage.


Second-ranked Rafael Nadal was dominated in stunning fashion by unheralded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who reached the Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory.


SanDisk Names Juha Raisanen Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations and Supply Chain

SanDisk(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), the world's largest supplier of flash storage card products, announced the appointment of Juha Raisanen as senior vice president.


Up to a million jobs could be created in England if more power was devolved to cities, research suggests.


A former of British assistant of Salvador Dali is convicted of doctoring one of the surrealist's paintings.


Council President Pulls Back the Curtain

There's a new way to keep tabs on and keep in touch with the County Council. President Michael Knapp (D-Upcounty) this week unveiled his blog, "Starting With the Socks," that promises to provide readers insight into current issues and a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a council member.


NATO leaders visit Afghanistan to finalise move into south

NATO will help bring stability to Afghanistan but this must be matched by the international community's commitment to develop the country, the alliance's chief has said.


UPS profit, outlook miss view, shares tumble

United Parcel Service Inc. , the  world's largest package delivery company, on Tuesday posted  weaker-than-expected profit and warned that third-quarter  results would miss expectations, sending shares down more than  5 percent.


A Syrian court on Sunday sentenced a man believed to have known the Sept. 11 hijackers to 12 years in prison for membership in the banned Muslim Brotherhood organization, a human rights group said.


The husband of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was released from detention on bail Monday in a move that could improve relations between the country's military leader and one of its main parties.


France, Britain honor U.S. woman who spied on Nazis

Britain and France paid tribute on Tuesday to one of the greatest spies of the Second World War, a little-known Baltimore woman who organized resistance and sabotage behind Nazi lines despite a prewar hunting mishap that left her with only one leg.


Ivan's Category Five strength targeting Cuba, Yucatan Peninsula

(GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands) - It appears Hurricane Ivan is turning toward the northwest -- with its wake, death and destruction.


update A British court has ordered Internet service providers to identify 28 people who are allegedly downloading music illegally.


Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Mark L. Attanasio was introduced as next owner of the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Attanasio, an investor from Los Angeles, is planning on buying the team from the family of Commissioner Bud Selig.


Hundreds of thousands of mainly younger voters turned out to end the two years in power for Jaroslaw Kaczynski's Law and Justice Party


US Struggles to Win Hearts, Minds in Muslim World

The Bush administration is facing growing criticism from both inside and outside its ranks that it has failed to move aggressively enough in the war of ideas against Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist groups over the ...


In Brief: Sony shuffles execs in electronics group

SonyÂ is reshuffling responsibilities in its key electronics group, allowing the head of the division to play a bigger role in Sony's research and development actvities.


NATO set for early takeover of Afghan peacekeeping

PORTOROZ, Slovenia  - NATO defense chiefs were set   on Thursday to agree to take full command of peacekeeping   across all Afghanistan "as soon as is practicable" despite   worsening violence there, diplomats said.


"'CSI' Effect" Is Mixed Blessing for Real Crime Labs

Popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation have heightened public interest in forensics. So what is the job of a crime-scene investigator really like?


Longtime Warriors center Erick Dampier could be on the verge of finding a new home, 2 1/2 months after becoming a free agent.


Cancer survivor gives birth after tissue implant

A 32-year-old woman in Belgium has become the first woman ever to give birth after having ovarian tissue removed, frozen and then implanted back in her body, doctors are reporting.


Update 7: German GM Plant Workers End Walkout

Workers at a General Motors Corp. plant in Germany decided Wednesday to end their nearly weeklong walkout in protest at thousands of threatened job cuts, a union official said, ending a strike that has forced other factories to a halt.


Crew Powers Up Laboratory at International Space Station

The tin-can-shaped Columbus science laboratory, is the newest addition to the International Space Station and Europeâs largest contribution.


XM, Sirius promise low cost packages, more choice

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON  - U.S. satellite radio  companies Sirius  and XM  promised on Monday a  variety of subscription packages that cost up to 46 percent  less than current plans if their merger is approved.


Voters nationwide reported some 1,100 problems with electronic voting machines on Tuesday, including trouble choosing their intended candidates.


Critical Shopper | Dolce & Gabbana: Animal Instincts Most Costly

Dolce & Gabbanaâs newly reopened shop on Madison Avenue is as high-tech and shiny as a three-story iPhone, with black chandeliers the size of speedboats.


Battle over intelligence bill could help or hinder Hunter

When Duncan Hunter first came to Congress a quarter century ago, there were those who said he'd rather walk through a wall than open a door.


Red Sox Cruise Into 2-0 Lead Over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif.  - Pedro Martinez pitched seven  innings and Manny Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run with a  sacrifice fly to power the Boston Red Sox to an 8-3 win over  the Anaheim Angels in the American League Divisional Series  (ALDS) Wednesday.


What you're counting on might not be enough.


A video projector the size of a sugar cube is developed by researchers in Germany.


New doubts about care in community as stabbing rampage kills one ...

A mentally ill man was arrested yesterday after six people were stabbed, one of them fatally, in an hour-long rampage that has raised fresh fears about the "care in the community" programme.


Polveri sottili superano costantemente i limiti giornalieri


Adrian Mutu has been accused by the Romanian FA president of getting carried away with fame and fortune. The striker, who has admitted taking cocaine, is back in England from Rome for more talks with Chelsea.


LONDON/AMSTERDAM  - The takeover battle for ABN AMRO  heated up on Monday with the Royal Bank of Scotland  consortium boosting the cash element of its 71.1 billion-euro ($98 billion) offer.


Sox able to run down another win vs. Orioles

BALTIMORE - Manny Ramírez was back in Boston yesterday from his weekend hiatus at home in south Florida, according to Red Sox manager Terry Francona, and today is expected to pick up a bat to determine where he is in his recovery from a strained oblique.


Catania, 15:40 - CALCIO, CATANIA: PROVINCIA RINNOVA SPONSORIZZAZIONE

Per il terzo anno consecutivo la Provincia di Catania sponsorizzerà con la società di ...


CLEVELAND - Sprawled across the Gund Arena floor, LeBron James held his head. Cavaliers fans held their breath. In a split second, James crashed to the court and a season filled with playoff promise and possibilities


SYDNEY: Australian legend-in-the-making Michael Clarke trained with New South Wales yesterday, but has stuck to his pledge to play club cricket rather than face New Zealand today.


W.House rebuffs Congress, nears legal showdown

The White House moved toward a showdown in court with the Democratic-led Congress on Monday by refusing to provide demanded information and testimony in an investigation into the firing of prosecutors.


[TS] Sports of The Times: Simply Searching for Answers

As dull as the Giants were in losses to the Bears and the Jaguars, their loss to the Titans was much worse. How will Tom Coughlin pull his team back together?


By Dane Hamilton and Justin Hyde WASHINGTON/NEW YORK  - Federal regulators have launched an investigation into creditor actions in the WorldCom bankruptcy, demanding thousands of documents from bondholders related to the largest U.S. bankruptcy, according to court documents.


The funeral of two children whose father has been accused of their murder are to take place in north Wales.


Bibliophiles With Pride and Prejudice, Some in Need of Gentle Persuasion

âThe Jane Austen Book Clubâ is such a well-acted, literate adaptation of the 2004 best seller that your impulse is to forgive it for being the formulaic chick flick that it is.


Greyhound bus trip provides snapshot of U.S. poor

Every morning at 7.30 a Greyhound bus loads up with passengers in New Orleans, climbs a ramp to Interstate 10 and slips into the rush hour traffic to start its journey to Atlanta.


Terry and Gudjohnsen keep 100 per cent record intact

CHELSEA moved five points clear at the top of Group H last night, continuing their 100 per cent record in the Champions League group stage with a 2-0 win over CSKA Moscow.


OTTAWA - The prime minister's communications director is denying allegations that Paul Martin considered eliminating the Canada Health Act in a draft of his 1995 budget.


Killing in Nicaragua Makes Spectacle of the Courts

The conviction of an American citizen on charges of rape and murder, and his subsequent release, has put Nicaraguaâs justice system on trial.


1906 — Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox pitched a two-hitter over the Chicago Cubs for a 3-0 win and a 2-1 lead in the World Series.


Oil Rises as Bush Victory Signals More Oil Will Go to Reserve

Crude oil climbed more than $1 in New York on the re-election of President George W. Bush, who has been filling the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve.


DaimlerChrysler refuses to participate in possible EADS capital hike

German-US auto giant DaimlerChrysler, one of the main shareholders in EADS, has said it would not participate in a possible capital hike at the European aerospace giant.


Japan Tobacco to Buy Gallaher for $19.1B

TOKYO -- Japan Tobacco Inc. announced plans Friday to buy Britain's Gallaher Group PLC for 2.25 trillion yen ($19.1 billion) in reportedly the largest-ever corporate acquisition by a Japanese company.


Surging crowds and sharpening barbs preceded the climax of the New Hampshire primary campaign, as Democrat Barack Obama sought to hand Hillary Rodham Clinton her second defeat while Republican Mitt Romney worked furiously to avoid one himself.


Theater Review | 'Disney's The Little Mermaid': Fish Out of Water in the Deep Blue Sea

This unfocused spectacle, more parade than narrative, achieves the dubious miracle of translating an animated cartoon into something that feels like less than two dimensions.


Internosis Will Relocate To Greenbelt in October

Internosis Inc., an information technology company in Arlington, plans to move its headquarters to Greenbelt in October. The relocation will bring 170 jobs to Prince George's County.


Barry Bonds Auction Income to Help Tsunami Victims

The San Francisco Giants will  auction off a meeting with controversial baseball slugger Barry  Bonds to help victims of the Asian tsunami, the team announced  on Tuesday.


Rudi Johnson knew he was going to be a marked man before the season began. He found out how much so Sunday in the Bengals 31-24 loss to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.


Before War, CIA Warned of Negative Outcomes

On Aug. 13, 2002, the CIA completed a classified, six-page intelligence analysis that described the worst scenarios that could arise after a U.S.-led removal of Saddam Hussein: anarchy and territorial breakup in Iraq, a surge of global terrorism, and a deepening of Islamic antipathy toward the...


The World Bank says education in the Arab world lags behind other regions and needs urgent reform.


Follow all the action from the crunch game at the Stade de France with Paul Doyle


Jane Friedman, the president and chief executive of HarperCollins Publishers, is credited with inventing the author tour.


The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) said Switzerland had agreed to write off SFr264 million ($227 million) in debts dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.


At least 16 Afghan policemen die when their checkpoint in the southern province of Kandahar is attacked.


"Our hope is that all of the players involved will lock themselves in a room and not come out until they finish. We want this to be done." Â George Clooney, on the Hollywood writers strike.


OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - ÂPer Natale regala la Giornata Mondiale della GioventÃ¹ a un giovane dei paesi poveriÂ: la campagna del Comitato organizzatore della GMG Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - Sarebbe un regalo davvero speciale: per il Natale 2007 i cittadini australiani possono fare un dono straordinario a uno delle migliaia di giovani dellÂAfrica, dellÂAsia, dellÂAmerica Latina o dellÂOceania, che sognano di part...


Wal-Mart to Sell $300 PC with OpenOffice

Wal-Mart Inc. opened its campaign for the back-to-school PC sales season on Wednesday by unveiling a US$298 desktop from Everex that combines three of the most popular industry trends-- open-source software, a power-efficient processor, and a lack of "bloatware."


Toshiba has hammered another nail in the Blu-Ray coffin, by announcing a dual layer HD-DVD and DVD disc. This means that studios will be able to sell discs that have the DVD version on one side and the HD-DVD


Aumenta con il nuovo operatore virtuale pubblico il numero di servizi effettuabili con il telefonino dai bollettini ai telegrammi                                            Nasce il cellulare che trasferisce denaro    Le Poste nella telefonia mobile                                                                                di ALDO FONTANAROSA


Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever last week swept away its dual-management structure, but some observers wanted more.


Maya Nobel winner Menchu eyes Guatemala presidency

Guatemala's Maya Indian Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchu said on Wednesday she may run for president this year in a bid to become the second indigenous head of state in Latin America.


Pay rises in the private sector are now running at 4%, fuelled by higher inflation, a report says.


Chile's Supreme Court strips Augusto Pinochet of immunity, paving the way for a possible trial on human rights abuses.


Berlusconi 'fine' after New Year's Eve attack

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was slightly injured in an attack in a Rome square on New Year's Eve, said he felt fine.


Can search term data predict the next American Idol?


Bonds pursuit of homer record, tight races spice season

Major League Baseball resumes action on Thursday for the nominal second half of the six-month campaign with Barry Bonds closing in on Hank Aaron, and some tight division races adding spice to the season.


Ugandan police launch an investigation into allegations that two orphanages are involved in child trafficking.


Wayne Rooney believes the three-pronged attack of himself, Michael Owen and Jermain Defoe can put England on the fast track to the World Cup finals.


Milwaukee Bucks forward Zendon Hamilton will miss six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.


New York, 10:27 - HOCKEY GHIACCIO, RISULTATI NHL

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


Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, is raided by EU regulators amid claims it abused its market position.


Speculation persists about the future of Toys "R" Us.


The Republican National Convention in New York had a total tab of about $150 million, including security.


U.S. oil company Chevron Corp. has expressed interest in acquiring assets of oil company OAO Yukos, a Russian bankruptcy official said Friday.


The leader of French industry has accused the prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, of surrendering to trade union power after a humiliating government climbdown removed key elements of a law that would have ...


Health Tip: Your Child Needs Regular Eye Exams

(HealthDay News) -- Regular eye checkups are important, especially for children, the American Optometric Association says.


Barbra Streisand launches first US tour since 1994

Barbra Streisand opened her first  U.S. tour in 12 years on Wednesday with a polished show filled  with crowd-pleasing classics, more than a touch of nostalgia  and a healthy dose of her liberal politics.


The United States has vetoed an Arab-drafted Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate end to Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip.


W.House debate over troop withdrawal deepens: NYT

A debate is intensifying inside the White House over whether President George W. Bush should try to prevent more Republican defections by announcing intentions for a gradual withdrawal of troops from high-casualty Iraqi areas, the New York Times said on Monday.


New Method Could Stretch Flu Vaccine Supply

Injecting flu vaccine in a different way could at least double the number of people afforded protection. But they're not the people who need it most, and the technique


The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation's biggest clean-air accomplishments.


Sull'onda del dato sui nuovi posti di lavoro ad agosto


Better Life Technology has created unique garage flooring which beautifies in minutes and protects floors for years. Sizes 10' wide are available. Prevents concrete stains and deterioration.


August comps gave investors reason to celebrate.


The national exams sat by under-16s in England should be scrapped, a watchdog urges.


Largest Quake Since Oct. Hits St. Helens

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake shook the crater at Mount St. Helens on Saturday, the strongest quake at the volcano since mid-October.


Briton Ellen MacArthur suffers a head injury during her attempt to break the solo round-the-world record.


Yahoo Offers Tools to Build Mobile Widgets

Updates to Yahoo Go and the mobile browser invite third-party developers to write mobile widgets for Yahoo services.


UPDATE 3-Nastech in obesity treatment pact with Merck

Shares of Nastech Pharmaceutical Co. Inc. (NSTK.O: Quote, Profile, Research) jumped as much as 43 percent on Monday after it said it formed an alliance with Merck & Co.


North Carolina Beach Tops on `Dr. Beach's' Annual List

The best beach in the United States this year is in the Carolinas _ Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, on the southermost inhabited island in the Outer Banks.  It heads the list of top 10 beaches released Thursday by Stephen P. Leatherman, known as "Dr.


Anti-VW demo brings 15,000 to Brussels streets

At least 15,000 demonstrators marched through Brussels on Saturday in protest at planned job cuts at the Belgian factory of German car maker Volkswagen


Il possibile acquirente e' Spiegel-Verlag Augstein


The House on Tuesday rejected moves by conservatives to cut taxpayer subsidies for Amtrak as backers of the money-losing passenger railroad cemented their position in the Democratic Congress.


Bharti, six Asian mobile operators form alliance to unify ...

[Business India]: Singapore, Nov.4 : Seven Asia-Pacific mobile phone operators, including Bharti of India, with a combined total of over 56 million subscribers, on Wednesday formed an alliance aimed at creating a unified regional network.


IBM has recalled 553,000 ThinkPad AC power adapters after receiving reports that some have overheated, melting the adapter housing and charring the circuit board inside.


Scientists say they have identified the specific hormone that makes teenagers so volatile.


Average house prices in the UK are accelerating again,  the government's figures indicate.


Christopher Reeve, 'Superman' Star, Dies at 52

Actor Christopher Reeve became a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research after a near-fatal riding accident left him a quadriplegic.


EvanKai writes "Jason Schultz writes, "This just in --- Static Control Corp. has won its appeal against Lexmark over the right to produce after-market replacement cartridges for Lexmark printers.


Eccesso di potere sulla fecondazione medicalmente assistita


Al Nord il prezzo piu' basso, in Sicilia il piu' alto


Boeing Executive Jim Albaugh Speaking at Morgan Stanley Conference

CHICAGO, Sept. 13  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Jim Albaugh, Boeing  Integrated Defense Systems president and chief executive officer, will speak at the Morgan Stanley Global Industrial CEOs Unplugged Conference 2006 on Friday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. Central Time.


Red Cross: Asian Disaster Toll Could Top 100,000

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia  - Reeking corpses rotted in  the tropical sun from India to Indonesia on Wednesday and many  who escaped death from one of the worst tsunamis in history  fought for survival against thirst and disease.


Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska beats second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Australian Open.


Red-faced and scowling, an angry Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left the Knesset last night after it took the most unusual step of voting against the approval of his traditional state of the


Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a tough 2-1 win at home to an impressive Hibernian side.


EU leaders end summit divided on bloc's future

European Union leaders seeking to reassure voters about the bloc's expansion ended a summit on Friday far from united about the future shape of the union, set to grow to 27 members when Bulgaria and Romania join on January 1.


Chelsea Beats Fulham in League Cup; Watford Defeats Portsmouth

Frank Lampard scored with two minutes remaining as Chelsea defeated Fulham 2-1 to advance to the semifinals of English soccer's League Cup.


As motorists face near record gasoline prices, the Senate took up an energy bill Tuesday that would raise auto fuel economy standards for the first time in nearly 20 years and make oil industry price gouging a federal crime.


Bill Gates still No.1 after giving away $28 billion; Google founders make the list on company IPO. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Bill Gates can now breathe a sigh of relief.


After a disastrous performance in Sydney, NBC proved its Olympic mettle with multi-network, vastly expanded coverage that both did better and was better.


Gordon Brown attacks the Conservatives following the party's row over grammar schools.


Blair allies escape charges over corruption probe: reports

Prosecutors were set to confirm Friday that no one will be charged in the controversial "cash-for-honours" probe which clouded Tony Blair's last year as prime minister, reports said.


Indice Nikkei sale del 2,99%, euro debole in Asia


Study: Daily Visits to Video-Sharing Sites Double

The number of internet users checking out YouTube and similar sites jumps to 15 percent, according to a new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.


Tim Tebow threw for a career-high four touchdowns and No. 14 Florida rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 45-37 victory over No. 8 Kentucky on Saturday. It was the Gators' 21st straight win against the Wildcats.


Alligator skin luggage, or a gator in your case?

Surprised U.S. Border Patrol agents found a four-foot long alligator stuffed into a suitcase during a routine traffic stop in southwest Arizona last week.


NASA engineers shattered the aircraft speed record on Tuesday by flying their unmanned X-43A jet off the coast of California at nearly 6,600 miles per hour.


OCTOBER 07, 2004  - Looking to penetrate further into the software infrastructure market, applications vendor SAP AG is rolling out a new set of Java and business intelligence enhancements to its NetWeaver middleware and integration stack.


President Bush on Saturday urged world leaders to turn the words of a U.N. cease-fire resolution into action and help bring lasting peace to the Middle East.


Federal regulators did not authorize Google's initial public offering to proceed as of late Tuesday, a deadline the company set on the road to its highly awaited public offering.


Milan-Siviglia in diretta finale mesta a Montecarlo

Allo stadio del Principato il match decisivo della Supercoppa europea. Rossoneri a caccia del quinto trionfo. Ma il pensiero va a Puerta


Grade Hacking Began As a Joke, Challenge: That's What Cherry Hill Resident Jonathan To Told Police. The Drexel Freshman Pleaded Guilty to Theft

By Jan Hefler, The Philadelphia Inquirer  Mar. 1--It started as a practical joke and a test to see if he could change his friends' computerized grades at Cherry Hill High School East and escape detection.


Infosys' 3Q Net Profit Surges 58 Percent

India's second largest software exporter, Infosys Technologies Ltd., said Wednesday that net profit for its fiscal third quarter rose 58 percent to $112 million.


India's BJP is to announce Narendra Modi will continue as chief minister in Gujarat after his election win.


Last of Taliban's SKorean hostages freed

Afghanistan's hardline Taliban movement freed the last of its 19 South Korean hostages late Thursday bringing an end to the six-week kidnapping drama.


US, Israeli, and Palestinian Officials Discuss Peace Process

Secretary of State Colin Powell sought to revive long-stalled peace efforts in separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.


Former MP3 impresario Michael Robertson tells CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos why "free" need not be a dirty word.


As a warning against overcharging toys with lithium batteries, a government safety agency said Tuesday there have been dozens of recent reports of remote-controlled helicopters catching fire while being charged.


Or 'Academiei Jedi' as it's known locally


(InfoWorld) - The level of hysteria associated with the arrival of Apple's iPhone is just a notch, maybe two, below that of the Second Coming. However, there is a very good chance that when the smoke clears in the next weeks and months, a whole lot of disappointment, frustration, and dissatisfaction will be left behind. If the iPhone is like other wildly anticipated products in the past, this could well manifest in one or more of the following forms: * The iPhone has a massive hardware defect that results in a recall of the hardware. This is not likely, but it is a risk with all first-gen hardware. * The iPhone is initially received with warmth but, after the first year of AT&T's two-year sentence, the public begins to realize that they've been had. See: Motorola RAZR. * The iPhone is a smashing success and marks the beginning of a run of Apple dominance that, like other successful rebellions, becomes twisted and short-sighted, leaving the general public with limited market options. * The iPhone is an immediate disappointment in both the power and performance categories and is immediately recognized as such for some or all of the reasons explained below. Those are the generalities. Now, read my 13 most probable reasons the iPhone will break your heart. 13. No GPS. The more you compare the iPhone to the BlackBerry, the more it pales. Imagine attempting to navigate your way through the streets of New York City -- or anywhere else for that matter. It's really, really nice to have a built-in GPS system showing you the way. And it's really, really frustrating that Apple has neglected GPS in the iPhone. 12. Text entry won't work well. There is no way -- no way! -- that the virtual keyboard on the iPhone's touch screen interface will work as well as the physical keyboards found on BlackBerries or most other devices. Most assuredly, entering text will be a frustrating, convoluted affair. Complaints about typing have already begun to surface. 11. It's ugly! There, it had to be said. The iPhone's awkward, neo-futuristic design looks like something out of an old Star Trek episode. Remember the me-too styles and hairdos that were in vogue at the tail end of the 1980s? The iPhone feels like that, and it likely marks the end of the relatively pleasing design aesthetic that marked Apple's rise to grace. 10. Slow Internet access. The iPhone will utilize AT&T's old Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution EDGE wireless network, which means data speeds that aren't nearly as fast as far superior 3G technology. In 12 months, when everyone you know is surfing the Web at lightning-fast 3G speeds while they're mobile, you'll be stuck in the slow lane. And you'll still have one more year of locked-in service contract to go. 9. Sensitive screen = scratches. It's extremely easy to scratch the front of the iPod. It will be really easy to scratch the front screen of the iPhone, even with its glass faceplate. This is a neurotic concern, perhaps, but it's still valid, especially considering the $500 price tag for the low-end model. 8. It's pricey. As much as $600 for the phone. As much as $100 per month for a reasonable service plan. That's almost $2000 for the first year of iPhone, which is a lot of cash. Worse yet, after the first year of service, first-gen iPhone users will still have another year remaining on their contract with AT&T but by then, Apple could well be up to its third iteration of the iPhone. 7. No MMS. The absence of MMS technology means that you can't send or receive pictures via text messaging. This takes about 70 percent of the fun and usefulness out of the phone's camera. This is something that will likely be rolled into a future version. 6. Touchscreens lose their sensitivity. The hard reality of using a touchscreen on the go is that, over time, it will lose sensitivity and begin to malfunction. Ask anyone who has toted their Treo or Palm Pilot around in a bag or pocket for a few years. 5. No IM. Initially, the inability to use instant messaging apps may seem like no big deal. But it's a huge convenience for both workplace and social connectivity. BlackBerry users and Windows Mobile devices can already IM away. 4. No enterprise e-mail connectivity. Chances are that if you are reading this, you'll want to use the iPhone as a work-oriented device. Unfortunately, if your workplace doesn't utilize POP or IMAP e-mail servers, you're out of luck on the e-mail front. 3. No third-party applications. Given Apple's insistence on closed environments, it's no surprise that iPhone will not support third-party applications unless they exist within the Safari browser environment. Congratulations, Apple -- you have just stifled innovation and development on your brand new phone for years. 2. Locked to AT&T? In the eponymous 1984-themed commercial that marked the debut of the Macintosh, Apple went out of its way to emphasize freedom of choice, freedom of life, freedom from the hegemony of the PC. Does anyone else think it strange that Apple is now releasing a phone based on a closed OS with virtually no third-party application support and limited file flexibility? The clincher is that iPhone users only have one choice of service providers: AT&T. June 29, 2007 could mark the moment that Apple becomes the sort of oppressive, inflexible bad company that it has long accused Microsoft of being. 1. The smug factor. How excited are you to be on a plane surrounded by legions of iPhone users, each of whom is smugly confident that their iPhone has transformed them into a superior being? Admittedly, this complaint ranges into grumpy old man territory, but still. Remember when Apple used to be cool because it was alternative? On June 29, those days are officially over. George Jones has been an avid technophile since the day he got his first Commodore 64 (and almost electrocuted himself by cracking it open with the power on).


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


San Benedetto del Tronto, 15:42 - CALCIO, SAMBENEDETTESE: PICCIONI RESTA TECNICO

La Sambenedettese (C1/B) ha respinto le dimissioni di Enrico Piccioni. Il tecnico aveva deciso di la...


Yasser Arafat looks tired and weak, but he manages to pray

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is in a very serious condition but was able to take part in Muslim morning prayers on Thursday, officials said, as a team of foreign doctors rushed to his headquarters.


Lebanon fails to pick president, but tension eases

Lebanon's deadlocked parliament failed to elect a new head of state on Tuesday, but the anti-Syrian majority and the opposition renewed a dialogue to seek agreement before the house meets again on October 23.


Tyson Tries Something New -- Performing in Bollywood

Mike Tyson wants to try something new -- performing in Bollywood movies.  Tyson said the energy on the sets of a music video he recently shot for a new comedy got him thinking about trying to do more Bollywood work, The Times of India reported Monday in Mumbai.


Nike's Johnny Cash ad a "Hurt"-ful experience

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Nike's latest TV advertisement is an   emotional workout.


Realtors see a drop in existing home sales for second year

Next year will likely bring a second annual decline in existing home sales, the National Association of Realtors predicted on Monday.


Sport: Tottenham set to discuss personal terms with unsettled Middlesbrough defender


Barcelona is planning a pilot scheme to decide whether cannabis can be used to help patients with painful illnesses.


Ford to Offer Sirius Radio in More Vehicles

Ford Motor Co. said on Monday it would  offer Sirius satellite radio in more vehicles, as Sirius fights  to catch up with industry leader XM Satellite Radio Holdings  Inc.


IBM wins Texas-sized data center consolidation contract

IBM will run the contract and provide mainframe and server consolidation and IT operations for the Texas state government. Contract partners Unisys Corp. will provide data center operations and facilities management.


For more than three months, police Detective John Botte roamed the ruins of the World Trade Center, snapping photographs with his Leica Rangefinder camera and capturing hundreds of images of people at work on the monumental cleanup. His pictures soon appeared in a trio of books, most notably the best-selling autobiography of the city's police commissioner.


EstÃ©e Lauder Officer Joins Disney Board

The Walt Disney Company said on Wednesday that Fred H. Langhammer, an executive for the EstÃ©e Lauder Companies, was named to its board as an independent director and


The agent for Magglio OrdÃ³Ã±ez confirmed on Saturday that the most productive hitter left in the free-agent market had reached agreement with Detroit.


If you say you're going to sell your old car for $12,000, and you end up selling it for $8,000, are you a success or a failure?


IronPort updates e-mail security appliance

SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - E-mail security systems vendor IronPort Systems Inc. is releasing new versions of its C-Series line of e-mail security appliances, with features that make it easier


An Ulster charity for children with cancer has become the first in the United Kingdom to receive a grant from the Caron Keating Foundation.


PANAMA CITY -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Venezuela's foreign minister fired verbal broadsides at each other here yesterday over the silencing of a key opposition television station in Venezuela .


Bruce Fraser wins NAPP Lifetime Achievement Award

Widely regarded as the father digital color management, Bruce Fraser has been named as the recipient of the first National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) Lifetime Achievement Award.


Iraq Delegates Say Sadr Agrees to End Najaf Crisis

Iraqi delegates to a conference  choosing a national assembly said Wednesday that radical  Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr had agreed to demands to end an  uprising in the holy city of Najaf.


US says suspected suicide bomber probably wore Iraqi uniform

BAGHDAD -- The suicide bomber believed to have blown himself up in a US military dining tent near Mosul this week, killing more than 20 people, was probably wearing an Iraqi military uniform, the US military said yesterday.


Buenos Aires, 20:37 - CALCIO, MERCATO; PRESIDENTE BOCA: NO A MILAN PER BANEGA

Il presidente del Boca Juniors, Mauricio Macri, ha rivelato di avere rifiutato un'offerta di 10 mili...


Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall got a nice surprise for her 60th birthday Tuesday: a poll suggesting growing support for her one day becoming Queen Camilla -- but she immediately downplayed the idea.


Bayer Sells Plasma Unit to U.S. Investors

Bayer AG, the German drug and chemical company, has agreed to sell its plasma products business for $590 million in cash and stock to the private U.S. investment groups Cerberus Capital Management and Ampersand ...


An early goal in each half from Bonaventure Kalou ended Rangers' European hopes, despite the Glasgow club requiring only a draw to qualify.


North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds denies the DUP is following the UUP example of crippling internal divisions.


France, U.S. Begin Ivory Coast Evacuations

France, the United States and other nations launched one of the largest evacuations of Africa's post-independence era Wednesday, requisitioning commercial jets to fly out thousands of foreigners following attacks on civilians and peacekeeping troops.


The Mobile World Congress is seeing the introduction of a wealth of gadgets to meet needs and desires.


Estonia and Finland are both struggling to tackle heavy alcohol consumption, Laura Sheeter reports.


Napoli, 16:24 - CALCIOPOLI: GAZZONI CHIEDE DANNI, CAMPIONATO DEVE FERMARSI

"Il campionato italiano deve fermarsi se, come mi auguro, verranno adottate azioni patrimoniali nei ...


Experts Advise Bush Not to Reduce Troops

President Bush heard a blunt and dismal assessment of his handling of Iraq from a group of military experts yesterday, but the advisers shared the White House's skeptical view of the recommendations made last week by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, sources said.


The Tories would force firms to carry out a "pay audit" of staff under plans to end sex discrimination.


New ultrasound may help spot breast cancers

A new type of ultrasound was highly effective at determining whether lumps in the female breast were cancerous or harmless, U.S. researchers who conducted a small study said on Monday.


Soccer: Newcastle kicks up coal dust to block bleak view

LONDON Less than a week ago, Bobby Robson, the oldest team manager-coach in English soccer, was trying to buy Wayne Rooney, the youngest phenomenon in the English game, on behalf of his club Newcastle United.


STOCKHOLM, Sweden - In a tradition that has become as venerable as the 103-year-old Nobel Prizes themselves, the guessing game over who will take home the world's most coveted awards this week has entered full swing.    The first announcement of 2004 winners comes Monday with the physiology or medicine prize, followed by a week of announcements of winners for physics, chemistry, economics, peace and possibly literature...


SAT scores, participation up for Texas Hispanics

HOUSTON More Hispanic Texas high school seniors have taken the SAT and have performed better on the college-entrance test. That's even while there was little change reported in the overall average verbal and


LOS ANGELES  - With the recent slew of lawsuits filed against Michael Jackson, he should just make himself at home in the courtroom -- perhaps with a pair of ormolu malachite pedestals.


Sponsorizzera' per il Mondiale la nazionale di Samoa


Citing Threats, Entrepreneur Wants to Quit Caller ID Venture

After receiving harassing messages and even a death threat, the founder of a service that fools caller ID systems has decided to sell the business.


"Sex sells," so adult content on mobile devices will be a multibillion-dollar market in five years, a research firm predicts.


Halliburton to move headquarters, CEO to Dubai

MANAMA/HOUSTON  - U.S. oil services firm Halliburton Co.  is moving its headquarters and chief executive to Dubai in a move that immediately sparked criticism from some U.S. politicians.


Vitamin E Linked to Increased Death Risk

High doses of vitamin E, often viewed as a panacea for cancer, heart disease and other illnesses, actually increase the risk of death slightly among the elderly and infirm, researchers said Wednesday.


Insurgents hammer central Baghdad, 25 dead in surge of violence in ...

Insurgents hammered central Baghdad on Sunday with one of their most intense mortar and rocket barrages ever in the heart of the capital


According to posting on Blabbermouth.net, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. reports that loud music made it hard to hear the last words of a man who jumped on stage and killed Damageplan guitarist Dimebag


AltaRoma, collezione realizzata con materiali biodegradabili


Domani balletto-dedica di Bejart 'Grazie Gianni con amore'


The US remains the world's leading producer of junk e-mail, according to security firm Sophos. The US is the source of 42 percent of spam, easily outstripping South Korea, which, with 13 percent


Liberty strike first to take series lead

Elena Baranova scored 17 points to lead the New York Liberty over the Shock in Detroit last night in Game 1 of their first-round best-of-three series.


Japanese scientists say identify anti-TB compound

Scientists in Japan say they have identified a compound that appears to stop the tuberculosis bacteria from multiplying, offering new hope in the fight against the increasingly drug-resistant disease.


US spending rebound in July good news for growth

WASHINGTON: United States consumer spending rebounded sharply in July, government data showed yesterday, erasing the disappointment of June and bolstering hopes that the US economy has recovered from its recent soft spot.


Music Sites Ask, 'Why Buy If You Can Rent?'

ong before Sir Richard Branson dreamed of becoming the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cellphone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from


Bombing mars launch of political campaign in Iraq

BAGHAD -- The Iraqi political campaign officially kicked off yesterday, colored by hope but tempered by violence that highlighted security concerns leading up to the national election set for Jan. 30.


Spain, Ukraine get 1-0 wins at World Cup

Spain and Ukraine did exactly as expected Friday, each winning its match to eliminate Saudi Arabia and Tunisia from the World Cup.


The Government is accused of failing to deliver on a pledge to fund a unit reinvestigating Troubles murders.


U.S.: Iran restricting religious freedom

A "threatening atmosphere" in Iran is causing a deterioration in already restricted religious freedom for nearly all minorities despite repeated expressions of concern by the United Nations, the State Department said Friday.


The difference in 12 months was easy to see. Serena Williams, wearing hot pink bicycle shorts a short white dress and dangling, chandelier-inspired earrings, found her form quickly and beat Jarmila Gajdosova 6-3, 6-3 Monday in the first match in the Australian Open.


Judge ponders dismissing KPMG case: experts

A U.S. judge may be laying the groundwork for a plea agreement or possible dismissal of a case against 16 former KPMG  partners accused of creating and marketing fraudulent tax shelters, legal experts said.


CAIRO, Egypt -- Iran aired video Thursday of its boats and U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf in an apparent attempt to show that there was no confrontation between the vessels.


A murder inquiry is launched after a 34-year-old man was fatally injured in the street in Greenock.


The Bakery: Six New Articles and Tutorials

The Bakery has six new articles/tutorials posted today on subjects ranging from working with LDAP out to Access Control:   How to use ACL with Cake PHP 1.2.x? Sexy Cake with Krumo: Say Goodbye to print_r() Using ldap as a datasource: basic find example LDAP datasource for cakePHP Haml: Markup Haiku Real World Access Control   Check out The Bakery for more great articles and tutorials (as well as case studies on sites using the CakePHP framework).


Secondo il ministro occorre aumentare tasse su rendite


Pilot wrongfully accused of 9/11 ties can seek damages from Britain

A British court ruled that the government destroyed Lotfi Raissi's career by imprisoning him for months on terror charges.


Samsung promises slimmest-ever phone LCD

(InfoWorld) - Samsung Electronics has developed what it claims is the thinnest LCD (liquid crystal display) panel, just the thickness of a credit card, designed for use in mobile phones. The screen measures 0.82 millimeters thick and, combined with a new method for attaching the panel to devices, will allow manufacturers to shave between 1.4 mm and 2.4mm off the thickness of their phones, Samsung said. The size reduction comes partly from a new assembly technology developed by Samsung called i-Lens. Most phone screens use a piece of reinforced plastic that sits a few millimeters above the LCD to protect it. With iLens, Samsung found a way to attach a protective sheet directly onto the display in a way that also improves its shock resistance and readability. The technique makes the display easier to read outdoors because it eliminates the reflection that occurs on the plastic sheet used in existing designs, Samsung said. The screens will be available in 2.1 inch and 2.2 inch diagonal sizes. They offer 240 x 320-pixel resolution and 500:1 contrast ratio. Samsung expects to be mass producing them by the second half of next year. Since the popularity of Motorola's very thin phones, including the Razr, phone makers are increasingly trying to make thinner phones. The Razr flip phone is 13.9 mm thick.


Taiwan nervous about possible end of EU arms Embargo for China

TAIPEI, Taiwan  - Taiwan is getting jittery about a new push within the European Union to lift a 15-year Embargo on weapons sales to China - the communist giant that's been threatening to attack this tiny democratic island.


10 Killed in Baghdad; 31 Iraqi Police Kidnapped

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A group of Iraqi policemen returning from training has been kidnapped in the western part of the country, according to police.


THE number of Israelis killed in a series of deadly bombings in Egypt's Sinai peninsula rose to 11 today after four more victims were identified, including two children, Israel police said.


Yasser Arafat, Who Led Palestinians to Brink of Statehood, Dies

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who rose from the ranks of guerrilla fighter to share a Nobel Peace Prize with his Israeli archenemies only to watch the peace process later unravel, died today.


Lienz, 11:17 - SCI, CDM DONNE; GIGANTE: KARBON IN TESTA, GIUS TERZA

Italiane in evidenza nella prima manche del gigante femminile di coppa del mondo di Lienz, in Austri...


Harry Potter fans await the arrival of the stars of the latest film at the European premiere in London.


'Incontro deludente', dicono dopo confronto con i vertici


He may be the star of a hit reality series, a best-selling author and a crack businessman to boot, but even Donald Trump has cash flow problems from time to time.


By MICHELLE ROBERTS  NEW ORLEANS - Two nursing home owners who were arrested after 34 of their patients died in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are suing the government, saying federal, state and local officials they failed to evacuate vulnerable citizens as the storm approached.


Arsene Wenger has said he stands by the comments he made about Ruud van Nistelrooy, despite being fined Â£15,000 by The FA. The Arsenal boss was disciplined by the Football Association after he called the


Postal Experts Hunt for Missing Ballots in Florida

U.S. Postal Service investigators on Wednesday were trying to find thousands of absentee ballots that should have been delivered to voters in one of Florida's most populous counties, officials said.


BAGHDAD, Feb. 4 -- Four American helicopters that crashed in Iraq in the past two weeks were shot down, a U.S. military spokesman said Sunday, prompting officials to reevaluate how troops move around in an increasingly hostile war zone.


Electronic gadgets may dominate New York Toy Fair

Preschoolers will be able to access the Internet safely, while older children might have more fun learning to play guitar, thanks to new toys due to be unveiled next week at one of the world's biggest toy fairs.


Messina, 19:17 - CALCIO, MESSINA: ALLA RIPRESA ZORO IN GRUPPO

Ripresa degli allenamenti del Messina in vista della gara con il Torino. Ha lavorato con il gruppo Z...


Homes lost in Australian bushfires: officials

Scores of firefighters Friday contained two bushfires which have destroyed four homes and burned through about 1,000 hectares of land in west Australia, emergency officials said.


Maranello, 17:30 - F1, RAIKKONEN: 13 PUNTI SONO TANTI, MA STIAMO ARRIVANDO

Dopo la vittoria nel Gran Premio del Belgio, la quarta di questa stagione, Kimi crede di poter dire ...


Queen Sirikit makes a rare public declaration calling for an end to the religious unrest in Thailand's south.


G.M. Will Build Its Own Research Center in China

General Motors said the research center, to be built in Shanghai, would focus on developing hybrid technology and other designs.


Avastin helps slow lung cancer tumor growth-study

The commonly used cancer drug Avastin helped slow tumor growth in patients with advanced forms of lung cancer, the leading cancer killer worldwide, a study presented on Saturday found.


Aznar Denies Madrid Bombs Were Linked to Iraq War

Former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said Islamic militants tried to use the Madrid train bombings to oust the pro-U.S. ruling party from power in Spain, but not because of its support for the Iraq war.


After 9/11, Wall Street chief calls happiness key

Renowned as a hard-driving Wall Street   power broker, Cantor Fitzgerald's Chief Executive Howard   Lutnick admits he was a classic Type A personality before Sept   11, 2001, changed his view on life.


CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., June 1 -- In the week after Marines killed 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, an angry group of townspeople went to the local military base alleging a "crime of war" and demanding an investigation, a military prosecutor said Friday.


Rivals in Kenya Meet, but Recriminations Follow

NAIROBI, Jan. 24 -- President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga met briefly Thursday for the first time since Kenya's disputed presidential election threw the country into weeks of protests, riots and ethnically charged violence.


Tribune sued for not paying minimum wage

A lawsuit was filed against Tribune  Co. on Thursday, claiming the newspaper publisher refused to  pay minimum wage and overtime to its newspaper distributors.


US hints of NKorea talks but presses on with sanctions

The United States and Japan vowed to ram through UN sanctions against North Korea, but Washington also offered an olive branch by agreeing to meet one-on-one with Pyuongyang if it joined international talks.


The Attorney General on Thursday called for an independent probe into Kenya's election after a day of battles in Nairobi between police and demonstrators disputing the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki.


Sex offenders' membership of the Orange Order is to be automatically terminated under a new policy.


More Troops May Be Needed in Ivory Coast -Mbeki

South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Wednesday it might be necessary to send more troops to Ivory Coast to quell tension unless there is a deal soon between the government and rebels.


Strong Hurricane Approaches Bahamas, Florida

Hurricane Frances barreled toward the  Bahamas islands with 140 mph winds on Wednesday, a growing  threat that put millions of people on alert along Florida's  heavily populated east coast.


U.N. needs overhaul in procurement, U.N. watchdog says

The head of a U.N. inspection  office said the world body needed a "major overhaul" of how it  procures $1.9 billion in goods annually and called for less  secrecy about probes of staff and companies involved.


Cayman Islands Damage Widespread After Hurricane

Hurricane Ivan smashed apartment complexes to bits, washed away many homes and damaged nearly all the roofs in the Cayman Islands, residents of the battered Caribbean offshore finance hub said on Tuesday.